VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT

Wednesday 20 December 2017

Mahishamardini Panels at Yelandur and Somanathapura, Karnataka

07^th December 2017.

The story of Mahishamardini is very famous in in Hindu mythology. The tenth day of Durga pooja is being celebrated as Vijayadasami in grand manner through out India. The legend of Mahishamardini goes like this..

Mahisha, a demon, human body with buffalo head, was born to the asura king Rambha and a female buffalo called Syamala. Mahisha has the magical power of taking the form of buffalo or a human according to his wish. After 1000 years of penance he got a boon from Brahma that, he cannot be killed by a man.

With his magical powers he conquered the earth and Deva loka. Could not bear the torture of Mahisha, Devas prayed Lord Vishnu for a solution. The trimurtis Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva created Goddess Durga with ten arms. With the weapons like Chakra, Trisul, arrows, scepter, axe, sword, Kamandal, etc, given by Gods and Devas along with her Vahana Lion, Durga killed Mahisha after 10 days fierce fighting. Hence the tenth of Durga pooja is being celebrated as Vijayadasami. Dussehra celebration is famous in Mysore region of Karnataka.

YELANDUR ( SRI GAURISVARA TEMPLE )

The tenth day battle of Durga is chiseled as reliefs and statues. Durga is shown with 4, 8 and 10 arms holding various weapons. During our visit to Yelandur Sri Gaurisvara temple, had seen a Durga Statue along with Shiva, Vishnu, Veerabhadra in side the sanctum.

There is also a Mahishamardini panel beautifully chiseled on the Mahadwara mandapa of 16th Century Vijayanagar Period. The face expression of Durga, the fear on the faces of Mahisha and the asuras are clearly shown. Though it may not be like Mamallapuram panel, but this is very unique.

The trisul piercing through the head of Mahisha

The trisul piercing through the head of Mahisha and the sword on the another asura

The arrow that pierced through the bodies of two asuras and their face expressions with fear and pain.

Mahishamardini statue with 4 hands

SOMANATHAPURA ( SRI CHENNAKESAVA TEMPLE )

This 13th Century Hoysala period soap stone Mahishamardini statue is a part of 16 faced Janarthana shrine of Sri Chennakesava Temple at Somanathapura, Karnataka. In this Mahishamardini is shown with 8 hands and kills Mahisha with trisul. Mahisha’s intestine came out of his stomach is also clearly shown. The Vahana lion is also doing it’s share by killing an asura. The face expressions of Durga and asuras are beautifully shown.

Mahishamardini with 8 hands

The Trisul pierced through the stomach and the intestine of Mahisha, which came out.

Durga’s Sword pierces through the body of a demon

The Lion also kills an aura

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Tuesday 19 December 2017

Sri Keshava Temple / Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura, Karnataka.

07^th December 2017.

After Yelandur, Sri Gauriswara Temple’s visit, Mr John, archaeologist took us to this 13^th Century Hoysala period, temple. On the way from Yelandur, he explained us the beauty and its architecture. It increased my curiosity further to visit this temple. This temple is not in worship and maintained Karnataka State Archaeological Department. Added as 42nd UNESCO Heritage site in 2023.

This place Somanathapura was ruled by the Chozhas and the same was conquered by Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana in 1117 CE. Latter it was ruled by the Vijayanagara Kings and wodeyars of Mysore. It was a foremost agrahara township during Narasimha III ( 1254 to 1291 CE ). As per the inscription dated 1268 CE, Somanatha Dandanayaka, an illustrious general of Hoysala King Narasimha III, established this agrahara and named as “Vidyanidhi Prasanna Somanathapura”. Also he consecrated this Kesava Temple.

This temple is the most ornate and perfect model of the Hoysala style of architecture. The inscription slab installed at the mahadwara supported by the lathe turned pillars dated 1269 – 1550 CE speaks about the construction of the temple and the grants to up keep the temple.

The temple is facing east with 3 sanctums or the Garbhagriha for Kesava, Venugopala & Janarthana, on South, West and North directions. The three sanctums are connected with a Maha mandapam or the navaranga mandapa with individual antarala. The temple stands on a stellate platform and surrounded by a pillared corridor with sub shrines.

This temple is known of its elaborately carved doorways, beautiful ceiling. The base of the sanctums contains with friezes of Vishnu’s various avatars. The inch reliefs explains us the story of Krishna, Ramayana. Below the main sculptures the sculptors name is engraved. One of the sculptor Mallitamma has the maximum share of the sculptures. It is also observed that The northern vimana was sculptured by Mallitamma. This Keshava temple is the best and perfect model for the trikutachala order.

Our Epigraphy Guru Shri Ramachandran Sir's comment on an inscription ( Tamil ) on the Face book is reproduced as given below….

கர்நாடக மாநிலம் திருமகூடலு நரசிபுர வட்டத்தில் சோமநாதபுரம் அமைந்துள்ளது. ஹொய்சள சோமநாத தண்ட நாயகன் பெயரில் அமைந்துள்ள இவ்வூரில் கேசவப்பெருமாள் கோயில் அமைந்துள்ளது. 1998ஆம் ஆண்டில்அக்கோயிலைப் பார்வையிட்ட போது கோயிலின் மகாமண்டப நுழைவாயிலை ஒட்டி, "இப்பதம் விதி" என்ற தொடர் தமிழ் எழுத்துகளில் பொறிக்கப்பட்டு இருப்பதைக் கண்டேன். கன்னட எழுத்துகளில் கையொப்பம் போன்று எழுதப்பட்டிருப்பதையும் கண்டேன். அதாவது, இக்கோயிலைக் கட்டுவதற்கான அடிப்படை அடி யளவு ( one foot) இதுவே என்று பொருள் கொண்டேன். அந்தக் கல்லின் நீள அகலம் அளவையே அது குறிக்கிறது என எண்ணுகிறேன். ( கன்னடத்தில் பொறிக்கப்பட்டிருப்பது சிற்பி கையொப்பமாகலாம் ) அப்பகுதியில் கங்கர் தலைநகர் தழைக்காடு உள்ளது. நன்னூல் இயற்றிய பவணந்தியின் ஊரான ஜனநாதபுரம் -சனகை-அப்பகுதியிலுள்ள தடிமாலிங்கியே எனக் கருதப்படுகிறது. ( பவணந்தியின் புரவலனான அமராபரணன் சீயகங்கனின் 12ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு இறுதிப் பகுதிக் கல்வெட்டு காஞ்சியில் கண்டறியப்பட்டுள்ளது ). எனவே அப்பகுதியில் தமிழ்மொழி பேசுகிற குடிகள் பெருமளவில் வாழ்ந்திருக்க வேண்டும் எனத் தெரிகிறது. சோமநாத புரத்தில் கேசவப்பெருமாள் கோயில் கட்டிய ஸ்தபதியர் தமிழைத் தாய்மொழியாகக் கொண்டவர்கள் போலும். அதனால் தான் இப்பதம் விதி எனத் தமிழில் எழுதியுள்ளனர் எனலாம். ( சிரவண பெளகொளாவில் உள்ள கொம்மடேஸ்வரர் சிற்பத்தின் கீழ் "சாமுண்டராஜந் செய்வித்தான்" என கிரந்த எழுத்திலும் தமிழ் வட்டெழுத்திலும் பொறிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. "செ" என்ற எழுத்து குறில் ஒலிப்புடையது என உணர்த்துவதற்காக ப் புள்ளி இட்டுக் காட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது. இது தொல்காப்பிய இலக்கண விதியின் படி அமைந்தது என்பது இங்கு நினைவு கூரத்தக்கது ).

ஸ்ரீ சாமுண்டராஜந் செய்வித்தான் என இரண்டாம் வரியில் உள்ளது. சிரவணபெளகொளா கல்வெட்டு.

PC and Details Shri Ramachandran Sir

TIMINGS

This temple will be kept opened for the visits between 08.30 Hrs to 17.30 Hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

Somanathapura may be reached from Thalavadi, Mysuru, Chamrajnagar.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Ceiling of Navrang mandapa

For More Pictures : CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Monday 18 December 2017

Sri Shankareswarar Temple, Moogoor / Muguru, Karnataka.

07^th December 2017

After Gaurishwara temple’s visit we headed to this temple on the way to Somanathapura. This 16^th Century Vijayanagara Period Shiva temple was constructed in Dravidian architecture.

Moolavar : Sri Shankareswarar

Some of the important features of this temple are….

This temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram with out much stucco images. A Deepasthambam is in front of the Rajagopuram ( relief of Varuna sitting on a fish ). Dwajasthambam and balipeedam are immediately after the Rajagopuram.

The temple consists of Sanctum sanctorum, antarala and artha mandapam. In artha mandapam Ambal in sitting posture, Saptamatrikas Panel, Durgai, Vinayagar. On the back side of the sanctum 5 sannathis for Pancha boothas. There is no moortham in the devakoshtam.

Ambal with saptamatrikas Panel

In prakaram, the ( Nayak? ) king who build this temple, Chandikeswarar in standing posture facing west, Ambal, Naagar.

The ( Nayak? ) king who build this temple

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 Hrs to 10.00 Hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

Mugur is on the way between Tirumakudalu Narasipura and Thalavadi after Chamarajanagar and buses are available from both the places.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

Sandikeswarar

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Sunday 17 December 2017

Sri Gaurisvara Temple, Yelandur, Karnataka.

07^th December 2017.

Apart from Hero stones at Thalavadi, this time we planned to visit some of the old temples of Karnataka. on 7th December 2017, Morning session we had spent by visiting the temples at Yelandur, Muguru and Somanathapura. Yelandur and Somanathapura temples has excellent & elegantly carved Sculptures, Pillars and Vimanas.

YELANDUR Sri Gaurisvara, 16th century Vijayanagara Dynasty temple is still in worship and maintained by the Karnataka state Archeological Department. The Sanctum Sanctorum Consists of Sanctum, Artha mandapa and a open mukha mandapam. In the prakara, sannadhi for Ambal, Pancha lingas, small mandapa with a inscription tablet over which a Stucco Nandhi is sitting and the front Entrance mandapam.

Pichadanar Panel

Moolavar is about 6 feet below the outside ground level, facing east. In the artha mandapam images of Vishnu, Shanmukha or the Arumugam sitting on a peacock, Parvati, Mahishamardini, Bhairava, Durga, Virabhadra, Hero stones and Ganapathi.

This 1590 CE temple was built by Singedeva Devabhupala, a ruler of Handinadu, a feudatory of Vijayanagara Dynasty. The front entrance mahadwara is called Bale Mandapa with Vijayanagara Period Sculptures. The adhisthana is simple and walls around are embellished with beautiful groups of reliefs Andhakasura mardana, Bhikshatana murti, Bairava, Kalimardana, Dakshinamurthy, Siva, Narasimha, Krishna leela, Mahishamardini panel, Vishnu’s various forms, animals, monkeys, etc,. This mandapa is decorated with chains of 1 feet diameter stone rings at the four corners. The Pillars has the reliefs of various avatars of Vishnu.