Mukteshwara Gudi, Vakkund - chapter 1

The temples of Vakkund have been on my list for years, probably five years. I knew the temple site is an island half the time every year since it is situated in the backwaters of Renuka Sagar, the reservoir formed by river Malaprabha & Navilu-Theertha dam. Having waited for a long time, I decided to visit the site in February 2022. There was a good chance the site would be an island since monsoon rains ceased quite late. So on Feb 15th I decided to visit Vakkund and Bailahingal.

April 16, 2022

I left Dharwad around 7 am, reached Vakkund by 8 AM, parked my car at Sri Guru Madiwalwshwara Mata and walked 500 meters towards the site. Yes, the temple site was sitting in water. In standing on the left bank of river Malaprabha, this is the backwaters of Renuka Sagar. On the banks are farm lands, people were just starting work for the day. One of the land owners Amrutgouda Patil said that water level would drop in a month, say by Holi festival. Mr. Patil offered to inquire availability of a boatman, the guys who fish in these waters. I declined and told him I'd make another trip in a month or two. I thanked Mr. Patil and went ahead to see the place. 

I took a few shots of the site with telephoto lens. Looks like three temples o the hillock. None of them have Shikhara. This site is listed in Archaeological Survey of India website, in Dharwad Circle section, that's where I got to know its called Mukteshwara temple. People of Vakkund simply call it as Kalgudi, meaning stone temple. In fact, even Ramalingeshwara Gudi at Bailhongal is called as Kalgudi. In North Karnataka, if you hear the word "Kalgudi" take it as a generic term, not the actual name.

The site as seen from a more easterly direction. The open ground seen here would've been submerged a month ago, I think. With every passing month, water recedes exposing more land on the banks.

That's the bridge across the river & reservoir. It basically connects Belavadi and Bailhongal towns. If you follow Malaprabha in this direction you will reach its place of birth i.e. Kankumbi. Do check out the journey of river Malaprabha to know the important religious & historical places along the river.

Besides the historical site, the other two interesting things about this place were the electricity poles and cables. The partly submerged poles created an unusual sight... their blurred reflections in the almost still surface of water had an artistic touch. Coming to the electricity poles, they were like railway platforms on a long weekend... hundreds of birds perched on the cables as though that's the only place they had. These flocks consisted of at least two or three kinds of more or less same size. I could recognize sparrows, then a bird with long tail feathers. The birds were here to feed on insects which are less active in the cool hours of morning. And kites hovered higher above preying upon these birds. A live natural food chain.

A closer look at a few birds.

A bird with long tail feathers.

The spot where I shot from was a natural mound atop which was a dargah. Going by the looks of the place I felt it was a temple originally. Close to where the steps end, is a small platform. The platform happens to be a shrine of three wooden clubs. These ancient clubs were used as exercise weights by wrestlers. Ancient gyms known as Gardimani was an enclosed space with one small opening, the floor used to be a mixture of red mud, sand, turmeric powder and few other things. The gym equipment included clubs, stone balls, wooden poles, ropes, etc.

A closer look at the three wooden clubs.

I headed back to Guru Madiwaleshwara Matha where I had parked my car. On the way I happened to notice this idol of river goddess. Villagers call it as Holi Gangavva. 

This is Guru Madiwaleshwara Matha. The matha premises is neat & tidy. Within this building is a temple dedicated to Guru Madiwaleshwara who was a contemporary of Sharief Saheb of Shishunala and Nagalinga Swami of Navalgund. The main monastery of Guru Madiwaleshwara is situated between Garag and Hangarki villages, about 20 km from Dharwad.

I left Vakkund, went to Bailhingal where I wanted to see the tomb of Rani Chennamma of Kittur and Ramalingeshwara Gudi, a XII Century Chalukyan temple. Chennamma memorial was under renovation so I skipped it, instead I happened to notice an antique water tank tower of Bailhongal town. Later I saw Ramalingeshwar Gudi and headed back to Dharwad. The morning being terribly hot left me exhausted by the time I reached home.

April 16, 2022

Exactly two months later I was back at Vakkund, This time I drove the car further than last time, parked it some 300 meters from the base of the temple site hillock.

The ground was so dry it hardly felt it was submerged until a few days ago.

The approach road doesn't look steep but the climb requires some effort. These steps and retaining walls were made recently, may be less than seven years ago. In fact this is a work-in-progress site. However due to prolonged rainy season, renovation work has been halted. May be it will be resumed this year.

The backwaters of Renuka Sagar. A few people had already started work in the fields. This soil is fertile and doesn't require manure or fertilizers. Farmers have to sow, cultivate, irrigate, remove weeds and finally harvest. Sounds simple but there's lot of hard work required. Turning my attention to the temples, apparently there's no caretaker at present.

The steps are higher than the ones in our homes. Each step is almost a foot high. I was breathless by the time I reached the end of the stairs. To the right is this temple, its entrance is shielded by side walls, like a gunghat. Ancient temple parts in lay scattered over a large area. Going by the look of the temple, it seems like an incomplete one.

This is the main temple situated at the highest part of the hillock. ASI has planted some seven or eight boards declaring these temples as a protected monument, anyone damaging them are liable to prosecution.

This is how I reached the site. We'll see the temples in detail in the following chapter- Mukteshwara Gudi, Vakkund - part 2.

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