Musafir

I was already tired with all the climbing of the Vindhyagiri hill. Once i came down, i had a quick snack while it rained heavily and moved to the hill opposite the one i ascended earlier. Earlier, i could wear my sock and climb, but here i was asked to take them off. So had to climb barefoot. Man! It was slippery with all the rain and legs were aching on the hard surface. There are around 250 steps to the top of the hill and this was a little relief.

Chandragiri, also known as Katavapra (Black Hill), Tirthagiri or Rishigiri is locally called as Chikkabetta (Small Hill). This is one of the oldest Jaina pilgrimage centres in South India as it has the tomb of Bhadrabahu muni and many other Jaina devotees. It stands at a height of 3052 feet above sea level and here, inside a huge compound, are many monuments. This hill became holy due to the arrival of the fifth and the last Shrutakevali Bhadrabahu, Eighth in the lineage of Lord Mahaveera, the 24th Tirthankara. It is popularly known as Chandragiri after the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta. There are 14 Jinalayas of great antique, among is one which built as early as 4th Century BC. i.e. 2500 years old. On the rock bed of Chandragiri, near the first inscription one can see the specimen signature of Chavundaraya the commander in chief during the Ganga rule.  We can have a beautiful view of all the monuments all at once from the Vindhyagiri hill. Also the statue of Bahubali looks great from the Chandragiri Hill.

The entrance to the compound is a decorative arch made of brick and lime with exquisite carvings on the top. The centre of the gateway is designed like a gopura with a Yakshini in the middle. We will talk about the most important monuments.

The first one we notice is the Kuge Bramha Sthambha, a highly decorative pillar. It is a fine specimen of Ganga workmanship and one of the most elegant and free standing pillars. Erected in honour of the Ganga King Marasimha, who died observing the rite of Aradhana at Bankapur (Dharwad District of Karnataka) in 974 AD. This is considered both a commemorative column as well as a Manasthambha. The column is 30 feet in height and has Sarvahana Yaksha on top. The 113 like inscription engraved on the pedestal begins on the southern face and ends on the eastern side. It gives a glowing account of the King, his heroic life and his pious end. The upper part of this long pillar looks like a small mantapa and is extremely beautiful with a Jina image.

Next is the basadi housing Shanthinatha and Suprashwanatha. The image to the north of the Shanthinatha basadi, which is standing with an iron railing, is that of Bharatha, brother of Bahubali. The Digambara traditions in this place accepted and popularised Bharatha image from the 10th Century. From an inscription near the Bharatha image mentions that Arishtanemi carved this image. This image is not hewn out of rock bed and is mutilated below the thighs and is currently 2 metres in height. Stylistically this one is very close to the Bahubali image and can be dated to the Ganga Period (10th Century). Another image of Bharatha is found on the Akhanda Bagilu on the Vindhyagiri hill.

I noticed something interesting over here. There are a couple of temples which date to around 10th Century and their architecture resembles the Pallava style to some extent. It is quite evident that they are Jain basadis with the Tirthankara images on the outer walls, but the structure above the lintel totally resembles many monuments in Mahabalipuram, especially the Shore Temple. It is a known fact that influence of culture is not new in Indian History and there are good instances where the Hoysala temples are inspired by Chola art.

Architecturally very interesting and historically immensely important,. the Chavundaraya basadi was built by Jinadevana, the son of Chavundaraya. This granite structure is again a good example of Ganga architecture and as mentioned earlier has Dravidian influence also. Though the outer walls are plain, the parapet and the tower are ornate. A row of swans below the eaves, the horse-shoe shaped arches on the cornice, a row of sea horse or lion-faced fishes at the lower most row of the parapet, a row of large reliefs of Tirthankaras, Yakshas, Yakshis, Gandharvas, elephants and other reliefs, and the gable shaped crowning architectural members are of absorbing interest.

We find here some of the finest creation of Indian artists. The architectural pattern is repeated on the tower, which perfect, proportionate and compact. The sanctum houses and image of Neminatha carved by a famous Hoysala artist Gangachari, son of Hoysalachari. In the vestibule are the images of Sarvahana Yaksha and Kushmandini Yakshini of Hoysala period (12th Century). A narrow staircase in the Southeast, leads to the upper storey where you find a standing image of a Tirthankara dated to 10th Century. An inscription on the pedestal of this statue attributes this temple to Chavundaraya’s son.

Terina basti is named after the chariot stone structure facing it and was built by Macikabbe and Shanthikabbe, mothers of two royal merchants, Poysalasetti and Nemisetti. It was consecrated in 1117 AD. Inside is a Bahubali image of 4 feet in height. Images of Sarvahana Yaksha and Kushmandini Yakshi are of Hoysala workmanship and dated to the 12th century AD. Surprisingly this structure is devoid of any Dravidian influence. This confirms that more than one artist worked on each of the structures and we anyway know that they have been constructed across centuries.

Sasana basadi is called so, because of the inscription located at its entrance. The image of Adinatha, seated in a yogic posture on a lion throne in the sanctum has an inscription which states that this abode of Lakshmi was built by Gangaraja. Also it is known that the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana granted a village for its maintenance. The Kushmandini and Sarvahna statues are a Hoysala work. As Gangaraja was supposed to have built this and the Kattale basadi on this hill, it may be assumed that the former was built on behalf of his mother Pocikabbe and the latter on his wife Lakshmimathi in 1118 AD.

The Chandragupta basadi was erected in the 9th Century. Interesting aspects of this three celled structure are 1) it’s fine towers, 2) a unique image of standing Sarvahna Yaksha in the vestibule and 3) two perforated screens with reliefs believed to be connected with Bhadrabahu. The sanctums have the images of 4 armed Yakshni Padmavathi, Parsvanatha and Kushmandini Yakshini. The stone screen narrating the story of the migration of Bhadrabahu was executed by a Hoysala artist called Dasoja.

And finally we talk about the Parsvanatha basadi.

This temple called the Kamata Parsvanatha Basti in records was probably erected in the late 11th century. An inscription found in the vestibule seems to associate Dhanakirthideva, disciple of Damanandi Traividyadeva to this temple. The image of Parsvanatha is about 14’6’’ and stands on a lotus pedestal. The reliefs at the base are not only of great artistic excellence but also of immense mythological interest. They reveal Parsvanatha’s encounter with his enemy Kamata. The main image as well as the serpent body and the canopy are hewn out of a single stone of schist.

The commemorative column in the hall was erected in the honour of saint Mallisena in 1129AD. Executed by an artist called Gangachari, it bears testimony to the artistic excellence as well as to the high literary attainment of poet Mallinatha. The Manasthambha which faces the temple is about 65 feet in height and is also the tallest of the free standing pillars at Sravanabelagola. It was added in the late 17th century.

As i complete my entire series on Hassan District a lot of memories make me happy and satisfied. Also there are some things that tourists must know before. I will talk about them in my final post of this series.

Once we climb all the 640 steps and reach the top, the first thing that is seen is an inner complex on the right with a wall. We have the first view of the Gomateshwara Statue from here. Figures like fishes and elephants are carved on the wall, which we do not the significance. We need to enter the inner complex walking from the rear end. There are some monuments to the back of the compound. The Wodeyar mantapa on the western corner, has a column which has a donative record. One portion of this record tells how mortgaged property of the temple got redeemed by the initiative of the Mysore King Chamaraja Wodeyar in 1634 AD. The other portion mentions the grants made for the upkeep of this centre by King Dodda Krishnaraja Wodeyar in the 18th Century. Nearby, there is a three step pillar stone on the floor. We do not know the significance of this as well but it should be something relevant to Jains. Nearby is the Gullekayi Ajji Mantapa.

An image of immense legendary interest is housed in this pavilion. Its open ground floor contains five round pillars, an inscription and an image of the Old Lady (Gullekayi Ajji). The pillars, though simple are very strong and support the upper section. The upper floor enshrines a Yaksha image. The large central pillar was cut out of a boulder in the 12th century. An inscription at its base names it as, “Manasthambha”. The pillar and the Yaksha image were caused to have been made by minister Baladeva of early 12th Century. The inscription column was placed against the central pillar in 1422 AD by Irugappa Dandanayaka. It mentions the gifts made by this general to Gommata.  The image of Gullekayi Ajji wears a blouse and a pleated saree. According to a local legend, Yakshi Padmavathi transformed herself into an old woman to humble the pride of Chavundaraya.

The outer compound wall i talked about was erected during the time of Mysore Wodeyars (17th-18th Century). The Siddhanta basti is at its southeast corner was built in the 14th century. It is notable for the two commemorative columns in the hall than for the image enshrined in the sanctum. These columns were erected in 1398 and 1432 in honour of Saint Panditharadhya and Srtamuni respectively. The text of the second memorial was composed by Mangaraja, a famous Kannada poet.

Before speaking about the main attraction at this place, we need to talk about one amazing feat called the Suttalaya. Spanning all the three sides of the colossal statue of Bahubali and built in two successive stages, house many Tirthankara images. Gangaraja, a general of Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana erected the enclosure. Basavi Setti during the 12th Century erected all the 24 Tirthankara statues inside while the others were installed by Kethi Setti, Balleya Dandanayaka, Anki Setti, Bidiyama Setti, Mahadeva Setti, Nemi Setti etc. These Suttalaya images (3.5 to 5.25 feet high) are of great interest to the pious Jains as well as students of Jaina art and iconography. From the records and the cognizance’s engraved on the pedestal, from the attributes held by attendant deities, and from certain other conspicuous characteristics, the Tirthankara images are identified.

I will be dedicating my next post to discuss about the Gomateswara Statue in detail.

As mentioned previously, i climbed 500 steps to reach the main entrance of the hillock. Known also as Indragiri or Vindhyagiri, this hillock locally called as Doddabetta (Big Hill) which stands at a height of 3,347 feet above sea level is fortified with a wall across its circumference. There are various shrines that one can visit before reaching the main place. The smaller hill which is opposite to this one and the big pond at the bottom of this hill look beautiful from here.

There is a small shrine to the left of the main entrance, which is called the Chavvisa (24) Tirthankara basadi raised by Charukeerthi Pandithadeva and others. It contains a stone slab with small images of all the 24 Tirthankaras. Within a short distance, there is an elevated basadi which can reached by a flight of steps. Built of granite blocks, it is impressive for the commanding position it occupies. This is called the Odegal basadi. It is so called because of the stone props against its basement. It is the only trikutachala (triple-shrine) temple at Sravanabelagola. It houses the images of Adinatha, Neminatha and Chandranatha, all carved in schist with a congregation hall common to all the three shrines. This temple is datable to the 14th century which is similar to other Jain temples constructed during the Vijayanagara period like Ganagitti Jain Temple and Parsvanatha Temple in Hampi. I did not understand why a bell is hung in a Jain basadi. Normally, all sounds except chanting are prohibited in a Jain religious place.

From the Odegal basadi, we move on to the next monument, the Tyagada Kamba. We can find many inscriptions scribbled on the raw granite floor on the way. The ASI has covered those with glass so that they cannot be damaged by tourists. All these inscriptions are recorded as part of the Epigraphia Carnatica Series in its second Volume.

One of my acquaintances recently posed two questions 1. Why would important inscriptions be made on random, uneven rocks? My guess is that normally any inscriptions commissioned by ruler will have well-setup slabs. Because these constructions were not officially funded by the ruler and commissioned by officials and generals, they were scribbled on the floor by the masons so that they can still name the person who commissioned them. 2. The protecting glass on top of them is a mere eye-wash, as rain-water etc. can still flow from underneath.. My perception is rain water, if it falls directly on the rock can cut the stone damaging the inscription. But here, the damage can be far less than normal as the water passes underneath the glass. Now back to business.

Tyagada Kamba is a small, open pavilion with an upper storey and his historically important. It was installed by Chavundaraya who himself commissioned the Gommata statue here. In the centre of the pavilion is a 11 feet long elaborately carved pillar which is unmatched in its artistic beauty. It was probably erected in the late 10th Century. It is believed that Chavundaraya distributed gifts to the needy and deserving from here, hence the name Tygada Kamba. Another view is he renounced his worldly possessions including his life from here. The simple scroll designs, elegant workmanship, and bold lines bring out the best of the Ganga architecture. The original inscription at the base of the pillar was erased in about 1200 AD by Heggade Kanna and installed the Yaksha image on top of this pillar after which, got a record engraved at its pedestal. Some 500 years later, an upper mantapa was built in brick and mortar.

From the Tygada Kamba starts the second series of 140 steps which lead to the inner complex. After climbing some steps from the Tyagada Kamba, we stand before the Akhanda Bagilu or the monolith gateway. It has a Gajalakshmi panel above the lintel, where Goddess Lakshmi is seated on a lotus flanked by two elephants who anoint the goddess with pots held with their trunks. The relief sculptures of crocodiles and lions form the upper part of the panel. This is one of the finest and largest reliefs of Gajalakshmi in the country - undoubtedly the best of the Ganga craftsmanship. While the doorway is assignable to 980 AD. the two cells at its side were added around 1130 AD. by Bharathamayya, a general of the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana. The two relief sculptures in the cells represent Bharatha and Bahubali. Both the smaller shrines are locked.

There are two more doorways between the steps. The pillars of one of them is carved with Tirthankaras and musicians. There are dwarapalas on either side which is an example of Hindu architectural influence. The second doorway is the one you see in the picture. It has 4 pillars and figures of elephants are sketched on either side. The lintel of the doorway is carved with Tirthankara and Yaksha figures. Just outside this doorway you will find a image of a crocodile on the left which is a signature sculpture of Vijayanagara architecture. After crossing this doorway, we reach the upper complex.

This is the last leg of my 3-day Trip to the Hassan District. I had to get up very early and so that i could reach Sravanabelagola as soon as possible, which i managed to reach by 7 AM. The town has just woken up and you will find the vendors starting to clean their premises to start their day’s business. I put my bag at a travel agent’s place and started off to the entrance to the hill.

Activity at the hill was full on. There were people already climbing. Its advisable to start the climbing as early as possible as heat will be a concern once the sun rises. There are two sections of steps to finally reach the destination. The first section is a steep climb of 500 steps after which we reach the main entrance to the complex on the top. Be very careful while climbing as the steps are steep and one mistake may cause a person to tumble down. The steps may be slippery in rainy season, so be very cautious. We can have a nice view of the surroundings during the climb. There are two doorways during the ascent which may have been setup during the 10th Century. Surprisingly i took just 10 minutes to reach the entrance of the second complex, where i rested for about 10 minutes before starting off again. We will talk a little bit about the hill and its history before moving on.

Sravanabelagola has two hills, Chandragiri and Vindhyagiri. Acharya Bhadrabahu and his pupil, King Chandragupta Maurya are believed to have meditated here and Chandragupta attained salvation at this place. Chandragupta Basadi, which was dedicated to Chandragupta Maurya, was originally built there by Asoka in the third century BC. Chandragiri is also said to be the place where the last Rashtrakuta King of Manyakheta is said to have meditated. The 57-feet tall monolithic statue of Gommateshvara is located on Vindyagiri Hill. It is considered to be the world's largest monolithic stone statue.

More than 800 inscriptions have been found at Sravaṇabeḷgoḷa, dating to various times from 600 to 1830. These inscriptions include texts in the Kannada, Sanskrit, Tamil, Marathi, Konkani, Marwari and Mahajani languages. Some of these inscriptions mention the rise and growth in power of the Western Ganga Dynasty, the Rashtrakutas, the Hoysala Empire, the Vijayanagar Empire and the Wodeyar dynasty.

Now lets talk about the various monuments on the Vindhyagiri Hill.

It was almost 5 in the evening by the time i completed touring the Halebidu Temple complex and i still had a couple of things in my itinerary for the day. I could make up those things on the same day as they are quite near to the Hoysaleswara Temple. We will first talk about the three Jain bastis (Temples) in a small village aptly called “Basadihalli”.

As we go to the village, we first come across the nice and beautiful Kedareshwara Temple. We will see more of this in the next post. About 200 metres from the Kedareswara Temple are three Jain Temples with a small garden developed all around them. I asked my driver to park the car near the Kedareswara Temple and walk to the Bastis. I had very little time to cover all the three monuments, so i rushed to the Parsvanatha Temple.

This temple was built by Boppadeva, son of Gangaraja a minister under Vishnuvardhana in the year 1133 A.D. The construction of the temple coincided with the victory of the ruler, hence the name “Vijaya Parsvanatha”. The Parsvanatha Basadi is very simple when seen from the outside. It has a simple entrance. Once you cross it, you will find a pillared Maha-Mantapa with elephants on either side of the entrance. This mantapa has highly polished lathe turned pillars and sculptures of Yakshas against the Western wall.

The pillars of the Maha-Mantapa are carved with nice designs which is still intact even today. As in most of the Jain temples, there is an antarala which is dark followed by the sanctum. There are round pillars made of black stone in the antarala and the walls are carved with turrets and pillars. The ceiling is extraordinarily carved with mythological figures and nice intricate carvings. In the sanctum is the 18 feet tall Parsvanatha Tirthankara. In Jain Iconography, each Tirthankara is associated with an animal and Parsvanatha idol is always covered with a hooded snake above his head. Small sculptures of a Yaksha and Yakshini are on either side of Parsvanatha. These two bastis are comparatively smaller and simpler and not much to see. I was here for about 10 minutes and moved on to the Shanthinatha Basti.

The Shanthinatha Basadi, built in 1196 A.D is similar to the Parsvanatha basadi and has an 18 foot statue of the Tirthankara in the sanctum. On the exterior, the walls have elongated plasters. The Adinatha basadi assignable to the 12th century A.D has a 20 foot long statue of Adinatha in the sanctum. Also there are images of Saraswati in the vestibule (Antarala). A 20 feet tall Mahasthambha stands in front of the basadi.

Before we continue our journey, we will talk about the Jain Religion in general and the iconography and monument architecture in particular. As we will talk about Jain monuments and sculptures in the further posts so i am hopeful this introduction will give a good background.

 Wikipedia states Jainism as an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings and its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation.

Brief History: Historians date the foundation of organized form of Jainism to sometime between 9th and 6th Century Before Christ. It is believed that Jainism(in its present form) had it roots in the Indus Valley Civilization. Chandragupta Mourya embraced Jainism in his old age and joined a wandering group of Jain monks. Samprati, the grandson of Ashoka also embraced Jainism. and said to have constructed 1,25,000 Jain Temples across India. It is generally accepted that Jainism started spreading in South Indian only in the 3rd century. There are good records dated 1st Century BC, where Emperor Kharavela captured Magadha and installed a statue of Rishabanatha in Udayagiri, Orissa. The Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves are the only surviving stone Jain monuments in the state of Orissa. Archaeologists have encountered Jain remains and artefacts at Maurya, Sunga, Kishan, Gupta, Kalachuries, Rashtrakut, Chalukya, Chandel and Rajput as well as later sites.

Tirthankaras: In Jainism, Tirthankara is a human who attains liberation or enlightenment and then becomes a role model and teacher for those seeking spiritual guidance. Jains believe that exactly 24 Tirthankaras lived in our part of the Universe till date and the next is expected to be born 81,500 years from now. The first Tirthankara Rishabanatha is mentioned in the Vishnu and Bhagavata Puranas as belonging to a very remote past. The earliest Brahmanic literature makes reference to a sect which defies the Vedas and opposed animal sacrifices. The Yajurveda refers the names of three Tirthankaras Rishabha, Ajitha and Aristhanemi. The Jains claim that Neminatha, their 22nd Tirthankara was a contemporary of Lord Krishna and belonged to the Yadava family. Parasvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankar is the earliest Jain leader who can be reliably dated as born in 877 BC and lived for a 100 years. The last Tirthankara, Mahavira was born in 599 B.C and lived for 72 years. I found an interesting sequence in the the number of years that each Tirthankara is believed to have lived. Rishabanatha is believed to have lived 592.704 x 10¹⁸ years. The number of years that subsequent Tirthankaras lived diminished and finally we have Mahavira who lived for 72 years.

Sects in Jainism: There are two major sects in Jainism, the Svetambars and Digambars. The difference is beliefs of the two sects are minor and relatively obscure. Digambars do not wear any clothes. Svetambars believe women may attain liberation and that Mallinatha was indeed a female, however, Digambars believe to be a male as women are not allowed to be naked in Jain religion.

Iconography: The icons in a Jain temple are arranged in a hierarchical order. The chief among them is the mula-nayaka like Rishabhanatha or Parsvanatha, who is surrounded by other Jains. Two types of images are generally found;one, a relief containing 1, 3 or 24 Tirthankaras; second, images of Tirthankaras in round. A combination of three Tirthankaras with the mula-nayaka in the centre is called Tri-Tirthanka. The portrayal of 24 Tirthankaras is called Chaturvimsati. To a superficial observer, the image of a Jina and Buddha look alike. But there are important differences. The Tirthankaras generally have a triangular mole symbol on their chest, a triple umbrella above their heads and a lanchana or symbol on the parasol. Jain Yakshas are also called Sasana-devatas or demigods who are devotees of Tirthankaras. According to Jain belief, Indra appoints one Yaksha and one Yakshini to serve as attendants for each Tirthankara.

Monument Architecture: The earliest form of Jaina temples or Basadi, as they are called are simple, plain with pillars inside and a sanctum with one of the Tirthankaras inside. There used to be platforms on either side in the mukha mantapa outside the sanctum where the statues of other Tirthankaras were placed. The reason for this was mainly because Jains were moving from place to place and they did not spend much time on making the temple beautiful as they just needed a place to worship. As time went by, they settled in locations and then you can find like the ones in Ellora where each Jain Cave is rich in art. Jains soon started entering into the local businesses and now there are one if the richest. So eventually, the recent constructions reflected richness and is evident like the one in Kolanupaka (Andhra Pradesh) or the Dilwara Temple; they are extremely big and beautiful with intricate architecture.

We will individually talk about the monument structures when we discuss the Basadis.

References:

1. Iconography of the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains by R.S. Gupte

2. Jaina Monuments and Places of First Class Importance by T.N. Ramachandran

3. Jainism in South India and some Jain Epigraphs by P.B Desai

As we move on the road from the KSTDC Hotel, we reach the Bhima’s Gate.

The Bhima’s Gate was probably one of the entrances of the kingdom as the area on the other end of the gate is barren with little habitation. This entrance is big with fortified walls of at least 20 feet. The wall or the entrance itself is plain except for two small carvings of a story of Mahabharata due to which this is named so.

Here on the wall, we see two similar carvings where Draupadi is tying her hair while Bhima is killing Kichaka. This sequence tells about the story where Draupadi vows that she will tie her hair only when Kichaka, who tries to molest her is killed. There is an idol of Bhima also in here.

We then move on to the Ganagitti Jain Temple.

This Jain temple complex,dedicated to Kunthunatha, the 17th Thirthankara of the Jaina faith, was built by Iruga, Commander-in-chief of Harihara II, and consecrated in 1386 AD..

The huge lamp column at the North facing entrance has an inscription to this effect. It is also referred to as the Kunthunatha Jain temple. It is a typical example of early Vijayanagara architecture and is known for its simplicity of form and design, with influences from the Late Chalukya period.

The temple in elevation has a terraced super structure over the sanctum, and a porch to the North and East.

As mentioned in a previous post, the Jain temples are very simple in their architecture and it goes the same with this one. There two halls before the inner sanctum and we can find the stone pedestal on which the idol once stood. Nearby on on of the platforms, we can find foot marks which signifies the marks of the Thirthankara.

We then move on on the same road after travelling 2 kilometres, there is a sign board to the Vijaya Vittala temple. We take the left road and move ahead to the Talarighatta Gate.

The Talarighatta Gate was one of the main entrance points into the urban centre of the capital from the riverside. The main road to Talarighatta (the coracle ferry point near the suspension bridge, which was stopped in middle as per UNESCO regulations) from Kamalapura pass through this arched structure.

This largely damaged structure still maintains its original intent, a gateway on the main road. A tiny shrine of Hanuman is located just in front of the gate.

It is possible to reach the top of this gateway. From there the traces of the extended fortifications are visible. Talarighatta means Toll Gate, probably its original intension. In those days, there would be guards that that stand on top and the side pavilions and collect toll from people who wish to enter the area.

We pass through the gate and move towards the Gejjala Mantapa.

The Gejjala Mantapa is a small pavilion but a very beautiful one with its exquisite design. It was used once as a Rangamantapa (dancing hall) for conducting various music and dance festivals. Each of the pillars is excellently carved and shows us the craftsmanship of the age. Even the ceiling is designed with different shapes and bells.

We then move on to the Kuduregombe Mantapa.

The Kuduregombe Mantapa is different than any other pavilion that we see in the Hampi area. As mentioned before, the entrance of any temple is guarded by elephants, lions and crocodiles.  This temple is an exception where the entrance is  guarded by horses and riders on top of them. This temple gets the name due to the horses (Kuduregombe means horse riders in Kannada). We exactly do not know to which deity this temple is dedicated to. The sanctum is empty but with a pedestal and the ceiling broken and sunlit during the day. This is a nice place to relax for some time escaping from the scorching heat of the sun. The presence of horses in place of elephants indicates that this temple was probably built by or for the traders of the Vijaya Vitthala Bazaar to worship, especially for those who were probably not allowed in the larger temples due to their caste or occupational restrictions.

We move on to the most beautiful of all the temples and monuments of Hampi, the Vijaya Vitthala temple.

The two places that i am going to mention in this post are rarely visited. This may be due to two reasons, lack of information and reaching the place may be dangerous as not many people venture out there..

However, behind the elephant’s stable, there is a plantain grove. There is a small gate made of wood right next to the stable. We need to go through the gate and  cross the grove. It is a nice walk of nearly two kilometres under the trees. We then reach an open field filled with thorny bushes. Just at a distance we see a small ruined Siva temple. We can recognize it as a Siva temple only on the basis of the construction and the carvings on its pillars. 200 yards from the Siva temple, we come to the Parsvanatha Temple. A watchman of the Archaeological Survey of India lead me to this place based on my enquires in their office about the place.

Parsvanatha Temple: Another example of the religious tolerance and respect, this Jain temple was consecrated sometime in the 15th century by Sri Krishnadevaraya. There is an inscription in the temple confirming this point. One can easily recognize a Jain temple of the olden days. Their roof is flat; they have pillars similar to Siva shrine, but the design is very simple.

The Parsvanatha temple seems a very simple shrine from outside. It has a big entrance and there is a pillared hall and a small room before the inner sanctum. The pillars are normal without any carvings on it, a typical feature of a Jain Temple. The small hall is very dark with a platform on either side with small caveats to hold idols. The inner sanctum has a stone pedestal for the idol, which of course is missing.

Although there are only two Jain temples in the Hampi area, the inscriptions suggest that the people of Hampi were not only ardent believers of non - violence, but also respected and followed them.

Moving on further, there is another plantain grove through which we need to pass. Just after we reach the clearing, there is a Vishnu temple which is totally in ruins now. But it must be a well maintained temple in the olden days, considering the size of the doors and the halls inside. This temple has three halls before the inner sanctum and excavation work is still going on inside. The inner walls of the temple have good designs carved on them. Moving further into the thorny open land we see a small temple and beside it, is the important place i was talking about.

Srinagarada Hebbagilu: As the name suggests (Hebbagilu means main door), this is one of the entrances to the Vijayanagar empire. It is large with raised platforms. This entrance should have been well protected. There are fortified walls on the inner side of the entrance on both the sides making it a pathway with walls on either side. There are platforms on either side of the entrance for the soldiers to guard. The doors must have been really huge and of stone. The whole entrance structure is plain except for a few carvings. 

There are no other temples outside of the entrance and you can find small pillared halls in the rocky hills nearby. They should have been used by the travellers or shepherds. One beautiful thing that we see are three small stone huts made on the top of a distant hill. Even though there are smaller shrines on the inside, they are in complete ruins and should be avoided for fear up reptiles.

Any trip to Hampi should not be completed without visiting this place, as it gives a lot of pleasure to visit the main entrance of the mighty kingdom.

We turn back and move along the same path till we reach the elephant stable. We take a small left turn and from there we can reach the beginning of the Temple Street, which is the Ranga Temple.