Didaga Agains! 9th Jan 2013

 Didaga Again!!!

The road to Naglapura was what the doctor had ordered. Without much traffic, quiet and close encounter with everyone on the road. Didaga, the one I missed the previous day due to the episode of “Mystery of missing Camera”, was the first stop. I walked about three hours or so before I stopped under a tree for a breather. There was already a couple of men, one of them on a motorcycle. As expected the conversation started and soon I told them of all the places I had been in the last one week and where I was going to. I was told that there are two more Hoysala style temples within the near about. I took the bait. My friend with the bike offered to take me there and to Didaga. I agreed readily.

First we drove to a place called Ullali. There was a one shed temple, about the size of 8’X8’ of Lord Shiva with the Nandi outside the temple, in the open and a trishul. I was looking at something larger but did not want to dampen the spirit of my companion. The Nandi did look vaguely Hoysala. From there we went to Didaga.

Didaga in ruin

Didaga temple stands next to an elementary school. It may be more appropriate to state that the school has been constructed within the premises of the temple. The kitchen, which is an initiative to provide free food to the poor children, is built right in front of the temple, obstructing its view. The kitchen blared out a foregone conclusion; the temple is a lost cause. I personally felt a pang of pain. It is not that the temple is irredeemable.

Didaga temple is called ‘Lakshmi Narayana’ temple with no deity of Lakshmi Narayana there inside. The temple is crumbling down. The roof rests on the pillars so precariously that I was for a moment scared of going in. The temple roof is laden with dust and dirt, putting more strain on the already weak structure. In place of the main deity, there were commonplace menhirs with snakes etched on it. There was a ‘Lingam’. The light streamed in through the broken slabs in the roof and wall.  To top it all, there is a statue of ‘Karthikeya’ on a peacock, damaged no doubt, but should be a valuable thing. It is also a big question on the status of the main deity. Is it with the ASI or in a private collection?