Belagola 10th Jan 2013

Belagola

 

Next day I took a bus to Sravanabelagola, a biggie with Jain temples in Hoysala temple, the last leg for this trip. Soon I reached Sravanabelagola and decided to climb the main rock. The climb was done in the cool morning and soon I reached the top. There were few Hoysala signs and I just looked around. There were depiction of Jain and Hindu and Jain deities. There were Krishna in various forms from the Balakrishna to Govardha.

Jain Motif Hoysala style

I saw a Hoysala Gopura from the top and aimed for it on getting down. This was a Jain temple built in Hoysala temple. There was a poojari wearing a ‘jenau’ who showed me around. The temple was bereft of the usual ornate sculptures but with classic Hoysala ceilings. The poojari told me that there is another behind the smaller rock, in the original village Belagola. The caretaker to the temple was on his way and I joined him and he took through beaten path, perhaps the shortest one too.

After finishing photography I climbed the other rock from the rear and soon I was in the temple structure. Obviously the temple also was a monastery. There were many structures, which seemed to have sprouted at different periods of time. I also saw one which seemed to have survived from Maurya’s time, about the time of Christ.

Belagola misses something for me. I just did not get the kick but I still think the fault is entirely mine. I plan to spend a couple of days the next time to do justice to the place.