The visit to this Shri Brahmeshwara Temple at Kikkeri, in Mandya District,
Karnataka, was a part of “Kodagu Heritage Walk”, from 22nd to 24th
May 2026, organised by “எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடைக்குழு”. The temple is on the banks of Kikkeri Kere (Lake).
Moolavar : Sri Brahmeshwara
Consort : Sri Parvathammanavaru
Some of the salient
features of this temple are…
The temple faces east
with an entrance. A stucco Rishabam is on the top of the entrance. Surya is on
the back side of the Rishabam. Dwarapalakas are on either side of the navaranga
mandapa entrance and sanctum sanctorum. The Shiva Lingam is on a square
avudaiyar. In the Navaranga Mandapam, a Shiva Lingam faces north, and
Chennakesavaswamy faces south.
Inside the navaranga
mandapa koshtas, Ganesha/ Vinayagar, Durga, Karthikeya (Arumugar on a peacock),
Shiva, Maha Vishnu as Chennakesava, Mahishasuramardini, and
Suryanarayanamurthy.
Rishabam is in a
mandapam before the temple with Suryan. In the outer praharam, Nagaras are in
the open yard: Kala Bairava and Chandikeswara.
Ambal is in a separate
temple that faces east. Ambal is in a standing posture with Abhaya Varada hastam.
Bairavar
ARCHITECTURE
The Brahmeshvara temple,
constructed with trikuta with three sanctum sanctorums, antarala, and common ardha
mandapam/ navranga mandapam with Shrines on the south (A Shiva Lingam) and
north side (Chennakesavaswamy) and separated Rishaba mandapa.
The navaranga mandapam has four large Srikara-type pillars with putrika-type brackets (5 of 16 are
broken, others partly mutilated). These Madanikas/ dancing girls are elegantly
shaped and are modelling South Indian classical dance postures, in a manner
that reminds one of the salabhanjikas in the Hindu temple at Belur.
Unlike other Hoysala
temples, the temple was built without a plinth or the raised platform/ jagathy.
Steps are constructed in the south and north directions, between Rishabha mandapam
and the main temple.
The sanctum sanctorum
is on a kapota bandha adhistanam. The vimana over the sanctum sanctorum is of
three talas. The suka nasi extends up to antarala. The emblem of the Hoysala is on
the suka nasi. In the koshtam, Nataraja, Dakshinamurti, and Ardhanarishvara
(half Shiva, half Parvati), Krishna-lila, Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Chandi,
Brahma, Surya, Chandra, and Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu). One tala,
greevam, and nagara vimanam and stupi/ kalas are on the top of the vimanam.
HISTORY AND
INSCRIPTIONS
The temple belongs to the 12th Century, Hoysala Dynasty. The construction was completed in
1171 CE by a woman named Bammare Nayakiti during the rule of Hoysala King
Narasimha I. The Ambal temple was built at a later date.
There are 15 Hale Kannada and Sanskrit inscriptions recorded from this village and at
the temples. The inscriptions are damaged, and they mention the socio-political
significance of this temple from the 12th to the 14th century. However, these
inscriptions confirm that the Malleswara temple with a 16-pillar mandapa and a
closed hall is the oldest in Kikkeri, and that it has been waterlogged.
INSCRIPTIONS
Stone in the ruined
Malleshwara temple below the big tank – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume - VI,
no 37 – dated saka 1017, corresponding to 1085 CE – the inscription
starts with obeisance to Shambhu and Shiva. Then it refers to the reign of the
Hoysala king Hoysaladeva, who was ruling over Ganga-mandala from his capital
Dvaravati. It tells that Bittideva granted 15 khandugas of wet land to go to Mulasthana Brahmeshvara of Kikkeri and also the village Bhuvanahalli to
Brahmarashi-pandita. The grant is said to be continued with his sons and
grandsons. Areca-nut is a gift to Binnamma, who was ruling over Kikkeri, by
Samanta Bhimanna. Perggade Malliyanna, son of Brahmarashi-pandita, caused to be
built a temple for God Mahadeva, had a new tank excavated, and granted that tank
to the god as his own charity.
Stone forming the roof
of the prakara-mantapa of the Brahmeshwara Temple – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume
- VI, no 23 – dated saka 1056, corresponding to 1134 CE – mentions
Bolla, son of the illustrious Chatti-setti.
Stone standing to the
north of Nandi-mandapa to the east of the Brahmeshwara Temple – Epigraphia
Carnatica Volume - VI, no 27 – dated saka 1093, corresponding to 1171
CE – the inscription starts with obeisance of Shambhu. Then it describes
the Hoysala king, Narasimhadeva, the crest jewel of the Yadava race. Various other
dynasties are described over which Narasimha got victories; these are namely
the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Tuluvas, and the Malepas. He is said to have captured
Talaka, Kongu, Nangali, Nolambabadi, Banavase, and Hanungalu. Narasimhadeva was
ruling from Dvaravati. The tutelary deity goddess Vasantika is mentioned. Samanta
Barmmayya’s wife, Bammavve-nayakiti, constructed the Brahmeshwara temple. On the
request of Tilenayaka-heggade, King Narasimhadeva granted the village Bhuvanahalli
to Brahmarashi-jiya of God Brahmeshwara temple for renovation and daily worship
of the god. The details of the boundaries are mentioned. Various other grants
are also mentioned.
On the second pillar to
the right of the mukhadvara of the Brahmeshwara Temple – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume
- VI, no 24 – not dated – mentions that Basavap-nayaka, the son-in-law of Kotur, set up this pillar for the broken upper beam.
On the basement cornice
of the eastern wall of the Brahmeshwara Temple – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume
- VI, no 25 – mentions the label ‘Devaharada’.
Southern basement slab
of the Brahmeshwara Temple – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume - VI, no 26 –
refers to the reign of the Hoysala king Narasimhadeva – mentions the faith of Paru
Bommavve in the town of Kikekri, and tells that this Brahmesha came from Kailasha
with Parvati.
On the pillar to the
south of the Nandi-mandapa – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume - VI, no 28 –
refers to the Hoysala king Narasimhadeva – the king is said to be ruling from
Dorasamudra. Dharanideva of the customs department of Kikkeri, Chaudayya and
Kamatamma, granted one gadyana and two hanas annually from a duty of one hana
on each load from the customs dues of that Kikkeri, to provide for a
perpetual lamp for the god Brahmeshwara.
On the same pillar as
no 28 – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume - VI, no 29 – The inscription tells
that this new door was fixed on the 11th day of the dark fortnight of
Vaishakha, in the year of Krodhi.
On the southern
basement stone of the Nandi-mandapa – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume - VI, no
30 – label ‘Nakarachari’.
On the southern wall of
the Nandi-mandapa – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume - VI, no 31 – mentions
Stanika Malla.
On the top of the
Brahma-Sarasvati image on the southern wall of the Brahmeshwara temple –
Epigraphia Carnatica Volume - VI, no 32 – reads ‘Adhanatara Saleya Pejarana’.
On the eastern cornice
of the Brahmeshwara Temple – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume - VI, no 33 –
reads the label ‘Masana’.
On the cornice of the
eastern wall of the shrine of the goddess in Brahmeshwara Temple – Epigraphia
Carnatica Volume - VI, no 34 – reads ‘A thunderbolt to the enemies Harimalla of
rekha-vilasa…..’
On the basement cornice
of the goddess shrine in Brahmeshwara Temple – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume
- VI, no 35 – mason’s marks depicting directions for stones to be placed.
On the walls of the
goddess shrine in Brahmeshwara Temple – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume - VI,
no 36 – mason’s marks depicting directions for stones to be placed.
On a stone set up to the
north of the Narasimha Temple – Epigraphia Carnatica Volume - VI, no 38 –
illegible, a mention of god Ramachandra of Nirgundi and Biradevi is found, which seems
to record a grant of income from bedige.
On the pedestal of the
Keshava image in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York – The Hoysala
Artists – (This is) an image of Keshava, a work of the sculptor Dasoja of
Balligame, who belonged to the order of sculptors known as Saraswati-gana.
Ref:
1. Epigraphia Carnatica Volume
– VI.
2. The display board at
the temple.
This temple is being managed
and protected by the Archaeology, Museums and Heritage Department of the state
of Karnataka, under monument S-KA-543.
LEGENDS
As per the legend, there
once lived a tribal chief named Keeka, whose tribe was a source of complaints
to the king by the people of the Shravanabelagola region. He was arrested. When
presented before the king, Keeka offered the king "vast treasures" in
exchange for a village named after him, with a temple, a water tank, and a fort
where they could all settle down. The king accepted his terms, and the village
that came to be known as Kikkeri ever since.
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from oru kala
pooja, special poojas are conducted on Karthigai and Maha Shivaratri.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept
open from 08.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and from 17.30 hrs to 18.30 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
The priest Aditya’s
mobile number +919964000071 may be contacted for further details.
HOW TO REACH
The temple at Kikkeri
is about 5.5 km from Govindanahalli, 13.7 km from Shravanabelagola, 17.5 km from
Hosaholalu, 18.7 km from Chennarayapattana, 50 km from Srirangapatna, and 70.5
km from Mysore.
The nearest Railway
Station is Shravanabelagola.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Gajasamharamurthy
NAVARANGA MANDAPAM
Saptamatrikas
Dwarapalakas with entrance
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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