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Venkatappa Baavi, Kanakagiri

July 27, 2012

This beautiful monument of Kanakagiri reminds me of Musukina Baavi of Lakkundi. Kanakagiri formerly known as Suvarnagiri or Swarnagiri was the capital for the southern part of Mauryan empire and an important place during Vijayanagara rule.

The well-temple complex is situated within APMC premises on the outskirts of Kanakagiri, about 30m air distance from . To reach the monument we had to drive through KSRTC bus-stand to enter APMC. On seeing cattle we were wondering since when APMC started dealing with cattle. It was my uncle Mohan who told that this was a makeshift Goshaala; farmers had sent their cattle here because they had no fodder. Thanks to the prevailing drought conditions.

Venkatappa Bavi is a royal bath constructed by Venkatappa Naik during Vijayanagara rule. This stepped well is surrounded by an aisle on three sides. It also has a temple and shelter for pilgrims.

This place is also called Queen's bath. There are four entrances to enter the well; three are stairways through narrow passages, almost like secret entrances. The fourth one is a regular wide and open stairway. Mohan mama is descending through one of the entrances.

There he is inspecting the pillars.

I take the regular entrance. The monument is preserved well expect for some damages. On my left is evidence of vandalism by treasure hunters.

I guess that is Nataraja. A three-headed serpent. I hope the looters went away empty handed.

Damages to the face and an arm can be seen. This sculpture looks as though it's been made by an apprentice.

As I reached the end of the stairway my nose sensed the odor of bat droppings, a sure indication that people rarely come here. On the left, behind the row of pillars is a open hall and an entrance of a temple. The hall was littered with used plastic tumblers, plates, carry bags with food and even liquor bottles. Some miscreants had had a booze and dinner party, probably the looters who had opened the wall next to the Nataraja.

I can see faint marks of water on the walls beyond the arch. Flanking this open space are pillared halls for pilgrims to camp.

Prancing horse theme pillars.

The pillars are simple yet beautiful, featuring geometric, floral and animal motifs. This pillar has a lotus on one face and on the other face is a seven-petaled flower enclosed in a hexagram. Pillar opposite the hexagram had a Swastika.

The Swastika.

The entire length of the complex, one long aisle.

Quite a complex design.

The royal balcony, its quite spacious in there.

The top-most part of the structure is designed for drawing water from the well.

The inside of the balcony. Walls are decorated in simple floral designs and birds like parrots. Queens like parrots. So this is surely a queens bath.

The ceiling.

Parrots and flowers.

A lotus?

I went up to check out the top-most part from where water could be drawn. the two projecting beams have circular holes, probably to fix the wooden frame with a pulley. A rope through the pulley would help draw water easily. What happens to the drawn water?

A canal linking to a small tank ...that's where the trial ends.

I do not remember seeing any board declaring this as a protected monument. I could be missing something. Wish ASI protects this Vijayanagara era monument.

We were all hungry. Neelappa and Malatesh fetched our lunch bag from the car. We settled down one the steps for home made lunch; jolada rotti, palya, palav, curds, pickle, and more. Thanks to Malatesh for another wonderful lunch :) Chewing Yeli-Adaki we headed towards Gangawati.

Venkatappa Bavi Coordinates: 15°34'30"N 76°25'15"E
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Detail: Venkatappa Baavi, Kanakagiri

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Huligyemmanakolla

Dec 16, 2011.

About 4kms before Pattadkal, near Bachangudda I saw a farmer attending to his cattle and stopped to ask directions for Bachangudda's Stone Age megalithic tomb. I showed the picture of the monument in the booklet to Malkajigouda Channagoudar, the farmer I was speaking to. Drive for about 1.5kms and you'll see it on the right-hand side. Sensing my interest in ancient monuments he suggested me to visit Hulgyemmanakolla (near B N Jalihal village) about 4 kms from where we stood. He gave me the directions. I was asking if he could join me and one of his acquaintances walking towards us happened to be a resident of B N Jalihal. Malkajigoudar called him by his name- Ganganagouda and asked him if he could take me to Hulgyemmanakolla. Yes :)

While driving through B N Jalihal, we pass by Ganganagoudar's house. B N Jalihal is mentioned in a booklet on Pattadakal published by ASI. Stone tools belonging to Stone Age were found in this village. Our destination is another 1.5km. The terrain changes here, we are driving past a rocky hill, a dry stream bed and enter a valley. Apart from us there were few other visitors. A newly wedded couple had come here to offer prayers. Ganganagoudar waiting while I this shot.

Small temples welcome visitors.

These small structures' overall height could be 8 feet.

Hulgyemmanakolla is also mentioned in the ASI booklet but not by the name. It is described as a large hill valley having wide open rock-shelters. In the valley and the rock-shelter are six shrines. In the shrines are sculptures of deities such as Bhutamata, four armed Nagaraja, Lajjagauri and Shiva-linga. An inscription engraved on the front wall indicates that the shrine is the receptacle of Vikramaditya II caused to be built by Benamma. The temple site therefore is the royal cemetery, the only one of its kind so far known in ancient Karnataka. Interesting.

Behind this green wall are Mahalaxmi temple, a kitchen and living quarters. Ganganagoudar called the senior most care-taker and introduced us.

Saptamatrike.

Perhaps this is the four-armed Nagaraja and Lajjagauri.

Shiva's Trisula.

Another shrine. Notice the steps carved out of the rocks?

The chief temple care-taker.

As seen from the other side.

A short video of Huligyemmanakolla.

Near the kitchen, there is a flight of steps leading up to a Gadgi tomb of an ascetic who lived here for many years.

Statue of the ascetic. The ascetic in saffron is a regular visitor here.

Mahalaxmi temple and kitchen entrance. These walls are recent constructions, about 50 years old.

The kitchen. Preparations for making upit was in progress.

Left to right: Chief care-taker, cook, trainee poojari and Ganganagoudar. Besides religious duties the trainee has a number of other duties like fetch water, help the cook, etc. To the right corner is a small dark leading into an inner chamber- dark, long and narrow chamber, we had to use flashlights to see the inside. This inner chamber was used as living quarters few hundred years ago. Now its a store room.

A rootfall. This valley is a home for monkeys. See the shelters above- these and many more such shelters are all there for monkeys to live in.

After a good rain, water from the hills falls here in a great shower. Color of these rocks below indicates the quantum of water splashed around.

The chief offered us to have upit. I declined since I was concerned about Ganganagoudar's work at his sugarcane field, cane-cutting gang would while away time during his absence. On the way back we spoke of problems in farming. At the main road we exchanged contact numbers and said bye to my new friend. I wish to come back here after a good rainy season. I'm sure the place will look different. I drive towards Pattadakal in search of megalithic tomb of Bachangudda.

A map showing approximate locations of BN Jalihal, Huligyemmanakolla, Bachangudda and Pattadakal.

Huligyemmanakolla Coordinates: 15°58'21"N 75°46'33"E

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Detail: Huligyemmanakolla

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Purasiddeshwara Temple, Haveri

May 27, 2011

An interesting 11th century Western Chalukyan temple. The temple is well cared for, it surrounded by a nice garden. This garden seems to be a favorite place for spending summer evenings.

The temple features two types of columns. The ones in the center are turned & polished. the ones standing on the seating platform have ridges and octagonal bases.

Nagareshwara temple of Bankapur features columns with ridges.

Om Namah Shivaya

A well preserved idol of Lord Ganesha.

The exterior is quite similar to that of Nagareshwara temple.

A pot which collects holy water from Garbhagudi? I've not seen anything like this before.

The stepped Shikhara.

Each of the step has a slab shaped like a frame. The inside of the frame is blank and rough. Perhaps some delicate images of gods were to be fit in there.

Who could be that bearded and turbaned character?

Even though straight lines dominate this piece of work it would not be an easy one. The symmetry and precise spacing of columns would require an experienced hand. Surely specialized tools would have been employed in this job.

Amazing curved edges and curved surfaces.

A female character sitting cross-legged atop a shikhara.

Two female drummers.

This sculpture is something different. Color of the stone is also different.

A male god with 4 arms. The right hand are wielding a sword and a staff. One left arm is missing and one is partially damaged. The partially damaged hand hold a staff with a skull stuck on the end. Very interesting!