'Xing'ing around ! - Melkote and Srirangapatna, a day trip.

[hotstuff]

Yesterday we made a quick trip to Melkote and Srirangapatna. My inlaws wanted to visit a Narasimha temple (Their 'family god') on the eve of their wedding anniversary and the only Narasimha temples we knew of outside Bangalore are in Sholingur (TN) and Melkote (KA).

Having been to both these places in the past, we thought that Melkote is a better bet this time as it would be a shorter drive, an easier climb up to the temple for the elderly and we could also make a flying visit to Srirangapatna too.

There are two routes that I had taken to Melkote in the past and this is a third route. And by-far this is the smoothest route of the three. Excellent road conditions all the way till Melkote.

Route 1: Mysore road > Just after Mandya take a right turn onto the road which says 'Melkote'. [There are a couple of signs including a Karnataka tourism sign-board indicating Melkote] - This is the shortest route, but the last time I had taken this road the conditions were nothing great to write about.

Route 2: Mysore road > Continue straight after Mandya and much before Srirangapatna you will see a board indicating a road to 'Pandavapura', take that road and you'll reach Pandavapura from where you go on to Melkote. - Road conditions upto Pandavapura were not that great, from PPura to Mkote are great.

Route 3: Mysore road > Continue all the way till you see the big green arch on the road which says 'Welcome to Srirangapatna', just a few feet before the arch, there is a state-highway that goes off to the right. Turn right into that road and you'll find some milestones marked for 'Ballari' and some for 'Pandavapura'. Just go straight on the road, reach Pandavapura. Take the Pandavapura bypass to stay on the highway and follow the signs all the way to Melkote. Though this is a longer route and adds around 23 + 23kms extra on the odo, this is the best road, with almost no potholes and a good road all the way to Melkote.

[When you are driving from S'patna towards Bangalore, you will see signboards indicating that this road goes to Melkote]



To be continued with a small write-up about Melkote and Srirangapatna + A few pix...

[snaronikar]

Hey there is one more Narsimha Temple at Devarayandurga. Comes on Tumkur Road. Nice place to visit. Next time you can try this place.

Continue with travelogue and waiting for pics.

[arindamray]

Man, you are out every week-end, feeling envious . Waiting for the travelogue.

OT: How do you get the directions in Google map? I am not able to find out the interface from maps.google.co.in.

[akroy]

Hotstuff, looks like you are in a hot Xinging spree. Carry on the momentum.
Keep them coming

Abhi

[hotstuff]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Hey there is one more Narsimha Temple at Devarayandurga. Comes on Tumkur Road. Nice place to visit. Next time you can try this place.
Continue with travelogue and waiting for pics.

- Thanks @snaronikar, an incredible coincidence is that I was wondering just earlier today about what is there in Devarayanadurga and wanted to google about it later! [I was on Tumkur road, enroute to 'Sivaganga' and the sign-board had the distance to Devarayanadurga too...]

Originally Posted by arindamray

How do you get the directions in Google map? I am not able to find out the interface from maps.google.co.in.

- Hi Arindam, you have to login into 'maps.google.co.in', then click on 'my maps'. You can go to any map and add in your route, comments etc.

Originally Posted by akroy

Hotstuff, looks like you are in a hot Xinging spree. Carry on the momentum.
Keep them coming
Abhi

- Actually we have been driving around since 2002... intitially it was 'Zipping'-around; [I had a Santro Zipplus], 'Xing'ing around since 2005. Started writing the travelogues this year... I will have to dig up the previous trips / pics and put them on Tbhp. [A project for the coming weekends.]

[hotstuff]

The Melkote drive had been on the cards for more than a month. We had planned to do it over this weekend. While driving back from Kukke Subramanya to Bangalore after our KP trek [http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ive-trek.html] we had noticed that the state highway that goes off to the left after S'patna had a board indicating 'Melkote'. Having tried the other two routes to Melkote in the past, we thought of trying this third route this time. Since we would be driving past S'patna, we pencilled it into our plans.

We started from Bangalore at 6.000am from Airport road, picked up my in-laws and reached Mysore road by around 8.00am. First stop was at Kamat Lokruchi for breakfast. With the number of times we have been landing up at this place of late, I should apply for a 'Loyalty card'...




Reached Srirangapatna next and took the right turn just a few feet before the 'Welcome to S'patna' arch. It is another state highway, so road conditions are good. Almost no potholes / rough stretched all the way till the Melkote mini-ghat section. Melkote is around 135kms from Bangalore, in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district.

Melkote (Previously called Thirunarayanapur) is a town that is more than 1,000 years old, which has been often called the “Badrinath of the South” due to its religious importance. The town is built around a rocky hill called 'Yadavagiri'. It has two main temples, the Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple in the town and the Yoganarasimhaswamy temple on the hilltop.

The story of Melkote Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple goes as follows...
Over its 1000+ year history, this town was developed, destroyed and rebuilt by various Kings. When a Badshah of Delhi captured Melkote, he ransacked the temples of their treasures and razed the structures to the ground.

Saint Ramanujacharya was visiting a nearby town and one night he had a dream in which Thirunarayanaswamy asked him to unearth his idol from the ruins of the destoyed temple. With the help of King Vishnuvardhana, he recovered the idol of Cheluvanarayanaswamy and rebuilt the temple.

Most temples have two or more versions of the main diety, one is the 'Moola-murthy'-the main idol and the other is the 'Utsava-murthy'-the idol used for processions and other festivities. The 'Utsava-murthy' of the temple has been carried away by the Badshah as war booty. Since the idol is beautiful, it caught the fancy of his daughter(?) Bibi Nachiyar and she had the idol with her.

Ramanujacharya approached the Badshah of Delhi and convinced him to return the idol. This Utsava-murthy is also called Ramapriya (There is a connection to the Ramayana, where the idol was apparently created for Lord Ram...) When the idol was brought back to Melkote, Bibi Nachiyar could not bear to be away from the idol and followed it to Melkote. She lived in Melkote for the rest of her life and a small idol of her was built at the feet of the Utsavamurthy to commemorate her memory.

The first historic structure you see in Melkote is a 'Mantapa', nothing so spectacular, but worth a stop anyway...



You'll find structures like this in almost every historical place in south India. They were built as shelters / rest-houses for travelers visiting these towns...



Next you see the 'Kalyani' tank. This is at the base of the Yoganarasimhaswamy temple hill. The Mantapa near the Kalyani...



It is believed that Prahlada himself installed the Yoganarasimha idol on this hill. A temple was built later and is said to been developed into it's current design during the times of the Hoysalas. There is a huge drum at the temple, which was donated by Tipu Sultan, it is still used during the ritual poojas. A sign-board explaining the significance of the temple...



From the place where the road ends, there are 225 steps to the top...



For the elderly who cannot walk up on their own, a 'Doli' can be hired...



As with most old temples built in the hills, this one has its own resident monkey population. They grab any plastics covers, food articles, water bottles...



A view of the surroundings from the top. The view around is much better just after the monsoon rains...






The climb to the top takes anywhere between 10mins - 30mins depending on how fit you are...



A view of the Kalyani from the top...



The Yoganarasimhaswamy temple entrance...



After Monkeys, there are goats too...



Near the entrance to the temple...



There is a cave below the temple called 'Bilaswarga', which is now closed to visitors. [There was apparently closed after the Jan 08 robbery at the temple when jewellery worth Rs.1.5 crores was stolen from the temple.] This cave goes right under Lord Narasimhaswamy’s idol...



The Gopuram of the temple...



Stucco work on the gopuram...



In one corner of the temple, gaint footprints of God are carved close to the edge of the cliff...



The benefactors of the temple, immortalized in stone...



The entrance of the temple...



You get a great view of Melkote and the surroundings from the top...



The descent is relatively easier...



A view of the temple...



Continued...

[hotstuff]

Next stop was the Melkote Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple. Since the temple was razed to the ground and then rebuilt, you can see that different parts of the temple displays varied architectural styles and the temple is not as perfectly symmetrical as many other ancient Hindu temples. For example, the Mantapa to the left of the temple is quite plain and has simple pillars, whereas the mantapas to the rear and right side of the temple have incredibly ornate pillars....





Each pillar has a different design...



Extremely intricate stonework...




A horse used for the ritual processions...



Garuda...



Next stop was at the 'Akka-Tangi' kola. (Sister tanks) Two near identical tanks built right next to each other. One is supposed to have sweet water, the other has salty water. Don’t bother tasting from either tank, both of them now have dirty water :-(



We stopped for lunch at a Mantapa on the way to the next stop 'Dhanushkoti'. Mantapa's like this were built in the ancient times as shelter for weary travelers and it is a eerie feeling to think that even centuries ago, people would have stopped here for lunch just like us...



On top of a nearby hill, there is a place called 'Dhanushkoti'. There are tunnel-like formations in the rock, supposed to have been created when Rama shot arrows into the rock to get water for Sita. There are some small shrines around this place...



It is a short climb up from the road...




Footprints of Rama, carved into the rocks...



The 'Raya Gopura'. A giant gate like structure built on a hillock. It looks like it was supposed to be a gate to a temple or a fort, but construction was abandoned midway. This was also a location for the 'Barso re' song from the Maniratnam movie 'Guru'...



Some carvings on the 'Raya Gopura'...



After Raya Gopura, we headed back towards Srirangapatna. The road from Melkote to S'patna...



Somewhere along the way, there was a sweet smell of burning sugarcane wafting in the air. Sangeetha asked what that smell was... having spent a lot of time in Davanagere, I guessed that there was jaggery being made somewhere nearby. Sure enough there was a Jaggery making unit nearby. Stopped the car to go take a look...



Jaggery is made from Sugarcane, which is abundant in the area around Mandya...



Jaggery is first crushed to extract the juice...



The juice is then boiled for a few hours in open vessels…



The crushed cane is the fuel for the fire, producing the sweetish smell that drew us to this place...



The boiled - condensed juice is then allowed to cool and it is mixed constantly to get the proper consistency...



When the jaggery reaches the correct consistency, it is then put into moulds to get the shape...



It is then allowed to solidify fully...



Jaggery blocks are taken out of the moulds and packed to be sent to the market...



Fresh Jaggery Tastes good! You can’t eat too much of it though...


Contd...

[hotstuff]

First stop in Srirangapatna was at the Ranganathaswamy temple. [Remember! this was primarily a temple trip.] A board indicating the significance of the temple...



His Car... and my car...



The Ranganathaswamy temple was built around 1100 years ago and had been added to and developed by different kings. Srirangapatna gets its name from this deity. Since it was built before the art of stone carving was fully mastered, the core structure is quite simple and functional. You wont find the level of craftsmanship you can see in Hampi...



The mantapa of the temple...



The entrance gopuram of the temple...



Srirangapatna as such does not have so many monuments / places of interest. So a couple of hours is enough to cover all the important places. Srirangapatna is actually an island, formed by the Cauvery, which splits into two and then rejoins at a place called Sangam.



Colonel Balley's dungeons. This was a place where prisoners of war were imprisoned and tortured. The place is name after a Colonel Balley who died here…



A Cannon that is supposed to have rolled back from the fort wall nearby when it was fired during a war and crashed through the roof of the dungeons. It is too heavy to be moved, else would have been taken out to be sold as scrap iron in recent times, which was the fate of most of the other smaller cannons...



The dungeons...



Lal-Mahal. That was once the site of Tipu's palace. Only the foundations and a couple of small walls can be seen now...



The 'Water gate'. An opening in the fort wall which was used to fetch water from the river. This was the passage through which the British troops breached the defenses of the fort...



The place where Tipu's body was found...



Another dungeon in the fort...




The Jamia Masjid...



The avenue that leads to the Darya Daulat Bagh palace - Tipu's summer palace. This is also a museum with artifacts related to Tipu, Hyder etc. displayed here...



The 'Gumbaz'. Which was originally built by Tipu as a tomb for his parent. Where Tipu also was eventually buried. There are numerous other tombs surrounding the Gumbaz, where the deceased from the royal family were buried...





The masjid next to the Gumbaz...



The ornately painted dome of the Gumbaz...



The tombs of Tipu's mother Fatima Begum, Haider Ali and Tipu...



The ebony doors decorated with ivory which was presented by Lord Dalhousie...



A view of the 'Masjid-e-aksa'...



'Sangam' where the two branches of the Cauvery meet again...



'Teppa' - coracles or country boats...



Sunset at the Sangam...


We started our drive back at around 6.30pm from Srirangapatna and stopped over at Lokruchi for dinner. We were expecting the normal weekend crowd, but for some reason we found the place relatively empty.

Started from Lokruchi at around 9.15pm and after dropping my in-laws, we were back home by around 11pm. Total distance covered from start to stop was 402kms.


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Where to next ?

[arsudarsan]

Wonderful travelouge hotstuff. We are planning a trip to Melkote and Srirangapatna next month. If you can, please mention the timings on when the temples will be open. Last time we went there, the Narasimha temple was closed. We could only visit Cheluvanarayana temple. Climbing up Narasimha temple second time was not possible since my mother had some issues.

[hotstuff]

Originally Posted by arsudarsan

Wonderful travelouge hotstuff. We are planning a trip to Melkote and Srirangapatna next month. If you can, please mention the timings on when the temples will be open. Last time we went there, the Narasimha temple was closed. We could only visit Cheluvanarayana temple. Climbing up Narasimha temple second time was not possible since my mother had some issues.

The 'standard' timings for the Melkote temples are Morning 8.00am to 1.00pm and evening 4.30pm to 7.30pm. However the timings seem to get extended a little during weekends and on occasions when there is a heavy influx of pilgrims.

A day before you start off your trip, you can call the folks below to get an update on the timings and the crowd for the particular day.

Cheluvanarayana temple:
Sri S. Narasaraja Bhat,
Pradhana Archaka,
Tel:08236 - 298913
Mobile:9448754696 & 9448813124

Yoga Narasimha Temple:
Sri S. Narayana Bhat,
Pradhana Archaka,
Mobile:94484 12656

As you are taking your mom, it is preferable to avoid going there during any special festival days. There might be a longer than usual standing in queue for darshan. [Check out if you can a day off during the middle of the week, all these places will be devoid of crowds.]

Also, ensure that you drive up the hill to the point where the road ends. [Near the mobile phone towers on the hill]. A narrow road that leads past the Kalyani goes there. Looks like quite a few people prefer to park near the Kalyani and walk all the way up, which may not be ideal for the elderly.

(* For bio-breaks, there are clean 'Pay and use' toilets in Melkote town, keep looking towards your left while driving from the hill temple towards the Cheluvanaraya temple. There is a small school and the toilet block is in the corner next to the school.)


Ranganathaswamy temple - Srirangapatna.
Temple timings 7.30am to 1.00pm, 4.00pm to 7.30pm.

(* There is a 'pay and use' toilet here in the ground next to the parking area)


Suggested trip would be:
[1] Start early from Bangalore - By around 5.30am.
[2] Stop over at Lokruchi for breakfast.
[3] Reach Melkote hill temple by 9.00am and complete the darshan.
[4] Reach the Cheluvanarayana temple by 11.30am and complete darshan.
[5] Carry packed lunch (Curd-rice?), so that you can stop in some shade and finish lunch.
[6] Drive around to the 'Raya Gopura', 'Akka-Tangi' kola. [Dhanushkoti requires some climbing up, not advisable for the elderly.]
[7] It is @45 minutes drive from Melkote to Srirangapatna.
[8] Since the temple opens at 4.00pm, finish seeing the places nearby. [The dungeon, the Jamia masjid, Tipu's palace ruins and the place where Tipu's body was found are all within a 2km radius from the Ranganathaswamy temple. The Darya-daulat bagh palace, Gumbaz (Tipu's tomb) and Sangam are within 5 - 6 kms on the other side of Mysore road.]

* Other than the temple which is open till 7.30pm, Gumbaz - open till 6.30pm, Sangam - will have people around till 6.00pm, the other places like Darya-daulat bagh, the Dungeons, Tipu's palace ruins etc. will close at 5.00pm, so plan accordingly.

[arsudarsan]

Originally Posted by hotstuff

Also, ensure that you drive up the hill to the point where the road ends. [Near the mobile phone towers on the hill]. A narrow road that leads past the Kalyani goes there. Looks like quite a few people prefer to park near the Kalyani and walk all the way up, which may not be ideal for the elderly.

Thanks hotstuff for the information. Last time we went there, we did drive till the place you have mentioned. We also have a plan to visit Doddamallur on the way or while coming back.

[kaushik_s]

Very well informed travelogue and adequately backed with photographs. Will surely visit this place (mostly after the rains, these days the dry brownish scenarios are putting me off).

[hotstuff]

Originally Posted by kaushik_s

Very well informed travelogue and adequately backed with photographs. Will surely visit this place (mostly after the rains, these days the dry brownish scenarios are putting me off).

Thanks kaushik!

True, if you are visiting places like Melkote / Shivagange etc. for religious purposes, then any time is good time. However if you want to enjoy the scenic beauty, the best time is probably a couple of months after the monsoon starts - all the way till end of November.

[BomBatt]

Hotstuff ! wonder why all your travelogues bring back memories of trips I have done in the past...

Been to Melkote 2-3 years back with wifey, my sister, and her kids. On the way back to Bangalore, we too stopped at one of the jaggery factory, and the kids had a great time there.

But you missed one thing in Melkote. Iyengari Puliogare ! It was very hot in the afternoon, and we were hungry. We went to a small hotel somewhere near the temple and had puliogare for lunch. It was yummy and tasted awesome.

Also, famous Kannada poet Pu Ti Na (Purohita Tirunarayana Narasimhachar) belongs to Melkote and we did see his house there.

One more interesting fact for you to know would be, I have also spent a lot of time in Davangere ! 3 years as a kid and again later 3 years of my college life ! So many sweet memories.

All in all, nice travelogue. Great stuff from you hotstuff

[snaronikar]

Nice stuff hotstuff. It sure looks more attractive after seeing your pics. This will surely lure many bhpians to visit here (if they re interested in religious places).