[DrVjy]

I had been planning for quite some time to visit the Bhuvarahaswamy temple located close to Mysore at a village called Kalahalli. The temple is relatively new, with construction started some 2 years back and is presently managed by His Holiness, the Swamiji of Parakala Mutt, Mysore. Lord Bhuvarahaswamy (Boar Avatar of Lord Vishnu) with Goddess Bhudevi is the presiding deity, manifested in a large idol reaching some 5 m height, I guess. The temple is located on the banks of the Hemavati river, and with this river flowing full now, it was simply an experience to remember.

As is typical when a weekend nears, the visit was a last minute decision, precisely around 2130 hrs on the previous night of Fri, 31-Oct-2014! The only info I had was from the forum post on this temple over 2 years back and was unsure of how road conditions would have changed by now. See http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...my-mandya.html. I therefore decided to do most of the drive on our good old SH-17 (Bangalore- Mysore) and take a deviation only at Pandavpura close to Srirangapatna.

After an average quality sleep, thanks to the last minute decision, we (I, my wife and kid) got starting quite slowly, and were heading off only by 0845 hrs from our home in Rajajinagar. I had entered the GPS coords of the temple into my trusted Garmin the previous night. The coordinates had been estimated from Google maps, though I activated the navigation only after I took the deviation from SH-17. My i10 had been serviced a week back so I had no worries on that front, but as I have a high sensitivity to petrol quality, that meant first heading to my trusted Nagpal's garage (Bharat Petroleum) near MG road for tanking up 'Speed', and then onward to the NICE road from Banashankari to Kengeri in an effort to compensate for the time spent going towards MG road!

We finally got to Kengeri from the NICE road by 0955 hrs. Being a holiday weekend (Kannada Rajyotsava), there was the expected very sluggish flow of traffic especially thru Mandya town, letting me touch Pandavpura only by something like 1300 hrs. From thereon, my GPS did a fairly good job but I had to override it at a couple of places, giving priority to the signboards for the temple. The route from Pandavpura to the temple is 90 to 95% good, meaning I could do 60+ kmph, although it was a meandering one. But one has to watch out for those notorious village humps that make surprise appearances every now and then. These humps are, well, locally hand built, with stone set into asphalt, something that can destroy all fast vehicles but battle tanks, I guess. Short broken road spots also were there at some 10 to 15 places, slowing me down to near zero speed to avoid damaging my car's suspensions.

I reached the temple by 1400 hrs. The temple stays open till 1730 hrs, with no break in poojas for now. This is of course keeping in mind the large number of devotees mostly coming from Bangalore and arriving all the time. Parking was no issue although the dozen and odd flower and pooja item sellers around were fussy to ensure our car didn't block them from view of other customers!

The temple's Sanctum Sanctorum and main Gopuram are complete as the pic above shows. Darshan was nearly immediate as there were not too many devotees and my wife contributed INR 1001/- as well for the next Abisheka ceremony of the Lord. What impressed me was the generous hot food (Sambar + Rice) in Betel leaf plates they were serving everyone turning up at the temple, something I was badly in need of, after that non- stop drive of 170 km from Bangalore. But one certainly needs to carry drinking water bottles although in a dire emergency, one could buy it (at above MRP) from one shop there.

After darshan, the river Hemavati beckoned us. We got onto a coracle for a ride (INR 100/- per coracle) upto an island some 1/2 km away where I could see dozens of pelicans at their nests.



It was then I realized my 'wisdom' of not having got my Canon along and had to stay contended instead with pics from my Nokia mobile, with 5 MP. All the pics you see here are from the Nokia.



We started back home by 1600 hrs, stopping at an ancient temple along the way, of Lord Anantha Padmanabha swamy at a place called Budhanoor, just after Mandya town when driving towards Bangalore. This temple, now an archeological monument, was apparently built by a Hoysala king and has well preserved architecture and sculptures. The unique feature is that rather than the Shayana (Sleeping) pose that is typical of Lord Anantha Padmanabha, He is in Sthiti (Standing) pose here. My wife had informed the local priest over mobile of our coming over and he was patiently waiting for us. Following a quick darshan, we had ample much- needed prasadam of my favourite Panchamrutham (Bananas+ Jaggery+ Cashews+ Coconuts). Following this, we also made a quick visit to the companion temple, of Lord Kasi Viswanatha, some 500 m away.

We next stopped at A2B (BestInn's Break) few km ahead where I had sufficing Parathas and best of all, two steaming cups of Ginger-, and Lemon Black Tea, something that relieved a headache I had been sustaining nearly all day. Refreshed, I managed to get to Bangalore in just 90 min, touching Banashankari by 2115 hrs. I had done some 341 km in all, on reaching my home at Rajajinagar. Although with a rush- related stress, it was one great weekend drive to remember, surely.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by DrVjy

I had been planning for quite some time to visit the Bhuvarahaswamy temple located close to Mysore at a village called Kalahalli. .

There is one more Bhuvarahaswamy temple in a place called Srimushnam near Vriddhachalam. The temple is so big while the statue of the preceding deity is small. Do plan to visit this holy place.

[DrVjy]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

There is one more Bhuvarahaswamy temple in a place called Srimushnam near Vriddhachalam. The temple is so big while the statue of the preceding deity is small. Do plan to visit this holy place.

Thanks, @suresh_gs. I would try to make it there as well sometime. Long back I have been to Thiruvidandai, a DivyaDesham on Chennai- Mahabalipuram route where there is also a large manifestation of Lord Bhuvarahar in standing pose. Perhaps you might have visited the place.

[ankan.m.blr]

Originally Posted by DrVjy

We started back home by 1600 hrs, stopping at an ancient temple along the way, of Lord Anantha Padmanabha swamy at a place called Budhanoor, just after Mandya town when driving towards Bangalore. This temple, now an archeological monument, was apparently built by a Hoysala king and has well preserved architecture and sculptures.

Nice day trip , thanks for sharing. Kindly mention G-maps location of both the temples.

[DrVjy]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Nice day trip , thanks for sharing. Kindly mention G-maps location of both the temples.

Thanks, @ankan.m.blr. The locations are:

1. Bhuvarahaswamy temple: (12.533641, 76.456001)
2. Budhanur Ananthapadmanabha temple: (12.54975, 76.947033)

Regarding the route, if driving from Bangalore, I went up to a place called Baburayana Koppal, post- Mandya and took the right deviation there to Pandavapura. Keep an eye for signboards at road junctions, in Kannada, for the temple.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by DrVjy

Thanks, @suresh_gs. I would try to make it there as well sometime. Long back I have been to Thiruvidandai, a DivyaDesham on Chennai- Mahabalipuram route where there is also a large manifestation of Lord Bhuvarahar in standing pose. Perhaps you might have visited the place.

This is also called Nithya kalyana perumal. This temple is a part of the famous 108 divya desams.

[guyfrmblr]

Nice little travelogue. I never knew coracle ride existed there. The best route to Bhoovarahaswamy temple is to take Bangalore - Nelamangala - Bellur Cross - Nagamangala - K.R.Pete - Hosaholalu - Bhoovarahaswamy temple. The roads are excellent all the way upto Hosaholalu and literally traffic free. One needs to take a left at Hosaholalu and follow the direction boards of the temple which is well marked. The distance between Hosaholalu - Temple is around 13 km with average roads. There is an old beautiful Lakshmi Narayana temple at Hosaholalu which can be visited on the way.

[DrVjy]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

Nice little travelogue. I never knew coracle ride existed there. The best route to Bhoovarahaswamy temple is to take Bangalore - Nelamangala - Bellur Cross - Nagamangala - K.R.Pete - Hosaholalu - Bhoovarahaswamy temple. The roads are excellent all the way upto Hosaholalu and literally traffic free. One needs to take a left at Hosaholalu and follow the direction boards of the temple which is well marked. The distance between Hosaholalu - Temple is around 13 km with average roads. There is an old beautiful Lakshmi Narayana temple at Hosaholalu which can be visited on the way.

Thanks, @guyfrmblr. Will have your alternative suggestion in mind for the next trip.

[ankan.m.blr]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

Nice little travelogue. I never knew coracle ride existed there. The best route to Bhoovarahaswamy temple is to take Bangalore - Nelamangala - Bellur Cross - Nagamangala - K.R.Pete - Hosaholalu - Bhoovarahaswamy temple. The roads are excellent all the way upto Hosaholalu and literally traffic free. One needs to take a left at Hosaholalu and follow the direction boards of the temple which is well marked. The distance between Hosaholalu - Temple is around 13 km with average roads. There is an old beautiful Lakshmi Narayana temple at Hosaholalu which can be visited on the way.

Hi guyfrmblr, please display this route from Bangalore (may ORR) in G-Maps. TIA.

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Hi guyfrmblr, please display this route from Bangalore (may ORR) in G-Maps. TIA.

https://goo.gl/maps/e9sWi

Since you haven't mentioned from which side of ORR you need the directions, I have marked the route from Yeshwanthpur . The route is marked only upto Hosaholalu. You need to take a left at this small village towards the temple. There are well marked direction boards from this turn both in Kannada and English.