Crumbling Hoysala Edifice

 Professor S. Settar considers Hoysalas were compulsive builders, with more than 900 temples built in aroud 600 centres in their territory.  These temples were built to prove to the world that they were better builders than Chalukyas.  In the bargain they were helped by natural availability of soapstone in plenty, which was enabled them to sculpt the stones with decorative designs.  Many of the insignificant temples have been left to rot or dying a natural death.  Some of the structures have collapsed due to neglect.  Eventually nature take over and they crumble.  The aging of stones too have their effect, but they can be restored to retain the basic structure just like Bandalike.

When i was on a trip i just took a deviation from
Halebid and landed into this unknown area, some villagers guided me to visit this crumbling Hoysala temple.  It seems to be neglected to a large extent but once a way the priests come and perform pooja.  If you check out the area, you can get hold of the priest, but we decided to explore the place independently.  It is now being used as a Devi temple, probably used for as sacrificial alter for devotees who want to get rid of their trouble and miseries faced in day to day life.

 This devi statue is kept outside the sanctum, probably we will never know when it will be either vandalised or removed.  There is relatively a modern statue signifying Durga goddess inside the temple.  How much will it fetch in the antique market is a matter of speculation.  There are plenty of  other artifacts lying strewn around.  Some villagers must have thought prudent to keep some as a decorative piece for the village too. 

I would rather not specify the exact location, lest these monuments are smuggled out of the location.  ASI must be definitely aware of the location, but it is remotely located away from the hoysala village, on a hillock, therefore it was felt that people will not bother to hunt this location.  As a heritage conscious blogger i feel it is our duty to preserve the same by not exposing it.

 A mutt is located on the hillock which once again must have been historical but currently an ashram of some swamji is located.  We visited this place and were not so impressed by the looks of  it.  So we ignored it and moved on.

I only hope the villagers in this hoysala village do not take advantage of the same by showcasing such heritage statues, to sell it off to a prospective buyer.  The statue seems to have been vandalised which seems to be loosing its antiquity value.

S

Some of us might like to have the mystery of this destination unravelled, do contact me, if you are interested in visiting the place, vide email or you can call me on my cell phone.