VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Ravaleshwara Temple at Malahalli, near Mandya, Karnataka.

Monday, 4 February 2019

Sri Ravaleshwara Temple at Malahalli, near Mandya, Karnataka.

26^th January 2019.

The visit to this temple was a part of the heritage temples built by the Cholas and Hoysalas in and around Mandya, Karnataka. After visiting Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Marehalli, we visited this temple.

Presiding deity: Sri Ravaleshwara with two hero stones.

Some of the important details are…

An arch is erected on the main road, about 2 km from Malahalli village. The stucco image of Ravana worshiping Lord Shiva is at the center of the arch. The temple is about a km from the entrance arch. Seems that the temple was built in recent years. The temple is facing east, with a yaga kundam in front. The usual feature of the Garuda gamba in the Karnataka region is not present in this temple.

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum consists of a sanctum and an ardha mandapa. It was said that there are three hero stones in the sanctum. The center relief stone has 4 hands; hence, the center relief cannot be a hero stone; hence, the relief may be a god. An umbrella is also shown above the image. On both sides, there are two hero stones. In addition to this, there are a few hero stones / Veeragallu around the temple, and the details will be posted separately.

LEGENDS

It was learnt that Ravaleswara Okkalu, or the family of the deified king Ravana, worships Ravaleswara, a village deity of this temple. A Naga kallu is installed at the entrance of the sanctum. Nagas are also at the back of the temple, and this shows that the local people follow the Naga Dharma or Malava Dharma. Since the stucco image of Ravana worshiping Lord Shiva, the Presiding deity Ravaleshwara is also believed to be Ravana.

Some experts claim that Ravaleswara is nothing but Ravana, the Demon king of the epic Ramayana, and the worship of the Ravana cult exists in Karnataka from ancient times. The antiquity of the temple determines the age of the Hero stones, which may be 400 to 500 years old, and the present temple was renovated in recent years.