Begur - Small is Beautiful

One magical Sunday, I got a chance to visit Panchalingeshwara temple in Begur . The whole trip acquired a different connotation in her presence!

I had always thought that Bangalore did not have any grand temples. Perhaps the most powerful dynasties of South India found no reason to be bangalored in those days!! But how my judgment was to be altered and impression to be corrected, is the story behind this post.

 The moment I spotted the temple, I was stuck by its striking resemblance to the famous Dharamrajaratha at Mahabalipuram. It transpired later  that it was indeed inspired by the Pallavan style of architecture.

                                        

                                          The Twin Vimanas

 This is one of the oldest temples in Bangalore, built in ninth century A.D. An inscription found in the temple mentions “Bengaluru” thus pushing the antiquity of the city back by a couple of hundred years.

 The charm of this temple lies in the simplicity of its design. Visiting the temple one can easily understand the plan of the Dravidian style of Temple architecture: Nandi, mandapa, antarala, mahamandapa, garbha griha topped by a pyramidal shikhara,  culminating in a stupa like finial. The temple is enclosed within 4 walls with a tank or a well, a Dhwaja stambha and the enclosed temple complex is to be entered through a Gopuram.

This temple can be model for text book learning on south Indian temple architecture for school going children!!

Let the Lesson begin:

The Dhwaja Stambha

                                                                           

                                             

                                                       The Vrishabha Stambha 

                                                  The Vrishabha on the stambha     

                     

                    

The Nandi Mantapa with granite pillars 

Surya Narayan Swami blessing a devotee!!

Ashta Dikpala panel on the ceiling of Nageshwara temple

The details of the Vimana atop Sri Nagareshwara Temple

The musical ganas

Sri Chandikeshwara shrine  : do snap your fingers

 Sri Parvati Sametha Nageshwara Swamy Templewith the cardinal features

Bali Peetam and the wooden  Deepastambha 

The present temple was built by Western Gangas. Cholas added to the temple later. This temple has five lingas each worshipped for a particular reason. The Nageshvara temple is the oldest. The remaining four shrines –Nagareshvara, Karneshvara, Choleshvara and Kalikarnateshvara were built later.

When we visited the temple construction work was going on and we earnestly prayed that the antiquity of the place was not glitzified!!

          

                     

                                              The Pensive looking Nandi

This temple is not opulent on scale and in ornamentation, yet its appeal lies in its uncluttered use of space. There is no straining of senses trying to devour every frieze and panel with hungry eyes…. just a relaxed unhurried stroll in the temple precinct as many times as one wants.

In the temple compound are found many Veeragals ( Hero Stones) collected from around the town . Some have a few lines of inscriptions , most are damaged . Nevertheless, the heroes of the bygone era , frozen in stone , continue to inspire awe and admiration . If they could talk , what amazing stories of chivalry and pride they'd  narrate ! 

While trying to understand the carvings on the Vrishabha stambha I heard the aarti bells and rushed in. It was a pradosha day and devotees had already taken their spots in the main mandapa. This is also a functioning temple. I was stuck by their devotion. Here I was visiting the temple with a critical eye and next to me in the queue chanting mantras were Siva bhaktas. I was humbled. What is more important, simple faith or beautiful sculptures? After all what were temples built for?

 Begur temple gently reminds us of this truth - faith and simplicity have enriched human life for centuries. And this made the small temple of Begur very beautiful to me.

Surya , Ganga Style . 

The antiquity of this Ganesha is indicated by the presence of only two arms  and the way his legs are folded . Multi armed representations evolved later .