TravelingBeats

Gavi Gangadeshwara temple

Location: Bull temple Road, Basavanagudi

How to reach there: From city market Bus # 45, 34 etc buses which goes to Gavipuram and gives stop near Ramkrishna Mission. Bus # 45 comes from Majestic.

Gavi Gangadeshwara temple in Bangalore is temple of excellent architecture, historical and geographical importance. This temple is believed to be one of the most ancient temples in India. Later the founder of Bangalore kempe Gowda added to the structure of the temple. Read the history of the temple below from the picture which I have taken there.

From the outside the Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple looks like any typical temple in this part of karnataka. But once you decend through the steps and enter the cave, a altogether different world emerges. In the beginning it may just look like a small cave with a Shiva Linga known as Gavi Gangadeshwara. But once start exploring half bended at places, you will try to appreciate what a place it is. There two passages forming two half ring passage containg small statutes of various sages, gods and goddesses. Just besides Gavi Gangadeshwara idol idol is Guva (cave) Durga (goddess Durga). Behind Guva Durga idol also there is a half ring passage. If you enter the larger passage from the left hand side, little later on the way you will find two ways leading to darkness. In one written leads to Kashi and other ( bigger in size) leads to Shivagange. Really curious, if anyone has ever tried to go through those passages? The terrain of the passage looks difficult as it is decending.

One front of Gavi Gangadeshwara idol is a statue of stone carved Nandi (cow). Here one miracle happens every year on the day of Sankranti ( new year day in many parts of India), the rays of the sun pass between the horns of the Nandi placed outside the temple, illuminating the idol of Lord Shiva. This phenomenon typically happens on the 14th/15th of January every year. This shows how much our ancestors had knowledge of advanced architecture and astronomy. It is natural monolithic cave dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Gavi Gangadeshwara. Check an article on the astronomical importance of the temple. Outside the temple you can go to the top and and take a walk. You will find two nicely sculpted gopuras. I am not sure if they are stone sculpted or cement art. Just at the entrance there are two stone discs opposite to each other ar a little distance. In ancient times temple keepers used to identify time watching the sun rays falling on the discs. After getting down the steps you can see a tall bronze akash deep which typical of the temples of south karnataka.

After the scientific and religious journey, if you want to spend a little time with nature then that facility is also available in the form of Gavipura park. The The park is an awesome place greenery located on a hill. One can get nice view from. In the evening they play classical music or raga. The park has good quality speakers installed all over the place.

On the way back you can view Ramkishna Mission. Ater 6.30 pm things to see like mother’s rock are closed. Am ideal planning would be cover Bull temple, Gavi Gangadeshwara temple, Gavipura park and Ramkrishna mission in a day or a few hours depending on the time you have. You may start with Bull temple - Ramkrishna mission - gavipura park - Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple. This schedule should hold good if you can reach Basavanagudi by 3 pm.

Watch a video:

Location: Chamarajanagara is located on the southernmost tip of the state of Karnataka. It borders Tamil Nadu and Kerela on south, Mysore district of Karnataka to the west and north, Mandya and Bengalooru districts to the north-east.

District Headquarter: Chamarajanagara

Distance: Chamarajanagar town is around 185 km from Bangalore, 65 km from Mysore

Journey time: Around 5 hrs

How to reach there: By bus, train or private vehicle.

Route:

1.  Bangalore - Mysore - Nanjangud - Chamrajanagar

2. Bangalore - Kanakapura - Kollegal - Chamarajanagar road

Where to stay:

1. M C Resort, Near Bandipur National Park, Bangalore Ooty Road,Hangala Post,Gundalpet Taluk, Chamrajnagar - 571126

Note: Check for lodges and hotels in the city.

Where to eat: Local hotels or roadside dabha.

Language spoken: Mainly Kannada, Hindi and understands English to an extent.

Chamarajanagara earlier was part of the Mysore district, but it was carved as a separate district in 1998. Chamarajanagar got its name from the Mysore king Chamaraja Wodeyar who born there. Earlier it was known by the name Arikottara.

What to see:

* Chamarajeshwara Temple : The biggest temple in Chamarajanagara, which was built during end of 19th Century. Temple resembles Nanjanagudu Srikanteswara temple and has a very big gopura.

* MM Hills : Malai Mahadeshwara Hills ( MM Hills), is an important Shaiva pilgrimage centre in the Kollegala Taluk. The yearly chariot festival (locally called ‘jatre’) at the MM Hills brings many devotees. The temple is situated within the MM Hills Reserve Forest, not very far from where the river Kaveri flows into Tamil Nadu.

Malai Mahadeswara temple on top of MM hills

* BR Hills : Biligiri Rangana Betta (short form: BR Hills), refers to a cliff in the BR Hills range which is a North-South range in the Yelandur Taluk. It is famous for the Ranganathaswamy temple.

* Kanakagiri : Kanakagiri in Chamarajanagara Taluk is a famous Jain pilgrim centre. It is described as Hemanga Desha in ancient works and is said that Bhagwan Sri Mahavira visited this place during his visit to South India.

* GS Betta : Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta ( GS Betta)  is a hill near the Bandipura Wildlife Sanctuary in the Gundlupete Taluk. It is famous for the Gopalaswamy temple which is atop the hill. Gopalaswamy is an incarnation of the Hindu God Krishna.

* Dodda Sampige Mara: Located 4 km from BR Hills, Dodda Sampige Mara is the location where a large Champaka tree, 34 mts in height and 20 mts of girth is present. Near its trunk, there are many Shiva Lingas (around 100) which are worshipped by the pilgrims who come here. Near the tree flows the stream Bhargavi which is a tributary of Kaveri. This stream is supposed to be an incarnation of Renuka, the wife of the revered Hindu sage, Jamadagni.

Wildlife Sanctuaries

* Bandipura : Bandipura is a well known National Park in the Gundlupete Taluk straddling the state’s border with Tamil Nadu. It is also a tiger reserve and part of the Project Tiger initiative. Apart from tiger, the other animals found here include gaur, elephant, leopard and wild dogs. It is contiguous with the Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary which is across the state border in Tamil Nadu.

Stay: Jungle Lodge’s Bandipur Safari Lodge

Jungle Lodge wilderness camp at K.Gudi

* BR Hills : Apart from being a religious centre, BR Hills is also the location of the BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. It is spread over an area of 539.52 sq. km. Some of the important animals found here are tigers, sloth bears, elephants and gaurs.

On the way to BR Hills

BR Hills

Nanjangud :

Nanjundeshwara temple: Nanjangud is located at a distance of 23 km from Mysore at the banks of river Kapila (popularly know as Kabini). 163 km from Bangalore. It is also called Dakshina Kashi (Kashi of south). Nanjangud is famous for the Nanjundeshwara temple which is dedicated to lord Shiva. Nanjanagud literally means “the place where Nanjundeshwara resides.” The original Nanjundeshwara temple is said to be of Ganga period (325 - 1000 CE). This temple has then been renovated by the Hoysala kings. Both Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan had close associations with this temple. Wodeyar kings have provided various grants to renovate the temple.

Temple Timings:
Weekdays: 6.00 a.m. to 1.30 p.m & 4.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.
Sunday: 6.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.

Every year Chariot Festival locally known as the Dodda Jathre and the Chikka Jathre takes place with much fanfare. Idols of Lord Srikanteshwara, Goddess Parvathi, Lord Ganapathi, Lord Subramanya and Lord Chandikeshwara are kept in five separate chariots are taken out in procession.

How to reach there: One can reach there by bus or train from Mysore.

Website on Nanjangud: http://nanjangud.info/

Sri Raghavendra swamy Mutt: Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt also known as Preteeka Sanidhi. It contains an idol of Sri Raghavendra Swamy rather than the usual samadhi. The swamiji of Mantralaya mutt will be usually from Nanjangud

Parashurama Kshetra: Little further from Nanjangud 3 rivers meet namely - Kapila, Kaundinya and a rivulet called Suvarnavathy typically known in India as sangam. It is said that Parashurama cleansed himself of his sins here. He did a penance here where Nanjundeshwara temple is presenty located.

You can also check a few less ventured places as follows:

1. Suvarnavathi Reservoir: Suvarnavathi Reservoir is 16 km from Chamarajanagar.

2. Sargur: Pronounced Sargura in kannada is located around 10 km from Chamarajanagar and 50 km from Mysore. Here you may see the oldest rock formation around about 3300 to 3000 million years old. It extends from Sargur in H.D Kote taluk to Mysore for about 40 km.  Also, the town as many old Hindu and Jain shrines.