DAY 224 - BANGALORE

224) MONDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 1978 : 0KMS. - BANGALORE

 

My visa will be expiring on 11.03.1978, I applied  for several  entries visa so that I could stay in India each time for three months.  However, it ‘s not a problem as I wanted to fly home.

 

Nandi Temple - Photo wikipedia.org / Google images search

  

WIKIPEDIA :
Nandi Temple is exclusively for the worship of the sacred bull (Basava in Kannada) in Hinduism, known as Nandi, Lord Shiva's vahana. The word "nandi" means "joyful" in Sanskrit.

The temple was built in 1537 by a local ruler under the Vijayanagara empire in the Vijayanagara architectural style. The ruler, a feudatory chief named Kempe Gowda, also founded the city of Bangalore. The temple is named after the large granite Nandi monolith placed on a plinth in the temple shrine (garbhagriha) which has become blackened from years of being rubbed with charcoal and oil. The temple is a small one, consisting only of the shrine fronted by a porch in the Vijayanagara style. The current tower (vimana) over the shrine was constructed in the early 20th century and is adorned with Saivite figures and motifs.

Nandi / Bull Temple - Photo : wikipedia.org / Google images search

 

DAY 223. - BANGALORE

223) SUNDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 1978 : 143KMS. - BANGALORE

From SHRAVANBELAGOLA,  we travelled  to the regional capital city of BANGALORE in  KARNATAKA, which is known as a great place to live because of the comprehensive plan that focuses on fresh greenery of the trees. 

BANGALORE Palace - Photo : wikipedia.org / Google images search

WIKITRAVEL:

For many years, Bangalore was known throughout India as the most green, liberal and forward-thinking city. In recent years, these attributes have propelled Bangalore to the forefront of the high-tech industry boom in India, and it currently ranks as India's most developed city and one of the world's fastest growing urban areas.

The name Bangalore appears to come from an Anglicisation of the native name "Bengaluru" - an adaptation of the earlier name in Kannada: Benda Kaalu Uru (The Town of Boiled Beans). Apparently this rather humble name was bequeathed to the city by King Vira Ballala. Once while lost in the area, he was offered boiled beans by an old woman, and it was out of gratitude that he named the area after this simple offering.

Vidhan Soudha, BANGALORE - Photo : tejasri.in / Bing images search

 

Vidhan Soudha or the State Secretariat : It was built in 1954 and is the main attraction of this city. It is a marvel of modern architecture and is a fine amalgamation of traditional Dravidian and modern styles. Cubbon Park, the 120-hectare park located near the Vidhan Soudha, has a number of neo-classical styled government buildings. (tejsri.in)

 

DAY 222 - SHRAVAN BELAGOLA

222) SATURDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 1978: 80KMS. - SHRAVAN BELAGOLA

   

We continued  our route to SHRAVANBELAGOLA , the city center of JAIN religion.

 

SHARAVANBELAGOLA - Photo :   Ilya Mauter / wikimedia.org (Bing images)

WIKIPEDIA : 

JAINISM  : It refers to a battle with the passions and bodily pleasures that the Jain ascetics undertake. Those who win this battle are termed as Jina (conqueror). The term Jaina is therefore used to refer to laymen and ascetics of this tradition alike. Jainism is one of the oldest religions in the world.

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Gommateshvara Statue, SHRAVANBelaGOL - http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com

WIKIPEDIA: 

The 57-feet tall monolithic statue of Gommateshvara is located on Vindyagiri Hill. It is considered to be the world's largest monolithic stone statue. The base of the statue has an inscriptions in Kannada as well as the oldest evidence of written Marathi, ie devnagari script, dating from 981 AD.  

Gommateshvara Statue, SHRAVANBELAGOLA - http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com

The inscription praises the king who funded the effort and his general, Chavundaraya, who erected the statue for his mother. Every twelve years, thousands of devotees congregate here to perform the Mahamastakabhisheka, a spectacular ceremony in which the statue is covered with milk, curds, ghee, saffron and gold coins. The next Mahamastakabhisheka will be held in 2018.

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DAY 221 - HALEBID / HALEBIDU

221) FRIDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 1978 : 16KMS. - HALEBID / HALEBIDU

 

We left  BELUR and continued our visit to  a Hindu temple HALEBID, of which the art of construction is Hoysala architecture (Wikipedia),  similar to temples in BELUR.

Kedareshwara Temple, HALEBIDU - Photo : Dineshkanambadi / wikipedia.org (Bing)

Hindu temple at HOYSALESWARA HALEBID - Photo :  Dineshkanambadi / wikipedia.org (Bing)

WIKIPEDIA: 

The temple complex comprises two Hindu temples, the Hoysaleshawara and Kedareshwara temples and two Jain basadi. In front of these temples there is a big lake. The town gets its name from the lake, Dwara samudhra which means entrance from ocean .....


 

Lakshaminarayana, HALEBIDU - Photo : Dineshkanambadi / wikipedia.org (Bing images)

The Hoysaleswara temple, dating back to the 1121 CE, is astounding for its wealth of sculptural details. The walls of the temple are covered with an endless variety of depictions from Hindu mythology, animals, birds and Shilabalikas or dancing figures. Yet no two sculptures of the temple are the same.

Fine stone-carving, HALEBIDU - Photo : Pratheepps / wikipedia.org ( Google images)

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