Lost temples near Hampi still remain silent – Firstpost

January 23rd marked 460 years since a near-apocalyptic event in Indian History. On this date, the Battle of Talikota was fought. In some accounts, the date is given as January 26th, but most stick to the former. Regardless of the exact date, the battle witnessed an opportunistic alliance of the kingdoms of Golconda, Bijapur, Bidar and Ahmednagar deliver a knockout blow to the glory of the kingdom of Vijayanagar.

Hampi, the capital of Vijayanagara, was destroyed by the combined invading armies of the alliance. The city was looted of its immense wealth, its magnificent structures left as hollowed out ruins – and most remain in that condition to this day. However, while tourists visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi, in Karnataka, in droves, they tend to entirely miss numerous striking heritage sites, especially temples, that survive around Hampi.

In this story, we travel in a circle around Hampi seeing some of the most interesting such sites that survive, albeit with a degree of restoration.

Kanakagiri (Koppal district): Named after a sage called Kanaka, who is said to have meditated here, the town has seen two Ashokan inscriptions being unearthed. In later centuries, it witnessed the presence of the Satavahanas, Western Gangas, Hoysalas, and Chalukyas. But it was a minor chieftain of the Vijayanagara kingdom who built the Kanakachalapathi Temple here in the 16th century CE. Still in worship and at its best during a fair that takes place here in February-March each year, the temple is an example of how shrines were the threads that held the community together. Close to the shrine is a superbly embellished temple tank.

Itagi (Koppal): The Mahadeva Temple here is called the Devalaya Chakravarti, meaning ‘the emperor among temples’. Long pre-dating the Vijayanagara kingdom, this Shiva shrine was built in the early 12th century CE by Mahadeva, a commander in the Chalukyan army. Rectangular in shape, the shrine has an open mandapa with finely carved pillars, followed by a closed mandapa and then an inner sanctum. The most incredible aspect of the temple’s beauty is the detailed carving, both on the exterior and inside, including the ceilings. Behind the temple is a stepped tank of immense proportions.

Lakkundi (Gadag): By the 12th century CE, this town was home to fifty or more Hindu and Jain temples. Two centuries later, these were reduced to ruin in the face of Islamic invasions in the region. Today, however, many have been restored and one can get a feel of the past while wandering through the Brahma Jinalaya (which has a small museum attached), Kasivisvesvara, Nanesvara, Manikesvara, Chandramouleshwara and more…the list is seemingly endless. Home to over thirty inscriptions of various eras, Lakkundi is a virtual repository of the region’s history with the earliest inscribed slab dating to the 8th century.

Hoovina Hadagali (Vijayanagara): The 11th century CE Kalleshwara Temple here is attributed to a minister of a Western Chalukyan ruler. Inscriptions of later periods are also seen, indicating structural additions across decades. The use of soapstone allowed artisans to express their faith in intricate detail, creating iconography of ornate dwarpalas, Shiva-Parvati, Gajalakshmi and others. Also in Hoovina Hadagali are the Keshava and Narayana Swami temples.

Nilagunda (Davangere): Of all the shrines mentioned here, the Bhimeshwara Temple at Nilagunda undoubtedly has the finest setting. Located on the edge of a lake, the atmosphere is incredibly tranquil. Yet another Chalukyan soapstone marvel, the temple is like a jewel box of carving, almost similar to the Hoysala shrines further south. Demonic faces share space with divine iconography. Elaborately carved doorways with dwarpalas, iconography depicting the Saptamatrikas, Mahisasuramardini, Vishnu’s Narasimha incarnation and Shiva are seen here. A shrine of Surya is also within, as is a Nandi.

Ambali (Bellary): The end of the 11th century CE must have been a prosperous and happy time for the Western Chalukyans, resulting in a burst of temple building. The Kalleshwara Temple here is a product of that age. Its sanctum is connected to an antechamber, leading to a gathering hall and then a main hall. The interweaving of these chambers led to walls being punctuated by numerous niches, which in turn were used to place carved icons. Surya, Bhairava, Durga and Gajalakshmi are all carved in detail here, with the soapstone allowing intricate embellishment.

Kumaraswamy Betta (Bellary): Accessed via pathways traversed by load carrying trucks, this place lies deep in the heavily mined hills of the region around Bellary. The place, also called Krauncha Giri, is named after the Kumaraswamy or Karthikeya Temple which dates to the 8th – 10th century CE. Next to it, in the same complex, is the even older Parvati Temple, belonging to the 7th century. The complex is immense, with many subsidiary shrines.

One account holds that the temples were forgotten in this once-thickly forested region, being ‘rediscovered’ in the 15th century. In a truly inspiring gesture, the Ghorpade dynasty that controlled the area opened the temples to all castes in the 1930s. One hopes that the incessant quarrying does not damage what has been preserved for centuries.

Oruvayi (Bellary): East of Hampi, the temples of Oruvayi – also called Orvai – are made of granite without the use of mortar. The hard stone does not make for a good medium for detailed carving, causing these temples to be relatively plain. As per the Karnataka State Gazette, the shrines may originally have been Jain in faith. At some point, possibly when the Vijayanagara kingdom fell, the temples were also attacked, being reconstructed later. Of those that remain, the Ramalingeshwara is in bright colours and forms the focal point of prayers in the village. The Vigneshwara shrine is relatively plain while outside the main inhabited area is a largely ruined Vishnu Temple where, as per villagers, snakes are occasionally found.

Kurugodu (Bellary): Lying further east of Hampi, the temples of Kurugodu – mostly dated to the end of the 12th century CE – are in a state of shambles. Outside the village is the still-magnificent Hinduli Sangamesvara shrine, with a mandapa that has as many as thirty-six carved pillars. As per the state gazette, the shrine’s entrance was once flanked by two large stone elephants. Of these, only one remains. Also outside Kurugodu’s inhabited area are the Venkataswamy and Mallikarjuna temples, as well as a temple to Nandi apart from numerous ruined structures.

If the shrines in Kurugodu, Kumaraswamy Betta and other places are to be preserved, they need to be visited and conserved. The need of the hour is for a Greater Hampi Heritage Zone, one that allows interested people to explore this rich historic space and ensures better protection.

The author is a heritage explorer by inclination with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.