Skip to main content

Lost temples of Karnataka: Hangal

Lost temples of Karnataka: Hangal

This Post is a part of the Chalukya Trail. Please Click here to read the main post
Overview: From Tilavalli, our next place of interest was the Tarakeshwara temple in Hangal. Hangal was the second capital during the Kadamba dynasty and gained more importance during the Western Chalukya era. Though Hangal boasts of several temples built by the Chalukyas and Kadambas, this was the main temple so we decided to explore only Tarakeshwara temple as we were short of time. The Tarakeshwara temple, built in the 12th century, is a perfect example of Western Chalukya art. The mantaps and the walls are minutely carved. The main highlight of this temple is the large Domical ceiling which is a huge gathering hall with 8 pillars in an octagonal shape having carvings of various Gods. The walls are carved depicting scenes from the Ramayana. The only disappointment was the temple was closed and the priest was nowhere in sight. At Hangal, we had local North Karnataka lunch.
Entering HangalTarakeshwara Temple, HangalTarakeshwara Temple, HangalTarakeshwara Temple, Hangal Tarakeshwara Temple, HangalTarakeshwara Temple, HangalTarakeshwara Temple, HangalTarakeshwara Temple, Hangal Tarakeshwara Temple, HangalTarakeshwara Temple, HangalTarakeshwara Temple, HangalTarakeshwara Temple, Hangal
How to reach:  Bus: From Bangalore, there are direct buses to Hangal from Haveri
Car/Bike: From Davangere, head on NH4 directly to reach Haveri, from Haveri, head towards Hangal via State highway.
Food/Accommodation: There are some small restaurants offering North Karnataka meals at Hangal.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Seema16 April 2012 at 12:48

    Very-very eautiful pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Arti16 April 2012 at 17:35

    Beautiful detailing and fantastic captures! You are doing wonderful job of unearthing all the hidden temples and bringing out their beauty! Kudos, Keep your explorations going!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sudhir R17 April 2012 at 09:15

    I admit I do not know much about archaeology, I wonder if the gopurum is in hoysala sytle, while the court yard is of western chalukaya. Good shoots, this is next on my itenanary

    ReplyDelete
  4. R Niranjan Das17 April 2012 at 14:22

    Beautiful architecture and well captured photos.

    www.rajniranjandas.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unknown18 April 2012 at 11:23

    Love these intricate details, you should write a book on the lost temples of Karnataka Arun

    ReplyDelete
  6. P.N. Subramanian20 April 2012 at 08:54

    Oh! wonderful as also blissful. For me it is a must see place and I would definitely make it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous20 April 2012 at 09:56

    excellent photo captures and nice info

    thanks for sharing this post

    ReplyDelete
  8. drop9 May 2012 at 12:01

    Heya¡­my very first comment on your site. ,I have been reading your blog for a while and thought I would completely pop in and drop a friendly note. . It is great stuff indeed. I also wanted to ask..is there a way to subscribe to your site via email?


    Top Hospitals in Karnataka

    ReplyDelete
  9. drop9 May 2012 at 12:02

    Heya¡­my very first comment on your site. ,I have been reading your blog for a while and thought I would completely pop in and drop a friendly note. . It is great stuff indeed. I also wanted to ask..is there a way to subscribe to your site via email?


    Top Hospitals in Karnataka

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous24 June 2012 at 23:16

    Excellent blog you've got here.. It’s hard to find high-quality writing like yours nowadays. I really appreciate individuals like you! Take care!! payday loans buffalo ny
    Also see my site: payday loans

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hai Baji21 February 2013 at 10:47

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Seema chauhan27 February 2014 at 11:00

    Wow, It is first time I saw so many temples together. Tarakeshwara temple is indeed well built by our old-fashioned people. Recommended!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Unknown7 November 2015 at 12:35

    Great temple of Chalukya style, have seen since my childhood, Hangal town weather is awsome in rainy season

    ReplyDelete
  14. Unknown15 September 2016 at 08:22

    Arun sir. Please send me your email ID to shettyshashi91@gmail.com. Thank You!

    ReplyDelete

Post a comment

Popular posts from this blog

The forgotten story of a migration: Nacharamma of South India

This is a story of Nacharamma (fictionised by me to some extent), which is not documented in any inscriptions or ancient texts, but has been told by the ancestors of the community, and also been researched by some historians like M Keshavaiah, Dr Pranarthiharan and a few others.

Overview: Around the early 17th century, the Pilgrims set to sail across the Atlantic to become the first settlers of America. Much before this, a small but no less interesting migration took place in the Southern India of a community called the 'Sankethis'.
It was the summer of 1420 CE, in a place called Sengottai, in Tamil Nadu, along the foothills of the Western Ghats bordering Kerala. The place was flourishing with knowledge of the Vedas where Agraharams were set up. One of the prominent communities of learned people was the Sankethi Iyer community, also known as Sangeethi, derived from the name of the place- Sengottai or Shankotta. Another theory says that they were  The group followed Adi Shankara…
6 comments
Read more

Clock Towers of Bangalore

Overview: In the middle of the 18th century, when home clocks and watches were not so common, there was the practice of having huge clocks on top of iconic buildings or religious places having visibility from all the corners. Clock towers were in fashion all across the globe in the 18th to 20th centuries, and some of them had bells as well, which used to ring at every hour. Bangalore too, has had its share of clock towers, though the city has never been known for its clock towers. The iconic Clock tower once stood at the Russell Market in Shivajinagar, which no longer stands today as it was brought down sometime during the middle of the 20th century.
A few standing clock towers can be seen at the City Market, Baldwin Boys school, Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic, Central College, Police training grounds, St John's Church, Corporation office and the newly constructed towers at South End circle and Omkar Hills. Most of these clocks have been provided by HMT.
21 comments
Read more

Know your neighbourhood-3: Madivala, Agara, Koramangala, Bellandur

Overview: Now famous for high rises, branded showrooms and startups, the villages of Madivala, Agara, Koramangala and Domlur are the villages which have seen an ancient past.

Madivala village was a flourishing agrahara under the Cholas and Hoysalas. There is an ancient Chola era temple, which was later expanded by the Hoysalas behind the road opposite to the Silk Board. This Someshwara temple is of high historical importance, with Tamil inscriptions all along the outer walls of the temple. The most important being the 1247 CE inscription which talks about the grants of some lands near the big tank of Vengalur (2nd inscription of the city name after the one in Begur). This inscription is by an official Pemmataiyar of Veppur (Begur) for the deity Sembeshwaram (Someshwara) at Tamaraikkirai (Tavarekere).

Agara is situated at the junction of the ORR and Sarjapura Road, and is in existance since the Gangas. A 870 CE Ganga inscription mentions about the fixing of sluices to 2 tanks (Agara Lake…
2 comments
Read more