The year-end trip was not planned but just happened. The main places we
covered are:
Halebid & Belavadi – In Hassan district; The Hoysala Architectural wonders
Shivamogga city around – Koodali & Holehonnoor; Simhadhama and
Elephant camp.
Sagara – Keladi, Ikkeri, Varadahalli & Unchalli falls apart from
the usual Jog falls where there was no water.
The heritage & history intrigued me as usual & inspired me to
write about it.
Keladi Kingdom – Symbol of Peace &
Prosperity
Keladi Nayakas ruled this small peaceful kingdom in the Shivamogga
& Sagar region for over 250 years during Vijayanagara times from about
1499CE till about 1763CE.
Keladi is about 10kms away from Sagar today and has a well-kept museum
& Keladi Rameshwara temple. It was one of the capital. The other 2 capitals
from where they ruled are Ikkeri and Bidanur which is not called Nagara near
Hosanagara. We visited Ikkeri and Keladi this time.
Keladi houses the large beautiful Rameshwara temple. It is very well kept
and maintained by the ASI. The highlight is that of the Rangamantapa of the
main temple has very rich Carvings on Raktha Chandana wood = Red Sandalwood.
The entire ceiling is covered with exquisite carvings and very strong pillars
are made of the same wood. It is one of the costly wood rarely available now.
It gives the glimpse of the prosperity of the kingdom and peace it enjoyed.
My crude youtube video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7SSj0xhTto
The kingdom did not have any upraising or violence during its just
rule. About 17 rulers ruled from this dynasty over this kingdom for over 250
years. The main rulers noteworthy for study are:
Chaudappa Nayaka – He founded the kingdom with permission from
the Vijayanagar kings around 1499AD. He had full freedom to carry out his
administration in his area.
Shivappa Nayaka – He ruled for over 30 years this kingdom. He
built Shivamogga as a trade centre. He built very good trading ports and
established good relations with Vijayanagara kings and other neighboring
states.
Keladi Rani Chennamma – She is very famous in the National
History. When Aurangazeb’s army marches Deccan to capture Shivaji’s sons after
Shivaji’s death, no king or noble will take courage to give shelter to Rajarama
the last son of Shivaji. Because, his elder son Sambhaji by then was already
killed by the hounds of the Mughal marauder. In such a scenario, Rani Keladi
Chennamma gives shelter & defends her kingdom against the army of the
Mughal. She thus protects the Maratha heir to enable his crowning later.
She is not to be confused with the other famous Rani Chennamma of
Kittur who fought valiantly against the British in 19th Cent before
the 1857 war of Independence, to defend her kingdom.
Verammaji – She is the last of the dynasty. She becomes the
victim of another Islamic plunderer from South, Hyderali. Kirmani the court
historian of Tippu gives vivid details about the valour she shows in defending
her kingdom. But in the end she is captured and inhumanely dragged by chain to
the dungeons of Hyderali & Tipu where she is meted with very sad death.
What a humiliating end to a glorious little kingdom!!
This little kingdom thrived @ contemporary times with Vijayanagara
Kingdom. Vijayanagara did not attack them nor dethroned them. They honoured
their freedom. Sonda Arasaru were its neighbours, Mysore wodeyars were in
friendly terms with them, Chitradurga Nayakas had friendly relations with them
so much so that after dethroning of Veerammaji, some of the chieftains escaped
and found shelter here under the famous Madakari Nayaka.
The museum in Keladi is well maintained. It gives a detailed account of
dynasty, its rulers contributions for the areas development, prosperity, administration,
justice, trade etc., Keladi Chennamma was also called as “Menasina Raani” the “Queen
of Cardamom”. Her kingdom was rich & famous in international trading of
Cardamom as she encouraged the people to grow it on all the forest trees &
harvest it sustainably!
Lathe Turned Pillars – Architectural
Wonder of the Hoysala
Every time I visit a Hoysala temple these lathe turned pillars amaze me
(Apart from other innumerable such wonderful details of course)
I made a small youtube video on this:
This wonder called Lathe Turned Pillars from Hoysala Temple
Architecture needs a lot more study & research.
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These have very accurate concentric circles
carved on heavy pillars weighing about 25-30 tons.
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Some temples have easily 60-70 such large well
carved pillars
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These temples are all over Karnataka in 100s of
villages. In almost all of these temples, these lathe turned pillars are
ubiquitous
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Bottle shaped variable girth is made in these
massive stone pillars.
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Some of these pillars have amazing shining kept
up for all these thousand years. I can see my face reflection in it & can
see even shirt color reflecting perfectly fine
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A number questions need to be researched.
When I ask around with the temple priests or guides, some vague answers
come like – They were godly men with extraordinary powers; They did it all with
only chisel and hammer. They never had modern machinery!
But is it possible to produce such machine accuracy by hand? Did they
have much advanced technology? Much advanced machinery? Where is the evidence?
Are there any archeological evidences of such large machinery? Who is researching
it? All researchers & books call it as Lathe turned pillars only. But where
is the evidence of lathe of such enormity? How was it running? Was there
electric power? Is it possible to produce such accuracy with any slow turning
lathe? It has to be fast turning to get such finesse.
These lathe turned pillars are very unique of only Hoysala time
temples. You don’t find it before or after. For example, in the later Vijayanagara
temples you don’t find lathe turned pillars but you find large rectangular
pillars. In earlier Chalukyan period you find, cave carvings & heavy cuttings
but not lathe turned. So does it mean, this technology existed only during 10th
to 13th cent? That too only in Karnataka region? And it died after
the kingdom collapsed with Mallik Kafur’s pillage of the Hoysala temples?
You find it in so many villages spread across thousands of kilometers.
How is it so ubiquitous? Was this lathe technology so common and easily
accessible to the villagers spread so far and wide? Was this technology so less
expensive yet to so accurate?
There are a lot of informal groups on facebook, twitter who are great
fans of Hoysala architecture. Such a large human potential is not organized. Hardly
anybody to fund formal research, record, present and develop on it.
Universities are mired in caste politics and no hopes to get anything from
them.
The Hoysala dynasty ruled most part of Karnataka & boarders of
Andhra, Tamilnadu during 10th to 13th Century. They took
over the reins from Kalyana Chalukyas. They ruled a very large portion of
Deccan very peacefully for nearly 3 decades. The sheer number of temples and
fine art on stone they have produced itself is a testimony to the peace &
prosperity the kingdom had. The priority they gave for art & craft is the
main reason for this peace & prosperity.
Science & Sociology of Peace &
Prosperity
The British and the modern day historians say our Indian science was
primitive or non-existent. Why do they say like that? Why research is curtailed
in these areas?
The British and Modern day historians say, that medieval times were
mired in petty wars between petty kingdoms in India! Are they applying Europe
& Arabia directly to India without studying? Why is this theory not
questioned? Is it time to question it & delve into it unbiased?
They claim, kingdoms were small, unsustainable and poor. How then was
international trade happening & no upraising by the common man? Are they brain
washing us by saying expansionist, imperialist regimes are rich? Are they making
us believe Big is beautiful & Small is ugly?
They say kings were self-indulgent & rich keeping the kingdom poor.
Again are they applying Islamic tradition & European king culture to Indian
context without studying them in-depth. No evidence of literature or sculpture
of drought, famine, poor people dying of hunger & thirst. The sculpture depicts
dance, musical forms, elephants, horses, Puranic stories, Ramayana etc.,
The modern education borrowed from British want to still produce Guilty
Indians & hence the narration is such. In today’s text books kids
are made to mug up the entire Mughal lineage, Tipu as Tiger etc., but there is
hardly a half page mention on Hoysalas in our CBSE text books. Why? Who are the
nation builders & who are its destructors? Why pillagers and marauders are depicted
as BENEVOLENT rulers?
The British even today claim they were benevolent rulers across the world
giving science & technology, sociology to each of the countries they
ruled!! They have brain washed us enough.
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