a trip with brother, Chandragutti-2

...continued from a trip with brother, Chandragutti-1.

We had trekked almost two hours in still air in the uphill path passing through the jungles on Chandragutti hill. The experience had sapped our energy. And suddenly we were out in the open, exposed to blazing sunlight and to the heat radiating from the rocks. The hilltop today was a contrast of what I'd seen in Oct 2011. It was grey-green and fresh then, today it's grey-pale-yellow and parched. One thing is common though, the constant breeze.

Deepak going around the big water tank. In the background is the jungle we trekked through to come here. Beyond the hill & jungle are farmlands and villages.

Deepak's view of the water-tank. I wonder if this tank was ever filled to the brim. Even if it's thrr-fourth full anyone swimming in it may have had a difficult time climbing out without help. Perhaps, a rope was left hanging into the tank as an aide to climb out.

This part of the fort is the core of Chandragutti fort. I guess this was where the commander stationed. Perhaps this structure was the commander's residence & office. The condition of this structure was really good back in 2011. I was saddened to see the damaged wall. I feel this damage is a result of vandalization. Possibly someone must've dislodged a block or two trying to locate hidden treasure.

Another water-tank next to the commander's office. This one is friendlier compared to the big tank. At the opposite end are steps descending into the water. Green water indicates deep water.. surely this is deep but also there's a lot of moss in it. Maybe it isn't safe enough to drink. In the past, water tanks were maintained well. Usually fish and tortoises would be left in, they did the cleaning naturally.

From the other side of the tank. That plant was there last time too which means it's at least 15 years old, maybe much more older. On the rock surfaces around this tank and structure, one can see several etchings of an elephant and hulimane triangles. Hulimane literally means tiger's home. It's an ancient game played by two people, one representing a tiger and other sheep. Obviously the tiger will prey on the sheep and the sheep have to evade the tiger or be eaten.

About a hundred meters from the water tank is that boulder which marks the end of the trail. Beyond that rock are sheer drops, down below are more jungles and paddy fields. There's place to sit around the boulder but at noon one can't expect much shade. The two canines had gone ahead and found a shady spot to rest.

That's Deepak close to the edge. On to his left was a small shelter good enough for one person to sit comfortably. This is a great great sunset spot.. west is slightly to the right, we are looking towards the south-south-west.

This wall descends dangerously to the very edge. I wonder how this wall was constructed. Those guys were undoubtedly brave and strong. Also look at the wall, it's solid. It's wide enough for a person to walk over it but anyone trying that should be daring enough or foolish enough. I guess many haven't tried it and that's the reason it has been left alone.

After going around the boulder, we came back to the eastern side, the shade was wider here. Deepak decided to go horizontal. I parked myself on a stone block placed there like a seat. Our canine friends were resting across the small water-tank next to us.

There they are, lying down in the shade. The white one was staring into the water. I guess some insect or frog had caught it's attention. The dog's expression was like... can I catch it, will it taste nice. After a while it lost interest and decided to nap.

I decided to go around a bit, the dogs followed me. Deepak launched his DJI Mini2. Luckily at the time it wasn't too breezy. Wind is kind of unpredictable, it blows in sudden powerful bursts. This is one of the few ariel shots captured by DJI Mini 2.

Sun was beating down fiercely, it was difficult to be in the open for more than 10 minutes. I headed back to the boulder. We ate some peanut candy and drank water. We felt bad for not having anything the dogs could eat. Also we would be hungry and running low on water. We decided to start our return trek. One last look at the boulder... don't know if I'll ever come here again. Whoever that person Bujji is... that person has written his name next to the hulimane etching. Around this spot we heard a buzz high above us. It took a couple of seconds for us to realize that it was a passing bee-swarm. We froze for a moment and then relaxed knowing they wouldn't attack with provocation. The buzz faded away... Oh that sound was a treat to my ears!

At the collapsed gateway, we did not take the dirt slope, it was too risky. It would be easier to clamber down the heap of boulders. That's me making my way through the branches and stones.

Another view of the ruins. Even the canines took the same way. It's easier for them since they are much lighter and their center of gravity is much lower. With four limbs they are like 4WD vehicles. With the toughest bit behind us, our descent was rapid, no long breaks.

At one spot we heard a strange call, we were unable to find the source. We stopped and looked carefuly, we found a small group of monkeys. They were kind of restless, as if they had sensed danger close by. Our canine friends stayed with us through the trek, they would either lead us or follow us, stopped when we stopped. We were really touched by their behavior. As soon as we reached the temple, our canine friends left us and went out of sight. We were tired, thirsty and hungry. We spotted a water tank, thankfully it was filled. The cool water wash was refreshing. We refilled our water bottles and headed to the car.

At the exit of the temple parking area was a shop. We stopped to inquire for a khanawali. The shopkeeper said there were hotels which served meals... chapati, curry, rice, etc. After that meal, it would be difficult to travel since we wanted to reach Bhadravati by sunset. The shop had snacks, ice-cream and buttermilk. We opted for snacks and settled at the shop for a while downing several ice-cream cups and buttermilk sachets. Thirst and hunger quenched, we were recharged. We started our journey towards Bhadravati via Shivamogga. It was around 7-45 PM when we checked into a hotel in Bhadravati. The plan for the following day was to see Paper Town, our street, our home and our school... a trip with brother, Bhadravati & Kumathi.

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a trip with brother, Chandragutti-1

It had been more than two years since I'd seen my brother. He was home for a vacation and we had planned a get-together at Dharwad. Besides spending a few days at Dharwad, we planned a tour. The original plan was to spend a day at Bhadravati, then go to Kumathi and lastly Hampi. Bhadravati is where we spent our early years. Deepak wanted to see the town, the house we lived in and the school we went there. Close to Kumathi are two prehistoric sites. Deepak wanted to see one of them- the two anthropomorphic statues. Hampi was my idea, I wanted him to see some of the rarely seen spots in and around Hampi. During one of our chats, the hill-jungle-fort Chandragutti was spoken of and Deepak was interested in it. The route was frozen- Dharwad to Chandragutti - Bhadravati - Kumati - Hampi - Dharwad.

Jan 27, 2025. We left home by 5-45 AM, heading towards Tadas cross on NH48. At Tadas cross we left NH48 and took the road towards Mundgod. The curvy road flanked by greenery was a treat to our eyes. Around 7 AM we noticed a large waterbody to our right, it looked like a good spot to stretch out a bit.

The fresh air worked up an appetite. We had home-packed breakfast of bread, tomato curry and boiled eggs. We resumed the journey, driving nonstop through forest area, open fields, villages & towns until we reached Chandragutti. We went straight to Renukadevi Devastana, parked the Brio at a spot where we expected shade. This was my second visit here.. I was trying to recollect the memories of Oct 8th 2011. I could recall the row of little shops selling flowers, fruits, coconuts and other things needed for the temple rituals. We wore our camera loaded bags and commenced the trek.

A board planted close to the temple outlined the history: Chandragutti, (Chandraguptapura of ancient times) was a stronghold of the Kadambas of Banavasi (third-sixth centuries A.D.), In an inscription dated A.D. 1396 of the reign of Vijayanagara king Harihara II (A.D. 1377-1404), Bachanna, a local chieftain claims to have ruled over Chandragutti later the area was under the Keladi Nayakas.
The Renukadevi temple situated on the summit of an elevated spot and is a large natural cave approached by a flight of steps enshrining a small masked Sivalinga. The place has been associated with saint Jamadagni and his wife Renuka. The colossal hip like boulders in the cave are identified as Renuka in hiding when Parashurama pursued her. The outer facade of the cave forms the vestibule, which is in the Chalukyan style. A pillared hall was added the during Viiayanagara period. Almost at the foot of the Renukamba temple facing west is a temple of Bhairava.

Our destination was the fort so we took the path bypassing the temple slightly. Anybody taking the main staircase to the temple must be barefoot, the alternate is the roundabout path which we took. Even on the path we took there were couple of minor shrines, one is Bairava Gudi, I think. The path we treaded is an ancient one, made of rough-cut stones. Walking barefoot or with slippers can be difficult here, even with shoes we had to be watchful of every step. We reached a steep flight of steps which led to the side of Renuka temple. The path to the fort started from a fork there. I was confused like before, we did a bit of back and forth before taking the right path. The first major landmark were the shallow pond and the gateway in the outer fort walls. In those few minutes two dogs had latched on to us, they would follow us, and lead us at times.

This is the narrow passage in the fort wall. In the background the pond can be seen. Out fur legged friends were sniffing intensely on the shore but rejoined us as we went ahead. The stony path seen here is the ancient one. During rains this place will be maze of crisscrossing streams, water can wash away open soil. I guess that's the reason for paving this part with stones. One thing I was clear about was about the sharp right turn down this path. During the previous visit, it was an effortless climb as though I was guided by some unseen force. That afternoon, weather was pleasant, the hill wore a fresh green look, soil was damp and soft. This time it was a contrast.. dry and warm.

Around 10-30 we passed through a gateway in the inner ring of fortification. We found a shady spot and stopped for a break. From the spot we could see the fortified summit. While I and the two canines rested, Deepak launched his DJI Mini2 for a couple of minutes.

Our destination is just behind those walls up there.

We moved on. This spot is just below the third gateway, a flat open spot. I guess this was a major checkpoint.

A ruined lies neglected on the side of the opening. Not just neglected, it seems to be vandalized on a regular basis. However, it has managed to survive.

The entrance to this opening is just behind the rock, it's a naturally curved path.

In the background is the cannon spot. Deepak and the canines stand camouflaged in the shade. While we sipped water we were concerned about our friends. We poured a little water in a concave surface on one of the stones but our friends didn't bother to have it. May not be thirsty.

The gateway seen from the shady spot. I recall leaving my sandals at this gateway and continuing barefoot. While trekking, it's either barefoot or a pair of thick-soled shoes. Nothing in between works.

Unlike other historical spots, we cannot see any kind of maintenance here. Vegetation is taking over many structures here. Do check out the blog post of 2011 to see the place back then- Chandragutti fort.

In this picture, to the left is a walled water-tank and a stone trough. That trough is surely for horses and cattle. Maybe military had elephants too. During my last visit, the water tank was free of vegetation. This time, the inner space of the tank was filled with small trees and bushes.

Further on, I was expecting another gateway but to my shock it was a huge pile of boulders. The entire structure had collapsed. It was a beautiful gateway, a passage between two high walls. This sight saddened me. I wonder if treasure seekers vandalized a part of the gateway leading to its collapse. We bypassed the pile and clambered up a rather steep stretch. It was so steep that descending it would be too risky.

That's where we reached after the steep ascent. Had we passed through the gateway, we would've come to a narrow hairpin like curve. I remember running into a herd of cows during my previous visit. They were returning home after grazing up here. From here the end of the trail is not far, maybe ten minutes away.

That's the highest point of the trail but not the end.

View from that high point. We made way through the jungle seen below... fortifications, gateways and all.

It was almost noon. We had climbed two hours. Back in 2011, I had reached the end of the trail in 45 minutes. Yeah, it was literally a nonstop trek. I'd started around 4 PM, with just two and half hours daylight, I hadn't the luxury of taking breaks.

From the above view, panning to the right, the ruins come into sight.. water tanks, shelters and walls. Right ahead of me is the largest water tank here. It's pretty deep!

Panning more to the right.. another shelter and water tank. This one is smaller but deep enough to drown a adult man.

Last time here the water level was higher and, a cow was floating in it. I guess the poor little creature must've slipped and fallen in. Surely there was no way for it climb out. I still remember hearing thunder in distance but I wasn't afraid somehow. One of the most unforgettable treks of my life.

Deepak and head down towards the ruins without having to worry about time. In fact, we would need a nice break from the blazing sunlight. I'll continue this story in the following post.. a trip with brother, Chandragutti-2.

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Sunnadahalli Anajneya Devastana and Aalaemanae

Sunnadahalli is a small village on the right bank of river Bhadra, near Bhadravathi. Sunnadahalli literally means 'lime village' (Sunna + halli). Probably the village was known for lime production. I've known this village since my childhood days when we lived in Bhadravathi. We used to go walking from our home in MPM Colony to Sunnadahalli Anjaneya temple. A foot bridge connected the two banks. I used to be scared while crossing the bridge when the water level was high. Often the bridge would remain submerged for days. Apart from casual walks, we went to the river during Ganesha Habba. Colony people sent their Ganeshas away in river Bhadra.

Farmers in and around Sunnadahalli grew mostly paddy and sugarcane. The latter was fed to sugar mills or to Aalaemane (jaggery production unit). I remember seeing one Aalaemanae, a bright red glow was visible from a kilometer.

Pushpa and I stayed overnight at Bhadravathi while traveling from Dharwad to Bangalore via Sirsi.

February 23, 2020
Bhadravathi to Sunnadahalli is around four kilometers. We reached the village by 7-40 am. This is the arch across the village entrance.

The temple wasn't open. A hand written board said it opened at 9-00 AM. I was surprised and amused, temple opening like an office. Anyway, we did Namaskara to the temple and left. The place had changed over the years. A big ficus tree dominated the village square and there used to be lot of monkeys. The trees gone, so are the monkeys. In a way, this village has lost its charm.

At the village entrance was a Aalaemanae. On the way out, I suggested we see it. Pushpa was seeing one first time. The cane crusher was not running at that moment but the large pan of sugarcane juice was boiling on the stove fueled by bagasse.

The landlord of this mill is a local man, he was away on some work. His workers monitored the pan.. the liquid needs to stirred every few minutes and the fire needs to be fed. The white material on the floor is bagasse, the fibrous residue of sugarcane after the juice is extracted. After crushing, bagasse is dried & stacked for future use.

Sugarcane juice is boiled for eight hours continuously so that it loses water and becomes a thick liquid jaggery. Next to the pan is a special floor, lined with stone slabs. The pan is hoisted using a chain pulley and pour the hot liquid jaggery on to the floor. The thick liquid is allowed to cool naturally and solidify. The workers make small cakes or blocks for retail sale.

One batch- crushing, boiling and cooling -runs upto 24 hours. The workers man the operation is shifts. These people spoke Hindi, their Kannada was broken. They seems to be immigrants form up north.

Bagasse stack, looks like last year's stock. New bagasse is being dried on the side. The workers gifted us a small cake of dark brown jaggery.

The short stopover was nice. As we turned in to the highway, I noticed this stone slab with the village's name inscribed on it. May the inscription remain as is for a long time to come.

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Varadamoola

Varadamoola is the birth place of river Varada. It is situated six kilometers south of Sagar town in Shivamoga district. The terrain is hilly and covered with jungle. The drive between Sagar and Varadamoola is full of turns and ups & downs. This pit is the source of river Varada.

Just like Shalmala Ugamasthala near Dharwad, Varadamoola also has a tank where water from the source collects and then starts its journey.

Varada is a tributary of Tungabhadra. From here it flows past Chandragutti, Banavasi, intersects with NH47 midway between Haveri and Bankapur, flows past Havanur fort and merges with Tungabhadra close to Galaganatha in Haveri district.

Having started our journey early morning, we were kind of tired and it was sunny. So we didn't really bother to explore all the temples here. As we climbed back the steps to the road, I noticed a strange looking stone sculpture. It looked like a Tamburi (Tampura). I went back to check out the sculpture closely.

This is the monolith sculpture measuring approximately six feet long. As you it is elliptical at one end, symmetrical and has two projections on either sides. With the divider, this device has two separate channels with four exit points. I feel this is some type of device used during religious rituals. I checked with my friends and received some responses-

• probably a music instrument which uses water
• looks like a feeder unit for large animals, elephants may before
• used to pour ghee into the fire during Homa 
• Most probably a device to allow Abhisheka water to flow outside 
• it perfectly looks like Morsing, a percussion instrument
• looks like Pani Peetha of a Shivalinga or rain catcher..

We must've spent 20 minutes here. During that time, we washed our face, neck and hands. The refreshing feeling lasted minutes, weather was too sultry to be comfortable.

Our plan was to reach Bhadravathi before sunset. I avoid driving into the night. so we left without delay. We drove non-stop, checked into a hotel and went out for a drive to MPM colony. I showed Pushpa our colony, our street, our house, even the factory entrance. Our day ended with snacks and tea at the open food court opposite Mary Immaculate Church.

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Ikkeri Aghoreshvara Devastana - part 3

...continued from Ikkeri Aghoreshvara Devastana - part 2

In the first and second parts of this article, the temple's exterior and perforated windows from the inside were covered. Now, I'm in the Mukhamantapa, the pillared hall of this temple. Behind these doors are Ardhamandapa and Garbhagriha. The seven layered door frame is ornate, its a grand one. Despite the grandness of this temple, the choice of raw material (stone) in this temple is questionable. The texture is not consistent. Probably it was consistent during the time of construction, something changed later on. Or it be a recent happening.. result of chemical treatment.

This is the four pillared central Mantapa within the Mukhamandapa. It's a stage for meetings or dance performance. The columns are heavy and ornate. The base of the columns is square section, the four faces are plain. There weren't any inscription on it. May be it was kept blank for future sculptors to exhibit their skill.

The central Manatapa's ceiling. A matrix of nine lotus. The way the nine lotus are separated is clever. Mid-April I received a puzzle in one of my Whatsapp groups. The puzzle was to quarantine nine dogs (arranged in 3x3 matrix) using two squares. One of the members drew two squares exactly as shown here. What a coincidence!

Apart from the nine lotuses, the ceiling has not other ornamentation. Lets take a look at some of the columns. The bottom most figure is the scene of Krishna slaying Aghasura the demon. Aghasura had taken the form of an enormous serpent. Krishna's friends, the cowherd boys, entered Aghasura's mouth mistaking it for a cavern. Krishna rescued the boys and slayed Aghasura. The bird in the middle must be a peacock. The image of a man with rope around his legs and torso seems to be performing a Aasana.

Another pillar with Krishna slaying Aghasura and squatting man with rope. The columns' corners are carved into a complex set of curves. Every column is hall has such carvings.The bottom figure is a man dancing gleefully. He seems to be holding some musical instrument in his hands.

Here we have a monkey eating some round object, a peacock and squatting Ganesha. The corner carvings are slightly more complex compared the previous picture.

The corner carvings depicts an imaginary creature, its jaws apart and teeth exposed. The column face has two figurines- one male and one female. The man is playing a stringed musical instrument like a Veena, only the gourd is missing. The well built woman is holding a mace, she must be a warrior. The woman is flanked by two lions.

Here we have a long flat face with a niche at its bottom. Inside the nice is a well built woman holding a baby in her left hand. The image is disproportionate.. her left feet is oversize. The female character could be Poothani (Putana) the female demon who killed infants.

This column features a wheel.. it could be a lotus or Sudharshana Chakra. The woman at the top is holding a yak-hair fan, the type used in temples and Mathas. The bottom figure is a young boy playing a drum. He looks like Krishna.

This column features a long floral strip. The corner carvings are asymmetrical here. There's a difference in the curvature lengths. Below the corner carvings, on both sides are vertical strips with repetitive shapes. Its a nice touch.

Another column with floral ornamentation. Comparing this picture to the previous one, there's a difference in the radii of the curvatures. Wondering if this inconsistency is real or only in the images.

One of the columns featured this image- three parrots entangled into a tight circle. Each of the columns have many interesting images, brilliant patterns and designs. To see all one will need hald a day. With this our tour of the main shrine comes to an end.

This is the sub-shrine besides the main temple, dedicated to Parvati, In plan, Aghoreshwara temple is 35 meters long x 19 meters wide and Parvati temple 12 meters long x 7.5 meters wide. The Nandi inside the Mantapa is positioned in such a way that it's left eye is aimed at Aghoreshwara and its right eye is towards Parvati.

This is Parvati temple's Garbhagudi gutter. This is a beautiful piece, very graceful. Because of its color, it looks like cast iron. In ancient times, the pooja water and milk used to be consumed as Theertha by people and cattle. The collection used to be well maintained so that Theerta is fit for consumption. However, in the present time, that's not the case. Some places the liquid stays stagnant for days, decomposing and giving out foul stink. Temple priests must ensure holy/sacred water isn't wasted. At least it should be let off to plants.

We were done with Ikkeri Aghoreshwara Devatsana. Before we leave, lets take a quick look at this small tower besides the temple gate. This structure is made of laterite blocks, its top surface is covered with stone slabs. There could be a well at the center or may be this is just a small tower.

With the sun beating down, we did not want to stand here any more than required. We headed back to the car, washed my arms and face and resumed out journey.
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