Saturday, October 17, 2009

On a Kempegowda tower trail

BORING.....is what the kids say all the time during the summer. This summer, when my nephew visited us, we did something very interesting and unique. That was to locate all the towers built by Kempegowda in Bangalore.

Kempegowdas were the chieftains under the Vijayanagar rulers. Kempegowda I built Bangalore. His grandson, Kempe Gowda II, was the one to erect the towers at four different corners of Bangalore (Bangalore copper plate 1597). They were to limit the growth of Bangalore! The towers exist even today and they are located at Rajamahal Vilas Extension in the North, near Ulsoor tank in the East, inside Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in the South and between Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple and Kempambudhi tank in the West. The picture of these towers has become the insignia of the corporation of the city. The corporation has also built one at the Hudson circle in 2004(1).

We wanted to visit the Big Bull Temple (Dodda Basavanna temple) near our home as it has a significant legend and tradition.

Kadalekayi parishe
There was a farmer around who grew groundnuts in his field. One day, he noticed that a bull was eating away the fruits of all his labour. One day, he caught it grazing the fields and beat it up badly. The bull ran away to the temple and became a stony idol, the one that is present now. To his amazement, it started growing taller! They had to arrest the growth by striking a Thrishul (trident) above its head. Then the farmer realised that it was indeed Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva. He did repent for beating up instead of worshipping it. Then on, he started offering groundnuts during every harvest. It has become a tradition for the farmers around Basavanagudi to offer monkeynuts to the Big Bull on the last Monday of the Hindu calendar month of Karthika masa. Eventhough there are no fields around Basavanagudi now, vendors set up their stalls on either side of the Bull Temple Road in this fair. This tradition is called “Kadalekayi parishe”.

Box 1: kadalekayi parishe


It is a place not to be missed in Bangalore, anyway. This temple was built five hundred years ago. The Nandi idol is huge, measuring about 15ft tall and 20 feet in long.


Picture 1: The tower near Basavanna temple

Everyone knew where the famous Kempegowda tower was at Lalbagh. What about the other towers? People around the Bull temple told us there was one round the corner. We went around the Bugle rock asking for directions. Not many knew about this tower anyway; including the youngsters playing cricket in front of the tower! It is next the APS College on the top of a rock, inside the premises of BMS nursing school (see picture 1). It has no pillars; neither has it any carvings of deities. Historians refer to not so known four more towers at Gavi Gangadhareswara temple, Nanjamba Agrahara, Basavanna temple, and near Binny Mills. This could be one of them (2).

Our next stop was the Lalbagh tower (picture 2). This was rebuilt in 1954. It is on the top of a rock overseeing the Lalbagh main entrance. The rock is nearly 3000 millions years old (3). You can have a great view of Bangalore from the tower.

Picture 2: The South tower at Lalbagh



Picture 3: The sign board at Lalbagh

We then headed towards the Ulsoor lake (picture 4). We had to make a few enquiries with the regulars and vendors around the lake to find the tower. This one also is on the top of a rock inside a defence property adjoining the lake. It is not so easy to find.



Picture 4: The east tower next to the Ulsoor lake

Then we headed towards the one in Gavipuram. We could not find the west tower and in an attempt to locate it, I entered a blind alley and broke my car’s bumper!! However, we watched the musical fountain around Harihareshwara hillock. I finished with that tower after my nephew left. It is on the top of a hillock behind a temple called Bande Maha Kali templein Gavipuram.


Picture 5: The west tower near Bande Maha Kali temple

There is another tower on the foothills of Harihareshwara temple. It is said to be built by Kempegowda in honour of his daughter in law. The story goes like this. One of the lakes built by him used to break the tank bund. Somebody suggested that it remained stable if a lady sacrificed her life. His daughter in law sacrificed her life and the tank bund remained stable. This tower is different as it has no carvings of deities on it and is situated at the bottom of a hillock rather than the top. It could be a cenotaph.

Box 2: Watch tower or cenotaph?

This tower is painted all over and we can not decide whether it is a stony or mortar structure (picture5). A recent scripture on the floor of the tower confirms that it is indeed one of the towers built by Kempegowda. You can have a good view of the deer park from there. I saw another similar tower on the way to Harihara temple (box 2). I visited the north tower while going to Nandi Hills, after my nephew had left India. This is located inside a park next to the Ramana Maharshi meditation centre near Mekhri circle, opposite the Palace grounds, on Bellary road, in Rajmahal Vilas extension (picture6).



Picture 6: The north tower near Mekhri circle inside a beautiful park

Things to do around the tower near Bull Temple
A. Places to see
1. Bull temple
2. Dodda Ganesha temple
3. Bugle rock
4. Ambience of Gandhi Bazar: One of the oldest areas of Bangalore.Still has a traditional market.
5. Karanji Anjaneya Temple
6. Mallikarjunaswamy temple
B. Places to eat
1. Vidyarthi Bhavan: Started in 1943. A must for locals. Famous for masala dosa. The newly renovated restaurant has portraits of the famous Kannada personalities who were regulars also.
2. Kamath Bugle Rock: Well known for Bijapur cuisine. Holds concerts by local young artists in its courtyard in the evenings.
3. Cafe Coffee Day at Gandhi Bazar circle
4. Hotel Dwaraka in N R Colony: Serves delicious khali dosa.

Things to do around the tower in Lalbagh
A. Places to see
1. Lalbagh
B. Places to eat
1. MTR: Delicious thali is served in silverware.

Things to do around the west tower
A. Places to see
1. Gavigangadhareshwara temple
2. Harihareshwara temple
B. Places to eat
Same places as around Basavanagudi as it is barely a km away from Gandhi bazaar.

Things to do around the tower near Ulsoor Lake
A. Places to see
1. Boating
2. Gurudwar
3. Odakuttur math
4. Shopping at the Commercial Street, Brigade Road and MG Road
B. Places to eat ?

Things to do around Mekhri Circle
A. Places to see
1. Ramana Maharshi Ashram
2. Palace grounds; to visit exhibitions and concerts

Itinerary: Depends on where you live. Start from Bull temple around 8:00 am, have breakfast at Vidyarthi Bhavan or Dwaraka Hotel proceed to the tower at Gavipuram and then to Lalbagh tower. Have lunch at MTR and proceed towards the Ulsoor lake tower; do boating. Finally finish with the Bellary Road tower.

Links
1. http://www.myvpa.org/about2.htm
2. http://www.ryze.com/posttopic.php?topicid=584573&confid=366
3. http://www.gsi.gov.in/geotour/geofrm2.htm

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