Temples

Cave Temples of Badami

Today we hike up a small hill in the quaint town of Badami, in northern Karnataka. Along the hike, we will be exploring four rock-cut cave temples dating back to the 6th century. These temples were primarily commissioned during the times of Chalukya reign (543 CE – 757 CE), and they provide a deep insight into an emerging architecture that influenced the next generation of sculpturing style in the surrounding regions of southern India.

I and my wife, Mani, were staying at Clark’s Inn, which in my opinion is the best hotel in this area. It is also a good base if you have the nearby hotspots like Aihole and Pattadakal planned in your itinerary. Both heritage sites are located within an hour’s drive from Badami.

Historically, Badami has been known by many names. During the reign of Early Chalukyas, it was known as Vatapi. With the passing of time, it came to be referred to as Vatapipura, Vatapinagari, and also Agastya Tirtha. The city lies at the exit point of a ravine between two steep mountain cliffs. The cave temples that we will explore today, lie on the southern cliff.

The road leading to the entrance of the ASI protected site is filthy with dirty slums and pigs loitering around. But once you enter the parking lot, it gets a lot cleaner. The parking lot is located at the base of the hill that hosts all of the 4 Cave temples, each at a different height.

The Badami cave temples represent some of the earliest known examples of Hindu temples in the Deccan region. The temples are numbered 1 to 4 in the order of their ascedency. It is universally agreed that these ancient creations, along with the temples in Aihole, transformed the Malaprabha River valley into a cradle of temple architecture that influenced the components of later Hindu temples in southern India. The Badami Caves complex is part of a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site candidate. I believe the only thing keeping it waiting to get the official nod is the unhealthy encroaching settlement that surrounds the heritage site.

As usual, I would advise tourists, not to pick a weekend to visit this place as it gets overcrowded. Guides are available near the ticket counter on all days. Tickets costs ₹25 per head for adults. There is an additional camera charge of ₹25 for cameras. Even though it is a nominal charge, I find it amusing that ASI is charging for cameras separately but not charging people using phones to take the same pictures.

Cave Temple 1, Badami

Today’s exploration begins from Cave Temple 1, which lies just a few steps up from the parking lot, on an elevated platform. It is about 60ft above ground level on the north-west part of the hill. The Badami cave temples are carved out of soft Badami sandstone. If you have been to Hampi, you can clearly tell that the color of these temples is comparatively much more reddish.

The Badami cave temples are carved out of soft Badami sandstone on a hill cliff.

A ticket checker stands guard at the base. You might also spot a few monkeys near him. Once you climb the first series of steps, you will find yourself on a flat area with another set of stone steps that take you up to the first cave platform. The wall beside the stairs depicts carvings of dwarfish ganas in different postures as if holding the cave floor.

Cave Temple 1 is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. This is immediately apparent from the 18-armed carving of the Tandava-dancing Shiva as Nataraja on the right wall even before you enter the cave. Elaborately portrayed with the arms in various poses, the image expresses the dynamic posture of Shiva in his cosmic dance. The image, about 5ft tall, has 18 arms in a form that expresses the dance positions arranged in a geometric pattern depicting the cosmic wheel.

The eighteen arms express Natya mudras (symbolic hand gestures), with some holding objects such as drums, a flame torch, a serpent, a trident, and an axe. The image of Shiva, has his son Ganesha and the bull Nandi by his side.

The verandah of the cave has five columns sculpted with reliefs of flower garlands, foliage, and jewelry. On the opposite side, to my left, standing just outside the entrance of the cave lies a two-handed Shaiva dvarapala (guard) who holds a trident. Below the guard, carved into the wall is a bull-elephant fused image where the creatures share the head. Seen from left it looks like an elephant and from right the same appears to be a bull.

As you enter the cave temple, beside the dvarpala you can find a carved sculpture of Harihara. The 7.75ft high sculpture is portrayed as a single figure where the left half is depicted to be Hindu god Shiva and the right half is Vishnu. He is shown with goddess Parvati on the left side and goddess Lakshmi on the right side. Thus both the halves are with their respective consorts. A closer look will also reveal that the two halves are also with their vahan(vehicles) Nandi , the bull in a human form on the left, and Garuda, again in human form on the right.

Also known as Shankaranarayana (“Shankara” is Shiva, and “Narayana” is Vishnu), Harihara is revered by both Vaishnavites and Shaivites as a form of Supreme God.

Interestingly the early rulers of the Chalukya dynasty were Vaishnavites. In later years they began to worship Shiva. Yet here in a cave dedicated to Shiva, they have commissioned a sculpture of Harihara. Was this figure invented in order to end the controversy between the Vaishnavites and the Shaivites as to whose god was greater?

The first line of pillars in the front of the cave is richly decorated. Inside this cave, the sons of Shiva, Ganesha, and Kartikeya, the god of war and family deity of the Chalukya dynasty, are seen in one of the carved sculptures on the walls of the cave, with Kartikeya riding a peacock.

The roof of the cave has five carved panels with the central panel depicting the Nagaraja, with flying couples on both sides. In the center lies a beautifully carved image of Nagaraja, with a coiled serpent body around a human torso. The head and bust are well-formed and project from the center of the coil.

On either side of the Nagaraja, you can find images of the Vidyadhara couples as well as couples in courtship, some of them in erotic poses. In Hindu epics, Vidyadharas are described as spirits of the air. They are considered Upadevas, or demi-gods. All the figures are adorned with carved ornaments and surrounded by borders with reliefs of animals and birds.

What is most amazing here is that the artisans who carved these beautifully detailed images must have spent years, day in and day out, lying on their back while creating these.

The inner sanctum contains a Shivaling. Facing the Shivaling, in the center of the mandapa lies a headless, seated Nandi facing the garbha ghriya (sacrum sanctum). The light inside the cave is not very good, so I suggest you come during the afternoons when the light is properly able to reach the interiors. Lack of sunlight means the caves are smelly from centuries of dampness.

From the first cave temple, a fleet of stone stairs lead up to the 2nd Cave Temple. There are about 64 steps to the second cave. It’s like baby steps compared to Kuon-ji Temple in Yamanashi, where I did 287 steps, or the Yamadera Temple that took me about 1,015 steps.

Cave Temple 2, Badami

The 2nd Cave Temple is consecrated to Lord Vishnu. It faces towards the north and is comparatively smaller than the first and might I add: less refined. It is believed to have been commissioned in the late 6th or early 7th century. It has been sculpted from a boulder that is almost double in height of the first cave temple. The cave entrance is divided by four square pillars, all carved out of the monolithic stone face. Similar to the first temple, this too sits on an elevated plinth, decorated with a frieze of ganas.

On the extremes of either side of the entrance are standing dvarapalas (guards) holding flowers, not weapons. The pillars here are rather simple in design with reliefs of flowers and jewelry. The pillars also feature amorous couples towards the top.

The roof contains a complex combination of four Vishnu images surrounded by a maze of Swastikas, somewhat similar to what I noticed in the Ramalingeshwara Temple in Avani.

Though the pillars fail to generate much enthusiasm, the two sides have wonderfully sculpted images of the incarnations of Vishnu. On the left, you will find a beautiful relief depicting the legend of Vishnu in his Varaha (boar) avatar rescuing goddess Earth (Bhudevi) from the depths of the cosmic ocean, with a penitent multi-headed Naga (snake) below. Inside the temple are friezes showing stories from Hindu texts such as the Bhagavata Purana.

On the opposite side, we have an equally beautifully sculpted image of Vishnu in the avatar of the Vamana. This relief in Cave Temple 2, depicts the legend of Vishnu in his Trivikrama form, taking one of the three steps. Below the raised step is a frieze showing the legend of Vamana (dwarf) avatar of Vishnu, before he morphs into the Trivikrama form.

After exploring the 2nd Cave Temple, we ascended towards the next cave. You may find a number of monkeys leisurely sitting here. Do not engage with them or they might attack you or snatch your bags away. To my surprise, one of them even knows how to open bag zippers.

Midway to the third cave temple, molded by the force of winds, lies a natural cave. I small stairs hidden from view takes you up to the cave.

From this cave, one can get a good view of the wide Agastya Lake at the base of the mountain. It is said to have been formed in the 5th century and many believe that its water has curative properties.

This cave does not feature any prominent sculptures. You can barely make out some figures on the side walls as if something was planned and started but was abandoned midway. A mutilated figure of Padmapani can be found deep inside in this natural cavern.

Steep steps from here ascend to the ramparts that constitute the citadel at the summit of the North Fort. Yes, this hill was at one time upgraded into a fort because of regular raids from the Mughal Sultanate. A small doorway that fits not more than two people at a time leads to a broad paved terrace.

Before you enter the doorway, to the right, lies a tiny building, sandwiched inside the crevasse of what looks like a split in the boulder.

Cave Temple 3, Badami

Facing north, Cave Temple 3 is about 60 steps from Cave 2 and at a higher level. It seems to the most decorated among the three we had already explored. It features Vishnu-related mythology and is also in my opinion the most intricately carved cave on the entire hill. At the entrance wall of Cave 3, there is an inscription in the ancient Kannada language that mentioned that Chalukya ruler Mangalesha son of Pulikesh-I was the founder of these cave temples during circa 578 CE.

Cave 3 is said to be the earliest dated Hindu temple in the Deccan region. It is dedicated to Vishnu. It has intricately carved friezes and giant figures of Trivikrama, Anantasayana, Vasudeva, Varaha, Harihara, and Narasimha. The cave stands raised on a plinth divided by seven columns. The cave’s primary theme is Vaishnavite, though it also shows Harihara on its southern wall. The cave is about 15ft high and supported by 3 rows of six pillars. Each of the pillars contains magnificent pieces of art. These columns randomly feature ganas and amorous couples. The cave shows many Kama scenes in pillar brackets, where a woman and a man are in courtship or mithuna (erotic) embrace.

The temple has been sculpted 48ft deep into the mountain; an added square shrine at the end extends the cave 12ft further inside. The verandah itself is 7ft wide and has four free-standing, carved pillars separating it from the hall. Cave 3 also shows fresco paintings on the ceiling, some of which are faded and broken. You can still see the color green used in these paintings. These are among the earliest known surviving evidence of fresco painting in Indian art. The Hindu god Brahma is seen on Hansa vahana in one of the murals. The wedding of Shiva and Parvati, attended by various Hindu deities is the theme of another.

The columns on the inside of the cave temple are much simpler.

On the left of the entrance, we have a lovely image of Vishnu sitting as Vaikuntha over the coils of Sesha. The multi-hoods of the Sesha shelter the crowned head of Vishnu. To its left is another image of Varaha (man-boar avatar) rescuing earth, just like we saw at the previous cave.

On the right side of the entrance lies an image of the Trivikrama-Vamana. He was known as Trivikrama because he is the one who has conquered the three worlds, Earth, Heaven, and the netherworld. There is an interesting story about this avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. Vamana was the fifth avatar of Vishnu, He was born as the son of Sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi. In this avatar, Vishnu was known as Vamana because he was a dwarf.

Indian mythology has long stories about tussles between the Asuras (demons) and Devas (heavenly beings). Bali, an asura, was killed by Indra, the king of the Devas, in the battle. He was brought back to life by Sage Shukra. In his reincarnated life he practiced several sacrifices, becoming powerful with each. He became so mighty that he conquered all the three worlds, driving away the devas from the heavens. As usual, they turned to Lord Vishnu for help. Vishnu in the avatar of the Vamana, went to King Bali and asks for three steps of land measured by his foot as a charity.

When Maha Bali completed the ritual process of donating the land, Lord Vamana assumed his cosmic form (Trivikrama), measured the entire Earth including the nether world by his first step. With his second step, he measured the entire heaven.

When the entire Universe was conquered by just two paces of Vishnu (Vamana) there was no space left in the Universe to keep Vamana’s third pace. When Lord Vamana asked Maha Bali the space to keep his third step, all the pride and vanity of Maha Bali vanished and he had no hesitation in surrendering before Vishnu. He readily offered his own head to keep the Vishnu’s third step. The Vamana immediately placed his third step on the head of Bali and sent him to the nether world.

The image of Trivikrama is accompanied by another two carvings of incarnations of Vishnu – The Narasimha and the Harihara. Might I add, in all my travels to Indian temples, I have never seen Narashimha smiling so cutely.

Cave Temple 4, Badami

From here, separated by a series of small steps, but on a lower height lies the last of the Cave temples. Located immediately next to and east of Cave 3, Cave 4 floor is situated about 10 feet lower and is the smallest of the four. It is the only one dedicated to Tirthankaras, the revered figures of Jainism. It is believed to be constructed after the first three, sponsored by Hindu kings in the latter part of the 7th-century.

Like the other caves, Cave 4 features detailed carvings and a diverse range of motifs. The cave has a five-bayed entrance with four square columns.

Inside the temple, behind a narrow door sits a carving of the Mahavira. At each corner you will find carvings of Bahubali, Parshvanatha and Mahavira with symbolic displays of other Tirthankaras.

Mahavira is enshrined as the main deity. Because of the narrow door and no other light source, it was tough to capture it in the darkness.

To the left, right at the entrance, you can find Bahubali, standing in Kayotsarga meditating posture with vines wrapped around his leg, his classic iconography. Bahubali was a prince who attained the stature of a perfected being (siddha). Although never admitted to the pantheon of twenty-four tirthankaras, he nonetheless attained jina-like status. The legend of Bahubali tells of a prince who renounces violence after coming close to slaying his brother Bharata in a battle of succession and then renounces pride and its expression – violence to other living creatures. Embracing ahimsa (nonviolence), he meditates in the “body-abandonment” posture in a forest, where he is entwined by vines and hosts birds that nest in his hair until he attains moksha.

On the right, just opposite the Bahubali image, you will find a detailed image of Parshavanata, with a multi-hooded cobra rising over its head.

The carvings on the pillars are different here from the other cave temples. The first row features floral motifs along with circular carvings of amorous couples. If you look closely, it seems that some of the more erotic carvings on the pillars have been scooped out.

The second row of pillars features detailed carvings of Mahavira embedded into a surrounding carving depicting a gate of sorts. This divergence of design leads to much speculation about the time of the creation of this temple.

After exploring the cave, we took a small breather at the top. From the podium in front of the 4th Cave temple, you can get some lovely shots of the expanse that surrounds Badami.

Other than the numbered caves, Badami is home to many other cave monuments and medieval era temples. On the other side of the lake, near the Bhutanatha temple, is a 7th-8th century Chalukya period cave of small dimensions. You can visit Badami all round the year except mid-Summer when it gets extremely hot. I would recommend going just after monsoon when the Agastya lake is brimming with crystal clear water and adds a nice charm to the heritage site

Please note, you will find many monkeys along the hike. Do not carry food and make sure your bags are tightly wrapped as they will try to snatch it and run away.

Just beneath the Cave temple complex, the man-made Agastya teertha or lake is situated which looks like a ravine of crystal clear water surrounded by the greenery and hills of yellow sandstone.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to your comments and questions. If you are looking to explore more of the Badami region, follow my story as I hike to the ruins of the Shivalayas of Badami. If you are in Karnataka do not miss these interesting heritage sites around Bangalore.

When was Badami Cave Temples built?

The Badami Cave Temples were built in the 6th century.

Who created the Badami Cave Temples?

The Badami Cave Temples were commissioned by the Chalukya kings

What is the admission price for Badami Cave Temples?

The entry fees of Badami Cave Temples is ₹25 per person for Indian Nationals and ₹100 per person for Foreigners.

The great Senso-ji Temple

Sensō-ji is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa district of Tokyo, Japan. It is Tokyo’s oldest temple, and one of its most significant. It is a very busy place during daytime so I decided to escape the crowd by visiting early at dawn and then returning back late at night.

We were staying at APA Hotel Asakusa-Kuramae. It is just a couple of minutes walk away from the Kuramae Station on the Toei Oedo Subway Line. I had intentionally reserved this hotel as it is at a walk-able distance from the historic temple. I left the hotel at around 6:30 am. The skies were a saddening, dull gray as I made my way along the quiet alleys.

Because the hotel was near the Sumida river, I choose to walk along the banks towards the heritage temple. Along the way, helping myself to some pictures. The picture below is a shot of the Azuma Bridge with the Asahi Beer Headquarter Building in the background.

You can cross the Azuma bridge from above, but I chose to go under a small dark tunnel. This tunnel is mainly used by joggers, so they don’t have to climb the stairs to cross over to the other side of the road above.

Across the tunnel, I found myself in the Sumida Park area. On the right there is a small dock for ferries. On your left, you can find the Tokyo Cruise Ship Asakusa office. If you are looking for a cruise around Tokyo on the Sumida River, this would be the place to go.

From here I took a left turn towards Senso-ji. From the Azuma bridge you can directly head for the temple, that is the more correct way, that leads directly to the temple main gate and then the temple, but I love to wander about a little.

The Nitenmon Gate

Coming from the river side, the first structure I encountered was the Nitenmon Gate, located on the east side of the Main Hall. Nitenmon in Japanese means “the gate of two ten”. It is named so because of the two protective Buddhist deities (known as ten) that can be seen on its left and right side.

The deities are called Zochoten and Jikokuten respectively. The original statues were destroyed in 19th century. Since then, substitute statues from the Ueno Kaneiji stands there. This gate leads directly to main altar of Senso-ji. It was originally built in 1618 CE and has been named an Important Cultural Property.

Asakusa Shrine

From the gate, towards my right I could see the Asakusa Shrine. I went in and paid my respects. The Asakusa jinja is a Shinto shrine also referred to as Sanja-sama (Shrine of the Three gods). It’s modest appearance belies its historical and cultural significance. The shrine honors the spirits (kami) of the three men – the Hinokuma brothers and Chief Hajino, who founded Sensō-ji.

After taking a few pictures, I made my way towards the main hall of the Senso-ji.

History of Senso-ji

According to legend, Senso-ji Temple was said to have been created when a statuette of Kannon was fished out of the nearby Sumida River by two local fishermen brothers – Hinokuma Hamanari and Hinokuma Takenari in the year 628 CE. It is a mystery as to who carved the statue, or how it had come to be floating in the waters of Sumida, but everyone considered the discovery of the statue to be a miraculous event.

News was sent to the then capital of Japan, which was in Nara, a city to the south of Kyoto. Nara was at that time under the reign of Empress Suiko. She was a very devout Buddhist and is credited with establishing many of the oldest temples and monasteries in Nara. When she heard the story of the two fishermen and the statue of Kannon, she ordered that a temple be built to house the statue.

For those who don’t know, Tokyo was just a small village at that time. The chief of the village, Hajino Nakamoto was greatly moved by the presence of the idol and he decided to remodel his own house into a small temple where the villagers could worship the goddess of mercy. The statue was consecrated during the Kamakura period, around the year 645 CE, which makes the temple the oldest temple in the capital.

Centuries later, Senso-ji became associated with the Tendai school of Buddhism. This Mahayana Buddhist tradition brought over from China in the 8th century became the dominant form of Buddhism among Japan’s upper classes for many centuries.

Although most of the original temple buildings were destroyed by US bombs during World War II, the structures was rebuilt soon afterwards in 1950.

Actually, Senso-ji’s full name is “Kinryū-zan Sensō-ji” , Kinryu-zan meaning “The mountain of the golden Dragon” .

The Main Temple Compound

It was quiet early but a steady stream of visitors were already coming in to pay their respects. The Main hall is the largest structure in the complex. In front of the main hall lies a large incense cauldron. You can light some incense sticks there if you prefer. Before entering the hall you can also indulge in some harmless fun by buying the Omikuji (paper fortunes) that costs 100 yen. But even if you unfortunately draw bad luck, don’t be discouraged, just tie them around a designated place nearby and hope for a better one next time, fingers crossed 🙂 A lot of Omikuji will already be hanging nearby like white flowers, so you can’t miss it.

The Hondo (Main Hall)

The Hondo or Main Hall houses the Kannon statue. The statue is kept deep inside the hall to keep it safe from pollutant degradation. The Hondo Hall is a national treasure and was originally built in 942 CE. It was later rebuilt by the third Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu. The current building dates from 1958. Photography is not allowed inside the hall.

Inside of the hall was rather cold, presumably because of lack of any sunlight inside. I paid my respects and walked back out. From the top of the stairs I took this photo of the Hozomon Gate.

I wandered around the main hall taking a few shots. With the thick cloud cover, the day was photogenically extremely boring. I have tried to spruce them up in Lightroom to bring some energy into them.

Five Storey Pagoda

While walking around the Hondo, I strayed into a small rock garden. From here I got a better shot of the Pagoda.

The Five Story Pagoda (Goju-no-Tou), which is said to contain some of the ashes of Buddha. The Pagoda is approximately 53 meters high and is especially picturesque at night when all lit up. The original structure was built in 942 CE. It was later reconstructed in 1973. It is a national treasure and the second highest pagoda in Japan.

In the garden on the right of the Hondo, there is a small landscaped garden. In the garden you can find a hexagonal temple. I am not too sure about its history but the small wooden structure tucked away in the north-west corner of the temple grounds was built way back in 1618.

It was originally built on top of a well, but was slightly moved from its original location in 1994. The inner structure follows an umbrella-like wooden structure called ougitaruki. The Higiri Jizō-son is enshrined in the small wooden structure, which translates as “Time-bound Ksitigarbha-bodhisattva.”

Directly opposite to the hexagonal temple lies a seated bronze Buddha. Talking of seated Buddha’s, if you are touring Japan, you must not miss these four:

The Hozomon Gate

After leaving the garden, I walked towards the Hozomon Gate. The Hozomon Gate is the gateway to the inner complex of Senso-ji Temple and the temple’s inner gate. The second floor of the Hozomon Gate houses many of Senso-ji’s treasures, including a copy of the Lotus Sutra, and the Issai-kyo scriptures.

When you are standing with your back towards the main hall, you will see the two large straw sandals hanging on the left and right of the gate. They are called waraji. These huge sandals were crafted by villagers in northern Yamagata Prefecture, and are meant to symbolize the Buddha’s power. It is believed that evil spirits will be scared off by the giant sandals. The Hozomon Gate was originally built in 942 CE. After it was destroyed during World War II, when the temple was bombed during the 10 March air raid on Tokyo, it was rebuilt in 1964.

In the same gate, from the other side you will find two statues located on either side. They are Nio Guardians, the guardian deity of Buddha, and the gate was originally known as the Niomon. You can find the pictures of the Nio guardians further down the article.

Nakamise-dōri

From the Hozomon Gate, I walked towards the main entrance gate. The two gates are connected by a long narrow corridor known as the Nakamise-dōri. It is said to have come about in the early 18th century, when neighbors of Sensō-ji were granted permission to set up shops on the approach to the temple.

In those times it was like flea market. So in May 1885 the government of Tokyo ordered all shop owners to leave to rebuild the area in an orderly fashion. In December of that same year the area was reconstructed in Western-style brick and the shop owners were allowed to come back to resume their business.

During the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake many of the shops were destroyed, then rebuilt in 1925 using concrete, only to be destroyed again during the bombings of World War II. The length of the street is approximately 250 meters and contains around 89 shops.

The Kaminarimon Gate

The Kaminarimon or Thunder Gate serves as the entrance to the Senso-ji Temple precinct. It was originally built in 942 CE by military commander Taira no Kinmasa. The gate has two protector deities, Fujin, the god of wind is on the right, and Raijin, the god of thunder is on the left.

The structure features a massive red and black paper lantern, dramatically painted to suggest thunderclouds and lightening and hence the name. The traditional lantern called chochin in Japanese is 3.9 meters high, 3.3 meters in diameter and almost 700 kg in weight. The original lantern burned down along with the Kaminarimon in the late Edo Period. It was rebuilt in 1960 and is renewed every decade with the current lantern created in November 2013.

My photo-walk of Senso-ji was done. Small crowds of tourists were beginning coming in. I spent the day casing out book stores around Tokyo. Mani needed some language books. I needed some Manga. We went to Maruzen Marunouchi Main Store, one of the biggest book store in Tokyo. It was just incredible, the sheer variety of the books they carry.

Time flies away on wings when I am surrounded by brand new books. It was late in the evening by the time we reluctantly came out of the building. By 8 pm I was back at the hotel, ready to return to the heritage site.

Night out at Senso-ji

I went down the same path as in the morning. On the way I took this shot of the bridge over the Sumida river. You can see the Skytree and the iconic Asahi Beer building in the background.

Before reaching Senso-ji, I stopped a couple of times near the Sumida river to catch the lovely Skytree. I haven’t been to the Skytree yet , but it sure is in my bucket-list.

It was late and the shops along the approach to Senso-ji were all closed. Though I couldn’t shop for souvenirs, it also meant I was not surrounded by hundreds of tourists. There are 54 shops in East side, 35 shops in West side; 89 shops in total. It gets really noisy here during daytime.

The Hozomon Gate at Night

I was at the temple by 9 pm. Even though it was late, there was a good stream of people still coming in. I waited for my moment to capture this shot of the Hozomon Gate. This is without any doubt, the most beautiful photo of Senso-ji that I have taken.

According to Oei Engi, a chronicle written around the 15th or 16th century and the only source describing the establishment of Senso-ji, Hozomon Gate (known as the Niomon Gate when it was first erected), was built in 942 by military commander Taira no Kinmasa.

Here is a close-up of the ornate lantern adorning the Hozomon Gate. The central lantern has the characters 小舟町 (Kobunacho), written on it, because this is the name of the Tokyo district that donated the lantern in 2014.

The Hōzōmon houses two guardian statues that are located on either side of the gate’s south face. These are fierce-looking protectors of the temple. In the past the gate was called the Niomon after these statues, before being renamed the Hozomon.

If you want to read more about the Nio Guardians, please read this in-depth article on the history of Nio Guardians in Japanese temples.

Nio Guardians of Japanese Temples

Red Pagoda at Night

The illuminated pagoda looked amazing in the night. Even though I was extremely tired, I was glad I decided to come back again at night.

Senso-ji Temple at Night

I was truly surprised that even at 11 pm, people were still streaming in to see the temple. I wasted many shots as people would stroll into them. What I thought would be an hours job, was taking up way too much time.

By midnight I was really frustrated as people were still coming in. I took this last shot of the temple and made my way back to the hotel.

My thoughts on Senso-ji

Japan’s most visited Buddhist temple is not one of the peaceful temples. In-fact, the temple located in Tokyo’s lively Asakusa district, holds a record of welcoming about 30 million visitors annually. I had seen pictures of the temple and that is why I chose to come during the times when I can truly enjoy it in peace.

If you visit during the day, the atmosphere of this temple is certainly not one of serenity. With its crowds, noise, and enticing shops, Senso-ji, in its own way, entertains the residents and visitors alike, offering a lively alternative to the tranquility of a Zen temple.

The reconstructions have been true to their authentic designs and the complex resembles an Edo-period site, with several imposing gates, giant lanterns, and a five-story pagoda. At the heart of the complex the main worship hall you can witness one of the oldest statue of Kannon, and if you visit in these awkward times, as I did you can see the strong faith of the local people residing nearby as they start dropping in from 5 am in the morning. In all it was a good day. Although it started quiet dull with gray clouds et al, I was able to snap some nice photos for my journal.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to your reviews and questions. If you are looking to explore more of the Kanto region, follow my story as I visit the Osanbashi Pier in Yokohama .

When was Senso-ji built?

645 CE

Who built Senso-ji?

Kaishō

How to reach Senso-ji?

Sensoji Temple in Asakusa is just a 15-minute train ride from Tokyo Station

To which deity is Senso-ji dedicated to?

Senso-ji was built to honor Kannon, the goddess of mercy.

Showa Daibutsu at Seiryu-ji

After a lot of ifs and buts, we eventually decided to visit the Seiryu-ji Temple. The weather around Aomori had been overcast with regular spells of rains. Seiryu-ji Temple (青龍寺) is located in suburb of Aomori city. It has on its premises some beautiful buildings including a five-story pagoda built exclusively using Aomori Hiba wood.

Along with the temple grounds we were particularly interested in exploring the huge Showa Daibutsu, with height of 21.35 meters, which is Japan’s largest seated bronze statue of Buddha, even larger than one of Nara or Kamakura.

Aomori Station to Seiryu-ji

We took the earliest available local bus from the Bus terminal which is right next to the train station at Aomori. It takes about 50 minutes for the ride. Just before you reach the temple, the bus passes through a beautiful town where the roadside are lines with ginkgo trees which had turned vivid yellow during the fall. Undoubtedly one of the most distinct and beautiful of all deciduous trees – the ginkgo stands out with its unique, fan-shaped leaves turn a stunning yellow color in the fall. We reached the temple by 8.20 am. You can also take the municipal bus bound for Kuwahara, and if you get off at the last stop of this bus line you can walk to the statue in about 10 minutes.

Seiryu-ji Temple

Among all the Japanese temples I have visited, the Seiryu-ji (青龍寺) is the youngest. It was founded as recent as 1982 by Acharya Ryūkou Oda (織田隆弘), who later also helped build the Shōwa Daibutsu statue (昭和大仏) in 1984.

Approaching from the bus-stop, the first structure that came to my notice was the Daishi-do, a vibrant red hall named after Kobo Daishi, founder of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. This building was under maintenance so we carried on over an equally bright bridge to the Kondo hall.

Just across the bridge one can find the ticket booth on the left. It costs Yen 400 per head for individual visitors. The premises were mostly deserted except for the temple staff, busy in their morning exercises.

Leaving our shoes at the entrance we entered the main Kondo hall. The Kondo hall and other wooden structures at the temple grounds are all built using local cypress wood known as Aomori Hiba.

Hiba ( Hinokiasunaro ) is known as one of the three largest trees in Japan alongside hinoki and sugi. It’s considered the best building material for pagodas and shrines as it naturally resists rot and mold, which is particularly valuable in humid summers in Japan. A compound called hinokitiol that’s found only in Aomori-bred hiba trees also banishes bugs like termites from infecting the wooden structures. In temples, where cleansing and purification are important parts of religious rituals, the natural anti-microbial and germicidal properties of hiba play an important symbolic part as well.

The inside of the Kondo hall was dimly lit with a heavy scent of incense creating a deep sense of peace and tranquility. A golden Buddha sits at the end of the hall surrounded by many artifacts. One the left side of the main hall lay many souvenirs, but the shops hadn’t opened by then. I sat there for a few minutes taking the chance to quiet my mind, banishing all external thoughts that intrude on my peace in that stillness in time.

Towards the back, a narrow corridor runs around the three sides the main hall. Along this corridor, there are a number of paintings of what I assume are Buddhist priests and saints, including one large painting called ‘Descent of Amida and the Heavenly Multitude‘. This hugely popular painting shows Amida Buddha, resting on a lotus blossom and holding his hands in a symbolic gesture known as a mudra, typically surrounded by celestial attendants in a sea of swirling clouds.

After paying our respects, we came out of the Kondo. Close to the Kondo, towards our left lay the Kaizan-do, a smaller wooden hall with a statue of Kobo Daishi in his pilgrim attire in the front.

Seiryu-ji Pagoda

On the opposite, hidden beside the Kondo hall, you can find one the most beautiful pagoda in Aomori. At 39 meters it is the highest wooden pagoda in all of Tohoku. In the delicately designed rock garden, the pagoda stands impressively against the greenery and the blue sky, with a touch of red added by the momiji trees.

We were lucky to be there at the temple grounds when Fall was in full swing. Koyo (紅葉) refers to the phenomenon of changing autumn colors before the leaves fall to the ground. The koyo season in Japan typically begins in mid-September in Aomori, and gradually spreads to the southern prefectures of the Japan.

Momiji 紅葉, or Japanese Maple Tree, is probably one of the most beautiful type of maple trees there is, especially in the fall. Its thin elegant leaves turn such vibrant colors every fall, from bright yellow to deep crimson. The species of maple generally determines the color the leaves will change: red, yellow or brown. Although the word koyo literally means “red leaves, ” it is used to refer to all the colors of autumn leaves. The word oyo refers to yellow leaves, and the word katsuyo refers to brown leaves specifically.

After capturing some pictures of the pagoda, we walked up the gentle, forested slope that approaches the Daibutsu. The road was still wet from the early morning rain but the weather had improved greatly.

On the right I stopped off at a small wayside shrine next to a small pond with a Jizo statue. Jizo statues can be found in most temples of Japan. They are considered protectors of children. During the winter months you might see them dressed in a red woolen cap.

At the top of the slope there are a couple of baby-faced statues on either side, one of them sitting in an exact posture as the huge Buddha, at the entrance to the clearing where the Daibutsu sits in a meditative pose.

Showa Daibutsu

Guarded by towering trees, I suddenly felt a sense of sereneness come over me. Cut off from the rest of the world, the meditative feeling is enhanced by the setting where the only sound is of the birds calling to each other.

A few chairs are provided for visitors, where I put my camera bag and took some rest, quietly watching the statue in its meditative pose. The moment reminded me of my time in front of the huge Buddha in Ravangla.

The Big Buddha in Aomori, better known as Showa Daibutsu was established relatively recent, about 34 years ago. The Buddha itself is made of bronze with ornaments designed on its arms, head, and chest.

At 21.35m, the green colored statue is about 1.5 times taller than the more famous Kamakura Daibutsu (13.35 meters) and Nara Daibutsu (14.98 meters).

Just like the Buddha at Kamakura, it is also possible to actually go inside of the Buddha statue from the back. On the outer corridor of the first floor and the inner part of the Buddha there is a depiction of the Buddhist afterlife including both paradise and hell along with proverbs. On the second floor there is a memorial for those who have died in wars.

After taking a few pictures of the grand Buddha, we walked back to the bus stop. Showa Daibutsu and the temple grounds are a perfect place to spend some time in peace and tranquility. If you are in Aomori, it is a nice day tour to go on to replenish your zen energy.

What to know before you go…

One of the best times to visit Showa Daibutsu is in November before the snow makes the region a little hard to traverse.

You can also visit during the Bon Festival in mid-August, when the Shingon Temples hold light ceremonies to honor the spirits of the ancestors. This Buddhist-Confucian custom commonly referred to as the Feast of Lanterns, commemorates the spirits of dead ancestors. The Seiryu-ji Temple is no different in this respect, holding grand light ceremonies for the entirety of the Bon Festival.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked the post or follow my story as I visit the jewel of Hokkaido in Hakodate.

What is the price of admission tickets?

Adults: ¥400
Child: ¥200

What are the temple visiting hours?

8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. April – October
9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. November – March

Do they have an official website?

http://showa-daibutu.com/

Fall leaves at Yamadera Temple

This journal is mostly about my Fall experience in Yamadera (山寺), a scenic temple located in the mountains northeast of Yamagata City.

When autumn deepens and the leaves begin to change color in the the fall months, hunting for autumn foliage has become a popular pastime in Japan. Watching my friends post the mesmerizing beauty of Autumn forced me to also schedule my tour to Japan during this time of the year.

Mind you, this need to visit far off places to appreciate the beauty of autumn has been a custom since ancient time as depicted in “The Tale of the Genji.” Even in the eighth century we have scenes that talk about how people used to search for beautiful autumn colors in the Heian Period. Yamadera is one such place to experience the vivid colors of Autumn as the surrounding slopes are enveloped in red & yellow foliage as far as the eyes can see.

This was my second visit to the lovely mountain temple. I have written in detail about the various structures inside the temple grounds when I went on a hike to Yamadera a couple of years before.

Colors begin turning in late September around Yamagata and usually peak in mid October. The weather had been lovely in the recent past as we traveled from Kansai towards the Tohoku region. Unfortunately the weather deteriorated rapidly as we reached moved north of Fukushima, .

On the day of our Yamadera visit, we woke up to see early morning showers. I was a bit perturbed by the thought of hiking up Yamadera in wet conditions, but the weather cleared up quickly.

After a hearty breakfast, we walked down to Yamagata Station. The roads were still wet but the skies were beautiful blue.

There are regular trains to Yamadera and it takes less than 20 minutes to reach. We had some time in our hands, so we went around the back of the station to find some lovely Momiji trees.

We caught the 9:45 am local going to Sendai on the JR Sanzen line. The ride from Yamagata to Yamadera is covered by the JR Pass. The Fall experience started early on the train on the train itself, as it chugged alongside some lovely mountains.

We reached Yamadera at around 10 am. The weather had again turned cloudy, but the fall foliage around the Yamadera mountains kept my excitement alive.

After wandering around the base of the mountain for some time, we made our way across the Tachiya River towards Yamadera.

A brief history of Yamadera

It was during the early Heian Period (794-1185) when Emperor Seiwa sent Monk Ennin to the Tohoku Region. The monk, who is better known in Japan by his posthumous name, Jikaku Daishi is credited with founding Yamadera, in the current Yamagata prefecture. In those times this area used to be part of the Dewa province.

Even though in the Japanese Feudal Period (1450-1600) the temples were destroyed by the wars and temporary fell into decline, during the next Edo Period (1615-1868), Yamadera recieved a lot of recognitions by the shogun (military government) and regained its prosperity.

Konpon Chu-do

The first temple we visited was the Konpon Chu-do (Hall). The Konpon Chu-do is the Main Hall of the temple and its oldest structure. Made of beech wood, this building is said to be the oldest in the complex.

The eternal flame of Konpon Chu-do

According to my research prior to visiting the temple, the Konpon Chu-do hall holds an eternal flame that Jigaku Daishi brought from Enryaku-ji. This flame has been burning for more than 1100 years. It will appear silly and let me tell you it was not for lack of effort but I could not to figure out where this flame is placed.

According to legend, the monk Dengyo Daishi (767 – 822), the founder of both the Tendai sect and Enryaku-ji temple in Kyoto brought this flame from a pilgrimage to China in 804 / 805 A.D. to Japan. Interestingly, the original flame at Enryaku-ji was extinguished when Oda Nobunaga destroyed the Enryaku-ji complex in 1571. When Enryaku-ji was rebuilt, the flame was brought back to Kyoto from Yamadera.

Statue of Nadebotoke at Konpon Chu-do

In front of Kunpon Chu-do Hall, there is Nadebotoke, a statue representing Buddha. Nadebotoke refers to a Pindola, the highest order of Buddhist acolyte who has attained satori. It is said that if you touch this idol in the same place that you have an injury, and then touch the place where you are injured. Some of the Chinese tourists in front of us just wouldn’t leave. They kept touching the statue like forever. Eventually when they left, we offered prayers at the holy shrine here before beginning our ascent towards the higher reaches.

A few paces to the left, you can find the Sammon Gate. Here you can buy the admission tickets to the temple grounds. They cost ¥ 300 per head for adults. It was a Tuesday and there were very few visitors. We gradually made our way up the stairs towards the summit.

Midway on the trail, you can see some beautifully weathered rock faces on the side of the mountain. There are many other interesting structures on the way but I have discussed about them in my previous journal.

At the end of the stairs, you’ll find Niomon Gate. It was built in 19th century and it’s actually one of the newest building in Yamadera complex.

Nokyodo & Kaisando

As we passed the Niomon Gate, we found ourselves in front of a rocky outcropping on which lies the most-photographed wooden structure of Yamadera: the small Sutra Repository Tower known as Nokyodo.

Just beside the Nokyodo you can find the Kaisando or the Founder’s Hall. Kasaido Hall is dedicated to the founder of the temples, Jikaku Daishi (monk Ennin) while the Nokyodo Hall was used as a room where sutra were copied.

Godaido

The stairs going up on the right take you to Godaido Hall, an observatory deck, built in the early 1700. This hall is placed in such a way it provides glorious views on the valley.

Yamadera during Autumn

The maple tree is the indisputable king of autumn colors. As a matter of fact, the word “autumn colors” 紅葉 (pronounced: koyo) is written with the same kanji characters as the word “maple tree” (pronounced: momiji). Koyo refers to the phenomenon of changing autumn colors, mainly when it occurs to the leaves of deciduous broad-leaf trees before the leaves fall to the ground.

At some point in time, the word momiji became synonymous with the maple tree (kaede) and now people just use it to refer to the maple trees.

Maple trees are native to Japan and can be seen in their wild form in forests. I used my 80-400mm to get a few close-up shots of the mountain tops.

More closeup shots of Fall trees around Yamadera.

After capturing several shots of the mountain range, we climbed down the stairs back to the Kaisando. From here a narrow path leads up the mountain. Along the path are two Momiji trees perfectly placed to capture the most beautiful structure of Yamadera.

Even though the red leaves are more popular, I love the yellow Momiji leaves. Even in the dull weather, they were shining with joy. The species of maple generally determines the color the leaves will change to – red, yellow or brown. Although the word koyo literally means “red leaves, ” it is used to refer to all the colors of autumn leaves. The word oyo refers to yellow leaves, and the word katsuyo refers to brown leaves specifically.

Maple leaves are sometimes eaten as tempura. Fresh leaves are salted or sugared and then fried in tempura batter, for a delicious treat.

Took some photos with the Momiji Trees

Okunoin Hall

During the Kamakura Period (1185-1382), Yamadera became the center of the Tohoku’s Buddhist culture. During those times over 300 monks along with thousands of devouts lived in the upper and lower part of the mountain.

A small path goes to Okunoin hall, where Daibutsuden is located. Inside, a Buddha Amida statue is in place, and visitors can admire it from outside the building. Photography is prohibited in this area.

Okunoin hall

View of the mountains from the top

On the left, you can find a small building almost hidden from view.

Walking down Yamadera

The artificial lights had started to take effect along the mountain side.

In the failing light we made our way to the base of the mountain where the Risshaku-ji sat in the dusk.

Lights were turned on while we waited at the Yamadera Station fror our train.

Thanks for reading. Photographs can never tell the emotions I felt standing on the cliffs edge at Godaido as I witnessed the beautiful fall trees of Yamadera. But I hope they can inspire some of you to reach out and witness what I have. If you have the chance to tour Yamagata, do not miss this unique experience.

I look forward to your reviews and questions. If you are looking to explore more of the Tohoku region, follow my story as I move further north to the beautiful city of Aomori.

Can I carry my luggage to the Temple?

Yes, Coin lockers are available at Yamadera Station where you can store your belongings for the time you are here.

What are the visiting hours?

April to November: 9.30am to 4pm
December to March: 10am to 3pm
Closed on Wednesdays

Is there an Official website?

Yes, please follow this link: http://www.yamaderakankou.com/

What is the best time to view fall foliage in Yamadera?

From the end of October to the beginning of November

Photowalk to Vijaya Vittala Temple

While in Hampi, it is discourteous not to visit the Vijay Vittala Temple. This was my third visit to the UNESCO world heritage temple grounds and I was not sure what to capture. I have gone over the temple grounds pillar by pillar with my camera.

Anyways I left for the Temple early at dawn. This time I drove from Bangalore, so I had my car available to me at all times during the visit. It makes life a hell lot convenient having your own ride in a place like Hampi which spreads over acres of land.

I had booked my lodgings at Clark’s Inn, which is a pretty good deal considering the other available options. The small hotel also provided free parking facilities.

Now there are two routes to Vijay Vittala Temple from the nearby town. You can either park your car near the allotted parking space near Virupaksha Temple and take a 15 minute walk along the Tungabhadra. This is the scenic route and you will pass many other points of interest along the way. The other route is a bit desolate but takes you right to the parking space of Vittala Temple from where buggy rides are available up to the temple.

The Sun had just risen as I set on the road. The heavy clouds though made the skies quite murky. The first structure I came across was the Talarigatta Gate. This gate is the entrance to the lost city of Hampi. It stands alone, with no surrounding structures. During its heyday, there would be queues to get into the city.

After parking my Brezza, I made my way towards the Temple on foot. From the temple it takes about 10 minutes on foot to reach the temple grounds. Buggy rides are available from the Parking lot, but not this early in the morning. On either side of the mud road, you can find various other small temples and other structures in ruins.

To the North, West and east of the Vijaya Vitthala temple were rows of galleries of which only few survive now. The most impressive of these galleries were the ones facing the main gopura of the temple. The eastern Bazaar of the Chariot Street is about 40m wide and a kilometer long. The galleries served as ships, residential quarters, rest houses and camping centers for pilgrims.

The ticket counter had not opened yet, so I loitered round the complex taking some shots of the surrounding areas. The most prominently visible location is the Anjanadri Hill, across the Tungabhadra, just behind the Vittala Temple.

The marked white route goes all the way to the top where a temple lies dedicated to monkey god Hanuman. For some reason or the other, I have always somehow not been able to go to this hill.

The landscape outside the Vittala Temple is very shabby and not at all maintained. You can see rubbish and thorny bushes everywhere. This section used to be a market.

The corridors on either side of the wide road used to sell items relating to prayers at the temple. I moved towards the Shivalayam at the end of the road.

The Gopuram of the Shivalaya looked to have been abandoned midway through construction.

Inside the structure you can still see some boulders lying around that were meant to be sculpted to be a part of this temple dedicated to Shiva.

After exporing the Shivalaya, I walked back towards the Vittala Temple. The admission booth had still not opened, so I walked towards the back on the compound. On the Nothern side lies one of the smaller gates to the temple. These gates remain locked at all times.

Towards the back of the compound you can find two abandoned structures. The nearest one is an open air pavilion, which may have been left uncompleted.

The other structure is quite popular but again not very properly maintained is the King’s Balance.

From the King’s balance, I made my back towards the entrance. On the way I spotted another small temple known as the Nammalvar Temple. I am not very familiar with its main deity.

Just opposite to the Nammalvar Temple, lies the South Gate of Vittala Temple. Just like the North Gate, this gate too remains closed at all times.

Once I reached the front gate, I was glad to see the admission booth was finally opened. Tickets costs ₹30 for Indian citizens and ₹500 for foreign nationals. I do not understand why foreigners have to pay such an enormous amount, it is the Indians who do more damage to these heritage structures than foreigners, and so they should be dissuaded with higher fees to enter these magnificent works of art.

Once inside the temple grounds, I focused first on the Stone Chariot that welcomes the visitors inside the complex.

On all of my earlier visits, I have never been able to capture this beauty without hoards of selfie-takers getting in the way. The stupid thing about selfies is what does it matter if they take the photo in front of the chariot or anywhere else, their face covers 70% of the image anyways.

I took some other side snaps of the Stone Chariot. If you are a photo enthusiast, do take my advice and go in the mornings when there are almost no visitors to disturb your peace.

The Maha Mandap lies in the center of the Temple grounds. Visitors are prohibited from entering as they kept banging the pillars to hear the musical notes eminating from them. I have written in detail about the Maha Mandap in an earlier journal.

To the left of the Maha Mandap lies a flowering tree which is said to be very very old.

To the right of the Maha Mandap lies one of the two Kalyan Mandaps. These mandaps were generally reserved for marriages.

Incidentally I had also missed capturing the beautiful pillars of this mandap, so I went over each of the pillars capturing the beautiful sculptures one by one.

The outer pillars of the Kalyan Mandap have Yali scupltures.

This pillar clearly depicts Hindu God Vishnu in the avatar of Krishna playing his flute.

Below is another pillar with a carving of Hanuman

This one appears to be Lord Rama hunting the deer during his exile.

I am not really sure about this. The others above depict avatars of Vishnu. This could be the woman avatar that Vishnu took to steal away the Amrit from the Asuras.

After capturing the pillars of the Kalyan Mandap. I loitered around the premises. This is a shot of the South Gate again, but this time from the inside.

On the other side, there is a small corridor fallen into ruins.

People were now staring to come in steadily. Mani took a shot of me with the Stone Chariot.

After catching a last shot of the Stone Chariot, we were on our way back to the city.

While driving back to the hotel, I stopped at the fortified gateway known as the ‘Talarighat Gate,’ a ruined three storeyed gateway set into fortified walls. The two upper, arched sections have carved surface detail and a parapet. Two assistants are posed near the entrance and another seated in an archway above.

Identified by an inscription as the ‘hunter’s gate’, this gateway is found on the northeast road leading to Talarighat and the Vitthala temple complex. The gateway has a merloned parapet and pointed arches with rosettes in the spandrels. The walls in the foreground suggest a barbican enclosure (which no longer exists), forcing a number of turns in the approach to the gateway.

Thanks for reading.

Monuments on Hemkuta Hill

India is a country, rich in cultural heritage with hundreds of ancient archaeological sites – each with its own mythical stories. The monuments on Hemakuta Hill in Hampi is one such cluster of ancient temples, archways and pavilions with local folklore spread over centuries.

Hampi’s claim to fame began when it became the capital of the Vijayanagara empire. However these temples on the Hemakuta Hill are among the oldest cluster of shrines in Hampi, preceding even the Vijayanagara reign.

The hill is located on the southern side of the Virupaksha temple, identified quite easily by the slopes dotted with a number of abandoned monuments. When the revered Virupaksha temple was still in its infancy, this hill used to be occupied by Shaivas, devotees of Shiva, who would come from far away parts of South India to pay respects.

You can access the hill via two opposite routes. The first path is just beside the Virupaksha temple’s main entrance. From there, if you are facing Virupaksha, take the left alley up the hill. I chose this route since it was closer to the parking lot.

Otherwise if you already near the Balkrishna Temple, you can take the series of steps up the hill, through the twin storied archway located near the Sasivekalu Ganesha shrine.

History of the monuments on Hemkuta Hill

There are more than 30 structures on the Hemakuta hill that belong to both, pre-Vijayanagara as well as Vijayanagara periods. Celebrated in history, rooted in myths and now a tumbled mass of magnificent residues of an empire, Hampi is probably the most renowned medieval Hindu metropolis in the history of the Deccan plateau. As the capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire, from the 14th to 16th century, it was unparalleled in wealth as well in culture in its time.

The monuments spread across the face of the hill are centuries old and represent a historical era of art and culture. The hill also contains as many boulders as temples.

These boulders date back to more than 3 billion years and are believed to be the earliest solidified rock on the planet. From where I stood, the hill appears to be a canvas of stones.

Mythology associated with Hemakuta Hill

Most of the Hemakuta monuments are dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to local folklore, Pampa, a local girl, performed intense penance on Hemakuta Hill, aspiring to marry Lord Shiva. The Stala Purana and the Pampa Mahatme both support this myth. Seeing her intense devotion, Shiva eventually consented to marry her. People say it rained gold on the hill thereafter. Since then this hill came to be known as Hemakuta which loosely translates into the “hill of gold”.

With time, Hemakuta Hill came to be deeply associated with Lord Shiva and many temples were built on the hill to worship this fascinating deity of the Hindu Trinity.

Architecture of Monuments on Hemakuta Hill

The architecture of the temples on the Hemakuta Hill is quite different from the typical Vijayanagara style of architecture found in many other temples in Hampi. The Hemakuta group of temples have a distinct style of their own.

The first marked difference you will see is the lack of carvings on the pillars. If you have been to Vitthala or any other temple commissioned by the Vijayanagar kings, you cannot miss the intricate Yali carvings and decorations on the columns that support the roof. None of the monuments on Hemkuta carry this trademark style.

The early 14th century temples on Hemakuta hill built during the rule of Harihara Raya I, incorporates the distinctive stepped Kadamba style.

These are the largest and most elaborately decorated temples, situated on the northern side of the hill and face the Virupaksha temple compound. Below is a view from the inside of the temple looking towards the Virupaksha Temple compound.

On the top of the hill lies the Mula Virupaksha Temple, considered by historians to be the original Shiva temple, before the grand Virupaksha temple was built at the base of the hill. Though not as grand as the one built by the Vijayanagara rulers, the Mula Virupaksha Temple represents a style of architecture that was popular before the Vijayanagara style came into being.

There are several other monuments in this area that are built in the pre-Vijayanagara style of architecture.

In the ancient times the whole hill was fortified with stone walls and one could enter the area only using the two gates at each end. Once you each the top of the hill you will find it is almost flat providing the perfect base for temples. There is also a natural pond formation making it perfect for the temple.

Near the Mula Virupaksha temple lies a granite rock with the carvings of the characters from Ramayana. Ramayana plays an important part in the mythological aspect of Hampi. You can read more about it in my journal on Kishkindha.

Afternoons at Hemkuta Hill

The gentle morning light grew into a bright day. The skies turned a vivid blue. In all my visits to the ancient city, I have never seen it more blue before.

The age old boulders were lit up in the golden Sun and looking for attention.

As I hiked down from the other side, I passed by the one of the prominent monuments, that of Sasivekalu Ganesha at the foot of Hemkuta Hill.

It was late in the afternoon. The Sun was harsh, so I left for the hotel.

Evenings at Hemkuta

After a fulfilling lunch at Clark’s Inn, I was back at the hill in the evening. This time I used the entry from Sasivekalu Ganesha side of the hill. Dusk had begun to kick in.

Among the Hemakuta monuments, most are in total ruins. Once home to half a million people, Hampi was ransacked in 1565 by the armies of the Bahamani sultanates. For hundreds of years, the City of Victory lay abandoned until it was rediscovered by the British in the 19th century.

The hike is pretty easy in a few minutes and I was up at the top of the hill.

Some of the temples that had escaped destruction during the Mughal invasions have suffered damage from the wear and tear of weather. I truly appreciate the efforts of The Archaeological Survey of India in its continued efforts to renovate these temples and bring back their lost glory.

The beauty of the ancient temples and the relative calm of the place make it an amazing place to spend some peaceful moments on the hilltop.

We waited at the summit for the sun to set. Hemakuta Hill is one among the best places in Hampi to see the sunset but not as tedious to reach the top when compared to Matanga Hill nearby, which is considered as the best location to watch sunset in Hampi. It was touching 6 pm. The security guard made us promise that we would leave in 10 minutes and went his way.

Today the sprawling beauty, a world heritage site of ancient monuments scattered across a landscape of enormous granite boulders, pulls in hundreds of visitors every year from around the world. After relishing the beautiful sunset we were on our way back to the hotel.

VISITOR INFORMATION

The Hemkuta hill area remains open throughout the day and night. But guards will probably heckle to leave at 6 pm.

No tickets are required to access the site.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked the post or follow these connected stories of my visit to the mythical monkey kingdom of Kishkindha from the epic tale of Ramayana or take a virtual walk with me to the iconic Vitthala Temple.

Shades of Virupaksha Temple

This was my third visit to Hampi, but the first time that I drove myself to the historical city. Hampi sits on the banks of the Tungabhadra river in the ruins of the ancient city of Vijayanagar, capital of the once flourishing Vijayanagara empire.

The road to Hampi is pretty straightforward. I took the NH48 from Bangalore and then slid into NH50 near Chitradurga. The NH50 is under major repairs but its still faster than any alternative routes.

On the way we passed the Tungabhadra reservoir. The national highway leads directly to the town of Hospet, from where we drove into Kamlapur, where our hotel was located.

Clark’s Inn

We were staying at Clark’s Inn for the duration of our stay in Hampi. Even though we had an amazing time at the Hyatt Hampi in 2014, I reserved this hotel mainly because I wanted to stay closer to the UNESCO site. Staying at Clark’s Inn reduced my travel time to reach the ancient monuments from 40 minutes to just over 10 mins.

Clark’s Inn is a decent place to put up for a few days. The food is nice and the staff hospitable. They also have a small swimming pool. But the parking is a bit of a concern since it lies in the basement and the lane leading to it is quite narrow. On the bright side, they do however have valet services to help out visitors.

History of Virupaksha Temple

Like I mentioned before, I have been to Hampi multiple times but this time I came with the sole purpose of capturing the iconic Virupaksha temple (храм вирупакша) at different times of the day.

While discussing the monuments at Hampi, the first thing that comes to mind is the contribution of the Vijaynagara Empire. However the Virupaksha – Pampa sanctuary existed well before the Vijayanagara capital was located here.

Virupaksha Temple has been a most prominent center of pilgrimage at Hampi for centuries with earliest records dating from 689 CE when it was known as Pampa Tirtha after the local river God Pampa. The temple is fully intact among the surrounding ruins and is the only active temple in all of Hampi. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, known here as Virupaksha.

The shrine dedicated to Shiva was established on the banks of the Pampa (Tungabhadra) river sometime in the 7th century, thus making it older than a thousand years. It is debatable whether the initial temple was actually the structure that is still on top of the Hemkuta Hill known as Mula Virupaksha Temple. By logic it should, since temples are generally created on the top of hills. By the mid 7th century the temple had already become a revered Saiva pilgrimage with the Saivas taking up settlement on the Hemkuta hill just beside the temple.

In those times Hampi was known by the name Pampakshetra. It is not clear when but the growing popularity of the temple might have resulted in the creating of the larger Virupaksha Temple near the banks pf the river Pampa (Tungabhadra).

The mythology surrounding Virupaksha Temple

The Tungabhadra river of today was in ancient times known as the river Pampa. The Skanda Purana mentions Pampakshetra as saktipitha, describing it as the abode of the goddess Pampa otherwise referred to as Parvati. According to local myth, Pampa, the daughter of Brahma, mortified herself here to gain the hand of the Lord Shiva. Multiple references to Pampakshetra can be found in records between the 7th to 14th century, overlooking the banks of the Tungabhadra, which currently include Hampi and Anegundi. Several inscriptions can also be found at the temple itself dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries. 

Time passed and what started as a small shrine grew into a large complex under the Vijayanagara rulers. Domingos Paes (1520–22 AD) whose records provide valuable inputs into life during the Vijaynagara reign mentions that inspite of the numerous temples in the vicinity, Virupaksha temple was the one which the people held most veneration for.

The Vijayanagara rulers, in the middle of the 14th century, initiated the blossoming of native art and culture in the region. Though most of the temple buildings are attributed to the Vijayanagara period, there is ample evidence indicating to additions that were made to the temple in the late Chalukyan and Hoysala periods. When they were defeated by Deccan Sultunate in the 16th century, most of the wonderful decorative structures and creations were systematically destroyed. However they were not able to destroy the religious sect of Virupaksha-Pampa. Even after the anhilation of the city in 1565, worship of Shiva persisted throughout the years and continues even today.

Breaking dawn at Virupaksha Temple

On my first day in Hampi, I woke up at break of dawn and drove down to the temple. By the time I reached the parking lot near the temple the sky was already glowing in blue and the stars were beginning to fade away. The parking was mostly deserted.

One of the best spots to catch the sunrise is from the Hemkuta Hill. Its an easy hike up towards the western side of the hill. By the time I took my position on the Hemkuta hill, the Sun was ready to cast its blessings on Hampi and I was ready with my tripod to capture its glory.

I set up my composition on the main gopura, which is the most ornate structure of the temple. The main gopura or temple tower is called the hiriyagopura or the chief tower. It has a brick superstructure and a stone base. Supervised by Devaraya’s minister Proluganti Tippa, the nine-tiered eastern gateway is the largest of the gopuras raised by the Vijayanagara kings.

Light changes pretty fast in these moments and within minutes the gopura was flooded with light from the Sun.

Daytime at Virupaksha Temple

By afternoon the sky had changed to a brilliant blue. The devotees were streaming in. Being a weekday, it was comparatively less than the crowds on weekends.

At present, the main temple consists of a sanctum, three ante chambers, a pillared hall and an open pillared hall. It is decorated with delicately carved pillars. The smaller eastern gateway leads to the inner court with its numerous smaller shrines. The hall of the main temple is believed to have built under the patronage of Saluvamantri, a minister of Sangama Mallikarjuna (1447–1465 AD).

Another gopuram towards north known as the Kanakagiri gopura, leads to a small enclosure with subsidiary shrines and eventually to the river Tungabhadra.

Krishnadevaraya, the most famous kings of the Vijayanagara Empire was a major patron of this temple. The most ornate of all structures in the temple, the central pillared hall is believed to be his addition to this temple. So is the gateway tower giving access to the inner courtyard of the temple.

It is recorded that Krishnadevaraya commissioned the open air hall in 1510 AD to mark his accession. Inscriptions on a stone plaque installed next to the pillared hall explain his contribution to the temple.

Nights at Virupaksha Temple

Sun is strong in Hampi. Evenings brought relief to my parched body. It also brought with it a magical glow to the surroundings. The sky went all red for a moment. The guard wouldn’t allow me to set up my tripod so I took this handheld.

After this we walked out of the fenced area where I set up my tripod to capture the one below. By that time the sun had already set but it left behind a beautiful blue sky.

After catching the temple at sunset, I made my way towards the wide street in front of Virupaksha, situated between the eastern gate of Virupaksha and the northwestern foot of the Matanga hill. Domingos Paes describes it as – a very beautiful street with beautiful houses with balconies and arcades, sheltering pilgrims that come to it, and with houses for the upper classes. He also mentions that the king too had a palatial residence in the same street.

Festivals at Virupaksha

In the month of February the annual chariot festival is celebrated here. Nicolo Conti, the first European visitor to Vijayanagara (1420–1421 AD), refers to two chariots which carried idols through the city. Richly adorned women or courtesans accompanied the procession stinging hymns in praise of the lord. Poet Ahobala, the author of Vasantotsava Champu, also refers to the two chariots: one taken out by the Brahmins and the other by the merchants or shudras.

Interestingly, the Virupaksha chariot festival has been continued ever since it was introduced in the fourteenth century and neither the fall of the empire nor the destruction of the capital in 1565 AD seems to have affected its popularity or practice. To date, the largest gathering at Hampi is witnessed during the chariot festival of Virupaksha held every year in March/April as per the local calendar.

Renovations

There have been major renovations which included painting the towers of the north and east gopura. When I was here a few years back the gopura were in white but I see a beige paint now. It is also heartening to see that ASI has stayed away from applying plasters to stone carvings like they did at Kailashanthar temple in Kanchipuram, which actually makes them look ugly.

I leave you with the last image of the day: Virupaksha captured from the steps of Matanga Hill at night.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked the post or follow my story as I revisit the monuments on Hemkuta Hill.

Hike to Avani Betta

This is a two-part series. I started writing it as a single story because they are so intimately intertwined, but the article got so big that it made more sense to break it up into two parts for ease of reading.

Avani is a tiny hamlet in the Mulbagal Taluk (group of villages) of Kolar district, just 80 km away from Bangalore. The first part of my journal describes the history of Avani and the story behind the creation of the Ramalingeswara group of temples that lie at the base of Avani hill or Avani Betta as it is locally called.

Apart from activities for young millennials like hiking or photography, Avani is also a place of considerable antiquity. During ancient times it used to be called Avantika Kshetra and was of great sanctity in this part of Bharatvarsha (India). According to legend, the hill was residence of sage and poet, Valmiki, the author of Ramayana.

After a thorough exploration of the 10th century Ramalingeswara temple, I and my wife, Ranita, started on the hike towards the hillock – made popular by the epic tale of Ramayana. Every boulder on this hillock has deep mythological connections. The hill finds mention in a Bana inscription from 339 CE. In another, it is referenced as “Gaya of the South.”

The hill finds mention in a Bana inscription from 339 CE.

For those who are not so familiar with this part of the story of Ramayana – when lady Sita was banished by Rama, her husband, and the king of Ayodha, it is said that sage Valmiki sheltered her here at his ashram (hermitage). The local folklore goes further to establish that Sita, after being sent to exile, gave birth to her twins Luv and Kush right here at Avani.

Avani Betta Trek

The Avani Betta Trek is relatively an easy one. The hillock has steps carved in to make the climb easier. Still, it is advised to begin the trek before the blazing afternoon sun comes up. It was only early March and yet it was extraordinarily hot.

Midway through the climb, there is a cozy resting place surrounded by huge boulders. Created about 3-4 billion years back, these boulders are witness to everything humanity has ever achieved. The strong breeze was comforting and we sat down for a breather among some of the oldest granite rocks in the world.

The trail gradually opens out into a wide space filled with interestingly shaped boulders, some precariously placed. One of the common sights at this place is small stacks of stones put together all over the hill. These are prayer stones, created mostly by childless couples who frequent the Sita Parvati temple at the summit, wishing for a child of their own.

We found ourselves surrounded by multiple boulders in different shapes and sizes on this wide area of the hill. These boulders are a part of what is known as the Eastern Dharwar Craton. A craton is a piece of the Earth’s crust that has existed as a solid since they were first formed on this planet. Since then, they have been pressured and eroded by weathering agents forming somewhat recognizable shapes from our current lives. In my opinion, this one looks like a part of a burger bread.

Beside the “burger bread” rock, this boulder on the edge looks like a flying saucer caused by the natural forces over millions of years of erosion. Don’t you think these strangely shaped boulders have been strategically placed as opposed to hurled as in the case of volcanic eruptions?

Next to these boulders, you can find a small pond, said to be created by Lakshman, brother-in-law of Sita, to help her obtain water on the hill. Logically it doesn’t fit into the timeline of the historical tale as the brothers Rama and Lakshman never knew about the whereabouts of Sita during the time of her exile. Honestly many folklores should be taken with a pinch of salt. They don’t have any hard evidence as to anything mentioned in the article, but the belief certainly was strong enough to last centuries.

I loitered around a bit trying to find better angles to capture the boulders. Doesn’t this one look like a carrot?

En route to the summit, we came across various caves, which once belonged to sage Valmiki and Sita respectively along with other residents of the hermitage. The descriptions though are in Kannada, so if you don’t understand the language, it’s better to hire a guide who can explain in yours.

This is the most beautiful section of the hill. Open spaces, lovely breeze, trees to provide shade, sigh… it would make a wonderful place to set up a night camp.

Below is a cave where sage Valmiki is said to have lived. He performed penances in this cave. The mud here is considered sacred and is believed to have medicinal properties. I have heard, local villagers collect this mud, soak it in water and then drink that water in the belief that it will cure their illness. It is said Luv and Kush took birth in this very cave.

By this time I was a bit dehydrated and on top of that, I realized I had left my water bottle in the car. We stood in the shade for a while before moving on. Although the sun was beating down upon us, the massive boulders kept us in the shade. The strong breeze helped.

Further up the trail, we found a natural pond, which is believed to be the place where the ashram residents used to wash their clothes. Today, lovely lotus flowers adorn the pond.

Below is a close-up of the same boulder we have been seeing from the base of the hill. It is kind of a trademark boulder that identifies the hill from the others surrounding the region. It is said Sita witnessed the battle between Luv-Kush and Rama from the top of this boulder.

Sita Parvati temple atop the hill

There is a last bit stretch of stairs right after the pond that took us straight to the temple.

It took us about an hour to reach the summit. Of course, it can be done faster with younger feet. The hill to the west of Kolar called the Shatasringa Parvata or ‘Hundred-Peaked Mountain’ is ‘Antharagange’, associated with the story of Parasurama and his fight with King Kartaviryarjuna over Surabhi, the divine cow.

As the story goes, King Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna) and his army visited Jamadagni, Parasurama’s father, when the king demanded the magical cow from Jamadagni. When Jamadagni refused, the King sent his soldiers to take the cow, but Parashurama killed the entire army and the king with his axe. In return, the princes beheaded Jamadagni. Thus, Parasurama took an oath to behead the entire Kshatriya race, which is said to have taken place on the hills. It is said that the ‘kolahala‘ on the death of Kartaviryarjuna gave its name to the town, which later became Kolar.

This is the main temple in Avani and is one of the few temples which has the deity of Sita worshiped here. This ashram is also the place where according to legend, Sita eventually becomes one with the Earth. We were early. The inner sanctum was closed, unfortunately, the priest hadn’t arrived yet.

According to ancient scripts, it was initially a Parvati temple. Locals say that goddess Parvati appeared to Adi Shankaracharya in his dream and expressed her desire to establish a Sita statue next to hers. A deeply devoted Adi Shankaracharya executed her wish and since this temple came to be known as Sita Parvati Temple.

We took some rest after reaching the summit. The landscape surrounding the Avani hill is full of small lakes and scattered boulders.

The plateau is interrupted by hills and mountains of varying heights, particularly in the north. After a refreshing rest, we started our descent. On the way back we saw some people making their way up the hill – to the temple.

Festivals at Avani

A yearly fair (Jatra) is held in Avani during the Maha-Shivaratri festival. A Ratha Yatra is also held in July at the Ramalingeshwara Temple. Many devotees visit the temple during this time but they also leave behind a mess.

Ride back to Bangalore

The hike had left us sapped of energy. The descent was a lot quicker and after grabbing a couple of soft drinks from a village store, we began our ride back to Bangalore taking back with us, a slice of history.

On the way, we stopped at a marigold farm to take some pictures.

The drive back to Bangalore was more or less uneventful and we were home by 2 pm.

If you are a person who loves history or someone who just wants to get away from the city’s buzz – this place is an easy getaway. The hike, though easy is still fulfilling. The heritage attached to the place is interesting and keeps it from becoming just another boring hike.

For non-Kannada visitors language will be a bit of a problem. Kannada is the main language spoken in the district of Kolar. You can also find some Telugu speakers.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked the post or follow my travels on Instagram.

What is the difficulty level of the Avani betta trek?

It is a relatively easy trek

Is parking available near Avani betta?

There is no parking lot near Avani betta

Do we need to obtain permission to hike Avani betta?

No prior permission is required to hike to Avani betta, however, please be considerate of local customs and beliefs

Exploring the Ramalingeswara Temple

The amazing thing about living in Bangalore is that in any direction I choose, each road going out of the city leads us to some special location, all within a radius of 100 kilometers.

Today we drive to a remote village called Avani to explore a 10th-century temple. Avani is a small village in Karnataka in the Kolar district, situated at a distance of 80 km from Bangalore.

It was February and the skies appeared so blue and devoid of haze, it was just vanilla to the eyes. So on an early Saturday morning, we jumped into our SUV and left towards Kolar.

Bangalore to Avani

The NH75 leading towards Kolar is fascinating. It is a pleasure to drive on these well-maintained roads, never mind the measly toll I had to pay twice.

The high-rise buildings along Whitefield were soon replaced by empty stretches of land with nothing but rocks and boulders. Along the way, my wife, Ranita spotted a lovely tree standing by itself in the endless barren land.

After crossing Kolar, we left the highway and turned right at the RPG Service Station. We drove for another 6 km along a pebbled road before we reached a settlement. A local villager helped us on our way towards the Ramalingeswara temple, which lies at the base of Avani Betta (hill).

The temple is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a monument of national importance. Even though the temple structures were created sometime between the 9th-10th century, as per the ASI an inscription here dates way back to 399 CE.

Mythology of Avani

The name Avani is of Dravidian origin. It means “Earth”. The village finds a mention in history dating back to the days of the epic tale of Ramayana. Though it is debatable as Ramayana was written sometime around 500 BC. It is said that sage Valmiki’s ashram was located on a nearby hillock called Avani betta and it was here that the twin sons of Rama; Luv and Kush were given birth by Sita.

This part of the story when Sita lives in this ashram carries on from the time when Rama ascended the throne of Ayodhya. A rumor began doing the rounds about Sita, his wife, questioning her chastity due to her being kidnapped and kept as a prisoner by the Asura king Ravana.

According to the mythology, even the Gods attested to the chastity of Sita during the agni-pariksha, where she walked through fire to prove her purity. King Rama, in order to set an example of an ideal king, banished, would-be mother, Sita into exile. Banished and helpless, she was provided shelter by sage Valmiki in his ashram at Avani. I will not go into details about how she reached Avani from Ayodhya, which are more than 2000 km apart, but let us just enjoy the story.

Sita was very much distressed about being exiled, especially because she was already pregnant at that time. She started living in the ashram of sage Valmiki, heartbroken, always thinking about Rama. In due course, she gave birth to twin boys, who were named Luv and Kush.

Valmiki raised them in his ashram, imparting them all his Vedic knowledge. Even though he didn’t inform them of their parentage, he raised them like Kshatriyas (warriors). Years passed and the boys grew into adolescents.

Back in the kingdom of Ayodhya, it was advised to Rama that he perform the Ashvamedha yagya. The Ashvamedha yagya was used by ancient Indian kings to prove their imperial sovereignty. As a part of this yagya, a ceremonial horse was left to wander at will for a period of one year. Wherever the horse traversed, any rival could dispute the king’s authority by challenging the warriors accompanying it. However, everyone bowed to the majestic white horse from Ayodhya, accepting the greatness of Rama.

Wandering aimlessly, the horse reached the gates of Valmiki’s ashram. Luv and Kush who were still adolescents were charmed by the majestic white horse and they captured it. They had no idea about the purpose of the horse and brought it into their ashram. When asked to return the horse by the accompanying army, they boldly challenged the warriors to a fight.

As the news spread to Ayodhya, Rama sent Lakshman, his brother, to recover the horse. Against all odds, Lakshman was defeated by the young brothers. He was followed by Bharat and Shatrughan who also tasted defeat at the hands of Luv and Kush.

Surprised and shocked, Rama himself had to come to fight Luv and Kush. A battle broke between Luv-Kush and Rama. But before anything unfortunate happened, rishi Valmiki approached the scene and stopped the battle. He divulged to the kids, their parentage and commanded them to ask for forgiveness from their father.

On knowing the reality of the twin princes, Rama, and his brothers installed four shivalingas each in their respective names to absolve their sin, which they committed by waging war against the two adolescents.

These established shivalingas were called Ramalingeshwara, Lakshmanalingeshwara, Bharathalingeshwara & Shatrugnalingeshwara each for the four brothers. Successive kings later constructed a temple complex around these sacred lingas.

Ramalingeswara group of temples

Parking our car in front, we entered 10th-century temple through a huge gateway. The ancient temples known as the Ramalingeshwara group of temples were constructed during the period of the Nolamba reign. The Nolambas were a relatively minor South Indian dynasty compared to the Cholas, Chalukyas, and the Vijaynagara empire. They were feudatories of the Rashtrakutas and ruled over the south-eastern region of Karnataka which covers present-day Kolar and Tumkur. They were Shaivites and the temples they built were dedicated to Shiva. They ruled from 735 to 1052 CE and are also credited with the creation of the Bhoganandishwara Temple in Nandi.

The temples in the complex are built with granite blocks in the Dravidian style and they were initially commissioned by the Nolamba dynasty. Once the Cholas overpowered the Nolamba, they added some renovations of their own.

As I mentioned earlier, the temple complex comprises four main shrines dedicated to the four brothers – Rama, Lakshman, Bharat, and Shatrughan. It is said these lingas were installed by Rama and his brothers themselves in order to seek forgiveness from Shiva for fighting with Sita’s children – Luv and Kush.

Ramalingeshwara Temple

It was still early in the day and we were the only ones at the temple complex. The first structure we went inside was the Ramalingeshwara temple. It is sandwiched between the Lakshmaneshwara temple and the Shatrugnalingeshwara temple.

The temple consists of a sanctum (garbhagriha), a vestibule (antarala) and a hall (navaranga) with decorative pillars. The temple porch and pillars are decorated with various deities. I could make out a depiction of Trivikrama on the southern wall. This pillar, just before the entrance below has Ganesha carved into it.

On another pillar, I found this carving of a warrior. It could be a depiction of the war fought here.

The walls of the temple are also designed with various images of gods surrounded by floral motifs. The inner sanctum of the temple was poorly lit but I was able to snap this shot of the main deity, goddess Parvati.

You might be surprised to know that of all the existing religions only the Sanatan dharma followed by Hindus in India worship female goddesses.

Lakshmaneshwara Temple

To the west of the Ramalingeshwara temple lies the shrine dedicated to his younger brother Lakshman. The outer walls have pilasters surmounted by towers (shikhara).

This temple also has a garbhagriha, an antarala, and a navaranga. It is the most ornate of all the temples and houses the largest shivalinga. A Nandi statue sits near the doorway facing the shivalinga.

The big hall called navaranga is supported by four beautifully carved pillars with a rounded shivalinga at the far end. The pillars in the center depict dancers and musicians. Shielded from the wind and sun by the surrounding walls, they still have the carvings in a very healthy state.

Another interesting aspect of this temple is the carvings on the ceiling which display a sculpture of Uma-Mahesvara (Shiva with his consort Parvati) surrounded by an ensemble of ashtadikpalas (guardians in eight directions).

Let me give you a closer look at this fabulous work of art.

After exploring the interiors we walk towards the back of the temple where you can find a daring carving of the Kali goddess.

Apart from goddess Kali there are other gods and goddesses along the wall of the Lakshmaneshwara Temple. At the base pedestal of the Lakshmaneshwara Temple, you can see some really old inscriptions that have help understanding the history of the place. Many of them are barely visible because of constant erosion.

Beyond the Lakshmaneshwara Temple, the path turns north. In a corner, you can find another small temple called the Vigneshwara Temple with a small and beautiful idol of Ganesha

Shatrugneshwara Temple

On the east of the Ramalingeshwara Temple lies another similar temple, which is called the Shatrugneshwara Temple. It has a similar design as the Lakshmaneshwara Temple with decorated pillars and a ceiling. The Nandi statue here is missing. Maybe it was broken or more probably stolen.

This temple too has various deities carved into the ceiling with Uma-Mahesvara in the center.

This hall is also supported by decorated hexagonal pillars depicting dancers.

After exploring these three main temples, we went around to the northern part of the temple complex. Along the way, we captured some shots of deities along the walls of the Shatrugneshwara Temple.

This is an image of Natesha along the walls of the Shatrugneshwara Temple

The pedestal of this temple too contains some inscriptions which are in a much better condition than from the Lakshmaneshwara Temple. The external decorative elements of the temples for all shrines include friezes of elephants and lions. The design pattern is consistent with the temples in Hampi that were created during the heights of the Vijayanagar empire.

Right after, there is a mini temple dedicated to Vali and Sugreeva, the kings of Kishkindha.

Navagraha Temple

Just behind the Vali Temple is a mandap housing the Navagraha (the nine planets). What is Navagraha? It is the 9 other planets in the Solar System. Do not confuse this number with the total number of planets in our Solar system. In Vedic Astrology, Moon, Rahu, and Ketu are also considered planets. Anyways, it is still awesome to conclude that while the world was still debating whether the Earth was flat or not, Indian sages already knew about the existence of 7 planets that made up our Solar system. Take that Cambridge scholars!

..while the world was still debating whether the Earth was flat or not, Hindu sages had not only learned about the existence of 7 planets in the Solar system, but also how they exert themselves on human existence

The Hindus believe that Navagrahas play a key role in their destiny. and are responsible for all the good or bad times one faces in life. According to Vedic Astrology, significance is attached to the positions of the nine planets in the twelve constellations of the zodiac. People believe that the transition of Saturn, Jupiter, Rahu, and Ketu from one zodiac sign to another sign will bring good or bad or mixed fortunes.

Coming around a full circle, we found ourselves in front of a big Nandi sculpture.

From here we walked towards the back of the temple grounds.

At the back of the temple, we found a pranala jutting out of the temple. The pranala is a discharge outlet attached to the wall of the sanctum. It is used to discharge the abhisheka-teertham water, milk, ghee, etc. poured over the temple idols during worship.

From the back of the temple complex, one can see Avani hill in the background which we will be hiking later.

After a thorough exploration of the temples, we moved on towards the Avani hill, where at the summit, another piece of the puzzle of Ramayana waits for us.

Hidden away in obscurity, Ramalingeshwara Temple is another gem in the heritage of Karnataka. It is interesting that these places with connections to Ramayana keep popping over all over the place. Structurally maybe these might not be as amazing as the monolithic temples of Mahabalipuram or the enchanting monuments in Hampi, but these stories keep my interest going. Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked the post. After exploring the temple complex, we set off for the hike to Sita Parvati temple at the top of Avani betta.

What is the best time to visit Ramalingeshwara Temple?

An annual festival is held for seven days from the 14th day of Magha-Bahula in honor Ramalingeshwara.

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