The routine of our days that makes for most of our lives, too sometimes gives way and asks for more. The diligent office goer rushing into the local transport, the homemaker going through the grocery list, the artist looking for inspiration all, taking a back seat for lack of zeal and ambition to withstand another day of mundane activity.
On one such day, I ventured out to make the most of my educated self for the sole purpose of a fulfilling career. The coffee seemed tasteless, office jokes lost their fizz, deadlines seemed mocking from the board. Three hours and half at my desk and my mind races to the lack of exercise in my life. A short trip to the water filter and I fool myself with this little activity for my limbs. Past my lunch time and am ready to go. Phew another day gone by!!!.
As I walk back home, the mall excites, the channa walla calls cheerfully; several young hearts walk by talking frenziedly on their cell phones. No not the mall again, I think, with the glittering lights and colourful plastic, tetra pack, additives; all but a mess of the urban life taking over our lives.
I enter my refuge and indulge with an hour long bath; memory of the school and college pass me by; my first teenage crush and the awkward silence first time, Siddharth met my parents.
On one such day, Siddharth came home with a plan – a travel plan to explore the ancient temples, that have always got me excited. It was the Ugadi break and we made our way to Hassan early Sunday morning with another colleague. With minimum baggage and melodious tunes, we set out to explore a rural part ancient architecture. The morning clam, the clean air and good jokes, we were about to accelerate and jammmmmmmmmmm, the city's traffic caught us un- alarmed.
About an hour and a half of driving at a tortoise's speed, we reached the foot of the Vindhyagiri hill in Shravanabelagola. As we took to the never-ending steps, the mountain got steeper. A fantastic view and a dizzy head called for many breaks on the way. But the excitement got the better of us as we were a few steps short and quickened our space for the final darshan.
The 50 foot high monolith, stood gracefully watching over all of us, yet elusive to the world. A symbol of thyaga and determination, Bhahubali is the tallest monolith in the whole world. The intricate carvings of Bahubali's curls, his determined nose and the creepers on his limbs simply put together a tale of a man's search for moksha and of the artisans committed to create a masterpiece, one of it's kind. After a trek of over 800 steps, the feeling of piousness and peace, is rewarding for the mind and the body.
Our next stop on this heritage seeking journey, were the quite twin towns of Belur-Halebidu, where the famous Hoysaleshwara temple in Halebidu and Chenakeshava in Belur are situated. The Hoysaleshwara temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and has two enormous Nandi bulls at the entrance. One of them, a must see stands for the most decorated nandis in India. Glorious temple telling us of an era gone by, the splendour of the times and architectural marvel leaving one spell bound. The temple interiors are formed in 3 sanctums - one where the diety was worshipped being the inner most sanctum, second was for meditation and the third for the dance in glory of the deity. The walls and the roof of the temple, have intricate and detailed carvings.
The Belur temple dedicated to Queen Shantaladevi, a dancer with surpassingly beauty, has the walls decorated with several figures in dancing poses.
Stepping outside one can spend a lifetime, studying the cravings and figures. The various expressions of a woman; one proud of her beauty, a woman dressing up but sad and longing for her loved one. This particular expression is explained better by her dasi holding a bunch of grapes from a monkey. The monkey stares at the grapes and sucks his own hand, when he is unable to get the fruit – a metaphor for the disappointment felt by the woman. Women as dancers, musicians and hunters are portrayed by their decor and accomplices with musical instruments or bows and arrows.
Lord Shiva fighting inside an elephant, when a the demon came in the form of the animal, is clearly depicted with the elephant head and limbs around the dancing figure. The temple also gave social messages through their pictorial carvings, a saint who had a taste for the intoxicant drink, is shown with the tree, a bird and a snake. Interestingly interpreted as, 'the drink in moderation can make you free as a bird but excess can be like a deadly serpent.'(Halebidu)
Other than tales from the epics like Ramayan, Mahabharata depicting warrior heroes like Bheema, Arjuna, the Chakravyuva, Narashima; the temple also shows women with a various hair makedos, the hierarchy where a warrior women dasi has another dasi, removing a thorn from her feet on a hunting expedition. A must mention of the portrayal of a Sanskrit shloka 'When a man is 16 years old, he can love even a donkey faced girl;' simply by a male figure with a donkey faced human being. (Belur)
After decades of dedicated work, the Belur temple still remains incomplete. The sculptors believed that life and art is about never-ending learning and have left a blank space on the revolving Narasimha pillar in Belur temple, to be filled by anyone with the talent. The space remains blank till today.
The beauty of these temples, are for an eyes to see and the mind to take in all the peace they emit into their surroundings. The study of these architectural wonders can lasts for several days but we had to return but with a promise to return.
