Thread by @Hiddenheritage

A linga surrounded by 108 miniature lingas! Carved on rock on the banks of the Tungabhadra. Those who haven't been to #Hampi have missed the finest Indian heritage site of all. #Karnatakatrail.

#Karnatakatrail: One of the finest heritage sites of the state at Kanaganahalli, near Sannati, #Yadgir. Excavated stupa comparable to Sanchi. Remains frm Mauryan-Late Satavahana period, frm 3rd cen BCE. Grt set of carved columns, cant be photographed though. Under restoration.

#Karnatakatrail: The excavation of the Adhaloka Mahachaitya, over 2 decades, has thrown up over 200 Brahmi inscriptions, depictions of Ashoka & of several Satavahana monarchs, stories frm the Jatakas, of the Buddha and more. Remains show a sculpted circle similar to Sanchi.

My third #Karnatakatrail began this week. Armed with info shared by @TeamGSquare, was intrigued by the sheer no of heritage sites in undivided Gulbarga district (Yadgir was separated in 2010), possibly the highest in the state. Over nxt few weeks, will share stuff frm this region

@TeamGSquare #Karnatakatrail: A nugget frm Bodhan, 35 kms north of Aland, close to the Maharashtra border, #Gulbarga dist. In the old entrance gateway to the village, found a complete Saptamatrika panel embedded. Antiquity unknown. Place has a 12th cen CE Chalukya temple, now entirely rebuilt

@TeamGSquare #Karnatakatrail: The Mallikarjuna temple at Petha Shirur, #Gulbarga dist, accessed via a labyrinth of village lanes. It survives only because it is still worshipped in. 12th century CE, Chalukyan.

@TeamGSquare #Karnatakatrail: Staying with Petha Shirur, #Gulbarga- a shrine that exists below current street level, contains a seated Tirthankara & a loose sculpture of a goddess. Locals incorrectly call this #Jain Basadi it 'Buddhan Gudi', making it hard to locate.

@TeamGSquare #Karnatakatrail: Good to see a group of 12th century CE temples still in worship. Located in a grove of trees, Handaraki vil, #Yadgir dist. Date to the Kalyana Chalukya period, with a large inscription still present in the main shrine.

@TeamGSquare #Karnatakatrail: The Amriteshvara Temple in Ganvar vil, #Yadgir has a new-looking structure. Chanced upon this panchmukhi linga in a corner, the fifth face being on top. Date unknown. Pity the locals could not integrate this into the contemporary shrine.

@TeamGSquare #Karnatakatrail: Found this interesting object, possibly a yantra used in worship. In a temple complex known as Kshetrapala, close to Narona vil, abt 37 kms NW of #Gulbarga. The object has not been dated though the vil has an inscription of the 11th-12th cen CE period.

@TeamGSquare #Karnatakatrail: Pics from the ruins of Firozabad, abt 30 kms south of #Gulbarga. A failed attempt by the Bahmani ruler Firoz Shah (reign 1397-1422) to build a new city. Another site that reminds one of Ozymandias!

@TeamGSquare #Karnatakatrail: An interesting depiction. A lion's body with a man's face but with horns on top. Taken from a temple in Sirwal vil, #Yadgir dist. More abt this place tomorrow.

@TeamGSquare Long before the #Bahubali at #Shravanabelagola, there was another, which possibly served as a prototype. This 10-ft plus, 8th century CE icon was found as recently as 2016. Arethippur, #Mandya dist, #Karnatakatrail. Like its better known counterpart, stands on a hilltop.

@TeamGSquare @ReclaimTemples @truejainology #Karnatakatrail: A treat for all those who love heritage structures associated with water - the magnificent pushkarni at Melukote, #Mandya dist. Conservation has been funded by @Infy_Foundation

@TeamGSquare @ReclaimTemples @truejainology @Infy_Foundation #Karnatakatrail: The stepped tanks of Melukote, #Mandya dist are delightful. Such as these twin tanks named Akka-Tangiyara, after an older and younger sister.

@TeamGSquare @ReclaimTemples @truejainology @Infy_Foundation @DelhiHeritage #Karnatakatrail: Dhanushkodi, the hillside site of a Chola-era cave shrine which remains in worship. Outside Melukote, #Mandya dist.

@TeamGSquare @ReclaimTemples @truejainology @Infy_Foundation @DelhiHeritage #Hoysala magic on the #Karnatakatrail. The back of the 13th century CE Lakshminarayana temple at Hosaholalu, #Mandya dist. Literally, stories carved in stone.

@TeamGSquare @ReclaimTemples @truejainology @Infy_Foundation @DelhiHeritage Tirthankaras, inscriptions and temples at the 10th century CE Panchakuta Basadi #Jain temple complex, Kambadahalli, #Mandya dist. Close to the iconic #Shravanabelagola.

@TeamGSquare @ReclaimTemples @truejainology @Infy_Foundation @DelhiHeritage #Karnatakatrail: Came across the Brahmeshvara temple, another #Hoysala gem, in a corner of Kikkeri vil, #Mandya dist. 12th century CE.

@TeamGSquare @ReclaimTemples @truejainology @Infy_Foundation @DelhiHeritage #Karnatakatrail: From the ancient to the modern. RK Narayan's house, #Mysore, now a museum. Look at the natural light, the flooring, that tower, the books. I could spend a lifetime here. Even more convinced that builders of today lack an iota of aesthetic sense.

@TeamGSquare @ReclaimTemples @truejainology @Infy_Foundation @DelhiHeritage #Karnatakatrail: Once in #Mysore, I did what tourist do and visited the Shell Museum. Some that caught the eye.

#Karnatakatrail: The beauty of temple architecture is observed in so many ways in a place like #Melukote. They don't make corners like this any more.