Bhoga Nandeshwara - A weekend trip near Bangalore

Author: AARABHI
Photography: VASISTHA

"Shall we go out this Sunday?" my fiancée asked me. I said yes (who wouldn't?).

We decided to surf the net for a suitable spot and he sent me a link of a blog on Bhoganandeeshwara temple. The moment I laid my eyes on the temple photo, I was sold!

So, the destination decided, we left Hebbal around 8 am on a breezy April day and wound our way along the airport highway on our bike. A wide wide road uncluttered by Bangalore traffic led us to the Airport turn-off on the left. A little past this and past the enchanting but unfinished Jain temple which is hard to miss we reached a left turn leading towards Nandi hills.

Traveling along this road, we passed charming villages and grape orchards with the farmers selling the grapes by the roadside. Both the seedless black grapes and the green ones (with the seeds) are available in mouth-watering colors and quantities. You just might need to bargain for the best price and buy it on your way back home as it'll be tiring to lug it along on the outing.

This road leads to a T junction where we took a right towards the temple following a helpful signboard of The Archeological Survey of India. 

The temple itself dates back to the Chola period with its age approximating to 1300 years. 

A fort-like outer wall encloses a huge courtyard with a driveway leading straight to an arch of beautiful stonework. 

What catches the eye is, a couple of rows of stone chariot wheels arranged as if awaiting a chariot to alight on them any minute!

A "Mahanavami Dibba", in ruins, but being restored, lies next to these wheels. It was used for utsavas and such gatherings in the golden days.

We espied a small kalyani with steep steps next to the dibba and eagerly headed towards it only to find green sludgy bog at the bottom of the structure. 

The other side of the driveway holds a kutty “Darbar hall”. Still being restored, it is not a pretty sight, but particular features catch the eye such as the popular motif of the Cholas, sculpture of “The Lion”.

Entering the arch, we came to an inner courtyard. The one commendable thing is that the whole temple complex is remarkably clean. No garbage or unsightly graffiti in sight. This came as a pleasant surprise to us. The main temple at the centre holds stunning masonry. The pillars in front of the sanctum-sanctorum are especially beautiful. A narrow passage for “Pradakshina” around the sannidhi has wall carvings from Shaivite mythology.

 

We got busy clicking our way through these beauties and proceeded to photograph the temple “Gopuram”. 

A “Kamateshwara Temple” beside a quaint old well held a small but amazingly life-like Nandhi”.

The “Apita Kuchamba Temple” dedicated to the heavenly consort of Lord Shiva, goddess Durga, is also in the vicinity.

Other structures in the courtyard include the “Tulabhara Mantapa” and the “Vasantha Mantapa”. 

The best feature of this temple is the “Shringi Thirtha”. It is a big kalyani with steep cut steps. It is said that the Dakshina-Pinakini (South Pennar River) flows from this pond. It is a masterful engineering work. The geometry and exact proportions of the square pool make the modern architectural techniques seem like mere child’s play.

After breaking our fast beside the unfortunately dry Shringi Thirtha, we headed back out of the temple only to catch sight of these amazing birds in the outer compound!

The Hoopoe on the tree led me on a merry chase across the courtyard, abandoning my fiancée to his own devices. I would stop to focus and it would fly off to a different tree the next minute!

The White-cheeked Barbets had a neat little cavity nest in an almond tree. It looked like the busy couple was feeding a flock of little ones as they flitted in and out of the nest rapidly allowing me only a few misplaced shots of them.

A pair of sparrows, a really rare sight in Bangalore was also a treat for my camera.

Muddenhalli- the birthplace of Bharatratna Sir M Visveswariah, is just a couple of kilometers from the temple.

This village has the old hose of Sir M V which has been converted into a small museum.

We enquired our way to the building only to find the board “State Bank of Mysore”!

On entering we realized that the branch entrance is through the front hall of the house with the indoor steps leading to the first floor.

This anomaly didn’t make much sense until we realized that Sir M V was this bank’s founding father!

His century old passbook of SBM is framed and proudly displayed in the museum.

Numerous felicitations and gifts received by Sir M V, including the much acclaimed Bharat

Ratna are also displayed.

Other things to be seen are his book collection, lots of articles published about him in newspapers, and other small but fascinating details about his life and activities.

His samadhi is next door to the museum and is a very peaceful place with a neat little park around it.

All in all, it was an informative visit. A must see for those wishing to know more about the great visionary.

Directions:

• We started at 8am from Hebbal and drove a non-stop motorcycle marathon along the highway.
• We took a left turn from the main road about 12kms past the “Airport turn-off”. A direction board saying “Nandi Hills” is the landmark for the turning.
• This road leads to a T-junction and a board directed us to the right towards B temple. The temple is about 15km from the Chikkaballapur main road.

We reached the temple around 9 or 9.30am, so it is an hour and half’s drive from Hebbal.

What?

An ancient temple (Bhoganandeeshwara temple), a museum ( House of Sir M Visveswariah converted now into a Museum in his memory).

Where?

About 50km from Bangalore. At the foothills of Nandi Hills.

Who?

Suitable for the solitary traveler seeking solitude to a large family or friends group, including couples.

When?

Best time of the year- Sept/Oct when the rainfall would have ensured a full Kalyani.

Otherwise, anytime is fine.

To Do:

Admire fantastic sculpture and understand a great man whose thinking was far ahead of his time.

Not to Do:

Sully the painstakingly carved sculptures and defile the sacred surrounds.

Check out http://picasaweb.google.com/vasistatravel/BhogaNandeshwara for more pics on BhogaNandeshwara