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Destinations Visited
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Coastal Karnataka from Mangalore to Karwar has an unbelievable number of ancient and beautiful temples. Most of these are thousands of years old and carry an amazing amount of historical and religious significance. The idyllic setting with the backdrop of seashore/beaches of the Arabian Sea and dense vegetation/hills is a feast to the eyes. The dedication of the temple management and the Purohits who conduct the Pooja are simply amazing. No wonder the deities are very powerful. Many temples also provide free food for the devotees on a regular basis – Annadanam.
The trip to Barkur was part of an extended visit to the temples of Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada. Some of these places have been captured in my photo blogs earlier and can be read at the following links:-
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Introduction
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Barakur falls in the region known as the Parashurama Kshetra, the coastal belt between the Western Ghats and the sea from Konkan to Malabar. Parashurama installed different Rishis on portions of the region, with Barakur given to Rishi Markandeya.
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Barkur (also historically known as Barakanur and Barahakanyapur) is an area in the Brahmavara taluk, Udupi district of Karnataka, comprising three villages, Hosala, Hanehalli, and Kachoor. The area is located on the banks of River Seetha, which originates in the rainforests of Agumbe. It is also referred to as a “temple town.”
Barkur is 16 km from Udupi, another ancient city, and 3 km from Brahmavara, a taluk of Udupi. The Seetha River flows through Barkur and joins the Arabian Sea. In ancient times, Barkur was a coastal town on the common estuary of Seethanadi and Swarnanadi, however, the town is now 1 km inland. Seethanadi was broad and deep permitting navigation in ancient times. Now silting prohibits the entry of sea-going vessels.
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Barkur was the ancient capital of the Alupa kingdom. It was known as Barakanyapura and later as Barakkanur. The rulers were known as Tuluva rulers and spoke the Tulu language. Many ancient inscriptions found in Barkur are in this language. These inscriptions are an essential part of the history of Tulunadu. The coastal town of Barkur was a flourishing port in the 15th and 16th centuries. Archaeological findings suggest that Barkur was a province under the Vijayanagar Empire in the 14th century CE. Pandarideva was the Governor of this province under the regime of Harihara II. There are remains of two forts built by the Alupas and Vijayanagara governors. It was also a sub-capital of the Hoysala kings for some period.
Tulu language has a limited presence now. 6 km south of Barkur, Tulu abruptly ends and makes way for a dialect of Kannada called Barkur Kannada, but barring the language, the cultural, social, and caste structures are identical to those of the Tulu era, including the matrilineal inheritance. Additionally, Konkani, Marathi, Beary, and Dakhni are also spoken, making Barkur a highly multilingual melting pot.
According to Kerala Muslim tradition, Barkur was home to one of the oldest mosques in the Indian subcontinent. According to the legend of Cheraman Perumals, the first Indian mosque was built in 624 CE at Kodungallur under the mandate of the last ruler (the Cheraman Perumal) of the Chera dynasty.
The name Barahakanyapura was first used in 1070, during the reign of Alupa Dattalavendra Shree Mara, who had his royal palace at the present Shinhasana Gudde known as Periyara Mane. Emperor Vikramaditya VI defeated the Alupa King in the year 1076-77. The Chalukya kings (of Kalyan) had authority over the region but the local Alupa Kings were independent in administration.
Hoysala kings were ruling most of Karnataka during 1140-1336 with Dwarasamudra their capital city. Since some Hoysalas were Jains, it is said that the Alupa too might have embraced Jainism and built the Basadis at Barkur. Once Hoysala king Vishnu Vardhana – (1117-1140) embraced the Vaishnava religion, Hindu temples were also built at Barkur by the local Alupa rulers.
The Alupa kings made Barkur their capital and commercial hub in the 10-11th century CE and it continued till the end of the 14th century CE.
In 1333, the Hoysala king Veera Ballala planned to attack the Tulu empire. However, the Alupa king Soyee Deva Alupendra received him with honour and King Veera Ballala married the Alupa princess, Chikkayi Thai.
King Veera Ballala died in the battle at Madurai in 1336 and the vacant Barkur throne was occupied by Chikkai Thai. She constructed the Wooden Bridge connecting Barkur-Benne Kudru. Most of the Jain Basadi’s at Barkur were constructed and the existing ones were renovated by Alupa and Jain Hoysala rulers.
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Temple Architecture
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The temples at Barkur have distinct architecture. The sloping terracotta-tiled roofs bear resemblance to the temples of Kerala, but they do not have gopurams, a common feature of the Dravidian style South Indian temples.
Barkur is known as the Town of Temples as it had 365 temples; the ancient rulers used to visit and offer prayers every day in a different temple. The density of various temples in the small town was almost like Varanasi. It is the only place in coastal Karnataka that houses the Moola-sthanas for many sects, tribes, castes, sub-caste, etc. However, today only a few of the temples remain and even the ruins of many have not survived.
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Nearly forty temples and shrines survive presently in Barkur. It is also the home to almost all the major communities of Tulunadu and many Tuluvas have their tutelary deities here. Now largely forgotten, Barkur was surprisingly well-connected with the rest of the country in its heydays. The nearly 150 inscriptions that are found in and around Barkur give extensive information about its glorious past when it was a major port trading with West and South East Asia. The Portuguese set up their factory at Barkur later and it became an important outpost during their rule.
Barkur lost its importance politically when it was reduced to a mere village panchayat after independence. A huge climbdown from the provincial capital that it was. From that point, it was a downward spiral for the town. Government departments and the ASI turned a blind eye to the deteriorating monuments and only Kathale Basadi figures were on their list of protected monuments. The magnificent Fort was intact a mere 25 years ago, laments a local. It is now completely destroyed by the locals. No attempt has also been made to set up a local museum to house scattered ancient monuments many of which are lying by the roadside.
On further inquiry, it transpires that there are no specified criteria for assigning the tag of ‘MNI’ (Monument of National Importance) to a monument. 85 or so British graves/cemeteries are designated as MNIs out of a total of 3,695 MNIs (as of Jan 2023)! Numerous ‘Kos Minars,’ which are milestone markers on Mughal highways are also MNIs! They do need protection but can’t be considered a monument! Similarly, numerous movable items like statues and cannons have also been designated as MNIs. The government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) need to review this aspect on an urgent basis and re-categorize MNIs to cover those which meet the criteria for providing protection and renovation.
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As part of the World Tourism Day celebrations organized by the district administration, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and other organizations, the Kathale Basadi, came to life for an official ceremony in Sept 2017. Unfortunately, it appears to have been a one-off event as the rusting signboards of the event betray the continuing neglect.
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Panchlingeshvara Temple
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One of the temples all Barkurians respect, irrespective of caste or creed, over the centuries is the Shri Pancha-lingeshwara Temple of Kotekeri, also known as Markandesvara till 1713. The temple is located in the center of Barkur, the capital of the Alupas. It is huge and majestic and enjoyed royal recognition during the ruling Alupa dynasty. It continues to be popular for its annual Rathotsava, a colourful car festival, generally held in the month of April every year. Its double-storied gateway, with a pillared veranda on either side, is most alluring. The rear side of the temple has an elephant-back-like curvilinear structure. The pillars that surround the circumambulatory path of the temple are decorated with carvings depicting characters from the epics.
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The location of the temple was Rishi Markandeya’s place of penance. There is a seat of stone in the temple, which is believed to be where he sat in meditation. The Sthala Purana mentions that Markandeya observed severe penance to propitiate Shiva. Happy with his penance, Shiva appeared before him and asked him to construct a temple by consecrating five lingams. Markandeya sent his disciples to fetch five lingams from Kashi, however, their return got delayed. So as not to miss the mahurat (auspicious time) of consecration, the Rishi picked five lingams from the Seetha River. These are the five lingams present in the temple and hence the name Panchalingeshwara. When the lingams from Kashi finally arrived, they were consecrated in other temples in Barkur.
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Shiva also granted Markandeya a boon of two wells. One is the Sidharasa well. The other is the Padarasa well; it was believed that an iron article dipped in this well turned to silver, and when dipped in Sidharasa it turned golden. Both these wells are now in disuse as large stone structures have come up and the Padarasa well has been converted into a Nagabana where idols of Naga, the serpent God, have been installed and are worshiped.
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The present temple was built in the 8th century. The architecture of the temple complex is a mixture of many styles. The influence of Chalukya, Hoysala, and Vijayanagara art and architecture is noticeable in the beautifully and elegantly carved main entrance/pillars and followed by the mukha mantapa (a feature of Vijayanagara architecture), courtyard, etc. There existed two temples inside the courtyard viz the Panchaligeshwara, and to its left the Mahalingeshwara. It was also known as Shri Markandeshwara Temple till 1713.
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The Mahalingesvara temple, to the left of Panchalingesvara, is a rectangular structure having a square sanctum, navaranga and a circumambulatory passage which is closed now. A Nandi mantapa is built in front of this temple and a separate entrance has also been provided in front of this temple. The Prakara on its corners has cells with raised tiled roofs.
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The main temple includes a facility for parikrama (circumambulation) of devotees. The semi-circular inner sanctum, the garbha griha where the five lingam are placed is a simple bare cell. The door jambs of the navaranga have the dwarapala sculptures carved in high relief at their base. These are the typical Saiva dwarapalas holding mace, trisula, and damaru, and both of them are in the abhava posture. The shape of the temple is a rectangle, built on a platform of red and rock stones. A tall wooden flag post has been beautifully preserved with a copper sheet covering.
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Apart from Shiva, the temple complex houses the murtis of Skanda, Surya, Ganesha, and Parvati. In front of the temple, there is a Nandi pavilion (Tirthamantapa) and a dwaramantapa. This temple was renovated many times by various dynasties which ruled Barkur. Many features were added by the Chalukya rulers in the 7th and 8th centuries. This temple also houses many inscriptions of historical importance.
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There are two memorial (Sati) stones outside the Panchalingeshwara temple
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There is a huge tank (pond) in front of the temple by the name Kotekere. It was a source of water for drinking, irrigation, etc., but now lies in a state of ruin.
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The Legend of Panchalingeshwara Temple
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Outside the Panchalingeshwara temple in Barkur, there is a curious, carved stone platform, worn smooth after years of use, and anointed with vermilion. If one stares at the stone long enough, curious, almost grotesque, details begin to emerge—raised bumps are, on closer inspection, pairs of severed arms and legs.
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The ancient legend that this stone commemorates is the founding myth of the Tulu people who live in this region. Once the king of Barkur built a magnificent fleet of ships. But the ships, despite being new and expensive, sank at sea and lost their valuable cargo. This was repeated till a time came when the prosperity of the kingdom was at stake. The king tried to enquire why his strong, sea-worthy ships always sank. He discovered that a powerful bhootha, a spirit with supernatural powers, was scuttling his fleet. So the king beseeched the bhootha to let his ships pass freely.
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The bhootha agreed but stipulated a price. One of the king’s sons must sacrifice himself willingly to save the fleet and the kingdom. The king approached each of his seven sons, but they all refused to sacrifice themselves. The king despaired. Finally, his sister came forth and offered her willing son — the king’s nephew.
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As it turned out, it was a test. The bhootha, named Kanodevera, was pleased by this young man’s selflessness and stopped the sacrifice. Instead, he ordered that this young man, the king’s sister’s son, be named the king’s heir.
To honour the selflessness of the sister and her son, the matrilineal system of the Tulus came into being, with property and inheritance passing from uncle to nephew. This stone also pays tribute to another ancient and equally distinctive practice of the Tulus—the tradition of bhootha worship.
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What exactly are bhoothas? Some myths speak of the bhoothas as an army of spirits created by Shiva to destroy Daksha’s sacrifice and avenge the death of his wife Sati. Terms such as “devil worship” and “demons” are often used to describe bhootha practice, but are more indicative of the prejudice of colonial-era writers and foreign missionaries. It would be more apt to describe the bhoothas as spirits that originated in a pre-Vedic tradition, closely tied to the earth, seas, rivers, and forests.
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Batte Vinayaka Temple
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The Batte Vinayaka Temple is one of the oldest and most popular temples in Barkur. It is believed to have been in existence since before Barkur became the capital of the Alupas. The Alupas were powerful feudatories of the Chalukyas of Badami and they built several temples here during their reign.
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The deity gets its name since he wears a cloth around the waist. Decorated with red hibiscus flowers that are grown locally, the murti faces north and is inclined slightly to the west. The temple attracts patronage from not only the locals but also vehicle owners and drivers who consider this temple auspicious. There is a belief that if Ganesha gives his blessings, nothing will happen to the vehicle.
Another unique feature is that there are five footprints on a rock in front of the temple. This temple was never locked for centuries but in the last few years, the temple management is locking the doors of the structure as a precautionary measure.
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The deity Batte Ganapathi is offered special poojas every Tuesday and Friday of the week. Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations attract thousands of devotees from all over Karnataka. During Sankashtahara Chaturdashi day, a large number of devotees visit the temple to attend the Ganesh Atharvashirsha Avartan.
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Sri Ekanatheshwari Temple
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The temple houses the Kula Devata of the Devadiga community. It is a recently renovated temple but has the divine vibration in and around it. Ekanatheshwari Amma is worshipped and all the rituals performed are filled with divinity and positivity.
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Sri Eknatheshwari Temple is one of the surviving 40-odd temples in Barkur. The temple has been looked after and is one of the better-maintained temples in the town. Every year Navaratri is celebrated specially and attracts devotees with Pooja rituals like Chandika homa. Similarly, every year there is a Devadiga Vadhu-Vara Anveshana program (matrimony) done free of cost to help the prospective grooms and brides of the Devadiga community.
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Somnatheswar Temple, Barkur
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This is a 10th century CE, with pre-Hoysala images of Saraswathi and Janardana in its navaranga. It is a live temple with rituals being performed on a daily basis.
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Moodukeri is the easternmost suburb of Barkur and houses the temple for Someshwara. An inscription dated 1139 CE found in the temple records a gift given to a Kashmiri scholar and a resident of Barkur named Sajirana. Another inscription in the same temple mentions the donation of money for the daily lighting of lamps and the setting up of a feeding house by a man named Narasimha Thakkura s/o Malla Deva Shahu, apparently a trader from northern India. Both these inscriptions strongly indicate Barkur’s close ties with far-off regions of India. The temple also had a secret vault where ornaments and jewels were kept during the Vijayanagar rule.
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The temple of Somanatha faces east and occupies the central portion of the courtyard surrounded by an enclosure wall on the inner side of which is a colonnaded veranda covered with a tiled roof.
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The plan of the temple consists of a square sanctum, navaranga with four pillars, and a circumambulatory passage which is nothing but a continuation of the aisles. Another wall with masonry grill work has been constructed in recent times around the temple. There is a separate Nandi mantapa. in front. All these are enclosed within a prakara. There are also small rooms constructed on the front left and right comers using the colonnaded veranda.
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Kathale Basadi or Parsvanatha Basadi Chaulikeri
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The ruined Kathale Basadi (literally meaning the Dark Temple) is also known as the Jain Temple of Parshwanath. Archaeologists say that the complex was built between the 8th and 12th century CE by the Alupa rulers. The Jain Basadi, unlike most South Indian temples built in the Dravidian style, does not have a gopuram. As one enters the complex with the Katale Jain Basadi in the front, there are two Hindu shrines behind it, one a Shiva temple and another a Vaishnava temple. There is a small Nandi carved out of granite before the Shiva temple. Among the forty-odd temples surviving in Barkur, these temples are the only ASI protected monuments.
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A 20-foot monolithic stone pillar is erected at the entrance, which now falls on the side of a road.
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The sanctum sanctorum is surrounded by stone walls otherwise known as Prangan, with sloping stone pillars over it. The original Mahavira murti in the main temple has been destroyed and has been replaced by stone tablets with animal figures that are a later addition.
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The temples were elegantly designed with carvings and embellishments, but are now in ruins. The twenty-four niches in the stone are the only evidence of the existence of the murtis of the twenty-four Jain thirthankaras. There are three main structures in a big courtyard with the victory pillar at the entrance. The complex has Nagkaali, Shiva, Vishnu, and Jain deities in separate temples.
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The second temple is that of Hatthara Narayana, or the Narayana of Ten Keris. The collapsed roof of Hatthara Narayana has been replaced by roughly poured concrete by ASI, giving it an odd look. An inscription mentions a grant to the Parshwanatha Basadi to a certain Aja Shahu s/o Bhoja Shahu, who settled in Barkur after his Jalayatreya Vyavahara (sea voyage) to places as far as Malaya and Khamboja (Malaysia and Cambodia). The inscription also makes reference to an Agrawal family, indicating that traders from faraway places made Barkur their home in its heydays.
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Chowlikere Ganapathi Temple
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There is another Ganapathi temple nearby called the Bairagi Ganapathi Temple at Chowlikeri constructed during the Chola period. The 11th century temple was once a great center of the Natha Sampradaya. The other two centers of this sampradaya in Barkur are the Hingula Devi temple (now completely in a ruinous state) and the small shrine of Kala Bhairava. A separate caste of people called Jogis who follow Natha Pantha still live in Barkur. The heads of the three surviving Natha Pantha Mathas in the region—Mangalore, Vittla, and Kundapur—are chosen on a rotational basis during the Nashik Kumbh Mela. The selected chiefs take a padayatra known as Jhundi Yatra from Nashik to Mangalore, and Barkur is still a major stopover for these sadhus. The Bairagi Ganapati is called so because of its association with Bairagis.
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The Bairagi Ganapathy Temple is entirely hewn out of stone with a slanted stone roof with etched stone pillars. The stone walls of this temple display beautiful sculptures and it is apparent that this structure has reasonably withstood the ravages of time.
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This temple has an interesting story. There was a beautiful tower in front of the Bairagi Ganapathi Temple. It is so called as the murti was installed by a Bairagi or mendicant. It would sound the gong twice a day-once at noon and another time during the night. The sound can no longer be heard after a truck hit the tower.
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Conclusion
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Barkur at one time was the capital city of a mighty empire and a bustling port engaged in trade both to the West with the Arabs and Europeans and to the East with South East Asia. It continued to remain prominent through the rule of many south Indian dynasties as well as during the Portuguese period when they controlled the western coast of India. It was also a major religious center in its heydays, boasting of having 365 temples. Sadly, this major ancient center has now fallen into a downward spiral, and its status now that of just a village panchayat. The magnificent temples are now reduced to just 40-odd temples, many in a state of disrepair and under encroachment. This has been the result of government apathy, disregard of their proud heritage by the locals, and a non-functional Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which has brought just one (ONE) temple complex in Barkur under its wings – from the original 365, plus a huge fort, which is also now nearly obliterated.
I hope that urgent measures are taken to protect our ancient heritage and stop further monuments from falling prey to the ravages of time.
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References
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Barkur: A History Forgotten in Ruins https://manipalblog.com/barkur-a-history-forgotten-in-ruins/
Preliminary Exploration of South Kanara Coast of Karnataka https://drs.nio.org/drs/bitstream/handle/2264/3301/J_Mar_Archaeol_2_55.pdf?sequence=2
History of Barkuru https://www.facebook.com/legacy/notes/250600761700982/
Barkur https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barkur
Barkur https://kalyangeetha.wordpress.com/tag/barkur/
Barkur-The Historical Capital of Tulunadu https://chaloindiaworld.com/barkur-the-historical-capital-of-tulunadu/
Barakuru: A Metropolitan City of Antiquity – Its History and Culture
https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/92213
Shri Panchalingeshwara Temple Famed Annual Rathotsava https://www.barkuronline.com/article/post/about-barkur/shri-panchalingeshwara-temple-famed-annual-rathotsava-kotekere-barkur
Dancing With Spirits: Encountering Karnataka’s Supernatural Bhoothas https://natgeotraveller.in/encountering-the-spirit-of-karnatakas-supernatural-bhoothas/
Batte Vinayaka Temple Barkur http://jsomayaji.blogspot.com/2022/06/batte-vinayaka-temple-barkur.html
Sri Batte Vinayaka Temple – Barkur https://www.facebook.com/tourismudupi/photos/sri-batte-vinayaka-temple-barkurthe-land-under-the-sea-waves-thus-reclained-was-/699020896827524/
Ruins of Barkur https://www.trayaan.com/2013/01/ruins-of-barkur.html
Yatra – Journey to the Divine https://mainmansid.wordpress.com/2022/10/15/yatra/
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Note: All photographs displayed above (except those sourced and acknowledged) are my exclusive property and copyright; their use is prohibited without explicit consent, in writing.
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2 Responses
Interesting information about a ‘forgotten- in- history- books’ part of India and Indian history. Excellent photos. Engrossing piece.
Yes, so much is missing. From the local books too, unfortunately.