Balligavi: Village enriched with history

Overview: Balligavi is a small village in Shikaripura Taluk of Shimoga district also known was Dakshina Kedara. Legend says that it was the capital of the demon king Bali and was called Balipura in those times. Balligavi flourished under Kalyani Chalukyas ruling for 200 years. Also serving as the center of learning during the times of Kadambas of Banavasi.
The Kedareshwara temple, built in the 11th century in east-west orientation is a Trikutachala or triple-celled temple of Hoysala style. The western cell has vestibule or Sukansi and the northern and southern cells have an Ardhamandapa. In the interior, the Mahamandapa walls are pierced with Devekoshtas while the western and southern cells have Shiva Linga, the northern cell enshrines Vishnu.The artistic wall decor and the general sculptures are of Dravidian architecture. This method is also referred to as Karnata Dravida.

Another historic structure in Balligavi is the Bherundeshwara temple with a 9 meters high Vuaya Stambha. The shrine, raised over a platform was built by Chamundarayarasa, general of Chalukyan ruler. The pillar has a square base which has a sculptor of a two-headed mythical bird with human body known as Gandabherunda. The wide open eyes reflect the anger in the sculptor, and the image is decorated with various jewellery.

How to reach: Bus: KSRTC buses and also several private buses ply regularly from Bangalore to Shimoga. Buses are available from Shimoga to Balligavi.
By Bike/Car: Take the NH4 to reach Tumkur, before reaching the town, turn left towards Shimoga. Travel to Shimoga via Tiptur and Arsikere. From Shimoga, take the Honnavar road to reach Balligavi
Food/Accommodation: Plenty of options available for accommodation at Shimoga suiting all budgets.
Map:

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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…

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.

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…

the light baggage

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