Thread by @nirbhaavuka

Thread:
"ಬಂದಳಿಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿನ ದೇವಾಲಯಗಳ ಸಮೂಹ"
"Group of Temples at Bandaḷiké"

Location:
ಶಿವಮೊಗ್ಗ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಶಿಕಾರಿಪುರ ತಾಲೂಕು
Śikàripura Tk, Śivamogga Dt.

Nearest town - Śirāḷakoppa

Bandaḷiké, aka Bandaṇiké/Bāndhavapura/Bāndhavanagara was a town of importance in the Nāgarakhanḍa70 kampaṇa of Kuntaḷa Dēśa's Banavāsi 12000 manḍala comprising 70 villages. Today, it is the last village within the borders of Śivamogga district towards Hāvēri district.

Importance of the place is staunchly corroborated by a startling "31 stone inscriptions", barring numerous vīragallugaḷu (hero stones) unearthed within the village limits.

Inscriptions belong to and affirm that the Bandaḷiké was a prominent town during the rules of Rāśṭrakūṭa, Kadamba, Kalyāṇa Cālukya, Sēuṇa, Kalacūri, Hoysaḷa, Vijayanagara empires over centuries starting from 7th Century CE up until late 16th Century CE.

Given the Jaina inclinations of many earlier dynasties, the town was an important Jaina Tīrtha too, apart from the Vaidika Traditions thriving in the place. Kālāmukha Śaiva sect bloomed around the place with exuberant reverence by the rulers.

The 31 inscriptions found within the temple premisis refers to Kings, Queens, Sāmantas, Gurus, Sallekhana Vratas, Grants to Agrahāras, legends with herostones and mahāsatikallu (māstigallu).
There are a total of 5 (or 6) prominent monuments in the group.

1. Śāntinātha Jaina Basadi
2. Trimūrti Nārāyaṇa Dēvasthāna
3. Sōmēśvara Dēvasthāna
4. Vīrabhadrēśvara + Sahasralinga Guḍi
5. Mahānavami Manṭapa

6. Banadammana Dēvasthāna

Śāntinātha Jaina Basadi is situated on the Bandaḷiké tank bund (Nāgarakéré) facing E, aligned in the E-W directions with garbhaguḍi (devoid of mūrti), an antarāḷa, an ardhamanṭapa (4 pillars) & a mukhamanṭapa (32 pillars) & 3 entrances in N-E-S directions.

Pic: E entrance.

The basadi was consecrated by one Jakkiyabbé, whose husband died in a war at the orders of Kannara Dēva (Krishna II) of Rāṣṭrakūṭa Dynasty.
Exact date of construction is not known from among the available inscriptions on site although one inscription mentions of grants.

An interesting part of this basadi are the pillar inscriptions giving references to the Jaina Tīrtha and Jaina Poets of the corresponding era.

The most astonishing feature of this basadi are the citrakāvya - citrabandha pillar inscriptions wherein poems are composed eulogizing the Jinadēva or the king set to a peculiar form or a structure which ultimately resembles a figure.

Few other poems are composed using the anulōma pratilōma techniques where in reading the poem L-R returns one meaning and reading the way around another. Observe the matrix for one such poem in the first pic.

Next is the Trimūrti Nārāyaṇa Dēvasthāna, some 200m away from the Śāntinātha Basadi, facing E, aligned in the E-W directions. This is a trikūṭācala dēvasthāna with two liṅgas & a viṣṇu mūrti in the three garbhagṛhas.
The central vimāna has been either destroyed or fallen.

Trimūrti Nārāyaṇa Dēvasthāna was built in 1160CE and is the largest in the group. The ornamental doorways are a feast to eyes.

Lalāṭabimba or the lintels are adorned with beautiful variants of Gajalakṣmī, viṣṇu and śiva idols with lovely makaratōraṇa.

The next important temple is the Sōmēśvara Dēvasthāna, another 150m away from Trimūrti Nārāyaṇa Dēvasthāna. This is also known as Ānékālu Sōmayya Dēvasthāna or the Boppēśvara Dēvasthāna, owing to one Boppa Seṭṭi who built the temple.
Pic: Exterior walls with a madhyabandha

This temples is rather very simple in it's outlook, but houses some amazing detailed artworks. May it be the lalāṭabimba or the jālandhra (window), each one makes you go WOW.

Here comes the best part of this rather unappealing plain temple - the windows. Pic 1: Rāmāyaṇa Epic
Pic 2: Mahābhārata Epic

Literally, these epics lead us towards lights. What a thoughtful way of sculpting a temple! 🙏

I'll further explain each frieze of each window pane starting from the bottom. Rāmayaṇa, the left window first and then Mahābhārata, the right window.

Rāmāyaṇa 1st frieze:

Rājā Daśaratha with Kausalyā, Kaikā & Sumitrā.

Śrī Rāma Paṭṭābhiṣēka preparations.

Rāma going on vanavāsa with Sītā & Lakṣmaṇa.

Rāmāyaṇa 2nd frieze:

Rāma-Lakṣmaṇa fighting Khara-Dūṣaṇa.

Rāmāyaṇa 3rd frieze:

Rāma-Lakṣmaṇa chasing Mārīca.

Rāma killing the golden deer.

Rāvaṇa approaching Sītādēvi disguised as a sage asking for alms.

Rāvaṇa, in his entirety, abducting Sītādēvi.

Rāmāyaṇa 4th frieze:

Rāma's meet with the vānarasēné.

Vānarasēné building bridge using boulders and rocks - the Rāmasētu.

Rāmāyaṇa 5th frieze:

Fierce battle between Vānarasēné and Rāvaṇasēné.

Rāma-Lakṣmaṇ on the extreme right.

Rāmāyaṇa 6th frieze:

Rāma takes upon Rāvaṇa.

Sītā-Lakṣmaṇa-Vānarasēné seen along with.

Rāmāyaṇa 7th frieze - the topmost frieze:

Rāvaṇa is shown seated in his court whereas a sad Sītādēvi lamenting in the Aśōkavana.

Now Mahābhārata 1sr frieze:

Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas playing the dice game.

Bhīmasēna uprooting a tree housing the Kauravas.

Mahābhārata 2nd frieze:

Arjuna taking on Karṇa in the Kurukṣētra yuddha.

To the extreme right is the gōgrahaṇa.

Mahābhārata 3rd frieze:

Bhīṣmārjuna kāḷaga.

Bhīmasēna slaining Duśśāsana.

Draupadi drenching her "śrīmuḍi" with Duśśāsana's blood.

Drōṇārjuna kāḷaga.

Mahābhārata 4th frieze:

Karṇārjuna yuddha continued.

Mahābhārata 5th frieze:

Bhimā taking upon Bhagadatta and his gaja named Supratīka.

Mahābhārata 6th frieze:

Bhīmasēna fighting Duryōdhana.

Mahābhārata 7th frieze:

Trimūrtis, gaṇas and gandharvas witnessing the Kurukṣētra Yuddha.

Window panes as seen from inside:

Primitive looking Vīrabhadrēśvara+Sahasralinga Guḍi

A framed view of Trimūrti Nārāyaṇa Dēvasthāna from the Vīrabhadrēśvara + Sahasralinga Guḍi.

Beautiful patterns along the doorway of Sōmēśvara Dēvasthāna.

Herostones (ವೀರಗಲ್ಲುಗಳು), Mahāsati Stones (ಮಾಸ್ತಿಗಲ್ಲುಗಳು) in the temple premisis.

A wide angle pic with Vīrabhadrēśvara+Sahasralinga Guḍi in the left and Sōmēśvara Dēvasthāna in the right.

Mahānavami Manṭapa and Banadammana Dēvasthāna - I could not cover during this trip and am on toes to visit them in my next trip. The legend of how Banadammana (Banaśankari) settled in the village of Bandaḷiké is equally fascinating and I shall save it for later.

**** End of the Thread ****

ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ದೀಪಾವಳಿಯ ಹಾರ್ದಿಕ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು.

सर्वेभ्यः दीपावली पर्वणः शुभकामनाः।

அனைவருக்கும் தீபாவளி நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

సమస్త ఆస్తిక బంధువులకు దీపావళి శుభాకాంక్షలు.

A very happy deepāvaḷi to all you āstika bāndhavas.

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

@threadreaderapp unroll