Ketpai Narayana Temple, Bhatkal, Karnataka

Ketpai Narayana Temple, Bhatkal, Karnataka

Ketpai Narayana Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Bhatkal Town in Bhatkal Taluk in Uttara Kannada District in the Indian state of Karnataka. The temple is also called as Khetappayya Narayana Temple. This temple is protected as monuments of national importance by the central Archaeological Survey of India.

History

The temple was built in 1546 CE by Ketpai and his five sons as per the inscription available in this temple. Bhatkal was named after the ninth century Jain grammarian Bhattakalanka Deva, who hailed from Haduvalli, the capital of the Saluvas. Bhatkal was also called as Bhatta Kala / Batikula / Bhatkala / Batikala during ancient times. Bhatkal was also mentioned as Vrittapura in a 16^th century CE inscription.

The Temple

This temple is facing towards east and enclosed within a laterite compound wall with stone foundations measuring approximately 40 feet in length and 60 feet in width. A Garuda Sthamba on a stepped basement can be seen facing towards the entrance on the outside. Carvings of the Ketpai with his wife and his five sons with their wives can be seen on the basement of the sthamba. The temple can be accessed through the entrance on the western side. This entrance has a stone-framed doorway flanked by dvarapalas on either side.

These dvarapalas are shown wearing Persian costumes. The temple measures 34.5 feet in length and 18 feet in width. The temple consists of sanctum with circumbulatory path, antrala and mandapa. The temple is surrounded by stone lattice windows. The mandapa can be accessed through balustrade staircase. Dvarapalas can be seen at the entrance of mandapa on either side. The mandapa is supported by four central pillars.

The ceiling of the mandapa has ashta dikpalas on their respective cardinal points. The doorway of the antrala has Garuda and Sesha as dvarapalas on either side. There are two panels depicting Venugopala and Gopikavastraharana above these dvarapalas on either side. The sanctum enshrines a black basalt image of Narayana. The base of the temple and interior of the compound wall has various small stone panels depicting Ramayana, daily life scenes, erotic scenes, dancers, musicians, warriors, wrestlers etc.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 1 Km from Bhatkal Railway Station and 2.5 Kms from Bhatkal Bus Stand. Bhatkal is located at about 14 Kms from Murdeshwar, 21 Kms from Baindur, 37 Kms from Honnavar, 55 Kms from Kundapura, 88 Kms from Gokarna, 90 Kms from Udupi, 128 Kms from Karwar, 142 Kms from Mangaluru Airport and 144 Kms from Mangaluru. Bhatkal is situated on Karwar to Mangalore route (NH – 66). Bhatkal Railway Station is one of the major railway stations along the Konkan Railway line, which runs between Mumbai and Mangalore.

Location