Know your neighbourhood - 32: Hosakote Taluk
Overview: Hosakote was a prehistoric site with several stone age weapons discovered by historians since last few decades. The place was founded by Thamme Gowda according to a 15th century inscription on a copper plate. Hosakote has several ancient temples and mosques. There are several ancient temples in Hosakote old fort area and Brahmin’s street like Hanuman temple, Kashi Vishveshwara temple, Raghavendraswamy temple and Nagareshwara temple. One of the most prominent structures in Hoskote is the Avimukteshwara temple, built by one Thammegowda, the chief of Sugatur. A few metres away is the Panduranga temple, built in the 17th century by Raghunath Bhavji under the Peshwas. It is believed the temple entrance has been built over the old fort walls.
Hosakote lake sees plenty of migratory birds and offers a perfect location for birdwatchers and photographers. Some of the frequent visitors are Coots, Glossy Ibis, Spot billed Ducks, Spot billed Pelicans, Sandpipers, Cormorants and Brahminy kites fishing besides Eurasian Marsh Harriers.
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| Avimukteswara temple, Hosakote |
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| Panduranga temple, Hosakote |
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| Nagareshwara & Anjaneya temple, Hosakote |
Vagata, a small village near Hosakote, was a celebrated Agrahara during the Cholas and was earlier known as Sri Yogapuri. Several inscriptions have been found in this village dating from 13th century to 16th century, most of them in Tamil. Vagata was known by several names such as Ovattam, Ogata, Yogapuri, Bhagirathipura earlier.
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| Vagata |
Kalkunte Agrahara: A little around 20 kms south of Hosakote is the beautiful temple of Ranganathaswamy. The legend is that some local villagers got a dream to fetch an idol in Kolar which is buried in earth. The villagers succeeded in finding the idol of Lord Ranganatha and installed it in this temple at Kalkunte.
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| Kalkunte Agrahara |
Kondrahalli: The Dharmeshwara temple at Kondrahalli is one of the few Chola temples built in 1065 AD. According to another legend, this was the place where the Yaksha Kanda of Mahabharata took place. A huge tank just outside the temple supports this theory. A clear inscription can be seen inside the temple premises dating back to 11th century.
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| Dharmeshwara temple, Kondrahalli |
Muthkur: An ancient pilgrimage village during the Cholas with several temples, now left high and dry. The temples have been destroyed and many houses have sprung up at the site. Some traces of the ancient Muthkur can still be seen now. According to an old local villager, this place thrived in the 12th century and the temples had the architecture similar to Belur and Halebid.
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| Muthkur |
Hasigala: A few kms from Hosakote is the village of Hasigala, with a 14th century Someshwara temple, with Ganga features, later renovated by the Vijayanagara rulers.
Hasigala
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| Lakkondahalli |
Tamil inscriptions belong to two different periods:
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b. Hoysala Era - 1118 to 1356 CE
We find Tamil inscriptions during Hoysala period as Ramanuja's followers fled to Karnataka and were given administrative positions.
Cholas always left inscriptions on the base structure. So we can be sure which ones were really made by Cholas.
Chola expansion into Karnataka was to increase their tax income. Agriculture was the primary economy, and depended on people count. If people migrate and have to start afresh in a new place, it would result in loss of taxes. So there was practically no migration and very few projects for public good.
We find a lot of inscriptions during Hoysala and Vijayanagara times as they were native rulers are more likely to Invest in projects for public good.