stones embedded in sandstone boulders

Mother Nature is the supreme artist and her creations can be seen everywhere... sky, clouds, mountains, valleys, rocks, water, seas, sand, rivers, lakes, flora, fauna.. it goes on and on. Even the angry side of Nature has its beauty such as lava flowing out from a volcano or a tornado. One of the most stable objects on our planet are stones. Perhaps it won't be an overstatement to call them the most stable?

Stones have been man's best friend since the time man existed. Rocks gave shelter to human beings. Rocks became man's tools and weapons. Then with imagination humans started building shelters using stone. Humans also made graves using stones. In the present day we get to see countless creations of  ancient humans, some simple, some sophisticated. Whatever the creations are they are beautiful. One of the aspects of the beauty is the natural or the raw texture of stone. It doesn't matter what type of stone. It could be marble, granite, sandstone, basalt, slate, limestone, laterite, etc. Each of them have their own characteristics, some my be preferred over the other for  certain physical qualities but when it comes to visual appeal, all are equal - that's the way I see them.

Apart from regular stones i.e. the ones which are homogenous, there are heterogenous types as well. I'm not sure if the terminologies are right but I think they convey the meaning. I've come across the heterogenous types mostly in the sandstone hills of Bagalkot district.

Quoting a couple of lines describing sandstone from a stone manufacturer in Rajasthan:

Sandstones are defined as sand particles cemented together into a rock. These stones are a type of rock made of sediments, and that is why they are called the sedimentary rocks. Sedimentary rock is a name provided to a stone if the cluster arrangement of that stone includes clasts, pieces of minerals, and rocks’ fragments.

Sandstones are formed in a very interesting and two-way process. The first consists of a layer of sand accumulating as the result of sedimentation either from water or air. And secondly, when the sand is accumulated, the sand turns into a sandstone when compacted by the pressure of overlying deposits and cemented minerals filling the pore spaces between sand grains.

Here are a few examples of a different type of stone embedded in sandstone. Geology specialists would know what these examples are called. Laymen can only admire their beauty.

One possible explanation for these embedded stones is that they were caught up during the formation of sandstone which means these are several millions of years old. These stones are the hard types.

A colorful stone... yellow, pink, blue, green, white.

Here we have a red and black pebbles set tightly. This looks like stones set in cement.

Here we have a circular hole in a boulder. The pit's floor & wall are covered with a thick layer of dark matter which looks like iron. This particular formation was seen at Badami and Aihole.

The last picture is about the natural texture of a sandstone boulder. They have interesting textures which looks like animal fur patterns or geometric diagrams. 

The sandstone boulders at Sidlapadi have unique formations which appear like little walls. Read the blog post Sights from Sidlaphadi to see those formations. Also check out the sandstone hill of Kutkankeri as well. Before I end this post I would like readers to see the open air museum of geological samples at Syntheri Rocks.

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Brass idol of Ravana at Alampur

This beautiful idol of Ravana was seen at Alampur. I think it was kept in the premises of Baala Brahma Gudi premises, which is one of the nine Chalukyan temples of Alampur. The idol depicting Ravana with 10-heads & 20-arms is made of brass. The kneeling position and raised arms makes it look like Ravana is praising Shiva and asking for a boon.

This picture was shot on March 20, 2015 during my third visit to Alampur. During that trip we also saw the sculptures at the Archaeological Museum and then visited Papanashi group of temples.

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Dolmen of Hanamasagar

This dolmen was discovered while we explored the ruins of Hanamasagar fort on November 24th 2012. Hanamasagar fort is situated on a low elevation hill scattered with sandstone outcrops. The dolmen was found on the eastern slope. The dolmen is made of rough-cut sandstone slabs and measures approximately 2' x 2' x 2'. Going by the size of the tomb, only a small corpse could be buried in it. So probably this was a tomb made for a young child. I feel these tombs must be of the period between 1500 and 1000 BCE.

Close to the dolmen above we found a damaged dolmen which was also of the same size. These were the only two dolmen we could find during our hour long exploration.

These dolmen look similar to the dolmen seen on Aihole hill and at the megalithic site close to Konnur near Gokak. The dolmen at Aihole and Konnur are made of rough-cut sandstone slabs. The point to be noted is that small sized dolmen were fewer than the larger dolmen. Some of the dolmen were large enough to hold two or three adult bodies.

Dolmen at Konnur site

Dolmen on Aihole hill

For the reader's benefit below are the links to the two sites: 1. Megalithic burial site on Aihole hill and 2. Megalithic burial site of Konnur.

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spiral cloud

This spiral cloud formation was spotted on 16th September 2012 at 6 PM near Hebsur. The formation lasted for about 10 minutes or so before breaking off.

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A tour of Vatapi Chalukyan realm - part5

...continued from A tour of Vatapi Chalukyan realm - part4.

Day-2 of our holiday was almost ending. With an hour's daylight left, we entered Galaganatha temple complex. This place doesn't many tourists, probably we were the first of the day and surely the last. Galaganatha group is situated on the right bank of Malaprabha, just 250 meters to the north of Ramlingeshwar Gudi. However, this group is completely enclosed with no access to the river. My last visit here was Dec 2011 and the most remembered item is the dolmen which looks like a simple mantapa of a slab supported by six columns seen in the below picture. Galaganatha group consists of approximately 25 to 30 individual temples in three clusters. All temples here are inactive, no rituals happen here. The main temple is situated next to the dolmen, seen here. It has a Kadamba-Nagara Shikhara, a pyramidal tower with shrinking concentric square steps.

A Karnataka Tourism board planted at the enclosure entrance reads as below:

The Galaganatha Temple

This appears to be originally a Vishnu temple as the Shikhara of the temple has images of on three sides. though Vishnu on the Garbhagriha of this eighth Century temple has a Linga installed in it. The Rangamantapa has the image of Brahma on Ats inner ceiling. The Mantapa has a Saptamatrika panel.

Below is a collage of four images from the first cluster. Orientation of most temples here is east-facing but there are examples of temples facing the other three directions too. Also there are temples in different formats i.e. combination of features like Mukhamantapa, Sabhamantapa, Antharala, Sukanasi, Shikhara, etc. It is said that builders built model temples here and then replicated a larger version elsewhere. It would be an interesting project to map the models at Aihole & with replicas elsewhere.

Moving on to the next cluster which is to the southeast of the first cluster. The Thoranagallu here is the most unique item here. Though damaged, the columns & beams' features are preserved. In this group, temples seem to be built around a quadrangle, the open space is like a gathering place for devotees. I did not take closeups due to dim light and we were on a fast tour. Back home when I compared these pictures with the pictures shot in dry season, the older ones are clearer. Do take a look at Galagatnatha in Dec 2011.

Pushpa got a phone call which lasted several minutes before she asked me take it. The call was from a common ex-colleague from Yellapur side. I chatted with our friend and continued shooting. At one point it wasn't convenient, so I'd to say bye to our friend. During the call we had moved from cluster-2 to cluster-3. While clusters 1 & 2 are situated on level ground, cluster 3 is on a rocky slope. This slope which runs along the river bank goes on till Ramlingeshwara group. The temples here are smaller and more tightly packed. Also it looks little chaotic because the builders had to follow the undulations. We spent a few minutes here. To study these temples and find some unique or special or superbly preserved sculpture, one has to be look patiently. I realized that another visit is due between Oct and Jan.

Before leaving the place, I took a long look at the iconic tree of Galaganatha & Ramlingeshwara. The umbrella shaped Ficus which is almost a hundred feet in diameter. During my last visit I remember seeing a group of stoneworkers working on big blocks to be used for restoration here.

We headed back to our room at KSTDC lodge situated on Aihole-Amingad road. We had an early dinner and hit the bed. This place is so silent that city people might find it difficult falling sleep here. This is what I like about Aihole... no hotels, no big bus-stand, no maddening crowds. Pushpa slept well but my sleep was on & off due to the mattress. We woke up early morning, freshened up and went for a walk. The ambiance was just too good, very relaxing. Two friendly canines joined us, they too wanted to exercise their limbs I guess. Back at the lodge, we found two puppies as well. We got some biscuits from our room and fed them. Four happy canines :)

Our plan was to see Kunti Gudi and Charantimath complex and then start our return journey by noon. We headed to the main junction of Aihole, had a light breakfast, parked our car and found our way through the narrow lanes. Aihole had changed a bit in the past decades... the dirt paths of the village had been cemented. Now it was much cleaner and easier to walk.

Charantimath complex consist of four temples and a Thoranagallu. Of the three temples; one is a twin temple - a Dwikutachala; one is three interconnected temples - a Trikutachala; the third one a small structure, just a Garbhagudi; and the last one is very elegant, it has a Garbhagudi with a stepped Shikhara and a Mukhamantapa with Sukanasi (top-left in the collage below).

A Karnataka Tourism board planted here describes the complex as follows: Originally, a Jaina Basadi, now is a Matha. This XII Century Trikutachala monument has a common Mantapa to connect the three Garbhagrihas. The pillars are square, but circular at the top. The frontal entrance has an image of a Tirthankara flanked by the Gandharvas. There are twin Basadis in this complex with a common entrance Mantapa and the two Basadis have images of Tirthankaras, 12 in each, and only one Garbhagrihas has a Jaina image.

Photography is an impossible task at Charanti Matha. You try to shoot one, other temple's wall comes in the way. Shooting with a standard lens is a waste here, one has to have a wide angle lens. It's easier to shoot with a mobile phone here. Below pictures are of the twin Basadi. To my knowledge, the floor plan of this twin-Basadi is close to Veerabhadreshwara Gudi at Lakkundi.

After spending about 30 minutes, we moved on to Kunti Gudi which is a minute's walk away. This is one of my favorite spots and I was waiting to show-off the stone ladder to Pushpa. There she is after ascending, touching the temple's roof and descending. I must mention that this entire group is situated in a 6' deep rectangular pit. May be the top soil wasn't hard enough to take the load of these structures so the builders had it removed until a hard layer was met. Here we have four individual temples; a west facing Trikutachala, a east-facing Ekatachala, another east-facing Ekatachala and a north-facing Ekatachala. Apart from the temples, there's one tall Mantapa which kind of connects the Trikutachala to one of the Ekatachala.

That's the Mantapa. To my knowledge, there are smaller Mantapas like this at Galaganatha and Charanti Matha. Coming to the stone ladder, there are three- 1. Jaina Narayana Gudi, Pattadakal, 2. Chalukya Shiva Gudi (formerly Ladkhan temple), Aihole and 3. Kunti Gudi. I think ancient builders had made more stone ladders in Chalukyan temples, may be only these are remaining presently.

This is the interior of Kunti Gudi, the temple with three sanctums. As per the sculptures present here, these temples have been dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Shakti Devis. Most of the fine sculptures are damaged, either intentionally or by natural forces. The design and build of these temples are awe-inspiring. One will wonder about ancient builders' ability and the technology of that time. Sculpting pillars or columns or slabs is one thing but assembling the individual components without damaging them is another matter. Even if we assume that the finishing touches were given after the assembly, the sculptors had no margin for error.

This is the temple opposite Kunti Gudi. Its verandah is as wide as the temple. As you see its Sukhanasi has been damaged badly. The columns, beams and floor slabs have worn out significantly. In the foreground is one of the four columns of the tall Mantapa. Notice the geometric design on it's face, simple but elegant. An 6' tall inscription slab is kept in front of this temple which seems to be the only inscription here.

This is the third temple, its layout is similar to the second temple. The perforated windows are very stylish and functional. Inside the temple is a damaged sculpture of Garuda. So this could be a Vishnu temple. Here too erosion in floor stones is clearly visible.

This is the smallest temple of this group. Notice the steps construction. Instead of entering straight ahead, one has to climb sideways and then turn into the Mukhamantapa. The four pillars in the façade have couples in amorous positions. The canopy of this temple is well preserved. One thing here, none of these temples have pyramidal Shikhara but a cuboid like structure can be seen on two of the temples. May that was another design of Shikhara. 

A closer look at the step-ladder and the inscription featuring Gajalaksmi at its head.

I think we spent almost an hour at Kunti Gudi. When I come here next time, I need to study certain things and take a few more pictures. We walk back to our car parked close to Durga temple complex entrance and then drive to Chikki Gudi enclosure. Unfortunately the gates were locked. I could've jumped over the fence to take a proper look at the two temples here but that wouldn't be civil. So I had stand close to the fence and shoot a few pictures. Structurally this is similar to Kunti Gudi but here the width is shorter than its depth. In other words, Kunti Gudi floor plan is landscape and Chikki Gudi floor plan is portrait. Kunti Gudi has a wide Mukhamantapa and Chikki Gudi has a compact Mukhamantapa.

This is the second temple sans Mukhamantapa or Shikhara. Also this looks like a restored temple. The irony is those goats are close to the temple while they care a hoot about it and I'm here standing outside the fence.

There's another shrine to the far right of this enclosure. That shrine seems incomplete.. a Shivalinga on a pedestal, flooring, an arch standing on a platform and steps with balustrade are present. Apart from these, there are no walls at all. Going by another two rectangular plots paved with dressed slabs, looks like there were plans to build two more temples here. With no option to enter the enclosure, we decide to head back to the lodge and pack up.

We freshen up again, pack out stuff and check out. The accommodation was okay, for the tariff charged I did not want to complain. However, I felt things could be improved. Before leaving Aihole we decided to have one last snack & tea. This lady is the owner of the tea shop we visited since the evening we reached. Of all the shops here, this one is the cleanest and most spacious. We thanked the lady & her son and hoped to see them again. The other shop is right at Durga temple junction, there idli, puri, vada served in the mornings are better but the tables are out in the open and too close to traffic. Though traffic is light its not comfortable to eat there. One could always take away and eat elsewhere.

I wasn't really happy to be leaving but then... For the return journey, I had one last place to show. Couple of kilometers after Pattadakal, as we go towards Badami, on the left hand side of the road is this prehistoric dolmen. I'd been here several times but Pushpa was seeing this for the first time. During my previous visits this site was open, now its enclosed in a proper fence and a info board has been planted.

Below is the transcript of the description in English:

This megalith a dolmen-is a burial or memorial burial belonging to c. Millennium BCE to 3 century CE. It is a rectangular chamber formed by four large and thick orthostats on the sides. Bearing a larger capstone at the top. The side orthostats. At both the ends project laterally across the edges of the orthostats on the front and rear. The south-east facing front orthostat has a rectangular opening larger than a normal port- hole. On the front side. In continuation of the western orthostat. Is seen only the broken edge of another orthostat. There are three other huge fallen slabs in front of the chamber. These originally formed probably another north-south oriented compartment of the extant chamber. The present front slab with the rectangular opening is likely a segmental orthostat dividing the chamber into two compartments. Traces of cairn packing of stone rubbles and earth enclosing the chamber are visible on the northern side but this is a vague indication that the chamber was originally surrounded by a stone circle.

Adjoining this site are agricultural lands. The field to the right (facing this site from the road) are ruins of three or four more megalithic tombs. They are made of much heavier slabs of sandstone. They are not even like the ones seen at Aihole, rather the build is similar to the dolmen of Konnur near Gokak Waterfall. Like I said before the entire area surrounding Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole were active during Stoneage. There are lot of unknown artifacts hidden away. Only by chance we discover them. Close to this site is Bachangudda, a well known prehistoric site. Also atop the hill is Bachilingeshwara Gudi which I haven't seen till date. I've added it to the list of places to see during the next trip this side.

We continued with out journey... passed by the massive sandstone formations at Badami. We took Ramdurg road and drove via Saundatti back to Dharwad.

A year has passed by since our trip and I'm preparing for another visit, hopefully between October and December. I tried Pushpa to compose her version of the trip, no success so far but I haven't given up hope.

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A tour of Vatapi Chalukyan realm - part4

...continued from A tour of Vatapi Chalukyan realm - part3.

Day-2 of our tour started with Aihole hill, the history of this hill goes back to Stone Age. The western face of the hill is a long mass of sandstone formation in which are several shelters, both open & closed. The hill top is a plateau, not exactly level but a sloping flat surface, is a prehistoric burial site. In the burial site are ruins of 70+ megalithic tombs. The base of the hill below the rock formation is the remains of a VI Century quarry. One can rock-cutting marks at several places. Also there are sculptors names and work logs inscribed in stone. The sculptors had also made an open air bath place with a shower. From this side of the hill, river Malaprabha is in plain view. What makes this place special is attributed to the fact that Malaprabha flows in the northerly direction, in Hindu traditions such a place is considered sacred. This is the reason why Aihole was established here.

Right on the sacred bank of river Malaprabha are two groups of temples- Ramlingeshwara and Galaganatha. Also, the area next to Ramlingeshwara is said to be a prehistoric burial site. According to archaeological studies there were stone circles here. I did a quick check but couldn't find any stone circles. Hoping I'm mistaken about the exact spot and it is situated elsewhere.

This north-facing Thoranagallu welcomes visitors to Ramlingeshwara group. On the Thorana are Nataraja and two lions. This group consists of eight or nine individual temples, all dedicated to Shiva.

Here's a collage of four temples. The bottom-left temple is Ramalingeshwara Gudi, the main temple of this group. This temple is a Dwikutachala i.e. a temple with two sanctums. The temple's two Shikhara are square and stepped pyramidal structures. So are the Shikhara of other minor temples of this group. The two larger temples and couple of smaller ones are west facing. The remaining smaller temples are east facing.

That's Malaprabha waters flowing towards us, and then bends towards west. One can walk down the steps and out of the gateway to the shore.

In the past, the water levels have risen almost until the gateway. Pushpa takes a break from walking & standing, she's mediating on a stone seat at this sacred spot. Who knows that stone might've been some wise sage's meditation seat and only the fortunate ones get to touch them.

A serene moment.. except for the gracefully flowing water of Malaprabha everything is still. A few minutes later we saw a couple of peacocks on the sand dune island. Here I would to suggest the reader to take a look at the journey of Malaprabha Nadi and know some of the religious & historical places on its banks and in its vicinity.

A rock shrine dedicated to Hanuman and Nagaraja. On the right side i.e. next to Hanuman are two inscriptions, probably names of sculptors who worked here. Also on the same rock a few feet away is this 12 x 9 matrix of Linga. It's a Shaiva practice to worship a set of Linga at one place. Similar sets of Linga can be seen at Kotilinga at Chakra Tirtha and Hemakuta hill, Hampi.

Having spent a peaceful time here, we decide to head back towards Aihole village for a snack and then continue the temple run. I think we had mirchi-bajji & tea at one of the shops in the cluster near Durga temple complex. After the refreshing break we headed to the close by Huchichimalli and Ravalaphadi, the two are almost neighbors to each other.

Huchichimalli group consist of three Shivalaya and a stepped well built in the XI Century CE by Kalyana Chalukya kings. In the collage below, the top-right image is the main temple; the top-left is the smaller temple next to the main temple; both are west-facing. While the main temple has a Rekhanagara Shikhara the smaller temple has a square based stepped pyramidal Shikhara. The main temple has an inscription on its outer wall, and an interesting sculpture of Kartikeya on his peacock, in the Mukhamantapa ceiling. The other smaller temple, bottom-right image, is east-facing. The three stubby columns in front of it are called Poornakumbha sculptures. I think these columns are connected to cattle donation or cattle possessed by the temple.

The Kalyani (stepped well) has sculptures on the inside & outside of it's walls. such as Dikpalas, Mahishamardini, Brahma, Vishnu, Gajalakshmi, Kartikeya, stories of Panchatantra and Kiratarjuniya etc. In the below collage, the boar hunting (Kiratarjuniya story) and Ganapati images are part of the stepped well. The top two images, Kartikeya and an erotic scene are on the main temple.

This place too is free from tourist crowds, one could spend time here peacefully. We sat in the Mukhamantapa for a few minutes before moving on to the monolith shrine Ravalaphadi.

Also called as Ravanaphadi, this VI Century CE creation is one of the oldest shrines. Generally temples are either north or east facing, however Ralaphadi is southwest facing. Apart from the rock-cut temple, there are three small structural temples and a small rock-cut cuboid niche with a Shivalinga in it.

Building a structural temple and carving out a rock-cut temple from a single stone is a different matter altogether. The design & sculpting a rock-cut was handled by the most experienced sculptors, I think. Ancient sculptors designed and carved them in such a way that it lasted for centuries. If you look at the canopy like projection over the entrance here, the section is quite thin - this is seriously a delicate work. The sculptors even made a balustrade for the steps.

Where there's Shiva, a Nandi has to be present. Here Nandi idol is placed outside but directly opposite to the deity. Nandi is made of sandstone, despite the roughness the necklace beads are so clearly visible.

The little structural temple with a pillared Mukhamantapa. Even here the steps have balustrade. The Shikhara of this temple is like a dome, a dome with a square base and a rounded crown. To my knowledge there's no deity idol in its sanctum. In the background, is the cuboid niche with Shiva Linga.

The interior of Ravalaphadi has four separate spaces; the central hall and around its sides are three sanctums. The sanctum straight ahead has an idol of Shivalinga on a pedestal - all part of the monolith. The left sanctum features a ten armed Nataraja (dancing Shiva) with Parvati, Ganesha, Kartikeya & Saptamatrika (seven mother of Shakti tradition). Besides the Nataraja, there are sculptures of Ardhanarishwara, BhooVaraha, Mahishamardhini, Harihara, Bhringi-Shiva-Parvati & river goddesses. On the floor of the central hall is a lotus. The ceiling has a lotus at the center and three concentric squares around it. Within the spaces between the squares are floral motifs and at the corners are fishes. Around the hall, on the sides just above the floor are Ganas and other Hindu characters. One could sit in here and study the designs for hours together and still miss something..

I wish to come here again in the drier months and explore the roof of Ravalaphadi, there might be sculptors' signature or work logs similar to the ones seen at rock cut Jaina Basadi. For now, we move on to the star attraction of Aihole- Durga temple complex. We spent most of the time at the main item of this complex the VI Century CE creation, the east-facing apsidal structured Surya Devastana which is better known as Durga Gudi. The name Durga temple is a derivative of Durga meaning fort. Around the inner wall are idols of Mahishamardhini, Bhoovaraha, Narasimha, Harihara, Ardhanarishwara, etc. We sat on the Sukhanasi in the Mukhamantapa for a while admiring the massive columns decorated with sculptures depicting celestial nymphs, amorous couples, and panels depicting stories from Hindu legends. At this point I felt, Pushpa might've hit saturation point, may be she won't be able to absorb any further. Honestly, I experience saturation while seeing sculptures after sculptures and then start losing interest. The same had happened during our visit to Salar Jung museum. However, that's not the case with prehistoric sites; I've exhausted my energy but never felt saturated.

The museum is opposite Durga temple but we opted out. The other temples of this complex are Chappara Gudi (named after its sloping roof), Nadyar Gudi, Suryanarayana Gudi, Ladkhan Gudi, Gaudara Gudi, Chakra Gudi, Badiger Gudi and two nameless temples. Also there's a stepped well and a gateway which is associated with Surya Devastana. We had to skip some of the temples because of ongoing repair work. In this complex, my favorite is Lad Khan temple. The structure is unique and it has a stone ladder. Like most temples here this has been named after the person who had occupied it last. It's high time this Shivalaya is given a relevant name... may be I'll call it Mahadi Gudi because it has a small room at the top. The stone beams placed on the roof are akin to wooden poles placed on a thatch roof hut. Now the question is what is the purpose of those beams?

As seen at Huchchimalli temple, there are six Poornakumbha here.  The verandah of this temple is spacious with a comfortable Sukhanasi. At the right side of the verandah is the stone ladder connecting this level to the roof. Presently the hole in the roof has been blocked to prevent tourists climbing on to the roof.

The inner space of this temple feels big despite the massive columns and the dimness. This temple has huge perforated screen windows of different designs. At the center of the hall i.e. directly in front of the Garbhagudi door is a 4' high Nandi idol made of brown colored stone. One needs to really see this temple for real to feel it's beauty.

For a change we decided to head out of Aihole, we really needed to take a break from temples. We took our car and headed towards Siddanakolla. There are two routes, one through the forest area road and the other from Siddanakolla village. I took the forest area route, a little round about but an enjoyable drive. Kolla is a cleft in a hill through which a stream or a rivulet flows. The spot where the cleft starts is sacred hence there are shrines. A few of the well known Kolla are Huligyammana Kolla, Naganatha Kolla, Shabari Kolla near Sureban and Varavi Siddeshwara Kolla near Munvalli. These are the ones I remember but there are many of them. Kollas attract crowds during festival days and Amavasya. Luckily no such day, Siddanakolla was peaceful like the previous times I'd been here.

This spot is the where the ground parts and continues until the base of the hill. During my previous visits, there was no waterfall, instead water used to flow out from under the rocks. I was happy to see the waterfall, it's clear and fresh. Apart from us there were two other small groups. This group of a man & his two grandchildren were from a nearby village. The kids were bathing in sculpted pit while the man washed clothes. There are three such manmade pits, connected in a series, to temporarily stock flowing water.

This west-facing two-storey temple is an ancient creation, probably V Century or even earlier. The deity is a black stone Shivalinga. In front of the Shivalinga shrine is Basavanna in a simple mantapa. Besides the temple is a damaged inscription stone. During my first visit I'd seen the last Sunrays of the day falling on the Linga. Apart from this temple, there are two more temples one them has a proper Shikhara. Sadly caretakers of this sacred place have painted the stone structures with lime which is harmful to the stone.

Besides the ancient temples, there are two recent buildings here; one is a Devi temple and the other is a Samadhi Mandir of an ascetic who lived here. The Swamiji's disciples continued maintaining the place. As I understand disciples take turns of being present here handling day to day affairs. In fact Anna Dasoha is one of the activities here, any visitor coming here in the day time can have a simple lunch of anna-saru. The two gentlemen on my left were the caretakers, they had prepared tea and offering it us which we gladly accepted. Meanwhile, the kids & their grandad had finished bathing and they were heading to the Devi Gudi.

At the temple, while the grandad was busy doing pooje the two kids had smeared each other's face with Vibhuti. The grandfather told us that they were cousins, made for each other. Surely these parents must been relaxed while these little monsters were away. We say bye to all the folks we met here and headed back towards Aihole.

This time we took the road via Siddanakolla village. On the village outskirts were these conical objects. From a distance I thought they were huts. No, they are jowar stalks bunched together in that cylindrical form to keep the stalks as dry as possible. Rainwater would slide off the sloped tops and fall away from the bunch. The jowar stalks are chopped and fed to cattle during drier months when green fodder is scarce. Most of the practices here are ancient, probably thousands of years old. Until the exposure to digital technology, life in remote parts of northern Karnataka was really close to the earlier life. In fact , there are ancient traditions which are practiced to this day. For example- during one of the festivals, village folk prepare food, carry them in vessels to shrines atop rock hills. After pooja and offering food to the deities, the food is served not on plates or leaves but on stone. People select flat smooth spots, wash them with water, serve food on it and eat. This is something I must learn more about... when, why, etc.

A few hours of the day was still left, we decided to visit Galaganatha temple complex which is in the neighborhood of Ramalingeshwara complex. Let's catch up again in ...A tour of Vatapi Chalukyan realm - part5.

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