Davanagere has Tourism Potential too

The photos are on Google Album:

https://goo.gl/photos/qkbQdBNx9tZZBnWi8

Not many people count Davanagere in their tourist circuit. India is filled with tourism potential everywhere, but not well tapped in. Also domestic tourists are not even considered into any administrative planning. It would be good to develop all districts to attract people from other districts and market it as a tourist destination rather than putting up a stall in Delhi or some foreign country only for some specific spots. Only foreigners don’t generate jobs & revenue for us. We have to do it for ourselves. And we are a billion plus to do it.

Also with the flip flop of industries, their unreliability, new avenues have to be found. May be the new avenues are old architectural wonders, natural wonders calling for tourism. Besides may be revival of ooru jathre, habba, theru etc., calling for traditional local religious tourism. It in turn develops small agriculturists & market access for them too. This region especially has many lingayat & many independent shrines and attracts pilgrims for special occasions round the year.

For example, Dandeli was major paper mill town, now it attracts adventure & nature lovers. Same is for HariHara which was a major industrial town, now it is back to being a major temple town. Davanagere had major textile mills closed down, now back to being a major trade & educational Centre. The industries are short lived as they suck up nature fast and dry up. They are short lived, makes few people rich for short time & then it moves to another place. Whereas, cultural extravaganza lives on and on forever. It lives harmoniously with the nature. It develops peace in Human nature, calming the society.

Our Trip:

We first stopped by my friend Badarish’s factory. It was a good educational visit for kids to know about machines, tools, techniques and engineering works. The job requires unskilled laborers and are paid daily wage. So in this day of demonetization I asked if his business not impacted. He says not a bit impacted. Surprising but true.

We visited Kondajji Kere. It is a beautiful very large lake just about 20kms from Davanagere atop a hill. Kondajji Basappa is a famous leader who popularized Scoutes & guides in schools and has built a beautiful hiking area there. So there is a memorial to him there. That’s it. Nothing else is there. No boat ride, no park, no maintenance. Nobody to care. It has a good potential to become like a Nandi hills for Bangaloreans. The road to the place is also in bad condition. But well tree lined. So for cyclists, holiday joggers it could be good if developed and taken care.

Bagali Kalleshwara

Generally most places I have visited in Karnataka have dozens of Hoysala temples. But Davanagere seems poor in number of Hoysala architecture. Apart from Hari Hareshwara temple in Harihara I guess this is the only one nearby. This one is very rich and will make up for it. It has 64 very beautifully carved pillars typical of Hoysala style. Some of the pillars have deities’ carvings in exquisite detail. It is very cool inside the temple with large expanse of field surrounding the temple. The temple has hardly any visitors. Locals hardly know it. Some tourists from Bangalore like us come often. ASI maintains it. Some independent writers have put up some internet coverage of the temple.

Nearby to Harapanahalli there is another beautiful ancient Venkateshwara temple in Thimmalapura.

Kanthesha, Branthesha, Shantesha

This is a major religious tourist attraction in this area. This is especially a pilgrimage circuit for Madhwa Brahmins. The 3 Anjaneya temples are located some 50kms from each other in a circuit. It is believed to gain great Punya to get all 3 Anjaneya darshana in one day between Sunrise to Sunset.

Sathenahalli Shantesha is believed to give peace of mind.

Shikaripura Branthesha is believed to remove our ignorance.

Kadaramandalagi Kanthesha gives boon to devotees of their desires.

Besides we visited Kaginele. It is the place of the great Haridasa Kanakadasa of Vijayanagara period a contemporary of Purandara dasa. Kaginele Aadikeshava is his Ishta devatha (personal deity). He has given a great treasure of Haridasa Sahitya in the Ankitha nama of Kaginele Adikeshava. His poems are simple & known for cryptic inner meanings to be extracted by knowing the depth of philosophy.

Hosa Ritti is another piligrimage centre we visited on the banks of Varada river which is a tributary to Thungabhadra. It is a serene atmosphere in this remote village. We get blessings from 2 moola brundavanastha yathigalu from Raghavendra Swami mutt order here.

The 3 Anjaneya temples have very rich heritage & history. During British period as it happened all over India, the temple's land properties were taken over by the Government. But still our powerful Anjaneya has created a boon for the locals there. People from all classes and communities have something special connection with the powerful deity here. All the communities are involved in the contribution & development of the temples. The committees are working independently from Government or any individual holdings. The main deity Pooja is performed by Brahmins and Non-Brahmins together.

This is a typical representation of rural India. I have seen this everywhere. The devotional faith has harmonized and brought people together. All across India, these powerful deities are binding communities together and celebrating the beauty and the bounty.

It is a pity that the educated urban class, media, politicians and our text books depict India as divided and chaotic. However the rich culture, harmonious society is living by itself very peacefully unmindful of all the bad picture India’s rulers & educated class give to the world. Why do they not visit places and see for themselves? Why some people take pride in depicting India in bad light?

Santhebennur Honda & Shanti Sagara

Shanti Sagara is also called Sule Kere. Because it is constructed by a Sule (Courtesan or a Royal Prostitute) by name Shantavva. This is one of Asia’s largest man-made lake. You cannot see the end. You can stand on the ridge and understand the topography of the area to appreciate why a lake is natural there. But constructing bund along and making it a controlled tank with 5 sluice gates for overflow and irrigation is a marvelous effort. And that too by a courtesan for the benefit of the people!! What sacrifice, what forethought. All around the place, the fields are very green. Mostly they grow areca. The ground water table should be very good throughout the year to give that kind of greenery all around.  

Again the tourism infrastructure is pathetic. Not even a view point. There is a dilapidated locked rest house. No board about the tank. Nobody to explain anything there. There were few visitors from Bhadravathi & we were there. That means the local tourism potential is very high. But nobody to care. It can easily be made a very attractive picnic spot with information Centre.

Santhebennur Honda is just a few kms from Shanti Sagara. It is a very beautiful step well. Very unique in Karnataka. Green fresh water with full of life. Large and small fish in plenty. We spotted a tortoise at the ridge. Very neatly maintained by ASI. Again it is all internet based information. Nobody to explain. Board is there from ASI to give small info. The locals don’t know much. All visitors are mostly from Bangalore due to internet info gathering. The dome shaped monument in the centre of the pond is actually a lotus mahal in Hindu architecture build by a palegara by name Hanumanthappa nayaka. Later days it changed hands to the Bahamani sultans and local subedars. There is no religious significance so nobody knows much about the place. It is a good place to visit.

Also near to Shanti Sagara there is a place called Punya Sthala near Basava Patna. We missed it. But it can be a good place to visit too.

Why Bengal became Muslim Country?

This question is very much eating my head for very long time. I tried finding root cause of this from many angles. As I explore the answer, I may sound a bit prejudiced against the Bengalis. But it is a complex question and not an easy answer to find.

Firstly why this question at all?

India was attacked on the North Western gates and most of those regions became Muslim majority over many centuries. Later most of the Deccan was ruled by Bahamanis, North was ruled by the Mughals, and east by the Nawabs. But still most of India was Hindu Majority due its inherent nature of freedom loving people and fighting spirit of the people for freedom. But Bengal being Far East of India became Muslim Majority. How? Why?

The Punjabis, Pathans, Jats bore the brunt of maximum onslaught of Islam aggressors. Over many decades, many of the provinces on the western front of India lost out. Then while the cunning British left the country, they vivisected the nation on religious lines and left most of the Punjab, North-Western Frontier & Sindh in the hands of the brutes to convert the rest of the people to Islam.

On the Bengal side however, most regions were already converted. There wasn’t so much resistance, mass migration across the divided Bengal as we hear about it on the Punjab side. Why? Did they accept the division without a fuss? It was the Bengal Division in 1905 which gave rise to a great revolution nationwide. It brought entire nation together with such force, that British had to withdraw that division then. But in 1947, the division happened with least resistance. How & Why?

Is there a lack of Devotion in Common Bengali?

Bengal has given great leaders to our nation. Bengal was the hot bed of revolution during the British oppression. Vande Mataram originated from there. Great spiritual leaders like Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Pramahamsa came in Bengal. Great political leaders like Arabindo Ghosh, Nethaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Bipin Chandra Pal came to the forefront. Literary genius like Bankima Chandra, Eeshwar Chandra Vidya Sagar ignited the minds of the people. They aroused Nationalism amongst many million Indians. Then what happened? Look at today’s leaders they have!!!!

I wonder if the leaders were left with no followers. Is there a lack of following there? Does the common man show indifference when a great leader arises in Bengal? Is there a lack of devotion? Is there a lack of common-conscience of recognizing a good man and following him? Is there inhibition to follow a good man? Is it below self-esteem and dignity to follow anyone?

Two reasons why I ponder on these questions.

One: Mocking Culture: Most Bengali friends I have come across are mockers of the world. They mock at PM, CM, all political leaders, all religious leaders, all religions, all people around them, all rituals, festivals. Few exceptions are there. But generally they take high pride in mocking at the world at large. A commoner doesn’t have any personal following. There is no personal Guru. It is considered retrograde to fall at feet of anyone. When a good-man comes across a common Bengali will be the first to doubt his goodness.

These are absolutely my very personal opinion with some limited exposure to a common Bengali. But reading in great deal of Swami Vivekananda, Arabindo Ghosh & Nethaji, I sincerely wish to be proven wrong in my reading a common Bengali.

Two: Lack of devotion in a common Bengali. Swami Vivekananda started Ramakrishna Mutt in Kolkata. Today we see more of those mutts in Karnataka and Tamilnadu than in Bengal. Why? Is there a lack of following by the common man there? Chaitanya Mahaprabhu started Krishna Bhakti movement in Bengal. It has gone on to great heights throughout the world branched by ISKCON. The world is following, but Bengal has lost it. Very few mutts & temples by his followers dot the Bengal now.

Elsewhere:

A similar Bhakti movement based on Bhagavatha philosophy started by Vaishnavaites in Karnataka around the same period. It lead to Haridasa Sahithya, Karnataka Sangeetha, Bharata Natyam etc., There are more than 2 dozen mutts of Vaishnava order which are carrying on those philosophies like Raghavendra Swami Mutt, Udupi Ashta Mutts etc., The followers are common people like us. For example in Bangalore alone there are more than 50 Raghavendra Swami Mutts. Who is building them & sustaining them? What drives these people? When a good Swamiji comes across, we follow with utmost devotion with no inhibition. There are a lot of Lingayat Mutts, Shaiva Mutts dotted all over the Deccan. There is a great following with deep devotion by the common people. Highly educated people with Modern education also follow with deep devotion. Some of us call it blind following, stupidity etc., but that doesn’t deter a follower who sees a great devotion in the righteousness.

When a Sri Sri Ravishankar comes across, there is a great following. Some call him fraud. But the people who follow him are undeterred, just put their head down and involve in great services launched by him towards Lake Rejuvenation, River Cleaning, Heritage revival, Medical & educational services, Philosophical research, Bhakti movement etc.,

So when a good man comes across there is a good “number” of people following to construct the nation under his guidance across India. All anti-social activities like faith conversion, drugs, alcoholism automatically get sidelined.

But that kind of devotion seems to be lacking in Bengal amongst common man. A sense of righteousness is lacking amongst the common people in Bengal. When a good-man comes across, people show indifference in Bengal. So they get Didi kind of leaders “left” with and they happily loathe about them.

How do the converted react in different parts of India?

There is a deeply researched book on the spread of Islam in India by K.S. Lal. He says, the upper caste people who got converted first in the Bengal region in early periods, did more damage by their hegemony. The poor were left with no choice but to adopt Islam. Swami Vivekananda seeing this famously said “A converted Muslim is not just a loss to the Hindu but an enemy to the Hindu”

KS Lal further compares, that in South in many places, the upper caste converts under threat, didn’t enforce further conversions and they suffered in silos. In some cases, they even returned to their parent faith after the aggressor went away.

Unflinching Love of Language of Bengali

One thing that holds them all together is their Language. Their love of the language is unflinching. While we in Karnataka struggle to retain Kannada as a language in schools, Bengalis don’t find it so hard. In fact their Bangladesh independence movement from Pakistan was led by the love of their language itself.

I just wish the great nation of Sonar Bangla returns to its past glory. And the common man develops a great devotion to the right good-man who always comes across every decade in every region. 

Veer Savarkar – A Hero – Forced to forget by academicians

Veer Savarkar is India’s son and a great hero who struggled for India’s freedom. Indian academicans have forced students to forget him. He doesn’t find any mention in textbooks. The unfortunate politics played on one of the heroic sons of our soil is despicable.

In our recent visit to Andamans evoked lot of interest in this great Hero. The Port Blair reverberates with his memoirs. They have rightly named the international airport after him. The cellular jail where he was confined for over a decade is now made a national memorial and a world heritage. The cell where he was kept is revered and a favorite place of visit for many tourists who throng there. The light & sound show and the stories by the guide do justice to his sacrifice. The Andamans is now visited by many in thousands from mainland India. So it is good that the average Indian gets to enliven harsh, real stories of freedom struggle by many of our great heroes which are otherwise untold by our modern day Academicians.

Here a brief life history of Veer Savarkar is given, so that it generates more interest in the reader to read more about him, about more people like him & what they lived and sacrificed their life for?

A Brief Life History of Veer Savarkar:

Veer Savarkar during his student days was a great follower of Balagangadhar Tilak. He ardently participated in the Ganesha Utsav in the localities drawing a great force of youth. He supported and garnered many people in protests called for burning foreign clothes as called by Tilak. He had formed a great student force to support the freedom movement called by the leaders of the Congress during those times. He was instrumental in creating a student union “Mithra Mela” which was working towards aiding the Freedom movement by the leaders of India.

Subsequently he travelled to England with the blessings of Tilak. Soon in the heart of England he formed a student & youth union called ‘Abhinava Bharatha’. The sole aim was to unite the Indian students coming there to study. Most were going back to work under British to help them loot our own nation. So it was essential to instill a sense of patriotism amongst them & when the time comes to create a great united resistance to the British diktat, all these patriotic Government servants will be a great aid.

British spies had very strict eyes on his activities all the time. Many times they clamped on ‘India House’ where most of the revolutionary activities were happening. Savarkar believed in armed resistance. So he published life history of Mazzini in a book. His publications were clamped by the administration. Still somehow they were published in India and had a great demand going out of sale in student circles.

The success of these publications encouraged him for further writing. He picked up the subject of 1857 Freedom Struggle by Indians. Till then it was termed derogatively as ‘Sepoy Mutiny’ by the British. But it was more than a Sipoy Mutiny. Royals, artisans, peasants, house holders, apart from Sepoys where fully involved. In fact it was a well-planned revolt which erupted suddenly across all provinces at a time. How could that be possible if it was just a sipoy mutiny? It was a well-orchestrated multi-pronged, leadership driven concerted armed resistance by freedom loving people of the country. That is why it went on for more than a year. And it shook the British crown. Savarkar studied all materials from British libraries and compiled the story very well. The news of this publication rattled the British. It was banned even before it was published. Then Savarkar himself wrote a strong letter to London Times on the Government act of curtailing the freedom of expression. That got published and London Times also supported his question to the Government. Again through many difficulties, the work got published in France where British supremacy was not there. It used to get shipped to India under other book wraps. It became a great inspirational book for Indian revolutionaries. Bhagat Singh and Chandrasekhar Azad during their struggle re-published this book to draw inspiration amongst the youth. The book is very good even for today’s reading. Savarkar brings out the unity & sacrifice amongst the Muslims and Hindus in this 1857 Freedom War. He opens up thread by thread how British yanked away the freedom from the Royals, village level, and agricultural freedom. Economics, trade, everything fell prey to their hegemony of single minded loot.

  

During these times, Madan Lal Dingra killed a cruel British officer in London itself. He was from Abhinava Bharatha. He went to the British gallows and so did many back in India by that time from the ignite that had sparked. British arrested Savarkar and deported him back to India by sea.

Before leaving the British shores, he hatched a plan to escape in France. The police sensed trouble so while they were nearing the French, Marcelles shores, they decided not to dock up there and diverted to proceed straight. Madam Cama and Hardayal were expecting Savarkar on the shores but got to know his ship is not coming to the shores at all. But brave Savarkar, escaped through the toilet window hole of the ship, directly fell into the sea and swam for many kilometers in the harsh sea waters till he came on shores in Marcelles. But to his bad luck British had chased him and clamped him before he escaped taking refuge under French police.

All his efforts and his friends’ plans failed his freedom. Upon landing in India, the magistrate slapped two 25 years harsh imprisonment in solitary confinement in Anandaman Cellular Jail. One or 2 year sentences in Andaman itself was very harsh inhuman treatment. But 50 years of sentence was the longest and harshest sentence one could get. While in the cellular jail he inspired many fellow cell mates to revolt against inhuman treatment meted out the political prisoners. His concerted inspirational efforts pushed the British to send a senior official for negotiations. The political prisoners won some relaxations from these efforts but were still confined in harsh conditions. In the meantime, Savarkar found it worthless to rot in this jail far away from the mainland. So he wrote many mercy petitions to the British. They drew strict conditions for his release and released to the main land after a decade.

Since his release, he was confined in the hills of Ratnagiri in Bombay province. Strict vigilance was put up on his activities. While being confined there, Veer Savarkar, worked hard towards removal of untouchability amongst the villagers. He constructed a temple of Ram called ‘Pathitha Pavana Mandira’ where the Harijans were the priests and were served food together with all. Savarkar stood very firm and inspired all sections of the society to unite and fight out all bad social practices. During this time, he published his 10,000 lines poems he had created while in Cellular jail. He had written these on the jail walls and by hearted it as the Jailer used to paint it off to prevent future cell mates to get inspired by the words of the poems. Today his poems are still inspiring us.

Subhash Chandra Bose during his presidentship of Congress touring all India, met Savarkar too. It is recorded that Savarkar advised him to take up armed struggle against British. The world war raging around that time and Rash Behari Bose having founded the Indian National Army in Japan was awaiting a great revolutionary leader like Nethaji to come aboard and assume leadership. It is worth noting that when Japan occupied the Andaman Islands in 1943 to 45, Nethaji assuming the leadership of INA negotiated with Japan to free up the Andaman islands and give administration control over to the INA. So hence the first freedom flag of the tricolor of India fluttered on the shores of the Andamans even before the British gave us freedom in 1947!! Subhash paying respects to the Indian leaders’ decision had kept INA flag as tri-colour with Charaka in the center!!

  

Savarkar lived his full life and gave up his life in 1966 at 83 years age. 

It is our duty to remember such heroes who struggled their life for our freedom & respect. Jai Hind. 

Damn the Large Dams

One of my first blogs was on this subject only. Now in the wake of Kaveri issue again raised, am tempted to write another on the same subject with different details.

The point remains the same that we need to seriously assess the serious impact of large dams over the society & country as a whole Vs the benefit it brings. And assess alternatives also. Several water experts over recent decades have damned the large dams. Large dams across India (world) experienced a lot of ill effects to the society, decreasing soil quality, decreasing agriculture yield, decreasing fisheries, bringing riparian states on almost war. Is it really a boon or a bane?

The concept of building these large dams itself is modern & is from British colonial era. It was never there in the ancient past nor in medieval period. And it is wrong to say, it is a modern science & technology evolution & a great gift to mankind. Indians & Chinese have built formidable walls, forts like, Kumbalgod fort, Chitradurga fort & magnificent temples.  Could they have not build a simple 120ft height by 150ft length dam? They have indeed. But not rampantly like modernists. The Great Cholas have built several miles long tank bund which is standing formidable even after a millennium (not decades, not centuries but millenium). It has come to rescue the water guzzling metro, Chennai today. Refer the Ref2 &3 links in end below. But the difference is they built scientifically a tank bund but not a DAM unscientifically across a large river.

So the point is – All that is British OR all that is modern is not really scientific. All that is ancient is not just aesthetics and art. It has science & long, very long, very very long vision for the society, its prosperity & harmony.   

Now the world is seriously debating it. If you google for “decommissioning large dams” there are several scholarly books & articles you get, but most importantly ‘developed’ nations like US & European countries are marking several dams for decommissioning due its hazards outweighing its utilities.

Pity is that in India, government in 2004 commissioned some 100+ major dams in pristine, virgin Northeast region rivers. We are more British than the Brits themselves now. Should we not rather follow our own ancient scientific approach?  

Kaveri River Case Study

Here we’ll take Kaveri as a typical river system for study. It is very typical & our understanding here can be applied across any river system anywhere in the world. The purpose is to understand whether large dams benefit society in long run OR they are futile & unsustainable.

Across Kaveri we have 2 major dams – KRS in Karnataka and Mettur dam in TN. Some details on history, river dispute, tribunal reward, issues, and solutions are given in the Reference links in the end. Almost all of them deduce that the tribunal award is equitable in good monsoon condition. But in a bad monsoon year like 2012, 2016 it is not proven good for Karnataka. So the ‘distress formula’ is not good. The solution is – all Karnataka MP s should put up a united front, call for friendly resolution with TN MP s with central arbitrator. Propose solution to Tribunal and get ‘distress formula’ reformulated. That’s it. But the first step – ‘Karnataka MPs’ putting up a united front is where we fail. If we pass that, then all else will pass.

Now it will be foolish to talk about decommissioning the dams. But is it fully utilized? What it takes to utilize fully. Let’s focus on those answers. For that let’s understand some of the basics. Then it will be easy to understand if it can be utilized fully. If so, what it takes.

Natural River Course: Kaveri runs for about 700+Kms. A river starts from mountains. It gathers waters from several streams along. After long, it hits plains & it widens. Along the route several ‘tributaries’ join it to make it a big river. As it nears the end of its journey, at the mouth of its joining the sea, it divides into ‘distributaries’. These tributaries and distributaries make up the natural river system. The fig1 shows the same.

Tributaries are the wealth of the agriculturists. Distributaries are life line for fisheries.

The socially best and scientific way to sustain good economic life is to build small check dams or tanks along all tributaries. The main river will have primary tributary for which secondary will be there for which tertiary will be there and so on. Our ancient kings used to aid villages build & maintain their own tanks, bunds, Kalyani, Pushkarani, etc., and there used to be beautiful connected tank system too. This would ensure excess water flows to the next lake and then next and so on until it reaches a tributary. This controls flooding also. Since all along 700+Kms of Kaveri running, there are tributaries, it is prudent to implement it in a harmonious way.

Advantages of this system are:

• The tanks would ensure ground water level increase in entire surrounding area, giving equitable ground water to all agriculturists. However no bore well should be allowed. Else it would make unequitable share in favour of the rich
• Social harmony: Small tanks maintenance is in hands of villagers. So they would maintain only their water and not fight for others.
• Decentralized water governance at local level. No fight with central/ state government/ Supreme Court etc., what you get from God through good rain is what you manage with.

Limitations of this system are:

• It cannot provide water for large cities like Bangalore, Mysore. They have to manage their own lake systems.
• Large amount of water flows in the Main river to the sea. Modernists term it as waste of water going to join sea. But traditionists argue it enriches the estuary & fishing; and economic water transportation can be encouraged all along 700+kms;

But if villages are made self-sufficient and prosperous, then cities will not become behemoth centralized population crumbling by its own unmanageable weight.

Large Dams System: Here the large flow of water in the main river is envied. A large dam is constructed across. The purpose is to hold and distribute water to arid areas. So large dam system means – Hold large water and create artificial complex distributary system. Scientific way implemented in ancient times is to do small check dams across small tributaries & leave governance to locals. So comparison is quite stark. Few points for comparison given below:

Large Dam System	Connected   Tank System
Large onetime cost; Decades of Time to construct;	Small time; Small cost; Multiple places
Artificial distributary system; Large land acquisition & displacement, rehabilitation	Natural tributary system; No land acquisition; No displacement, no rehabilitation
Desilting is army like operation once in a decade or mostly never	Desilting is every year service by few, creating job for locals & incentive is the silt as fertilizer
Distributary canal maintenance is by State Government	Maintained by locals; By the people, for the people
Area coverage is for max 40-50kms length; And area in that length; About 2000sq Kms;	Area coverage is all along 700+ kms; Lakhs of sq.kms;
Worker is employee for salary	Worker is the beneficiary of canal system
Farmer breaches canal, bribes official. Diversions are done illegally. Locals don’t govern anything. So illegal guy doesn’t fear wrath of locals. Government cannot punish him for his illegal structures, bunds, diversions. So illegal thing is incentivized and not punished leading to social disharmony	Locals govern canals & tanks. Locals admonish illegal guy locally. So farmer is incentivized to be righteous and admonished for being wrong.
Distress time, Rain deficit time: Blame government, supreme court, burn buses; Anger spills violence	Distress time: Stay put & pray for better rains; Equitable impact to all farmers; Consume less;
Encourage large cities; Concentrating large populace in one place & provide piped drinking water; Pumping stations increase carbon footprint. Consumers don’t realize cost of complexity	Encourages decentralization of water management. Encourages villages, towns & cities to feed themselves by their own indigenous systems. Consumers will be aware of water value.

Distribution system is key to success. For KRS there are 3 main canals. Apart from these 3, one overhead canal built is dysfunctional from the day 1 of the water release. One can see the overhead canal on way to Mysore after crossing Srirangapatna.

The 3 canals run for about 40kms. That’s it. But it divides into distributaries at secondary, tertiary levels. Along the way it irrigates the farm land. So total length of these distributaries is about 300+kms.

So for example, KRS dam canals irrigate Mandya district and KR Nagara in Mysore and a bit of southern Hassan. It doesn’t reach Ramanagara, Kanakapura, Bangalore rural, Tumkur etc., The biggest advantage of KRS is it gives drinking water to guzzling cities of Bangalore, Mysore, Mandya.

Few more disadvantages & complexities of this system are:

• Distributary has to reach last mile from central reservoir. So a complex distributary system has to be built & maintained. Crores of Rs go down the drain. For example, Bennehole canal system (Bijapur) no longer exists today, but there is a department with officials drawing salary for maintaining it. There are several such examples.
• Distribution system at secondary & tertiary levels is always in serious problem in almost all canals around the world. You take any status report of any irrigation department any day, this is the case. Water doesn’t reach the last man properly due to various reasons.

Solution?

• Don’t build any more new large dams. It is even suggested by UN since 90’s after disastrous results over several decades in several countries.
• Those built have to give local governance over the distributary canal system. Only dam maintenance should be with the central/state government.

So if you weigh options, you find the large dams are disastrous in the long run. It serves very little for humanity. That is the main reason the Kings in the ancient & medieval times didn’t build these monstrous unscientific crass. Besides the most critical responsibility of the Kings was welfare of the people, their law abiding nature, and their self-governance. So it was detrimental to these social aspects. Hence they didn’t invest on this “Mad Science”.

It will be good if our today’s politicians learn a bit from our ancient kings and their governance. Most importantly they take back any new large dam construction projects. More than environment disaster it is the social harmony which gets affected.

Reference:

Ref1: http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/tank-irrigation-karnataka-historical-survey

Ref2: http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/a-chola-gift-to-chennai/article7089318.ece

Ref3: Grand Anicut – The world’s oldest functioning dam - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kallanai_Dam

Ref4: https://www.internationalrivers.org/dam-decommissioning

Ref5: KRS & its canals details from karanataka govt site: http://waterresources.kar.nic.in/salient_features_krs.htm

Ref6: Very detailed analysis on whole Kaveri Issue, Tribunal award its history etc., https://kiranasis.blogspot.in/2012/10/kaveri-river-water-sharing-what-are.html?showComment=1474124186149#c6163037838018736733

Kaveri River Basin.PNG	Tribunal award
Bangalore Connected Lake system (Which is now dysfunctional)	Rough interventions to control water flows on proportional system
Field inlet from a lined tertiary canal	A partitioning structure along a secondary canal exhibiting few problems. Left and front offtake have been gated after NWMP but gates are blocked open (spindle is twisted) - Right offtake is not gated – Left offtake is temporary closed with vegetation

Exploring Few Hoysala Temples on way to Shivamogga

Hoysalas are the greatest makers & builders of Karnataka. Their period is approx from 1000CE to 1300CE. Any nook & corner you go in Karnataka you will be greeted with intricately sculpted temples. Each one is unique, beautiful, scientific, amazing geometrical symmetry, architectural marvel. The intricacy in soap stone carving is extraordinary. It is world famous and unique. One will wonder if they could carve such intricate designs in stone, what would be their achievement in gold jewelry works? Hoysala temples are well spread from North Karnataka to South. Of course Belur, Halebid in Hassan attract lot of foreign and local tourists. But there is much to explore across Karnataka. Just in the outskirts of Bangalore Bhoga Nandishwara temple on way to Nandi Hills is an example of their fine art. Chola dorai Rajendra Chola installed the Linga and built first temple, later expanded by Chalukyas and Hoysalas. It is a must visit for Bangaloreans. 

The way to Shivamogga from Bangalore is pothole ridden. But the way is beautiful and green all the way in Mansoon. And off track you get dozens of Hoysala temples. We mapped our trip plan to cover only 3 famous ones on the way – (1) Kaidala just outskirts of Tumkuru, (2) Shiva temple in centre part of Arasikere, (3) Amrutheshwara temple in Amruthapura just before Tarikere.  

After attending the marriage function in Shivamogga for which we went primarily we also visited Koodali village. It is where the Tunga and Bhadra sangama happens. It is a beautiful place. 

In Koodali village at the Sangama, bathing ghat is constructed in ancient times and well maintained by both Madhwa & Smartha Brahmins who have mutts there. But hordes of Muslim youth were fishing there when we went at mid noon for a holy dip. We had slight altercation as they were scaring us away. We felt very bad. Why can they not build their own fishing ghats and leave the Brahmins place tidy? In the name of equality, dirtying holy places? When we enquired at the mutt, they said they have complained it to the authorities. We suggested them to put a board at least not to do fishing in our sacred bathing ghats. Hope someone listens.

On the way back from Shivamogga we came via Honnali, Harihara & Davanagere. On way to Honnali we visited Komaranahalli Ranganatha devalaya. This is a punya kshetra where one of the great Haridasa Mahile ‘Helavana Katte Giriyamma’ lived & submitted many Dasapadagalu to Ranganatha which we even today sing during our Pooja. It goes to show, there was no women discrimination during any medieval or ancient times as guilty Indian intellects depict. We have many Haridasa Mahila in our rich history.

Honnali Rayara Mutt is another Punya Kshetra. Honnali is very dear to me as I had done my primary schooling there. I visited my school. Harihareshwara temple in Harihara is another magnificient Hoysala temple we visited while returning.

Idol Disfiguring: Who did?

We observed all the idols in the outer walls were disfigured in Arasikere Shiva temple and Amrutheshwara temple. Especially their faces where chipped. So we enquired with the guides in both places. The answer baffled us. He said, some internal fights sir. Shiva followers hit Vishnu figures, Vishnu followers hit Shiva figurines!! But the same temple shows extraordinary harmony, by having Shiva Purana and Vishnu Purana sculpted. Besides, there are inscription stones lying there in temple complex showing Mahaveera, Shiva Linga also.

Answer in Amrutheshwara was that some cowherds without valuing idols had hit figurines. He himself was saying they have hit only faces, not Gopuras, Crowns etc.,

Why would cowherds chip Krishna’s face who is a Gopala himself?

When we prodded further, then he said, may be when Mohammadans invaded Halebid which was capital of Hoysalas, they had sent some army contingents to these temples to do their bit of service to Islam.

Islam is against idolatry. In all its holy scriptures it declares destruction as a holy job. All the Islamic kings took pride in becoming a ‘Ghazi’ a title given to one who destroys maximum idols & idol worshippers.

They themselves are proud of this act of barbarism and boast it. Even today they are destroying ancient UN protected temples in Syria and Iraq. Then why our guards & guides lie? Are they told to lie? If so why? Is it to appease Muslims? Or is it not to instigate anger & hatred amongst Hindus against Muslims?  In this overdo to please Muslims are we not hurting ourselves?

I asked who his Kuladeva is, for which he said, Shiva. I asked him if he would destruct Vishnu’s idol then. He retorted with shock – NO! Then who would do that? Which Hindu preacher or king or mutt would do that? In Hindus we have the culture of respecting others Gods. We call our God supreme but don’t destruct or hate others Gods. But still who amongst Hindus in Government is poisoning these innocent minds?

I thought only education department is guilty of India, but archeological department is even more guilty of its ancient past!! The custodian and presenter of India’s greatness itself is denigrating India’s peace loving nature of its natives.

Sociology & Science of Temple building:

All the dynasties, kings in India encouraged the temple building. Especially in Karnataka, dynasties made magnificent contributions in temple building. The Rashtrakutas sculpted the Ellora Kailasanatha temple. Then came the Chalukyas, then Hoysalas and finally Vijayanagara kingdom. The sculpture reached zenith of artistry in Hoysala times.

Sociology aspect: For an artist it takes a few months to sculpt a beautiful figurine in stone. That means in thousands of villages and towns, the people supported thousands of artisans for hundreds of years together to sculpt the entire temple. They fed them, sheltered them. The temples are generally named after the chieftains after whom it is dedicated. Like Amrutheshwara, Bhairalingeshwara etc.,

Imagine building a great temple, maintaining it for hundreds of years. It brings all people together. Most of the temples you will observe on the floor some board games, lines & dots. It indicates that it was a place of recreation. You will find more board games than your mobile games! You will see some fine dip in those floor stones. It is for making medicines by roller stones upon it. They are so much worn, that it sure are used for thousands of years. History in India says, that even when kings fought, they fought in the war field but never destructed each other’s temples. Temples were preserved. That’s why you see thousand year old temples but you don’t see palaces. Personal wealth always goes away. Community wealth stays long.

Take for example, the Bhoga Nandishwara temple near Bangalore. It is built around 8^th cent CE. The temple complex is very very large. It has many mantaps (shop kinda structure). It means it was a place of congregation of large number of people for all these years. Even today village marriages, community functions, getting together happen in this temple.

Every day some religious function all 360 days a year for last 1000+ years!!!. What harmony! Can you imagine?

Temples have stood uniting people for yeomen years. Don’t listen to those guilty Indians if they say there is discrimination, there is hatred all around us. It is only with them.  

Scientific aspect: Then there are those guilty Indians who say there was no science in India. Science they say was rudimentary. You stand in front of these magnificent temples and say that. You cannot. It epitomizes, fine geometrical structures, absolute symmetry. That dome in Arasikere temple is very unique in all Hoysala temples. It is supported by 18 finely carved pillars with large open area in middle without a mid-pillar. How? The guide will show you how they used interlocking system to interlock tons weighing rocks. No patch work. Perfect locks withstanding all rock dome weight for a millennium!!!

I have asked in many Hoysala temples how they did fine lathe turned pillars. So many concentric circles, varying girth making it curvy; Did they have such heavy machines which could hold a rock of multiple tons and turn it around? Where are they now? Where is evidence? I have not got answers yet. 

We must understand that all science in ancient India was developed for social harmony. But modern science is science of destruction. Highways for accidents, bridges for collapsing, dams for submerging, cell phones for Pokemon Go!!!  

Narasimha Mukha Ganesha Bhoga Nandishwara Temple in Nandi Grama	A beautifully crafted pillar in Nandishwara temple; All birds making up a design

Gopura of Nandishwara temple A beautiful pic in sky background	This emblem is common in Odissi temples. How it came here? Were artisans going all over India? Man-riding-lion-riding-elephant. Man is greed, lion is power, elephant is prosperity

Harihareshwara temple: Epitome of harmony. The main deity is half Hari & half Hara. Who says Shaivaites & Vaishnavaites cut each other?
	Geometrical Symmetry: Symmetry at overall temple building level, then in Gopura. The symmetry at each angle in a finely crafted pillar is simply astounding.

The dome structure in Arasikere Shiva temple. The top concrete is also original 11th cent CE!!	Inscription stones & Hero Stones.  A typical hero stone (Veeragallu) shows veera marana in war, then he is being carried to swarga & then becoming Shiva sharana in Kailasa!!

Above: Faces chipped and disfigured by Mallik Kafur's army soldiers on instructions to disfigure as many figurines as possible in a short while before decamping.  Right figures:  Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata are all finely crafted scene by scene in tablets. Imagination of artists to represent, river crossing, falling to donkey's feet not to shout are all extraordinary.

You find lot of recreational board games in every temple floor. This indicates their social gathering & gaming in temples for time pass	Fine lathe turned pillars. Polish is still shining. You wont find this technology in Vijayanagar times. So the technology died between those 2 periods? If so why? how? Are we declining in science & technology era by era?

The school I studied primary in Honnali. It was always green surrounding and it has maintained till date.