PAYANIGA

Though I’m in Mysore for the last three months, I never stayed there over weekends as I traveled back to Bangalore every week. One fine weekend I had to stay in Mysore and I made use of that Sunday to roam places around Mysore. I managed to visit Keshava temple at Somanathapura that day along with few other places.

The Keshava temple built in thirteenth centuary by Somanatha, the Dandanayaka (general) of the Hoysala King Narasimha The Third. The temple constructed in Hoysala style of architecture, and is a trikootachala (with three sanctums). The temple sanctums are dedicated to Keshava, Venugopala and Janardhana.

The temple is nicely maintained by Archeological Survey of India. Though the place is very close to Mysore, the conditions of roads is not good. I had a very tough time manoeuvring my two wheeler.

How to reach?

Somanathapura is approximately 32 KMs from Mysore. Mysore – 25KMS – Bannur – 7KMs – Somanathapura.

Related links:

• Kaidala
• Belur

Just when guilt was creeping inside for not being able to visit a single waterfall this year, Srikanth suggested visiting Kaigal falls, a less known falls in Andhra Pradesh hidden inside Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary. Kaigal falls is also called as ‘Dumukurallu water falls’. Anant also joined for the trip & we started early in th morning in search of the falls.

We were not aware of the exact location of hte waterfalls. Internet said it’s on Kuppam-Palamaner highway. We took off towards Kuppam, assuming that Kaigal is close to that place. We stopeed for breakfast over at KGF & upon enquiring we came to know that we were heading in wrong direction. A short photo-op at Kolar Gold Fields & then we headed towards V. Kota & then to Kaigal.

Kaigal falls (or Dumukurallu falls) is a multi-tiered falls & with the stream forming small falls & ponds. The best time to visit the place is monsoon & post-monsoon, as it’s a season falls. To our luck it had rained couple of days before our visit & there was enough water for us to sit under it. The falls is approximately 150 KMs. And can be reached in two routes – either via KGF or Kolar. We went there via KGF & came back via Kolar.

How to reach:

Bangalore – Kolar – Palamaneru – turn right to Kuppam road 5 KMs before Palamenru – turn left after 23 KMs to mud road – travel for a kilometer by vehicle & then another kilometer by walk to reach the falls.

Or

Bangalore – KGF – V Kota – head towards Palamaner – turn right 28 KMs before Palamenr to the mud road.

Some more waterfalls for you:

• Irpu falls near Gonikoppa in Coorg
• Mallalli falls near Somawarapet in Coorg district
• Somavathi falls in Kuduremukha National Park
• Mookana mane falls near Sakaleshpura

When one hears the name ‘Belur‘, next set of names or words that follow are – Channakeshava temple, Shilabalikas, Halebidu, Hoysalas, King Vishnuvardhana, Jakanachari. Off the list, the last one is less known – Jakanachari, the main architect-sculptor behind Belur & Halebidu. And Kaidala, home town of Jakanachari, boasts of having one of the beautiful statue of God Channakeshava (Lord Vishnu) sculpted by him. Kaidala previously known as ‘Kreedikapura’ got the name as Jakanachari got back his right hand after sculpting & establishing statue of Lord Channakeshava.

Channakeshava temple in Kaidala
You will be disappointed if you are reach there expecting the temple premises to be something similar to Belur or Halebidu. This temple of Lord Channakeshava in Kaidala looks like any other temple from outside. And what seperates this temple from any other temples is the masterpiece by Jakanachari. It is said that the statue in Kaidala is one of the last statues sculpted by Jakanachari. Sculpted in a black stone, the status is 6ft tall & the amount of details & intricacy is amazing.

Garuda, the mythological vehicle of Lord Vishnu
The legend says that –

Jakanachari leaves behind his family, wife, unborn child to gain name & fame. Sculpting beautiful statues, constructing temples over a long period of time, all over he reaches Hoysala kingdom where he agrees sculpt deity Lord Channakeshava. Meanwhile his son, Dankanachari leaves home in search of his father. On the day before the Channakeshava idol to be established in Belur, Dankanachari reaches the place & claims that there is a flaw in the statue which was sculpted by Jakanachari. At this time, Jakanachari bets his right hand in case of any flaw in the idol where as his son Dankanachari bets his life. All this happens unaware of their relationship.

Jakanachari cuts his hand after his son finds the flaw – a live frog, water & sand – in the idol. Hence the statue become famous as ‘Kappe Channigaraya’ (Kappe = Frog in Kannada). Later Jakanacahri gets a vision to construct a temple at his home town. Both father-son duo move to Kaidala where it is said that Jakanachari got back his hand after he completed the statue.

Unfortunately the temple in Kaidala is stranded with no one to take care except for the priest & couple of old ladies who clean up the premises. And the legend mentioned above was as narrated by the priest.

PS: Photography is not allowed inside the temple

When we started off towards the temple town ‘Melukote’ (Melkote or Yadavagiri or Yadugiri) on a summer day, to be greeted by the misty morning. Our prayers for the same climate went in vain as the temperature soared later. We stopped at couple of places for photo sessions & reached in time for the breakfast.

After savouring the delicious ‘Puliyogare’, we roamed around the place – Cheluva Narayanaswamy temple, akka-tangi kola, Dhanushkoti (there is one here also), Raya Gopura & then Yoga Narasimhaswamy temple (situated on top of the hill).

What amazes me is the number of pushkarinis (kalyani or man made water-body) in a town situated on a hill. And that too most of them filled with water during peak summer.

The day we were there in Melukote was the last day of 10th board exams. A bunch of guys directly came out of the examination hall and jumped into the water to beat the heat & also to celebrate the end of exams ;)

How to reach there:

Bangalore – Mandya – turn right after 4 KMs from Mandya – Jakkanahalli Cross – Melukote

Or

Bangalore – Kunigal – Bellur Cross – Nagamangala – Jakkanahalli Cross – Melukote