Kalmeshwara Gudi remained unknown until I heard about it on Oct 28th from Vijay Menon my friend from Thane. The place is just 35 km from Dharwad and I was ignorant of it. Now, since it has been discovered, it's time to visit Kamadhenu.
Dec 1, 2024. Pushp and I left home around 9 AM. The 33 km journey took an hour to cover due to bad patches and road construction. Dharwad-Kalghatgi always has had rough patches, traveling hasn't been pleasant experience for decades. Finding the temple was easy, it's situated at the southern tip of the inverted isosceles shaped village. Beyond the village is a vast expanse of black-soil fields. There's ample open space around the temple but however the space was being temporarily used to store grain filled bags. Here's a side view of Kalmeshwara Gudi, a north-east facing one sanctum temple dedicated to Shiva Linga & Nandi.
Next to the temple are two inscription slabs. I'm not sure if the inscriptions and the temple are of the same time period. There could be a difference of few decades if not a century or two. I asked the Archaka if he had historical information. No, but he mentioned that it was written on the larger slab. I cannot really read the script, I had to leave it there.
A closer look at the larger inscription slab head. It seems like a Chalukyan time inscription.
This is the front view of Kalmeshwara Gudi. It has three entrances, one in the front and one each on it's northern and southern sides. On the front are bags of agricultural produce. They seem to be market ready, probably waiting for the best rate. I wish these farmers earn well, appropriate for their efforts.
The rear side view. The temple external walls are quite simple but elegant. The Shikhara is a pyramidal form. Going by the Shikhara design, this could be a temple built during Kadamba times or by a late descendant of Kadamba dynasty. The temple's open hall's roof has been renovated quite recently. Roof stone slabs have been replaced by concrete slab. Hoping the work is done after careful study of load bearing capacity of the columns.
This type of stone isn't available in and around Kamadhenu. It seems to be brought in from the Western ghats, maybe near Sirsi or Belagavi. The temple is well built for it to have survived those centuries. Despite it's heritage value, this isn't a ASI protected monument. I did not see any board as such. Also the Archaka confirmed that government hasn't placed any notice board here.
Where there's a Shivalaya there's a Bilva Patri tree. There's one tall here too. Leaning on the base of the Bilva tree is a beautiful idol of a Chaturbhuja Vishnu. At Vishnu's feet is Anjaneya. No idea why this idol has been kept outside the temple, in the open. The idol has qualities of Hoysala time sculptures.
Entering the temple through the side entrance. Directly ahead is idol of Nandi facing the sanctum.Apart from the roof repair, the temple floor is also has been renovated. Today being Amavasya, there was a regular flow of visitors with offerings to the deity.
Looking towards the eastern entrance. This Sabhamantapa, the meeting hall has a wide seating platform on three sides. At the center of the hall is Nandi. The eye-catching thing in this hall is the fluted pillars. All pillars are same except for the four pillars of the Nandi Mantapa.
This is the perforated wall separating the Sabha Mantapa and Antharala (vestibule connecting Sabha Mantapa and Garbhagudi.
A beautiful of idol of Nandi. The sculpture has features of Chalukyan Nandi idols.
Stepping into the Antharala. The vestibule itself has two sections, the sections separated by another perforated wall. On either ends of this sections, to the left and right, are several ancient idols. On the left are two idols of Ganesha, and one panel of Saptamatrika. Notice the while object? That's a large cylinder shaped Vibhuti.
Aum engraved on the cylinder side. Shivaya Namah Aum.
On the right end are three idols. One of them is Vishnu. I couldn't recognize the other two.
We had a good darshan of the deity- Kalmeshwara. We received prasada from the Archaka. We sat for a minute on the Sukanasi, the seating platform in the pillared hall. Having photographed the temple with a camera, I wanted to get a few aerial shots. I step out and launch DJI Mini 2.
This is the shot of the morning. An overhead view of the Shikhara.
Having discovered another ancient monument of Dharwad district, I'm sharing the names and links to other sites too. There are hundreds of ancient sites but what's listed here is the temples who have survived with their ancient structures with varying degree of reconditioning, repairs or renovation.
- Someshwara Gudi, Dharwad
- Banashankari Gudi, Amargol, between Dharwad & Hubballi
- Chandramouleshwara Gudi, Unkal, Hubballi
- Bhavani Shankar Gudi, Old Hubballi
- Shambulingeshwar Gudi, Kundagol
- Kalmeshwara Gudi, Kamadhenu
- Basavanna Gudi, Tambur
- Amruteshwara Gudi, Annigeri
.........
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