Mahakuta Group of Temples, Karnataka

Mahakuta Group of Temples, Karnataka

Mahakuta Group of Temples is a Hindu temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Mahakuta village near Badami in Bagalkot district of Karnataka state, India. The temples in this complex also reflect the prominent features of temples in this region which merge the best features of the Dravidian and Nagara styles of temple building.

History

The temples are dated to the 6^th or 7^th century CE and were constructed by the early kings of the Chalukya dynasty of Badami. The dating of the temples is based on the style of architecture which is similar to that of the temples in nearby Aihole and the information in two notable inscriptions in the complex: the Mahakuta Pillar inscription dated between 595–602 CE (written in the Sanskrit language and Kannada script) and an inscription (written in the Kannada language and script) of Vinapoti, a concubine of king Vijayaditya, dated between 696–733 CE.

The Mahakuta Pillar inscription, dated variously between 595–602 CE records a grant made by Durlabhadevi, a queen of Pulakeshin I (the father of king Mangalesha). The queen supplemented an earlier grant with an endowment of ten villages, including Pattadakal and Aihole to Lord Mahakuteswara. In addition, the inscription provides important information about the Chalukyan lineage, their military expeditions, their conquests and early monuments.

The pillar goes by the name Dharma Jaya Stambha (Pillar of victory of religion) and is on exhibition at a Bijapur archaeological museum. The other inscription, ascribed to Vinapoti, a concubine of king Vijayaditya, is inscribed in the porch of the Mahakuteswara temple. It describes a grant of rubies and a silver umbrella to the deity Mahakuteswara in addition to a piece of land.

The Temple Complex

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2020/12/mahakuta-group-of-temples-temple-complex.html

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 5 Kms from Nandakeshwar, 6 Kms from Badami Bus Stand, 6 Kms from Badami, 10 Kms from Badami Railway Station, 26 Kms from Pattadakal, 39 Kms from Bagalkot, 39 Kms from Aihole, 115 Kms from Hubli Airport and 453 Kms from Bangalore. This temple complex is situated close to historical Badami town.

Location | Photos

Mahakuta Group of Temples – The Temple Complex

Mahakuta Group of Temples – The Temple Complex

The Temple complex is a cluster of several shrines mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva. Among the several shrines in the complex, the Mahakuteswara temple, built in the dravida style, and the Mallikarjuna temple are the largest. The temples in this complex also reflect the prominent features of temples in this region which merge the best features of the Dravidian and Nagara styles of temple building. The temples share the common Chalukya style followed at Aihole temples.

Mahakuteswara is the only renovated and largest temple in the Mahakuta group of temples. The Mahakuteswara temple is the main shrine and still in worship. Sangameshwara temple is situated next to Mahakuteswara temple. There are several small shrines around the main shrine with great carvings on the walls. Some of the smaller shrines have wonderful carvings on the outer walls and the pillars inside. Most of the temples faces east. The temple complex is surrounded by compound walls.

Broken idols, sculptures and temple fragments can be seen in the temple complex. A natural mountain spring flows within the temple complex and feeds fresh water into a large tank called the Vishnu Pushkarni and an ablution tank called Papavinasha Tirtha. There is a four pillared small shrine in the centre of the Vishnu Pushkarni tank housing Pancha Mukha Linga (five faced Linga), one face for each direction and one on top. The temple charges a nominal fee of Rs 10 for taking bath in Vishnu Pushkarini.

Mahalingeshvara Temple, Santebachalli, Karnataka

Mahalingeshvara Temple, Santebachalli, Karnataka

Mahalingeshvara Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Santebachalli Village in Mandya district, Karnataka state, India. The Temple follows Hoysala era architecture and believed to be built during 12^th century CE. This temple is a protected monument under the Karnataka state division of the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Temple

This Temple is facing towards east. It is an ekakuta shrine (single shrine with a superstructure). This temple consists of a closed mandapa, antrala and Sanctum.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 15 Kms from Shravanabelagola, 18 Kms from Shravanabelagola Railway Station, 27 Kms from Nagamangala, 57 Kms from Mandya and 167 Kms from Bengaluru Airport. The temple is situated on Shravanabelagola to Nagamangala Route. Devotees need to travel in this route, take a left turn before Aghalaya and travel for about 8 Kms to reach this temple.

Location

Nimishamba Temple, Srirangapatna, Karnataka

Nimishamba Temple, Srirangapatna, Karnataka

Nimishamba Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Goddess Sakthi, located in Ganjam Village in Srirangapatna Town in Mandya District in Karnataka, India. The temple is situated in the island of Srirangapatna at a higher elevation on the banks of the Cauvery River. 

Legends

Sumanaska decided to perform Poundarika Yagna for the benefit of earth as per instructions of Lord Shiva. Sumanaska gave the responsibilities of performing this Yagna to Mukthaka Rishi. Narada came to know about this Yagna from Janu and Sumandalas. He decided to give trouble to this Yagna and consulted with Sukracharya. Janu and Sumandalas sent their army along with their ministers namely Shoorabahu and Ghatodaras to disrupt the Yagna.  

Their army was destroyed by Mukthaka. Janu and Sumandalas were on hearing their army defeat. Hence, they decided to battle Mukthaka Rishi by themselves. Mukthaka Rishi was defeated by them. Defeated Mukthaka prayed to Mother Parvathy. Mother Parvathy emerged from the Yagna Kunda to confront Janu and Sumandalas.

She knew that Janu and Sumandalas were blessed by Lord Brahma and got a boon that their deaths would not happen with any sort of weapons. Hence, Mother Parvathy killed them with her sixth sense and made sure that the Yagna was completed without any hinderance. Mukthaka Rishi became very happy and called Mother Parvathy as Nimishamba as she came to help him within a minute of his prayers.

History

The Temple is believed to be built during the reign of Raja Wodeyar I (1578-1617 A.D) who ascended the Mysore throne at Srirangapatna. The temple is under the control of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of Karnataka State.

The Temple

The temple is situated in the island of Srirangapatna at a higher elevation on the banks of the Cauvery River.  There are neatly cut steps to reach carvery river. The Temple is facing towards east with five tiered Rajagopuram. The Sanctum housing Goddess Nimishamba is situated to the right side immediately after the Rajagopuram. Sri Chakra is placed in front of the Goddess. There is a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva called Moukthikeshwara Swamy adjoining the sanctum.

Nandi can be found facing the Lord Shiva Shrine. There is a shrine dedicated to Lakshmi Narayana can be found besides Lord Shiva Shrine. All the three shrines are situated in a row facing east. The Temple does not have Sukanasi and Navaranga. It has only a Mukha Mandapa. There are shrines of Ganesha, Surya Narayana and Hanuman can be seen in the temple premises.

Festivals

Nimishamba Jayanthi Mahotsava on Vaisakha Shudha Dashami day in every year, Navaratri, Shivaratri, Ugadi, Ganesha Chaturthi, Deepavali, Pournami, and Vasavamba Jayanthi are the festivals celebrated here.

Prayers

There is a belief that Goddess Nimishamba will remove all the problems and troubles of her devotees within a minute. Devotees pray here to remove marriage obstacles.

Contact

Nimishamba Temple

Ganjam, Srirangapatna,

Mandya District,

Karnataka – 571 438

Phone: +91 8236 252 640 / 252 641

Email: srinimishambatemple@gmail.com

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 3 Kms from Srirangapatna Bus Stand, 5 Kms from Srirangapatna Railway Station, 22 Kms from Mysuru, 27 Kms from Mandya, 30 Kms from Mysuru Airport, 125 Kms from Bengaluru and 167 Kms from Bengaluru Airport. Srirangapatna is easily accessible by train from Bengaluru and Mysore and is also well-connected by road, as it lies just off the Bangalore – Mysore National Highway 275.

Location

Panchalingeshwara Temple, Govindanahalli, Karnataka

Panchalingeshwara Temple, Govindanahalli, Karnataka

Panchalingeshwara Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Govindanahalli Village near Kikkeri in Mandya district, Karnataka state, India. The Temple is a rare example of a Panchakuta (five shrines with five towers) construction in Hoysala architecture. The temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.

History

The Temple was constructed around 1238 A.D. during the reign of the Hoysala King Vira Someshwara. Ruvari Mallitamma, famous sculptor of Hoysala times, is known to have made contributions to the temple.

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2020/12/panchalingeshwara-temple-govindanahalli-temple.html

Inscriptions

There is an inscription dated to 1237 CE during the reign of Hoysala King Someshwara on a stone slab in the temple. This inscription talks about the lineage of Hoysala Kings and grant of a village for the maintenance of the village. There is a label inscription on the pedestals of the dvarapalas at the entrance porch of the temple. The label read as Ruvari Mallitamma. The sculptures on the outer walls of the temple has label inscriptions namely Keshava, Narayana, Madhava, Govinda, Vishnu, Madhusudhana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhara, Rishikeshi, Padmanaba and Damodara.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 5 Kms from Kikkeri Bus Stop, 21 Kms from Channarayapatna, 22 Kms from Holenarasipur Railway Station, 23 Kms from Holenarasipur, 58 Kms from Hassan, 59 Kms from Srirangapatna, 75 Kms from Mandya, 168 Kms from Bengaluru and 189 Kms from Bengaluru Airport. National Highway 75 connects Channarayapatna from Bangalore. Take KSRTC buses travelling between Bangalore and Hassan, Mangalore. Get into these buses and travel up to Channarayapatna. Get down at Channarayapatna and take any bus travelling towards Mysore and get down at Kikkeri. Hire an Auto to reach this temple from Kikkeri.

Location | Photos

Panchalingeshwara Temple, Govindanahalli – The Temple

Panchalingeshwara Temple, Govindanahalli – The Temple

Panchalingeshwara Temple is a rare example of a Panchakuta (five shrines with five towers) construction in Hoysala architecture. The Temple complex was originally built as Chatushkuta (four shrined). However, there was an addition of another shrine on the eastern side made the temple complex fall under Panchakuta type. The five shrines are built on a north-south axial plan with the sanctums face east.

The Sanctum of each shrine is guarded by dvarapalas. The sanctum (garbhagriha) of each shrine is connected to navaranga hall by a vestibule with sukanasi above. Each of the shrines houses a Linga representing five different aspects or manifestations of Lord Shiva. The five Lingas are named Sadyojatheshwara, Vamadeveshwara, Aghoreshwara, Tatpurusheshwara and Ishaneshwara from north to south. The fifth kuta is a later addition and has differently styled pillars.

Depictions of Lord Shiva and Parvathy accompanied by Nandi, Ganesha and Karthikeya can be seen on the top of the lintel of the shrines. A long-pillared hall on the east connects the individual mantapa together. The entrance to the temple complex is via two porched entrances whose ceiling are supported by lathe turned pillars. The porches are located in front of the second and third shrines. These porched entrances houses a Nandi each.

Each entrance is guarded by dvarapalas. The tower over each shrine (shikhara) comprises the standard three tiers of roofs with each vertically ascending tier diminishing in height. Above this is a structure called the stupi that holds the finial, a decorative water-pot like structure called the Kalasha. The vestibule of each shrine has a low protruding tower (also called sukanasi). This tower is shorter than the main tower over the shrine and hence appears like an extension of it. 

The inner walls of the each mantapa have seventeen niches many of which house sculptures of merit. The entire wall facing towards the east direction is decorated with perforation so that natural sunlight lights the temple premises. There is a twin snake sculpture intertwined together in the temple premises. The male snake with seven head and the female snake with five heads is a unique sculpture which can be seen only in Panchalingeshwara Temple.

There is an idol of Ganapathi holding a weapon in the temple premises. It gives a metallic sound when struck. The outer wall comprises of miniature decorative towers. Each tower is unique and there is no repetition at all. Though the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the outer walls of the temple are carved with sculptures depicting various forms of Vishnu and Vaishnava characters in majority.

This might be due to the construction activities carried out during two different phases of Hoysala rule. The sculptures found in the outer walls are Seshayee Vishnu, Vamana, Trivikrama, Narasimha, Kalinga Mardana Krishna, Varaha, Lakshmi Narayana on Garuda, Venugopal, Vithoba, miniature forms of Matsya & Kurma, Lord Shiva, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Bhairava, Mahishasuramardhini, Brahma, Saraswathi, Indra and Arjuna.