Prologue :
In 1623 Pietro Dalla Valla an Italian traveller visited Ikkeri during the Dusherra season. He was invited to witness the pompous celebration coinciding with the inaugration of Aghoreshwara temple at Ikkeri. He saw the king ( Hiriya Venkatappa Nayak ( 1586 - 1629 ) and his group of ministers enjoying the processions unfolding on the streets of Ikkeri along with a retinue of consorts and royalty. The group of young girls well dressed were dancing away to glory, decked with yellow and white flowers on their heads. The houses were well lit up with oil lamps, and there was fireworks, fancy dress procession from various epics of the land. Musical instrument played to keep the crowd entertained and in the end there was a huge cache of firework and burning of evildoer....The celebration terminated with a group song which ended with a word Cole, Cole, Cole.....maybe a prayer to the goddess Korle Korle Korle.....( vernacular language Tulu ) grant us the wish oh Lord Aghoreshwara.
What he witnessed on the facade of the temples of Ikkeri and Hosgunda must have been an icing on the cake along with the Dusherra celeberations. He discovered the bold erotic sculptures elegantly etched into the panels of temple, which can be noticed while circumbulating the temple premise as such. These impressions he carried forth to his native vatican city for spreading the message to his sponsorers
When the region is blessed with bountiful rainfall, forest produce, variety of spices, plenty of sea food, fruits in the form of banana, papaya and pineapple and lot of hermits and sages, the temptation for the royalty is to have a huge bank of consorts. Follow the leader, and we find the nobles, ministers and merchants following the king. In such a liberal environs, sex is debated and immortalized. Erotica on the temples facades reflect the perception of the royalty. Ikkeri and; Hosagunda are classic example of the erotic sculptures under the patronage of the kings.
In order to satisfy the lust of the kings probably sex gurus were busy culling out more in depth knowledge and arriving at some conclusion. Kallaynamalla’s Malla’s produced the love manual in the form of Anana Ranga in 1172 A.D. Maybe this was based on the fabled Kamasutra by Vatsayana. The Freudian sexual urge empowered the royalty to seek more knowledge. The artisans too wanted to be recognized by public, as one who could execute without flinching or embarrassment what takes place in privacy of bedroom to pavilions of temple. The sculptures are scuttle and elegant when compared to Khajuraho. The panels displaying erotica is hardly one square feet in size. The canvas for erotica has been deliberately kept to miniscule proportion when compared to other characters.
The Aghoreswara temple at Ikkeri demystifies erotica along with the Linga placed in the sanctum. The Nandi acts as a consort to the Lord in the mantap located in front of the main temple. The huge pillared hall is decorated with various geometric designs indicating jewelry worn by women folk and dancing postures of devadasis of the times.
The elephants statue stationed at the enterance of the temple symbolises the royal way of welcoming the visitors to the Aghoreshwara temple. The main statue was destroyed in the raids of the Bahamani Sultans who plundered the wealth of the temple in the bargain.
Various theories justifying the erotica on the temple façade is put forward by the so called experts. Firstly it was an attempt to surpass their peers and ancestors at Aihole. Secondly it was mild form of sex education for the future generations, Thirdly it conveyed the pulse of the common man at olden times, Fourthly it was used a spirit to ward off evil and fury of nature in form of lightening and floods and Finally it was a perfect treatise on Kamasutra for future generations.
The Uma Maheswara temple at Hosgunda is located before Sagar, just 1.5 km deviation into the forest. Currently the temple is under massive renovation. There is a mutt which is coming up adjescent to this monument. The road to this temple is quite rugged with full of pebbles. There is an organic farm enroute to the temple. One will be wonderstuck at the erotica displayed in 12 panels of the temple. It was just an eye opener, that the Keladi kings were passionate patroniser for erotic sculptures.
From Ikkeri to I pill we have come a long way in enjoying sex in a natural way. Maybe the days of condoms are numbered. Westerners are definitely J considering the fact that Indian society was more liberal in olden days. Just imagine some of them dismissed erotica on temple walls as aberration, heretic, vulgar and sign of immoral society.
LOCATION : Hosagunda is located just before ( 3 Kms ) Sagar a deviation towards left on the muddy road enroute to Sagar from Shimoga. A small signboard is displayed which will be easily missed if one is zooming across. It is just 1.5 km minor deviation from B.H. highway . Ikkeri is a deviation from the Sagar town itself towards thirthahalli. It is also just 3 km away from Sagar Town.
In order to satisfy the lust of the kings probably sex gurus were busy culling out more in depth knowledge and arriving at some conclusion. Kallaynamalla’s Malla’s produced the love manual in the form of Anana Ranga in 1172 A.D. Maybe this was based on the fabled Kamasutra by Vatsayana. The Freudian sexual urge empowered the royalty to seek more knowledge. The artisans too wanted to be recognized by public, as one who could execute without flinching or embarrassment what takes place in privacy of bedroom to pavilions of temple. The sculptures are scuttle and elegant when compared to Khajuraho. The panels displaying erotica is hardly one square feet in size. The canvas for erotica has been deliberately kept to miniscule proportion when compared to other characters.
The Aghoreswara temple at Ikkeri demystifies erotica along with the Linga placed in the sanctum. The Nandi acts as a consort to the Lord in the mantap located in front of the main temple. The huge pillared hall is decorated with various geometric designs indicating jewelry worn by women folk and dancing postures of devadasis of the times.
The elephants statue stationed at the enterance of the temple symbolises the royal way of welcoming the visitors to the Aghoreshwara temple. The main statue was destroyed in the raids of the Bahamani Sultans who plundered the wealth of the temple in the bargain.
Various theories justifying the erotica on the temple façade is put forward by the so called experts. Firstly it was an attempt to surpass their peers and ancestors at Aihole. Secondly it was mild form of sex education for the future generations, Thirdly it conveyed the pulse of the common man at olden times, Fourthly it was used a spirit to ward off evil and fury of nature in form of lightening and floods and Finally it was a perfect treatise on Kamasutra for future generations.
The Uma Maheswara temple at Hosgunda is located before Sagar, just 1.5 km deviation into the forest. Currently the temple is under massive renovation. There is a mutt which is coming up adjescent to this monument. The road to this temple is quite rugged with full of pebbles. There is an organic farm enroute to the temple. One will be wonderstuck at the erotica displayed in 12 panels of the temple. It was just an eye opener, that the Keladi kings were passionate patroniser for erotic sculptures.
From Ikkeri to I pill we have come a long way in enjoying sex in a natural way. Maybe the days of condoms are numbered. Westerners are definitely J considering the fact that Indian society was more liberal in olden days. Just imagine some of them dismissed erotica on temple walls as aberration, heretic, vulgar and sign of immoral society.
LOCATION : Hosagunda is located just before ( 3 Kms ) Sagar a deviation towards left on the muddy road enroute to Sagar from Shimoga. A small signboard is displayed which will be easily missed if one is zooming across. It is just 1.5 km minor deviation from B.H. highway . Ikkeri is a deviation from the Sagar town itself towards thirthahalli. It is also just 3 km away from Sagar Town.
ACK :
http://indica.co.in/ikkeri
Thanks to an unknown blogger who was staying nearby to Hosganda who gave a clue to this wonderful temple.
Thanks to an unknown blogger who was staying nearby to Hosganda who gave a clue to this wonderful temple.
India Backpacker
4 comments:
never heard/read of this temple before. thanks for sharing.
I too never heard about Hosgunda temple, but an unknown blogger whose native town was nearby gave the clue and it was impulse that i turned the vehicle into the temple route. Ikkeri is reasonably covered in history.
Wonderful shots of the temple. I have been here in rainy season.
Rajesh one of the pics shows traces of rain....good time to visit
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