Baobab trees of Dodda Hunashe Matha, Savanur

April 30, 2011. Until this day, I didn't know that Baobab trees existed in our country and the discovery of Baobabs at Savanur happened by chance. I had come to Savanur to see the fort ruins here. While asking for directions a passerby told us to check out the huge trees at Dodda Hunase Mata. Kannada word Dodda-Hunase means big tamarind. The name generated curiosity and we decided to check out the trees.

The three Baobab trees stand in a triangular enclosure. The collage below shows two pictures.

Going by the sizes of the trees, they could be 500 years old. It is said that Baobab trees were brought from Africa to India by Sufi ascetics. Wherever Sufi caravans camped, saplings were planted and handed over to local people to care for. All Baobab sites in Karnataka are either temple or mosque. Baobabs were considered sacred due to their special qualities. They store huge amounts of water in their trunks and their fruits are highly nutritious. Even its leaves are edible.

Below collage shows an much older photo of Swamiji sitting under one of the Baobab trees here and, a Baobab fruit. This fruit is kept on the Jagali. Since its is considered sacred, it has become an object of worship.

The second visit to this site was on 9th Dec 2012. I was accompanied by my colleague Malatesh. We had come to attend a wedding at Karadgi Veerabhadreshwara Gudi. We were traveling by a car, we visited two temples at Adargunchi and Budarsinghi on the way.

April 15, 2023. Our agenda for the day was to see Siddarameshwara Devastana at Niralgi, Baobab trees at Dodda Hunase Mata and Gange Bavi. We reached Niralgi by 7-15 am, spent about 45 minutes at the temple, had breakfast and then headed towards Savanur. It was around 9-20 when we entered Dodda Hunase Mata. I was seeing this place after 10½ years. The place had changed little... changes not to my liking. A bunch of steel plantings like boards, shelter, etc. were unnecessary, they were an eyesore, they blocked the view of the beautiful trees. This picture below was shot from a side so not much of clutter in the foreground.

The trees are inside a triangular enclosure. Earlier we could walk around the fence and see each of the trees closely. Now the side paths have been blocked. See the number of badly placed boards and shelter. I wish they declutter the place and let visitors experience a clear view of the rare trees.

A few closeup shots. A bunch of buds.

One of the trees has lost a branch exposing the innards. Below is the exposed dry wood. Here you get to see a section of the bark as well. The other picture shows one bud and two spent buds.

These Baobab trees are home to hundreds of bats. I remember shooting a few pictures of a bat wrapping itself with its wings as though it was cold, just the way when a man pulls a blanket while in bed. These bats are quite big. This fellow here seems to be deep in sleep, recharging itself for its nocturnal sojourns.

Even a swarm of bees have chosen to build a honeycomb on one of the trees.

Time to move on. From here we drove to Savanur market area in search of Shivalal Khara shop. The shop hasn't changed at all. It's an old school type of business, only cash payment, UPI payments not accepted. I'm sure even their sweets and savories quality is same as before. We bought khara mixture, sev, soft red halva and one hard sweet. The hard sweet is loaded with sugar and ghee, can't east more 3 or 4 bites. We relished the snacks, I didn't feel much change in the taste. Below are the photos of Shivalal 2012 and 2023. 

2012 and 2023

From Savanur we head towards Gangibavi, a holy well with a natural spring near Shiggaon.

.........

Siddarameshwara Gudi, Niralagi

This temple was a relatively recent discovery for me. Somehow I'd missed it even though its just a couple kilometers away from Shiggaon-Haveri highway, a stretch I've traveled frequently. This temple is not listed in ASI Dharwad website, quite surprising. A half-day trip was planned, wanted to touch Savanur and Gangi Bavi as well. As a part of the plan sajji rotti, katak rotti and madki kaal sprouts were made. We would be carrying rotti & sprouts for breakfast and lunch.

April 15, 2023. We left home by 6-00 am, weather was cool, not much of traffic on the highway, the drive was relaxed. A couple of kilometers before Niralagi, Pushpa wanted a pet, she asked if we could get a puppy. I refused saying that dogs won't be comfortable in apartment, they need open space and lot of care. She told me I had lot of time to take it for walks... the back & forth talk went on until I told that we are arguing so much without a pet. Imagine if we had a pet already. Forget it! It was a relief to be entering the village, asking for the temple location was a good diversion. Niralagi is a small village, the main street is less than half kilometer. Siddarameshwara Gudi is on the eastern end of Niralagi.

People were running around trying to get things done early. We could call Niralagi an active little village. I parked my car in one of the lanes opposite the temple. The temple sits in the center of a rectangular enclosure with one entrance on the western side. We decided to see the temple from the eastern side. Here we have Siddarameshwara Gudi in early morning light.

As per online sources this temple was built in the XII Century during the Kalyana Chalukya rule. The temple's length is aligned to east-west axis, it has one north-facing sanctum and has opposing entrances on its eastern & western sides. Going by its looks, this temple construction was completed, then it suffered damages over time. The structure has been dismantled and restored in the recent past, one can still see identification numbers on individual blocks of the external walls.

As you see, there's a platform in front of the door. It looks a Mukhamantapa (portico) existed on this side. In fact the western entrance has a Mukhamantapa with Sukanasi (seating platform). The portion over the door looks like cement, which means parts of the Mukhamantapa might have gone missing. The three tiered Shikhara is Vesara type with some sophisticated sculptures in it.

In this view, the Shikhara looks massive, a very handsome structure. Its three tiers are clearly identifiable. At the Shikhara's top is the Kalasa, the crown. Usually Kalasa is a monolith i.e. sculpted from a single stone block. The Shikhara rests solidly on the pillared walls which has two sections- the lower and upper. The lower section is ribbed, it looks like a bellow placed vertically. The upper section of the walls is made of pillars packed together. The wall décor includes miniature temples and Shinkharas. We'll take a closer look at details later in this post.

Here we switch over to the western side. Unlike the well lit eastern side, the western side is in shadow. The temple is symmetrical except for the Mukhamantapa part. This is where I feel the eastern side also had a portico. 

The southwestern view. This picture is dull, had to put it here to show the Mukhamantapa design.

This is the western doorway under the portico. It's a five tiered doorframe with Gajalakshmi at the top middle. The five pyramidal objects over the doorframe look like five Kalasa. At the bottom of each tier are humanoid figures.

A closer look at the humanoid figures. Apparently these figures depict Manmatha, Rati & their attendants. However, character with bull's head seems like Nandi.

Another look at the Mukhamantapa and its balustraded steps.

This is the northeastern view. With this we complete a Pradhakshina around this temple. It seems this temple originally built during Kalyana Chalukya rule has undergone changes during Hoysala rule.

This is the view from of the Rangamantapa. The nine-lotus grid in the ceiling marks the center of the Rangamantapa which in turn is the center of the Sabhamantapa. Straight ahead are the Anthrala (vestibule connecting the Sabhamantapa and Garbhagudi) and Garbhagudi door. At the Antharala entrance is Nandi facing Shivalinga in the Garbhagudi. The two pillars flanking Nandi support the Makara Torana which is concealed by the lighting board. Chalukyan Torana are highly ornate and detailed.

The nine-lotus grid.

The northeastern pillar of the Rangamantapa has this inscription. This record, inscribed a few centuries later, probably during Hoysala rule, states particulars of repair works carried out on this temple.

I avoided photographing some parts of the interior due to clutter, it was rather untidy. Let's check the exterior again, this time closely. Keertimukha can be seemed allover the temple. I hadn't noticed the proportions of the design. If the Keerthimuka is fit into a quadrangle, that would be a golden rectangle. 

Besides Kirtimukha, the next most seen sculptures are model Shikhara. Here we have two type of Shikhara. On the left is Nagara type and on the right is Vesara type. Most Chalukyan temples feature Vesara Shikhara which is a stepped pyramidal structure, then there are a few examples of experimental temple structures at Pattadakal.

One of the eye-catching sculptures in the riot of designs is this V-grooved pieces. The crests & troughs appear precisely same, and if measured the readings would fit into a tight range. The continuity of the grooves across the surface of the multi-section object is truly amazing. The other catchy thing is the 'cross' just below the grooved piece. One other temple I can recall seeing a 'cross' is at Chandramouleshwara Gudi, Unkal. The proportions of the 'crosses' at Chandramouoleshwara and the 'crosses' are different. The 'crosses' here are closer to the ones seen at churches. This particular 'cross' is plain. Let's take a look at a few more 'crosses' seen here.

Three crosses have floral pattern at the intersection. Wondering if this cross design has any connection to the Christian cross. The last cross is slightly distorted and damaged. I must mention that these crosses are integral parts of complex components. 

This sculpture of an imaginary creature was found on the Garbhagudi Thirtha i.e. the component meant to facilitate outflow of Abhisheka water from Garbhagudi floor. This creature, to my understanding, is called Yali.

The builders have provided four ventilators in the walls. Every opening has a perforated covering. Three of them floral, I've shot only two of them.

The fourth window has a checkered mesh flanking a model Shikhara. Only a highly skilled & experienced sculptor could have produced this tricky piece. Thin lines of stone hold the squares in the middle rows. Lastly, a picture of the only hero-stone found at this site. This seem like a memorial for a warrior martyred in a battle.

This temple is a beautiful example of Chalukyan architecture. As I understand people seldom come to see this monument even though it is just a little over a kilometer from the highway. I think tourism department must plant a few boards listing historical places along the highway. Creating awareness of our historical monuments is necessary to keep the interest alive.

.........

Baobab trees in Karnataka and Telangana

The first time I saw a Baobab tree was on a cinema screen, think it was "Gods must be crazy." Mostly shot in an African country, the cinema was a peep into the wilderness of the dark continent. Like many people I was fascinated by the unique looking tree. With huge bottle shaped trunks and spindly branches sticking out some of them looked like badly made scarecrows. As I remember there weren't many leaves. Probably the scenes were shot when Baobabs had shed leaves. Despite their odd looks, they were beautiful and ever interesting. With the available information back then, for me Baobabs existed only in Africa, I had no clue they existed in our country. The first time I saw a Baobab for real was at Savanur. It was a freak discovery. The purpose of my visit to Savanur was to see the remains of a fort. While inquiring about the scattered ruins, a local man told us to check out the huge trees of Dodda Hunase Mata, the word Baobab was never mentioned. When we reached the Mata, it was a pleasant surprise, happy to be seeing a rare tree.

Savanur Baobabs ignited the research of Baobabs in our country. Online search revealed Baobab sites mostly on the western side and a few deep inside. Apparently there (were) thousands in Gujarat and Maharashtra however the information needs verification. For the southern states, Baobab is a rare tree, the number in all four states can be counted in one or two hands. between 2011 and 2018 got to see 5 of 7 Baobab sites mentioned here. The remaining 2 were visited by my friends and I got to see those Baobabs through their eyes and cameras.

Below are pictures of the Baobabs of the 5 sites I have visited and 2 sites visited by my friends. Going by the forms & sizes of these trees, I feel the climatic & soil conditions have had a major role in the trees' development.

1. Dodda-Hunase Mata, Savanur: Pictures of Savanur Baobabs were taken on Apr 30, 2011. The trees are situated inside Dodda Hunase Mata. The monastery people have fenced the garden and planted boards showing the trees' dimensions. 

Tree no.	Girth (m)	Height (m)
1	15.7	15.5
2	12.92	16.4
3	12.62	15.7

Another board has a mythological story about the trees which cannot be verified. I'm guessing these trees could be 400 to 500 years old which means they were planted during XIV or XV Century CE. During that time Sufi ascetics travelled to Africa and back. It is said that the Sufis carried Baobab seeds & saplings, they planted the saplings as they travelled across the Deccan plateau. BTW, Baobabs have extremely long life spans, they can live upto 3000 years. Normally trees grow new branches but Baobabs grow new stems from the base. The new stems encircle the older ones, increasing its girth and continues to live like a new born tree.

Below is a collage of a grown Baobab and a year old sapling.  Its a nice initiative by the Mata to plant a Baobab sapling here but its has been planted barely two feet away from a building. How is it supposed to grow normally.

African people familiar with Baobabs eat its fruit, it is consumed in the raw form or cooked. Baobab fruit is supposed to be very nutritious, especially Vitamin-C. Here, one of the Mata worker told me that Baobab fruit & leaves have medicinal properties. A fully grown fruit has been kept in the mata pooja room. People here call it Dodda Hunase meaning "big tamarind." Hence the monastery's name. 

2. Yogapur, Vijayapura, Vijayapura district: I could locate the second Baobab (in Karnataka) on July 3, 2016 during our tour of Vijayapura. Again this discovery happened by chance. I had heard about the Baobab near Ibrahim Roza. The ticket collector at the monument told me that the Baobab had died couple years back. I guessed densely packed buildings around the tree must have suffocated it. Sad. Then the collector told us about the Baobab at Ogapur on the opposite side of Vijayapura city, off Vijayapura-Kalburgi highway, situated next to a Dargah. We could locate the Dargah and the tree easily. As you see its an umbrella shaped Baobab, very different from the Savanut Baobabs. Leaves are same.

A local man told us that these leaves and fruits have medicinal properties, He urged us to chew a leaf which I did. It tasted mildly sweet, I can't remember anything sticky or gooey. It felt as though I had had a green leafy vegetable. Also our friend mentioned that this tree was planted by Sufi ascetics. One thing I missed asking is what they called this tree. The tree at Golconda is called Hathiyan because its stem resembles elephant legs.

Here we were lucky to see Baobab buds and flowers. As I took pictures, a bee hovered and landed on the yellow core which I guess is the pollen mat. That bee must've brough pollen from other flowers and when it leaves it would carry pollen from this flower. Then on the left is a bud and fully developed flower. On the right are flowers in their final stages. Probably one or two of these dry flowers might have become fruits.

3. Mahalakshmi Gudi, Martur, Kalburgi district: On February 24th 2021 a comment on  comment on Martur fort and Mithakshara inscription  post gave the news that there was a Baobab at Martur itself. I had visited Martur in Nov 2013, spent one or two hours at the village but I missed the Baobab. The comment was posted by Amit Kumar. He also said that he knew how to make saplings from Baobab seeds. That sounded very interesting. Amit had left his mobile number, I contacted him and spoke about Martur Baobab and his collection of rare plants. He shared some details about germinating Baobab seeds and how to take care of the baby plants. Amit shared pictures and I dedicated a post to Martur Baobab. Thanks to Amit for the beautiful picture of Baobab fruit on the tree.

These four little plants are Baobab saplings which Amit produced. I hope the Baobabs have grown up into healthy young trees.

4. Lalbagh Botanical Garden, Bengaluru: As a school going kid I had spent countless number of hours at Lalbagh. Though I liked greenery, I never really showed deep interest... like looking for rare trees or learning their names and stuff like that. My interest remained a bud until I was 30+ which started blooming in late 2000s. My frequent visits to the botanical garden in Karnataka University, Dharwad introduced me to another rare tree which happens to be Krishna Ficus or Krishna's Buttercup. Thanks to Dr. Umesh Laddi for the clue. This tree with cup-shaped leaves is a divine connection between our legends and botany. Much before Baobab research, Krishna Ficus research had commenced.

During my visits to Bangalore in 2010s, I made it a point to spend one or two mornings at Lalbagh. At times I initiated meetups with school friends for a walk & breakfast. During one such meetup with primary school friends, I discovered the Krishna Ficus trees of Lalbagh - which was a complete surprise. That's the day I wondered if there was a Baobab as well. Someone far away read my thought and posted a comment on the Gigantic Silk-Cotton Trees of Lalbagh in Feb 2019 which said "There is a Baobab tree in Lalbagh near the fish tank building." With this lead I tried to locate the Baobab but the attempt was a failure. The elusive Baobab was located by my high-school friend Anil Prasad on October 29, 2022. Anil shared a few pictures while he was at the site.

Of all the Baobabs seen until now, Lalbagh Baobab is the smallest in terms of height. As you see there are three stems which grow into each other and become one large stem. 

A board planted next to the Baobab gives a few basic facts. Below are the transcripts of the board in Kannada and English.

ಆನೆ ಹುಣಸೆ 

ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಹೆಸರು: ಆನೆ ಹುಣಸೆ ಬೇಯೋಬಾಬ್ 

ಸಸ್ಯ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರೀಯ ಹೆಸರು: ಅಡನ್ ಸೋನಿಯಾ ಡಿಜಿಟಾಟ

ಸಸ್ಯ ಸಾಂಕ್ರಿಯ ಕುಟುಂಬ: ಬಾಂಬಕೆಸಿ 

ಮೂಲ: ಆಫ್ರಿಕಾ ದೇಶ 

ಈ ಮರವು ಪ್ರಪಂಚದಲ್ಲೇ ಬಹಳ ಬೃಹದಾಕಾರವಾಗಿ ಬೆಳೆಯುವ ಮರ. ಈ ಮರವು ೨೦೦೦ ವರ್ಷಗಳೂ ಮಿಗಿಲಾಗಿ ಜೀವಿಸುವ ಚೈತನ್ಯವುಳ್ಳ ಮರವಾಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ. ಇದರ ಕಾಂಡವು ಉಬ್ಬು ತಗ್ಗುಗಳಿಂದ ಕೂಡಿದ್ದು. ಬಾಟಲಿನ ಆಕಾರದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಕಾಂಡವು ಬಹಳ ದಪ್ಪವಾಗಿದ್ದು ತುದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊನಚಾಗಿ ನಂತರ ಕವಲೊಡೆದು ದಪ್ಪ ಕೊಂಬೆಗಳಾಗಿ ಬೆಳೆಯುತ್ತದೆ. ಇದರ ತವರೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಹಳೆಯ ಮರಗಳ ಕಾಂಡಗಳು ಟೊಳ್ಳಾಗಿ ಸುಮಾರು ೧೨೫೦ ಲೀಟರ್ ನಷ್ಟು ಮಳೆಯ ನೀರನ್ನು ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸುವ ಸಾಮರ್ಥ್ಯವಿರುತ್ತದೆ. ಭೀಕರ ಬರಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ನೀರನ್ನು ಜನರು ಕುಡಿಯಲು ಉಪಯೋಗಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು ಎಂದು ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಇದು ಒಂದು ಅಲಂಕಾರಿಕ ಮರವಾಗಿದ್ದು ಇದನ್ನು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಉದ್ಯಾನವನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಳೆಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಇದರ ಕಾಯಿಗಳು ಹಗುರವಾಗಿದ್ದು ಮೀನು ಹಿಡಿಯುವ ಬಳೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಉಪಯೋಗಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ.

Baobab tree

Common name: Baobab Tree, Monkey Bread Tree

Botanical Name: Adansonia digitata

Family: Bombaceceae

Origin: Tropical Africa

It is a curious looking giant tree, thought to live more than 2000 years with a swollen bottle shaped trunk suddenly tapering upwards and dividing into a number of large branches. In its native country, the trunk of older trees get hollowed to such an extent to hold rain water as much as 1250 liters, by tapping which people survive over long drought periods. Leaves deciduous, flowers white and scented with purplish stamens. An ornamental tree planted in parks. Dry fruits are used as floats for fishing nets.

5. Naya Qila, Golconda, Hyderabad: I heard of Golconda Baobab after moving to Hyderabad, a trip tp Golconda had formed. On October 26, 2014 we first visited the hilltop fort and then went to Naya Qila which covers the plains adjoining the hillock. The Baobab is situated inside Naya Qila next to an ancient mosque. The tree is enclosed in a fence, a caretaker guarding it during day time. Local people call this Baobab as Hathiyan or Elephant tree since it's bark resembles elephant hide. Also one of the branches looks like elephant trunk and a part of its trunk looks like elephant legs. This tree's girth is 27.4m. Inside the trunk are two "rooms." To reach the rooms, one has to climb up the trunk and then descend in the hollow. Baobabs store huge amounts of water in its trunk.

A closeup of one of the branches. There are 5-lobed and 7-lobed leaves. This is the part of the stem which looks like elephant legs. Going by the girth, this tree could be 600 years or more. I feel Vijayapura Baobab and Hatiyan are similar in terms of foliage. Form-wise the Baobabs of Savanur, Martur, Lalbagh, Nalgonda & Nanakramguda can be one set, while Vijayapura and Golconda Baobabs is another set.

6. Shivalaya, Balachandruni Guttalu, Nalgonda: Besides Golconda Baobab, research had yielded the locations of Baobabs at Nalgonda, Nanakramguda and  Chengicherla Reserve Forests. On December 24, 2017 we visited Nalgonda. First we saw Chaya Someshwara Devalaya, the temple known for its mysterious shadow behind the deity throughout the day. Then we headed towards the hill path leading upto the Shivalaya next to which the Baobab is situated. Close to this hill is another temple, which is dedicated to Durgadevi and a Dargah at the hilltop. As mentioned in the previous para, Nalgonda Baobab is similar to Savanur Baobabs.

Of all the Baobabs this one is special because it has a passage to its hollow trunk. Unfortunately people here have been insensitive- see how close the constructions are. Then the metallic frame & gate have been nailed into the trunk. Then a coat of paint! I wish people treated this rare tree like how they treat themselves i.e. with care. Inside the hollow is a shrine, an idol of an ascetic is the deity. Of all the Baobabs seen, this is the only one situated on a hill, rest are on plain ground.

7. Near Ranganatha Swamy Devastana, Nanakramguda, Hyderabad: As per online sources this Baobab was situated in a ground adjoining Ranganatha Swamy temple. On January 6, 2018 we went in search of the tree. At the temple we learned that the tree was inside a neighboring construction site. A ground with several trees had been cleared and construction activity was in full swing. Its just luck that the Baobab happened to be at the border - hence it was spared. The site security wasn't willing to let me take pictures, I managed to convince them and took a few pictures quickly before the site manager turned up.

A picture of the same tree by Desi Traveler shot sometime 2017. 

Hoping to see more Baobabs in the coming years. Also, I would like to revisit Savanur to check on the sapling. I would also like to get a few saplings from my friend Amit Kumar and plant them near Dharwad.

.........

Gange Bhavi, Yettinahalli

It was September 2010 when I first heard of Gange Bhavi. It was from a colleague, and a friend too, who's father's native is nearby village Yettinahalli. Gange Bhavi is 2 km from Yettinahalli and 6 km from NH 48 at Shiggaon. In 2018, my friend shared a few pictures of Gangebhavi. The place looked so serene, lot of greenery, a kind of place which one would to visit. Though I drove through Shiggaon a few times, I could not plan a stop over. Finally, on June 24, 2021 evening a decision was made. In fact Gangebhavi would be the only place I would be seeing during the journey. My niece Durga would be traveling with me to Dharwad for a vacation.

June 25, 2021
We left Bangalore around 5-30 am, stopped once between Hiriyur and Chitradurga for breakfast of cheese sandwiches, reached Shiggaon just before 11-00, turned off the highway and took Gangebhavi road. An arch belonging to Karnataka State Police Training School welcomes travelers to this road. The country road is flanked by fields, some green with new crops, some still brown waiting to be sown. In minutes we were entered Police Training School campus. The campus too is green.. a very nice place for a school. A couple of hundred meters from the other gate is Gangebhavi... a twin well in one enclosure, an ancient temple dressed in concrete walls, a huge Ficus, a sloped roof monastery building, a large pond, and a temple with a Shikhara on elevated ground ...is what one sees from the road. 

I decided to check out the temple first because its pillars looked interesting.

This is a picture from 1995 or 1996 of my friend at the temple. Back then the temple was an incomplete structure. The Garbhagudi would be there, may the Antharala too but the Sabhmantapa was a framework of ancient columns and beams. The side walls were about four feet high. Manjula is posing next to her favorite pillar, the pillar is quite unique, I don't remember seeing it in any other temple.

The present day temple. Any passerby new to this place might ignore the temple unless the columns are noticed.

This is the Sabhamantapa, the pillared hall. The pillar in the foreground on the right is the pillar seen in Manjula's photo. From afar it looks pretty simple, almost plain because its vertical ribs are very spaced closely. The pillar on the left is impressive. I remember seeing a similar one at Bagali Kalleshwara Devastana.

Here's the ribbed pillar. This design looks simple but elegant. Try to imagine how this was made.. the engineering skill to produce this is master level... assuming its was hand sculpted, the level of concentration has to be intense.. very difficult to maintain that accuracy and precision. The columns seem to be coated with some kind of paint which is not really thick, luckily. A long low bow to the ancient temple builders of our land.

This is the adjacent pillar. Plain and simple yet elegant. I think originally i.e. before being painted, was mirror finished. The doorway connects to the small hall which is between the Sabhamantapa and Garbhagudi. The five level door frame is the original one. So are the idol of Nandi and the pedestal on which it is mounted.

Side view of Nandi & its pedestal. Also seen are two more objects- 1. a stone tub and 2. a pyramidal block. I'm guessing the former could be used to store water and the latter for placing offerings like coconuts and plantains. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

This is Garbhagudi's doorway, a relatively simple one but very elegant. On the side wall is an idol of Umadevi, a form of Parvathi.

The temple deity. A Shiva Linga. Compared to other temples Linga is big, its almost three feet tall. Thankfully the Garbhagudi is tidy.

We turn our attention to the main item of this place, the two sources of water- a well and a spring. The enclosure also has three tiny shrines of which one is dedicated to Hanuman. One has a female deity with four arms, two of the hands are holding a Shankha and a Chakra which are symbols of Vishnu. The third shrine's deity is something I missed seeing. The waters from both sources are fresh. The larger of the two is the spring which flows continuously. The smaller one must be a well, it doesn't overflow.

Gangebhavi is closely connected with the great sage Jahnu Rishi. In the Hindu legend Mahabharatha, in the story of Ganga descending from heaven to earth, the turbulent waters flooded Jahnu Rishi's ashram and disturbed his penance. The angry sage drank all of Ganga's waters thereby stalling her journey. The worried gods pray and plead Jahnu to release Ganga so that objective of her coming to earth is met. It is said that Jhanu Rishi came to this spot once and he wanted water for Sandhyavandane ritual. The sage called Ganga to give him water. Ganga came from Kashi to this spot. The larger of the two ponds which is a continuously flowing spring is said to be Ganga's waters. This place is called as Dakshina Kashi since Gangamatha flows here.

I think the spring water feeds this tank. The niches in the enclosure wall are used for performing rituals. In Hindu tradition, a person performing a ritual first purifies himself/herself and then starts the ritual. Pooja is performed right next to the source of water instead of trying to go to another place and get defiled on the way. Many such wells and Kalyanis can be seen in temples across South India. Two good examples of such places are Hosa Mahakoota and Halea Mahakoota near Badami.

A noisy group of boys from Shiggaon were diving in and out of water as if this was a public swimming pool. They were conversing in Hurdu.. no need to tell what community boys. It was irritating to see them at a place which is considered holy and sacred. The noisy scene here reminded me of the scene at Nandi Baavi close to Arvattu Kambada Gudi at Nagavi in Kalburgi district. That community people are indifferent to other's feelings. Disgusting people with a disgusting culture. Wish there's a way to quick clean way to get rid of such people.

This is one of the three little shrines. Durga standing on the steps is shooting pictures with her camera. I felt her vacation had a good start with a visit to a historical place. 

The large pond next to Gangebhavi. The water from the spring flows into this pond and then flows out as a stream. A dirt track runs along the pond shore which goes to paddy fields. This area is Malnad i.e. part of the Western Ghats.

Scene from the road. Young paddy saplings cover the slopes. Few farmers have planted palm along their field borders. I happened to talk to a farmer who's home is next to the pond. He told that the annual Jathre (fair) takes place on the day of Sankranthi. People from surrounding villages and towns attend the fair with great enthusiasm.

Gangebhavi is also known for a monastery named Shri Jagadguru Panchachari Matha. It is said that Sri Gangadhar Swamiji (Rambhapuri, Muktimandira) stayed at Gangebhavi for some time. Sri Rajendrayogi is the head of Jagadguru Panchachari Matha. He's affectionately known as Gangebhavi Ajja. He attained Kailasa recently. Om Shanti.

I skipped the Matha and resumed the journey. It was a mistake which I realized after returning home and chatted with Manjula. She shared a few pictures of a cave shrine and a temple behind the Matha building. I felt I cheated myself. Anyway, guess it wasn't destined for this trip. Hoping to see it another time, So, this is the entrance to the little cave shrine.

A short tunnel to reach the shrine. Such a lovely place. One could sit here with eyes closed and float away.

The other shrine is a temple dedicated to Jahnu Rishi. Gorgeous artwork gives the temple façade a very warm look.

I must come here one day just to see the Matha interior, Gavi and Jahnu Gudi.

On the way back, we stopped to take a picture of Ganga's idol at the police training school. It's a beautiful idol, very nicely made. It would've been more beautiful if the water was falling from Ganga's pot.

If you are passing by Shiggaon and have an hour to spare, take a break, visit Gangebhavi.

.........