Musafir

My next destination was again to a temple which is in a remote village, which is approachable by a muddy uneven road and there is no proper public transport. So it is advisable to rent a vehicle. I travelled almost 5 kilometres from the main road to reach this small village.

At the end of the village, there is a small structure. Looks like the age old construction was totally gone and remaining is the sanctum. A new structure was being constructed enclosing the sanctum.

Chennakesava (Allalanatha) is the presiding deity in this very ordinary temple. The image is about 18ft tall, made out of black stone, bearing a conch (Sankha), wheel (Chakra) and mace. The uniquely exquisite facial expression of the idol captivates the mind and heart of the spectator.

A different thing that is seen here is the unrestricted access to devotees inside the sanctum. There is a loft that one can climb to perform the Abhisheka from the top. There is a large lake nearby this temple which serves as a nice boating experience. Apart from this, there is nothing more to see in this area. I was there just for 10 minutes and moved ahead to my next destination, the Iswara Temple in Arsikere. On the way, i passed an another temple (the picture on the right) but am unable to identify the place. If anyone can, please let me know.

There are fortified walls in the village of Haranahalli, 8 kms from Arsikere. This fort is said to have been erected in the year 1070 A.D by a chief named Someswara Nayak. Now, it is in a pitiable condition. Some parts of the walls have collapsed and the stones can be found as the construction material for houses nearby.  The inside of this structure is filled with bushes and human secretion. Obviously, it is being used as a public toilet and a dumping ground by the locals. Somehow i went inside bearing all the stench. There is a small plain mantapa in one corner inside the fort. The government has to do something about this and clear the area so that excavations can happen to see if something can be found. Finding no more in this area, i moved ahead..