The architectural resplendence of the great Hoysalas @ Nuggehalli, Hassan

Often it is said that when travel combines with the passion for art & history, it paves way to the best drives. This blog is about one of the best drives, that was an inspiration from a read, and is also one of the less visited places. I chanced upon an article in Prajavani, which lead to the inception of the thought for a weekend drive. Nuggehalli - though the name was neither renowned nor the place. Still we set to explore the beauty of the place. It seemed a perfect Saturday morning when we started our ride, with the glory of the sun, as we waded through the serpentine roads leading to Nugehalli. The place which is almost 140Km from Bengaluru, was a pleasure riding the Hassan -Bengaluru Highway. Enroute, we spotted some of Biking gangs heading for a refresher. After riding for almost 2 hrs, our first pitstop was at Swathi delicacy - just after Yediyur. Although the place was crowded we found a place for our morning Breakfast and continued our journey. The breakfast had its effect on the speed of riding, till Hirisave which is 40Km after Yediyur. After Hirisave we took a right detour and continued for almost 15-20Km- single road which is remote, and just the nature around you. The fresh breeze accompanied by the vast fields of cultivation captures not just your mind but also your heart.

Nuggehalli welcomes you with tranquility and peace. You can find the two gems of the Hoysala architecture - one is Sadashiva temple (which is dedicated to Lord Shiva) and the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple (which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu). Our first visit was to the Sadashiva temple which was resplendent with the uniqueness of the Hoysala architecture. Built on a lotus shaped basement, the temple houses many architectural splendor. The exteriors have been designed with intricate carving, with much detailing even extending till the Gopuram of the temple. One distinguishing factor that one can observe is the Royal emblem of the Hoysalas being carved in the premises.

The main deity – Lord Shiva is placed in the sanctum (Gharbhagudi) and is majestic with all the grandeur. Right opposite to the deity is Lord Nandi. We winded up the visit and started to the Lakshmi Narayana temple which is another major attraction of Nuggehalli. The temple is situated within 0.5km from the Sadashiva temple. During our visit, the mail sanctum was closed for decoration, hence we used the time to walk around the temple and capture some pictures. The beautiful carvings on the temple captivates the mind of any art lover.  Probably, this is the only temple where one can notice the combination of the idols of Natya Ganapati, Natya Saraswati and Natya Lakshmi (Dancing lord Ganesh, Saraswathy and Lakshmi). There is also a famous folklore, which speaks about an architect called Bychoja, who was an excellent architect. Since his competitors perceived him as a threat, it is said that Bychoja started his career and ended it in this temple. In some of the carvings, one can notice his name engraved, and also the place from where he came from - "Nandi" which is near Chikkabalapura. The magnificent carvings of the temple caught my fancy so much, that I visited the carvings 3 times, much to the speculation of my friend who had accompanied me. We worshiped the deity - Lord Krishna and Lord Narasimha and offered pooja to the lord, seeking his blessings. I was filled with a sense of contentment, by this visit, especially with the thought that the temple is well restored and maintained. There is also a Parijatha tree, in the sylvan surrounding of the temple. The wonderful aroma of the flower leaves a nostalgic memory of the graceful temple. Having the Prasadam, provided by the priest, and speaking to the guide, we started our journey back. 

The saying that every destination always reveals a new journey for the new destination was lingering in my mind. The Hoysala Architecture has definitely made me search a new place to be unearthed. 

Continue to explore few photos of the place by visiting the below link 
https://www.facebook.com/PhotographyVasanth/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1743142739231055

In search of India's Nostradamus - Kaivara Tatayya, Kolar

In the hustle and bustle of life, juggling between work, travel plans often takes a backseat. Sometimes the thought of just letting things go and moving ahead with the travel takes the better of me. It is so true that Travel not just bring experience, but also fun and learning. Many of my blogs are centered around places around Namma Bengaluru. This blog is about a similar place with spiritual significance.

The monsoon season gave a perfect timing for a long weekend drive, and the misty Saturday morning, added to the pleasure of riding. We started our journey at 7 am in the morning towards the Kolar Road and crossed all the traffic snarls in 45 mins. We zipped past the vast cultivated lands, and the serene greenery adding to the fresh air. Enjoying this respite from the polluted environment that we get in the city, we rode slowly.

At 8:45 am, we reached Chikka Tirupati, which was our first planned destination. Unlike the crowded atmosphere, there were few people visiting the temple, and we could finish our darshan of the lord in 15 mins. The temple is constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, and is considered similar to the Tirupathi Venkateswara temple. The main deity is a finely carved Sri Venkateswara (Balaji) and is believed to be around 500 years old. Vishnu is worshipped as Venkateshwara and his consort Lakshmi as Alamelumangai. You may read more details about this place at the link - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chikka_Tirupati

Our next travel destination was the Kolaramma temple, which is 4000 years old, built by the "Chola" dynasty. It is situated approx 50Km from Chikka Tirupati and is located in the heart of the Kolar district. The road from Chikka Tirupati to Kolar is a single lane, but the drive is mesmerizing with fresh oxygen and lush greenery enroute. It took almost an hour to reach the place, with the help of google maps. The entrance of the Kolaramma temple had two long pillars with inscriptions engraved, revealing the the  glorious past of the dynasty. We captured few photographs before entering into the temple. The main deity is said to be installed by Lord Parshurama, himself. Mythology dates back to the time when Parashurama who beheaded his mother and was cursed with "Mathru atheya Dosha" (Killing the Mother). Hence he was unable to have food which turned to worms. Overcome with guilt and after deep penance, he was told to install the idol of Goddess Durga every day, before consuming food. The temple is L-shaped housing two shrines, one for Goddess Durga who is known as Kolaramma and another for Saptamatas. The idol of the goddess is placed on the side of the sanctum sanctorum (garbhagudi) since the goddess is considered very fearsome and the devotees are protected from her direct gaze by worshipping her looking at a mirror placed opposite her idol. Another deity of this temple is Chelamma or the scorpion goddess. People believe that by praying at the Chelamma shrine a person will be guarded from scorpion bites by the deity. Breathtaking architecture, and the intricate designs speaks volumes about the unique expertise of the artisans and engineers of the Chola Dynasty. Unfortunately, I was unable to capture all of these in my camera.

We moved on to drive to "Antaragange" which is just 5 Km from the Kolaramma temple. The temple at Antaragange is situated on mountain and has 5 Jyothirlingas. The temple has a unique pond which gets continuous water supply from the mouth of Basava (stone bull). Since Antaragange is situated in a reserve forest area, we may occasionally get to hear the screech of the peacocks. You need to be cautious about the monkeys around the place.

After the visit to Antaragange, we continued our journey in search of India’s Nostradamus called as "Kaivara Thathaiyya" - SHRI YOGI NAREYANA YATHINDRA. It’s took almost an hour from Kolar, riding through the plain and breezy lands. We reached the mutt at the lunch time and had a simple yet tasty food. Kaviara Thathaiyaa is called as India’s Nostradams as his predictions written on palm leaves have come true. The Mutt is very well build and offers a spiritual atmosphere. We then moved on to see the Bhimalingeshwara temple, where the presiding deity – Shiva linga was installed by Arjuna and Bheema. But since the temple was closed, we did not get to be inside the premises. We then drove to the cave where Kaivara Thathaiyya got his enlightenment. We could catch an glimpse of the entire city from this mountain. Upon the advice of a fellow traveler, we wabted to visit Kailasa Giri. When asked about the significance of the place, we were told that it could only be experienced. This man-made hill which houses a temple inside, is truly magnificent and stunning.  

After the adventurous ride, encompassing numerous places, we returned back to our sweet homes cherishing the memories that filled our souls with contentment. This begins our search for our next destination…

The photos can be viewed in the below link 
https://www.facebook.com/PhotographyVasanth/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1715926815285981