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| Shivappa Nayaka Palace |
We were in Shivamogga (Shimoga) one weekend and had a day's free time at our disposal. I have heard about Shivappa Nayaka Palace and Tarun obliged to take me there. He had been to the place many times before as it is his hometown and I could understand his plight. All most all of us had been in this situation playing host to the relatives and friends and showing them around the places.
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| View from gate |
Shivamogga (Earlier Shimoga) town is located on the banks of Tunga River. The region comes under Malenadu belt, i.e., comprising hilly Western Ghats.
We reached the place around 11 a.m. Then Lazily we strolled around the garden which holds restored sculptures of bygone era. We could see few more sculptures scattered around due to lack of space.
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| Frontal View |
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| Palace Grounds |
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| Palace Grounds |
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| Palace Grounds |
My initial thought was it certainly is not "the palace", rather a grand old mansion. The two storied house is chiseled in rosewood with sloppy tile roof. The staircase lead us to the Durbar Hall. We wandered the place without being supervised by anybody.
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| Metal Bell |
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| Staircase |
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| Durbar Hall |
One room is exclusively dedicated to display Shivappa Nayaka's weapons. Here we had to write our name, time of visit, and the place where we came from in a note book. The watchman told us this place is frequented by steady number of visitors. And he was right because we could see eight more names written in the registry before us.
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| Weapons of Shivappa Nayaka |
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| Lead cannonball |
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| Swords of Shivappa Nayaka |
The museum houses artifacts and inscriptions of erstwhile times. we are astonished to see relics of Harappa and Mohenjodaro period. The whole area is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
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| Goddess Durga & Lord Ganesha |
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| Ambika & Ugra Narasimha |
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| Yoga Narasimha & Adinatha Thirthankar |
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| Mahishasura Mardini & Veeragallu (Hero's Stone) |
Vasanta Sena of Mricchakatika
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| Toys of various times |
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| Seals |
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| Vessels |
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| Stones |
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| Lord Vishnu in sleeping position |
After spending 2 hours or so appreciating the artifacts and clicking photos to heart's content, we left the place little learned.
Brief Info: The Nayaks were one of the successors of Vijananagara dynasty after its mighty fall. Shivappa Nayak is the ruler of Keladi Nayak kingdom in the 16th century. He was known to be a great warrior and an administrator who brought major portions of coastal and Malenadu Karnataka under his regime.
How to Reach: Ample of buses ply to Shivamogga from various cities. Hire an auto from bus terminal asking for Museum or Aramane because locals will be at loss if you ask for Shivappa Nayaka Palace. You can do the same from train station as well.
Where to Stay: There are plenty of hotels and lodges to suit one's budget.
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