There are five temples located across Southern Indian states representing the five elements of life or the Panchabhutas. They are built in such a way that the are all aligned in a single latitude and longitude with respect to each other. Through this article, I would like to share a summary of my stories of visiting each of these temples.
1. Jambukeshwara Temple, Tiruvannaikaval representing Water
It all started with a family trip, way back in 2014 to Trichy. I had made a long list of places to visit in and around the temple town, and we happened to visit this temple by chance. It was a beautiful temple where the main Linga is believed to have been created by Goddess Parvathi with water from the nearby river. Today, the Linga is surrounded by a perennial stream of water. (Click here to read about my trip to Trichy)
On a casual day trip with my mother to buy some sarees at Kanchipuram, I also made a list of temples to visit in this town which is also known as a ‘City of 100 temples’. Among the long list of sacred places we visited in Kanchipuram, the Ekambareshwara temple was also one. Here, the main Linga is made out of sand and is believed to have been installed by Goddess Parvati. Shiva is a lover of Abhisheka, however due to the nature of the porous & loose sand of the Linga, there is no abhishekam offered here. Instead, offered to another small bronze idol kept beneath it. (Click here to read about my trip to Kanchipuram)
The Sthala Vrushka inside the Ekambareshwara temple
My brother and I happened to explore Chidambaram town during a backpacking trip along the East-coast of Tamil Nadu. We arrived at the temple on time for the first aarti when the doors opened in the evening. We were in the front line when the curtains were raised, and we had a stunning view of the main idol. I instantly felt a compelling energy from the idol in which Lord Shiva is depicted to be performing the Ananda Tandava dance. (Click here to read about my trip to Chidambaram)
One of the temple gopurams and the holy Sivaganga tank at Thillai Natarajar temple
4. Kalahasteeshwara temple, Srikalahasthi representing Air
We halted in this temple town on our way to Sriharikota to watch a rocket launch in 2019. We stood in a long queue to finally get a magical darshana of the Linga here which is made of a massive sized Camphor. Since the camphor is susceptible to fire, there is no direct aarti performed to this Linga. However, an eternal lamp / light is lit behind forming the silhouette of the Linga which indicates that there is continuous flow of air allowing the fire to burn. (Click here to read about my trip to Srikalahasthi)
5. Arunachaleshwara temple, Tiruvannamalai representing Fire
It was indeed a long wait until 2025 when my wish to visit this temple manifested. I got extremely lucky as my visit also coincided with the auspicious Karthika Deepam. I performed the Girivalam before I got the darshan of the Linga, illuminated by oil lamps around inside the sanctorum. The hill itself is believed to be a manifestation of Lord Shiva and the Karthika Deepam, a representation of cosmic fire (Click here to know more about my Girivalam trip)
The Tiru-Annamalai hill in the background of the Arunachaleshwara temple pond
Mythology has it that Brahma and Vishnu got into an argument over their supremacies and finally sought Shiva’s help to resolve the issue. Shiva then created a cosmic column of fire and asked Brahma and Vishnu to find the end of the fire. Whoever found its end would be declared as the supreme god. Bramha went towards Akaasha and Vishnu went towards Pathaala to find the top and bottom ends respectively. However, both returned unsuccessful, thus renouncing Shiva to be supreme. This place came to be called Arunachala hill or Tiruvannamalai. The name of the hill is derived by combining three Tamil words, Thiru- meaning sacred, Vann meaning fire, and Malai meaning mountain, thus meaning “the holy fire mountain”.
Girivalam, also called as Giri Pradakshina is a combination of two words, ‘Giri’ meaning mountain and ‘Valam’ meaning circumambulation. It is a sacred walk covering an approximate distance of 14-kilometer in the clockwise direction around the Arunachala Hill in Tiruvannamalai town of Tamil Nadu. Since the hill is considered a physical manifestation of Lord Shiva, conducting the Giri Pradakshina is believed to offer spiritual purification and liberation.
To commemorate the day of establishing Shiva’s supremacy, a large bonfire is lit atop the hill during the Karthika month of the Tamil calendar. This Karthigai Deepam lit on the previous night of the full moon symbolizes Shiva’s cosmic fire and burns continuously for the next eleven days attracting millions of devotees from all over for this annual festival.
The Rajagopuram on a full moon night of Karthika month
How to do Girivalam?
The Pradakshina must start and end at the same spot, usually at the east entrance tower of the Arunachaleshwara temple located at the foothills.
Start the Pradakshina by visiting the Kalabhairava and Ganesha shrines, followed by breaking a coconut in front of the east Gopuram of the Arunachaleshwara temple.
Traditionally done barefoot, it is not wrong if one opts to wear just socks or footwear during the walk and removed before entering the temples passing along the path.
A visit to the Ashta Lingam shrines and other significant temples along the way is believed to enhance the benefits.
Girivalam can be conducted on any day and time of the year. However, offering it on full-moon days is considered more auspicious.
The Girivalam route map
When did I go?
Since my friend and I had been contemplating doing Girivalam for a very long time, it was a spontaneous decision to perform it as the last full-moon day of the 2025 calendar year, and a weekend had arrived together. Coincidentally, it also happened to be the Karthika Month and hence, the Karthika deepam would be lit over the eleven-day period.
We chose to go there on a Friday, which was a day after the full moon, assuming that the crowd of the full moon day would have subsided and the weekend crowd wouldn’t have poured in yet. It turned out to be a smart decision.
We also got lucky that we saw the flames deepam atop the Arunachalar hill, all the décor of the town and all the decoration inside the temple that had been done for the annual festival.
How did I go?
There are plenty and frequent public buses run by Karnataka and Tamil-Nadu Road transportation services. We boarded a TNSRTC bus onwards to Tiruvannamalai and KSRTC bus for our return to Bangalore, both without prior bookings.
We arrived at Tiruvannamalai at around 07.00.p.m. had a filling dinner and retired early at a hotel we had pre-booked close to the east tower of the temple.
We started our pradakshina by around 03.45.a.m. and finished it by 08.00.am.
We stood in the ticketed queue for Darshana and were done by noon we ate temple prasada (more like brunch).
We then checked out of our hotel and reached Bangalore by night.
The flower decoration on the inside of the Arunachaleshwara temple on occasion of Karthika deepam
Some tips from my first Girivalam experience
The temple closes at night and opens by 06:00. a.m. and there will be a long queue for the Darshan. Hence, it is best advised to reach the temple gate as early as possible to get the earliest darshan with the shortest queue.
It is best to do the Pradakshina after sunset and finish it before sunrise to avoid the blazing sun- but also time it well to be able to visit the Ashta Lingams while they too are open.
I highly recommend buying the 50Rs. special entry ticket to reduce the walking distance in the queue and thus a faster Darshana.
Book a stay as closer to the East Gopuram as possible. This will help to reduce the overall walking distance and ease the accessibility to the Girivalam path.
I chose to skip going through the Moksha dwara, a small structure along the path. The queue was extremely long.
If possible, offer small donations to as many sanyasis and beggars sitting along the path. It will enhance the benefits of your prayers.
There are ample food stalls, water stations and clean public toilets all along the way to keep you going. However, we chose to break our fast only with the temple Prasada after the Darshana was completed.
The entire walk will be on an asphalted road / paved footpath. So, expect littering to be normal.
Other noteworthy things to do and places to see during Girivalam
Do not miss eating the Pongal and Puliyogare (Tamarind rice) at the paid prasada counter at the exit of the temple. It tastes delicious.
Check the timings of the free meals served at the Ramanashram, or simply pay a visit there to experience calmness.
You can walk a small distance from the Skandashram to reach a viewpoint where you can see the entire temple premise and Gopurams from.
Do not miss the Rudraksha beads distributed for free by volunteers anywhere along the Girivalam path.
The deity and the structure of the Ardhanareeshwara temple were unique.
Observe how the direction of the Nandi changes in each temple depending on the direction of the holy hill with respect to the location of the Nandi, it always faces the mountain: The Arunachalar.
If you’re visiting Tiruvannamalai anytime after ‘Arudra Darshana’ (next full moon after Karthika Deepam, Do not miss collecting the holy Arudra Kajal / Kohl from the temple. It is made from the soot formed by the ‘Karthika deepam’ itself and will be distributed until stocks are available each year.
The front and back view of the Ardhanareeshwara temple
Do you have anything to share or ask about Girivalam? Comment below.
It was an online link that led me to a few photographs of a rare celebration. The images were accompanied by very little write-up for me to get a clear idea about the occasion. All I could infer was that it was a festival called ‘Padai Kavadi,’ celebrated in a village called Valangaiman, near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu.
I reached out to a few friends from Tamil Nadu who, in turn, connected with their acquaintances from the region and gave me information that the festival is celebrated annually, on the second Sunday of the Palguni month as per the Tamil calendar. Since I had ample time, I could meticulously plan my itinerary for that weekend and wait for my arrival at Kumbakonam. I had earlier visited Kumbakonam, so I included a few places that I could not cover in my previous trip. But that is for another story. For now, the focus is on ‘the Valangaiman Padai Kavadi festival.’
What is the festival about?
For a South Indian in general, one might think the Kavadi festival happens in every other village during this season. So, what got me curious about this place? Well, this Kavadi festival at Valangaiman celebrates the rebirth of a person. As per the local belief, people suffering from smallpox (still considered a deadly illness in most parts of India) make a vow at the Sri Padaikatti Maha Mariamman temple to perform the Padai Kavadi if cured. Once completely cured, they believe they have seen death and returned. Therefore, the convalesced person is made to lay on a bier or a handbarrow, lifted and carried by pallbearers, and the entire ceremony or the ritual of a traditional funeral is conducted as if he/she were dead.
There are primarily two types of biers. One, a simple yellow cloth tied to a bundle of sugarcanes or a single sturdy bamboo that is used as a cradle for kids and carried by two men on either end; second, a handbarrow with two bamboo culms knitted together with coconut fronds on which an adult convalesced is carried by four men. The adult bier is made more elaborate and decorative depending upon the interest and financial status of the person offering his vow.
An adult-female laying on a bier at Valangaiman Paadai Kavadi festival
I was told that three sister goddesses are living (at dedicated temples) in parallel streets of the village. The kavadi (usually body piercings or holy water carried in decorated pots on heads) is offered as vows to all three sisters, but the Padai Kavadi (the resumption of the dead, celebrated by sleeping on a bier) is offered only to Sri Padaikatti Maha Mariamman, the second among the three sisters, during the auspicious day of Palguni month.
A child being carried on a bier at the Valangaiman Paadai Kavadi festival
What happens on the festival day?
The procession of the convalesced people lying on biers starts early morning, mostly to avoid the noon sun. One can find hundreds of devotees who gather either at the small shrine of Vinayakan on the banks of the river Kudamurti or at a dozen makeshift temporary shrines set up by various local priests on the dried riverbed. Here, the bier, the person supposed to lay on it, and the respective kith and kin assemble for the rituals. Each person offering their vow is made to sleep on the bier after their family deity is invoked. Their eyes, nose, and mouth are closed with yellow cotton fabric, hands and legs are tied together as if those of dead people lying in coffins. Holy water is sprinkled around, and all the people gathering touch the feet of the sleeping person to take his/her blessings before the pallbearers carry them for the procession towards the Mariamman temple. For as long as a convalesced person is sleeping on the bier, he/she is treated equivalent to God as they are someone who has neared death, seen God, and returned. Then, a person carrying a clay pot with burning wood and incense leads the procession, and one with a pot full of water trails them, all being accompanied by drumbeats and flower throwers.
A funeral entourage going towards Padikatti Maha Mariamman temple
The procession circumambulates the Mariamman temple thrice, and then the bier is lowered down in front of the temple. Rituals are performed, post which the person descends from it and goes inside the temple to see the goddess and complete his vow. This is about the Padai Kavadi for people who survived death.
An adult man being carried on a bier at Valangaiman Paadai Kavadi festival
However, people who have suffered other ailments also make vows to offer a replica of the body part/ organ that has been cured through their prayers to Mariamman. One can see models in clay or silver, like eyes, legs, hands, etc., being sold around and offered by people at the temple, depending on their cured illnesses.
Apart from this, one can also see several people with various kinds of body piercings walking on the road (which is also a form of Kavadi) and circumambulating the three sister temples to offer their vows and prayers. A man suspended from a crane with his back hooked with metal loops and circumambulated around and in front of the temple, some men with full torsos pierced with lemons, long and heavy tridents passed through both cheeks, etc., were some of the unique and different Kavadi offerings I witnessed here. A detailed post of a dedicated festival of body piercings called ‘Mayana Kolai’ is available on my blog for further reading.
Body piercings at Valangaiman Paadai Kavadi festival
After all the kavadi offerings are over, the presiding deity, Goddess Padaikatti Maha Mariamman, is then brought out of the temple by around 03.00.p.m. on a procession. Around that time, cattle (goats and sheep) and poultry donated by the devotees are tied to another central post that is erected in front of the temple and suspended up and down with their bodies held firmly in the center. I could not gather sufficient information about the significance of this ritual, but I would be glad to learn from any of my readers here.
A devotee with body piercings; Also the wooden post used to swing cattle hoisted infront of the Padikatti Maha Mariamman temple
The festival then culminates after the deity returns inside the temple.
When a friend mentioned taking a road trip to a fair at Anthiyur village, neither of us had many expectations. What can one expect at a village festival in India, after all? All that we had learnt before commencing our road trip was that it was a cattle fair, which was held as part of the annual festival of the Gurunathaswamy temple at Anthiyur village. Supplemented by a handful of YouTube videos in Tamil, we decided to take the long drive from Bangalore to spend a weekend.
We started from Bangalore before dawn to reach Anthiyur at the earliest and get sufficient time to see all the cattle stalls before returning. But only to our surprise, the scale of this temple village fair was anything beyond our imagination. Neither of us had seen or heard of a small village festival to be of such a large scale and spread.
The beautiful hills around Anthiyur village
Mythology of Anthiyur Gurunathar temple:
The story dates to around 600 years, when there lived a clan near Pichavaram forest, that worshipped three stones known as ‘Kutty Aandavar’ (translates to ‘Small God’, in Tamil). The local ruler wanted to marry the priest’s daughter. However, the priest’s family was against the marriage proposal. Meanwhile, one of the members of the priest’s clan gets possessed by their deity’s spirit, and the family is told to abandon the village along with the three prayer stones to avoid the outrage of the ruler’s anger. Following this, the family started to move north until they found a safe place to settle down. At some point, the family felt that their survival was going to be difficult and that the stones being carried by them were an additional burden. Hence, they continued their journey by throwing the stones into a nearby pond. They halted at Anthiyur for the night.
On the following morning, Santhakumaran (one of the family members) was surprised to find the same three stones back in his bag. They realized the powers of their deity and resumed worship of the stones by giving them three different names. The first stone was called Kamatchi, the second one was Perumal (Vishnu), and the last one was Gurunatha Swamy (a combination of Shiva and Kantha).
During the festival, three deities are taken on a procession from the main shrine at Anthiyur village to a temple in the nearby forest. As per mythology, a demon is believed to have occupied the forest in which Goddess Kamatchiamman wanted to reside. A fierce war was then fought between Veerabhadra (the warrior assistant of the Lord, protector of Kamatchi-amman) and the demon, in which the demon eventually surrendered. It is said that instead of leaving the forest, the demon requested lord Gurunathar to allow him to stay there on a condition that Kamatchiamman came there once a year to visit him. However, Veerabhadra agreed to this on the condition that he, too, was allowed to stay in the same forest. This temple is today called Vanakovil (translates to ‘Temple in the forest’ in Tamil), where Kamatchiamman is brought in a palanquin from the main temple.
The history of the Anthiyur temple festival
The current temple structure is believed to have been built by the Pandya kings. The Gurunathar temple houses an 11*11*11 feet kulukai. A kulukai is a large earthen storage container mainly used for storing food grains, with a large opening at the top (to fill the container) and a small vent at the bottom (to take the grains out for consumption). It is believed that the kulukai in this temple is used to store the jewels and other items related to worship, and is guarded by snakes. Only the head priest is allowed to enter the container and access the stored things, and is unharmed by the guarding snakes. Therefore, this kulukai is worshipped by the local people and it is believed to keep them safe from reptiles, scorpions, etc.
The month-long temple festival held during the Aadi month of the Tamil calendar hosts a range of unique rituals and celebrations during this time. Temple cars built for each deity are prepared and managed by the respective caste of people. Two large, towering, nicely decorated temple cars (the largest is of Gurunathaswamy and the smaller is of Perumal Swamy) are pulled by thousands of devotees who gather from across the nearby villages, from the main Gurunathaswamy temple to the Vanakovil and back. Today, animal sacrifice is practiced in Vanakovil.
The history of the Anthiyur cattle fair
A four-day-long cattle fair is, however, the highlight of the festival for which people come from across the districts of Tamil Nadu and the states of India. There are only two cattle fairs held at this scale in India. First, at Anthiyur (more popular for the horse fair) and second, at Pushkar in Rajasthan (Primarily a Camel fair). The history of the ‘Kudurai Santhai’ (the Horse fair) dates to the times when Tipu Sultan was the ruler of Mysore. He visited this cattle market to buy the best horses for his cavalry and sold his horses that were no longer fit for battles.
It has, over time, gained popularity among horse enthusiasts across the country who consider buying horses from this market as a matter of pride and prestige. The cost of each horse can range anywhere between 50 thousand to 50 lakhs rupees. Today, apart from buying and selling horses at the ‘Kudurai Santhai’, many horse owners come here to simply display their prized possessions. One gets to see stallions, mares, sires, and ponies of various native indigenous and pure breeds here. Some horses are made to perform to drumbeats and kept on exhibition. On the last day of the four-day-long ‘horse fair’, Geegees are judged based on their structure, build, and looks, and finally, awards are given away. On the day we visited in 2023, there were over 1000 horses at the fair brought in for various purposes.
All accessories, equipment, and other things that are associated with horse-keeping and equestrian training can be found and are sold here. Apart from horses, this fair is also the largest marketplace in India for other breeds of cattle and livestock like cows, goats, sheep, camels, rabbits, dogs, and birds. With encouragement given to native breeds, it is a great experience to see cattle across the 34+ acres of land.
Largest Makeshift Amusement Park:
To supplement the cattle markets, there is a makeshift amusement park set up, which is also by far the largest makeshift amusement park I have ever seen. Over ten giant wheels, rollercoasters, circus tents, and at least three globes of death are set up among several other types of amusement rides. The energy and ecstasy of this fair is all together only to be witnessed rather than to be read about.
The makeshift amusement park at Anthiyur festival
Souvenirs bought:
Bamboo staff- You will find people buying them, as it is considered auspicious to keep this weapon of Gurunathar Swamy at home.
Colorful horse whips
Horseshoes- this is believed to absorb negative energy if hung at the entrance of houses.
Disclaimer: This article is posted to document folklore and lesser-known festivals of India. If any mistakes are found, it could be based on what was heard as stories. Kindly comment below or message directly for any corrections required.
Another weekend and another offbeat destination. This time, we found a temple on a small hillock in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu. In my earlier post about Hogeynakal waterfalls, I have elaborated on how river Kaveri marks the boundary between the two states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. This post is somewhat related to the same connection. Because the history of the temple that we were planning to visit this weekend is rooted on the other side of the river, on the fertile plains of Karnataka.
The original Ranganatha swamy temple dating to the Cholas or the Vijayanagara era (as described by the locals) was on the Karnataka side. The stone structure of the temple is present even today (we hope to visit the structure on another weekend trip). The idol of the deity was destroyed by the British (which needs fact checking) and then, a new idol was reinstated on the Tamil Nadu side of the land where it stands today. The Ranganatha Swamy temple that we were heading to is in Biligundlu village and hence the name. The idol of the deity is carved out of a rock which is part of the hill overlooking the river.
On a summer day, when the water levels in the river are low, one can walk across to the other bank. Whereas, when the river is flowing full, the roads leading to both the old and the new temples are long ones. The old location is reachable via MM. hills in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka, and the new temple is reachable via Anchetty forests in Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu.
The trail to Biligundlu Ranganatha swamy temple
Anyway, coming back to this weekend, we started early on a weekend morning along the Anchetty forest leading to Hogeynakal waterfalls. We skipped the highway restaurants and stopped by a small local restaurant in Anchetty town for breakfast. It was a good decision as the experience was good with local food and the local atmosphere.
A few kilometers after the Biligundlu cemetery and few kilometers before Hogeynakal waterfalls, we stopped by at a location where river Kaveri flowed onto our right and a tiny structure of brick and mortar was built onto our left… We parked our vehicle there and started our short hike up from there. A properly laid stone path is there all the way to the hilltop which took us around half an hour to hike. The views of the river and hills around were just amazing all the way.
The Ganesha idol at the peak of Biligundlu Ranganatha swamy temple hill
First, we were greeted by an idol of Ganesha sitting under the tree at the peak. This spot gave a splendid view of the river and the hills beyond. We sought Ganesha’s blessings and proceeded to the Ranganatha temple located below, connected by a short flight of stairs. The temple was closed by the time we arrived. However, we could see the idol through the meshed gate. After offering our prayers, we found a spot adjacent to the temple wall and sat there to soak in the beauty of the place. The view of river Kaveri flowing with a backdrop of green rolling hills looked amazing even as the winds caressed our faces. It was a beautiful place, indeed!
We headed back after a while and decided to take a dip in the shallow waters of the river to beat the summer sun. A word of caution if you plan to get into the river, that there will be a sudden drop in the depth at many spots and it is believed to have whirlpools as well. We stayed by the shores before calling it a day after a while.
Although this destination is a recommendation for weekend and day hikers of Bengaluru, it is in Krishnagiri, a district bordering the two states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The views from an ancient temple had caught the attention of my friend and me, who are always in the look out for less crowded and less explored landscapes and places with cultural and historical importance. One such place was the ‘BalaKodandaraya Swamy temple’ whose history dates to the Vijayanagara era. Based on our online research, we found out that getting to the temple involved a short hike.
We started early on a Saturday morning by car. We had our breakfast along the way, in one of the several restaurants on the Hosur highway. From there, we followed the route on Google maps to reach our destination. A steep deviation to the left of the highway led us through villages. There were asphalted roads and good views of the surrounding hillocks for as long as the road passed through villages. The last couple of kilometers were through unpaved muddy roads passing through a slight forest stretch. We finally arrived at a small open space where we parked our car, at the base of the temple hill.
The trail through the forest cover, starting from the base to the temple arch
There was a small structure of brick and mortar (gudi) at the base, from where a flight of stairs led to the hilltop. People lit lamps, agarbattis and camphor here before starting their ascent. It took us about half an hour’s climb along properly laid stone steps leading to the top. These stone slabs bear the names of the devotees who have donated them and the count of their donations on each step. The ascent curved around at multiple places and offered amazing views of the valley below at every turn. The first half of the climb had a forest cover and large boulders on both sides, until we arrived at the welcome arch of the temple.
The path towards the left of the trail, towards the temple
The forest cover ended after a few steps further from there and opened to a panoramic view of the valley of the villages and farms below. As one stands on a large rocky outgrowth, you will find the trail split into two paths. One, straight down through some Gulmohur trees. Second, up towards the temple. We decided to first walk the trail going straight. A few yards from there, the trees made way to a beautiful pond of pink lilies, dug right beneath a large rocky monolith. We later realized that devotees take a dip in this pond before proceeding towards the temple.
The path towards the right of the trail, leading to the temple pond
The view of the valley from there and the magical vibe of sitting by this pond of lilies could not let us go easily from there. My friend settled on the banks, with a book to read. Although the water was heavily littered with plastics, it was still a super calm spot to soak in some good energy. After spending a while, we then headed towards the temple, located on the peak of the hill, a short walk away. There was a panoramic 360 degrees view of Hosur and Krishnagiri from the temple, the green cover around, Krishnagiri dam and the Then Pennai river. The temple priest arrived much later at around 10.00.a.m. for the daily prayers.
Balakodandaraya swamy temple and the cleft for drawing water
Surprisingly, a small cleft in the rocky hill serves as a perennial source of potable water for temple use. The people who had gathered there by then, helped the priest in drawing water from this cleft and clean the temple premises before offering the day’s prayers. We sat there for a while and decided to head back to the base before the sun took over the skies and heated the rocks around. Overall, it was an incredibly beautiful place for a short trip from the city.
Other nearby places:
If you are looking at making it a full day trip, then you can explore the nearby places that include:
In my wish list to visit as many Hoysala temples as possible in this lifetime, this is the second documentation. I started this series with the temples of Belur and Halebidu, as these were the erstwhile capital cities of the Hoysala. I will move on from there.
Belavadi is a quaint little village located approximately an hour away from the Hoysala capital town, Belur. The Veera Narayana swamy temple of Belavadi is one of those where the main idol of the presiding deity is still intact and regular prayers continue to be offered. The intricacy of the artwork on stone is very similar to that of the temples at Belur and Halebidu.
Images: Veeranarayanaswamy temple, Belavadi
Top: Outer entrance gate to the temple
Below: Inner entrance to main shrine at Veeranarayanaswamy temple, Belavadi
Unlike the main Gopuram (temple tower) at Belur, the entrance gate at the Belavadi temple is small. There are two ornate statues of two elephants that greets you inside. The sculpture on the outer wall is simple and minimalistic. as you enter, you notice that the inner walls are plain. It is possible that these were stolen, vandalized, or lost over the course of time, only historians can tell me better.
The sculptures on the exterior of Veeranarayana swamy temple, Belavadi
As you walk past this entrance gate, arch you pass the courtyard and are greeted again by a pair of standing elephant statues into the main temple that encompasses the shrines in the trikuta style of temple architecture. The three shrines inside houses idols of Lord Vishnu in three different forms. Huge lathe turned stone pillars and walls bearing fine and intricately carved figurines adorn the inner walls of the temple where photography is prohibited at the time of my visit (in July-2022).
The Trikuta temple towers at Veeranarayana swamy temple, Belavadi
The outer walls are equally gorgeous too with intrinsic stone carvings and embossings all over. Due to limited permissions for photography, my photo story here consists only of photos of the exterior of the temple, but more than sufficient to give an idea of this marvel.
The inner and the main entrance of Veeranarayana swamy temple, Belavadi
Also, a walk around the tiny hamlet of Belavadi is highly recommended. I loved the unique design of these traditional houses that emanated a vibe of an old world.
Initially, when a friend mentioned the destination for an impromptu drive on a Saturday morning, I hoped to correct him by telling it was ‘Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Betta’. “No, it is Bili-Kal’, he specified. ‘Bili’ translates to ‘white’ in Kannada. ‘Giri’ means ‘hill’. ‘Kallu’ means ’stone/ rock’. In this context, we were both talking about two different destinations. Although the presiding deity at the temples located atop both these hills are common, Biligiri is more popular than its counterpart at Bilikal. While Biligiri forms the core of Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple (BRT) tiger reserve, Bilikal is in the heart of a reserve forest that comes under Kodihalli wildlife division of Bannerghatta National Park. So, this time, we were heading to ‘Bilikal Ranganathaswamy Betta’, the closest of the two to Bangalore city limits, reachable through Kanakapura road.
We stopped by Halagur town for breakfast which has several old and popular eateries that serve unique types and authentic recipes of idlis for breakfast. (Comment below if you need hotel recommendations). Post this break, we followed google maps to reach our destination.
There is a forest check post enroute where one needs to make an entry to continue the journey ahead. The temple hill can be summited via two routes, one is a trek route with stairs, and another is through an unpaved road that is clearly marked till the end. Although four-wheel drive is not mandatory for those opting to drive up, it is recommended to have a vehicle with good ground clearance.
Bilikal ranganathaswamy temple, Rear view of the Monolithic rock
Upon reaching the peak, it was a large open area which came as quite a surprise. While one side of the hill had the temple pond dug into the edge of the rocky hill, the main temple of Ranganathaswamy is located on another side of the hill, overseeing a magnificent view of the surrounding hills. The main deity is carved out of a large monolithic rocky outcrop on the hill, which makes this place unique among all that I had visited thus far. There is a small sculpture on this rock which we were told is the original figurine of worship until it was damaged many years ago. Since then, an alternate idol has been carved out of the larger rock and a simple temple has been built outside leading into the prayer chamber within the monolithic rock.
Next to the temple rock, is another old and small room like stone structure. A few localites who were present there told us that it was the house of an old lady Kamalamma, who lived there and had dedicated her life in the service of Lord Ranganatha. Amid the wilderness of the thick jungle, she lived all alone in the belief that Ranga was her caretaker. She was accompanied by a few cattle that lived there whose milk was used to distribute buttermilk to pilgrims who arrived there every Saturday after a tiring ascent by foot (before the drivable route was laid out). She is no more, and her tomb is now housed inside the structure where she lived.
Bilikal ranganathaswamy temple, front view of the rock temple
A short climb from this structure is another viewpoint, where one can sit on the rocky outcrop under the shade of the surrounding trees and take in some good views of the valley around. We returned after spending some time there. Overall, this was a pleasant and an offbeat outing from the city.
Things to note:
The temple and the forest check-post are open for public access only on Saturdays. Only one Pooja is offered to the deity, once per week.
The annual temple fair is held here in January when a wooden temple car is assembled and taken around the rock-temple.
All along our way, we observed a lot of fresh elephant dung. Hence, we are certain that the trail is frequented by elephants and other wild animals at all times of the day. As both the routes pass through dense forest, it is recommended to comply with all guidelines laid by the forest department.
Other nearby places that you can combine your visit with:
Shri Govinakallu Anjaneya swami temple (an offroad drive in the same forest limits)
‘Uttarahalli’ translates to ‘Northern Village’ in Kannada. The irony is, it is located in the southern-most part of Bangalore. This is the current place of residence of my family and is also the last post in this series. This home seems like a perfect retirement plan for a family that seeks a little bit of nature in the midst of a bustling metropolitan city.
With very little vacant space available, my parents try to grow their own vegetables and fruits, welcome birds and squirrels to have meals with them and sip their ‘kaapi’ while watching the sun go down. These are some among many other things they do to keep themselves running through the day.
The sparrows in my portico
The area is soaked in rich history as well.. While the ‘Vasantha Vallabharaya swamy temple’ dates back to the Chola era, an adjacent cave is believed to be the place where Rishi Mandavya had meditated.
The Turahalli forest is a small patch of lung space nearby, that joggers, cyclists, conservationists and the realtors all seem to have an eye on!
The latest addition to the landmarks is ISKCON’s ‘Krishna Leela theme park’ located on the Vaikunta hill. The sunrises and rainbows on cloudy days are mesmerizing, adding a backdrop to the view of this temple from my doorstep.
Annual fair of Vasanthavallabha temple, Vasanthapura, Bangalore
This is the last post of this series: “I Belong to Everywhere“. I hope you all have enjoyed time travelling with me hopping on- and off from Bangalore to Kodagu. Which place did you like the most? What place would you want to go after reading my posts? What more do you want to know about, from these places?
Napoklu is a small town located in Madikeri Taluk, in the northern part of Kodagu district. I have spent several memorable holidays here, living a high energy childhood. There are several places of interests for tourists and local pilgrimage that are centered around Napoklu. Some of them are ‘Sri Makki Sastavų temple’, ‘Chelavara waterfalls’ etc. The ‘puttari festival’ is one of the best and the most elaborate one celebrated by the Kodava clan native to Napoklu.
Puttari festival at Kolu Mand
If any of you find a tinge of madness in me, it is likely that it has been due to the influence of my cousin who hails from this town. He has been my closest friend as we both grew up together, roaming farms, fields and streams. On weekends when he didn’t come to our grandparents’ house in Madikeri, we would be roaming together, around the other places that are mentioned in this series of posts.
Although I have spoken about how I developed the awareness for conservation of wildlife in one of my earlier posts, but it is in Napoklu, that I originally imbibed the qualities of empathy for animals. Apart from the cattle, dogs and cats that I was surrounded with in Madikeri, my cousin had birds, fishes, tortoises, rabbits and poultry in his house. They shared a unique bond with him. While during the days, we caught dragonflies with aquarium nets, we chased fireflies at night and trapped them all together in empty glass jars to create a mini ecosystem of our own.
Beetles and ladybugs
If you wonder how I know some names of celebrities from across the globe, it is because we followed them. I watched Formula-One, WWF, Tennis and Cricket without missing a single match or a tournament, because the TV remote would always be with this guy and I had no option. The craziest automobile geek I had ever known, much until I became an automobile engineer and met a few other geeks along the way, was this cousin alone. We traded ‘trump cards’ and fought each other over the ownership rights of the rarest WWF and Cricket cards. We still hold back some of these treasured collections and often reminisce those good days of innocent fun. These are the same things that trigger little momentous joy to me even today and that which helps me spread positive energy.
The Lost Lander 