One tremendous Sunday morning 5 of us gathered on the fringe of Dharamrayaswamy temple avenue in Nagarathpete to discover the previous temples of Bangalore. Situated proper within the coronary heart of town, amidst busy markets these temples are the open-air historical past books telling the story of town and the communities that type town.
Any huge metropolis is an amalgamation of migrants coming from totally different instructions and settling down. With them, they bring about their deities, their customs, rituals, festivals, language, and tradition. What they undertake from their new homeland and what they carry ahead from their previous properties is a curious mixture that nobody can predict. Nevertheless, over time this turns into the material of the land, lending its personal identification to the brand new character of town.
Temple Path – Nagarathpete to Balepete
On this temple path, moreover the number of temples, I additionally noticed this cultural amalgamation that’s so superbly co-existing in a number of layers. So, come stroll with me nearly.
Dharamarayaswamy Temple / Nagarathpete Road Temples
Gangadhareshwara Temple – On the fringe of Dharamrayaswami Temple Highway is that this small temple in white. You may see Shiva Parvati and Ganapati sitting on high as a household with Nandi in entrance. The household is surrounded by two lions and the gateway has two elephants carved on it.
The temple was closed however we may get in and go across the temple. In the course of the stroll, I realized that many such small temples principally stay closed. Clergymen come and do puja after which the temple is closed. A case of not many devotees visiting the temples.
This temple has an enormous assortment of votive Naga figures in its compound.
Anjaneya Swami Temple – Bang reverse the above temple is that this very small Anjaneya or Hanuman temple. This was the primary temple I prayed at as I waited for my strolling companions to return. A ravishing vigraha of Hanuman ji and a small strolling path to do the Pradakshina.
Dharamrayaswami Temple in Nagarathpete
That is the preferred and distinctive temple on this path. It’s devoted to Dharmaraja or Yuddhisthir of Mahabharata, his brothers, and their spouse Draupadi. That is the venue for the well-known Karaga competition of the Thigala neighborhood that hails initially from the Tamil area and is partaking in gardening actions.
The story goes that when Adi Shakti as Draupadi created a military of Veerkumaras to annihilate an Asura. After this she was returning to her abode and when Veer Kumaras requested her to remain again on earth. She promised to return each Chaitra Purnima and Karaga celebrates that annual return of Draupadi. The neighborhood is also called Vahani Kula or the descendants of Agni. Keep in mind Draupadi too was born from Agni of a Yagna Kunda.
The temple is massive and colourful. I discovered a novel stambha or a pillar in entrance of the Devi temple on the correct. It has faces carved on its high, which is uncommon. Near it are some hero stones indicating a Kshatriya lineage of the temple.
Nagareshwar Swami and Annapurna Temple at Nagarathpete
Little forward of Dharamraya Temple on the identical aspect is that this lovely temple devoted to Shiva as Nagareshwar Swami. The realm known as Nagarathpete so the identify can come from there. Or, the principle temple of town known as Nagareshwar Swami temple that means the lord of town. Even Begur has a temple by the identical identify.
Devi right here is within the Swaroop of Annapurna. You may see her lovely Murti holding a ladle and a pot in her arms. I additionally noticed the Sri Chakras being worshipped with crimson Kumkum.
Vrishabha or Nandi is exterior in his mandapa that’s sadly coated in a means that he seems to be caged.
Kama Dahan Pageant – After we visited the Rati Manmath photographs have been displayed on the temple. They weren’t simply vibrant however nearly life-like. It felt like the true people have been sitting there. They have been part of the competition that celebrates the burning down of Kama or Kamdev by Shiva that occurred round Holi time.
Chamundeshwari Temple – Shut by is the small temple devoted to Mahishasurmardini as Chamundeshwari. It was closed after we visited so we did our Naman from exterior solely.
Avenue Highway Temples
We turned proper in the direction of Avenue Highway and noticed some temples there. On the best way, we noticed many small temples that appear like a store from a distance however you see the temple pillar jetting out and a small Murti within the distance. Normally surrounded by busy retailers it’s straightforward to overlook these temples until you might be strolling early morning like we did.
Bisilu Maramma Temple
This small temple in a shop-like area has three stone Murtis. To me, they appear like Ekmukh lingas or the Shivalingas with one face carved. Nevertheless, the folks cleansing the temple insisted this was Maramma – who’s a type of Sheetala Mata. She is worshipped to forestall illnesses like hen pox and different epidemic-forming illnesses.
Balaji Temple – Virtually reverse Bisilu Maramma temple is that this lovely and small temple devoted to Balaji temple. This temple will need to have been in stone, however now you may see glimpses of it by a few of the sculptures which have been left as such in in any other case ceramic tiles and granite-covered partitions.
Reverse Balaji temple is a newly renovated Sri Ram Temple.
Ranganathaswamy Temple – That is an previous and exquisite temple devoted to Vishnu as Ranganatha. Apart from the attractive Murtis – each Moola Murti and Utsava Murtis, we noticed an attractive sculpture of a Matsya or fish on one of many partitions. I questioned, does it point out the Matsya avatar of Vishnu nevertheless it seemed like an ideal fish? I used to be advised this means the presence of moveable water beneath.
Presumably there was a temple tank right here that has been misplaced to urbanization.
It is a colourful temple with massive Utsava Murtis and lots of Vijayanagara-style pillars within the mandapa. A superb photograph cease to click on photos.
Balepete Temples
From right here we turned in the direction of Balepete – that actually means the bangles market. On the best way, we noticed Bale Garudi – a standard wrestling Akhada, it too was closed.
Srinivasa Temple – This Vishnu temple was in-built 1913 by the Kantirava Wadiyar, the then Maharaja of Mysore as an orphanage to offer shelter to Hindu orphans.
Sugreeva Venkateshwara Swamy Temple
This 400-year-old temple’s uniqueness is a huge Murti of Sugreeva and one other one among Bali. Now, it isn’t typically that we discover temples devoted to the Vanara brothers though we should bear in mind Karnataka is certainly their Kishkindha.  Ther
The principle temple is devoted to Vishnu as Venkateshwara Swamy and Mahalakshmi. The temple additionally has beautiful work. I cherished the one depicting the killing of Mahishasura by the varied kinds he took throughout the battle.
Deity is the Kuladevata of Veerkshatriyas of Melusharkara Vamsha who have been Uppars or Salt makers.
Aai Mata Temple of Sivri Samaj of Rajasthan
In one of many slender lanes, I noticed a temple actually rising out of the neighboring properties in pure white marble. My intestine feeling was that it was a Jain temple however what I used to be certain of was that it’s a temple that belongs to Rajasthan. Positive sufficient, it did, however it’s devoted to Aai Mata, Kuldevi of the Sivri clan. Her presence signifies that the world has her followers surrounding her.
This temple would immediately port you to Rajasthan with finely carved white marble throughout. Even the Murtis are manufactured from white marble which is present in abundance in Rajasthan.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Kashi Vishwanath will be discovered all over the place within the panorama of India. How can Bangalore be away from him? This pretty massive temple has lovely stone sculptures of assorted Devi Devatas. What I bear in mind probably the most is Mahishasurmardini which you see while you go across the garbhagriha to do the parikrama.
In the identical advanced is Kedarnath temple. The linga will not be like Kedarnath however nonetheless, it depicts the power of Kedarnath. There’s a beautiful sculpture of Adi Shankaracharya on this temple.
Prasanna Krishnaswamy Temple
Situated near the Majestic Metro station within the Tulasithotam space, this was the final temple we visited on this stroll. It’s in all probability the most important temple as properly with a beautiful temple tank in typical crimson and white shade. Established in 1844 CE, also called Kalyanpuri, this temple was a non-public temple throughout the Mysore Maharaja reign.
It has the Murtis of Krishna, Rukmini, and Andal as the principle deities.
Meals at Udupi Sri Krishna Bhavan
When you are in Balepete, don’t miss consuming out at Udupi Sri Krishna Bhavan which was established means again in 1926 CE and nonetheless exudes an old-world allure. The South Canara meals is scrumptious, to say the least.
Strolling Suggestions for Nagarathpete to Balepete
- It took us nearly 3.5 hours to comfortably stroll round and go to the temples from Nagarathpete to Balepete
- Early morning the streets are empty and the temples are peaceable
- By 10 AM the markets begin opening and it turns into tough to stroll the streets
- There are sufficient eateries accessible to eat or have Chai, however strive the standard Darshinis for the whole really feel of the place
- Metro is the easiest way to journey to this space. Parking autos is usually a huge difficulty.