Akka Tangi Kola, Melukote

After Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple we were in doubt whether to go to Yoganarasimha Temple now or later. Near the vehicle parking we noticed a sign saying way to Akka Tangi Kola and Rayagopura. It was easy to agree upon Rayagopura. While walking we talked among ourselves what this Akka Tangi Kola is? We knew it is a pond because in Kannada kola means pond. In a few moments Akka Tangi Kola showed up and what a show it was. These magnificent twin ponds were nothing like we have seen anywhere else.

 

By this time sun was harsh and we were quick to find a shade on the steps of one pond with a small temple behind us. A prewedding shoot was in full swing. Small group accompanying the couple was making a lot of noise teasing and taunting them on their cinematic poses. Our conversation oscillated between rage of prewedding shoot, drone cameras, and film making in general. Topic of drone cameras came up because we could not capture both the ponds completely. The perfect shot can be attained only by an aerial angle. Our next best option was to get it from Rayagopura which is situated further upward.

Akka means elder sister and tangi means younger sister in Kannada. Legend has it one of the sisters eagerly wanted to build the water tank while other one engaged in protestingly. So it happened the pond built by the sister who put her heart and soul into it is crystal clear and the water is consumed for drinking; whilst the pool created by reluctant sister is little bit muddy, little bit soggy and water is used for menial purposes like washing clothes, doing dishes, and on that line. We were unable to see this difference; however, there was an old man instructing people not to wash or splash water in one particular pond. So we deduced that pond must be the purest one. Our culture has so many legends and folklore that amuses us to no end. The exact period of these beautiful ponds are not known but considering the historic nature of this temple town it surely must be several hundred years old.

In some time we slowly started moving towards Rayagopura which is another 10 minutes uphill. The first thing we did was to try and find a way to get the ideal shot from up above. Sadly, thorny bushes covered the entire area that made it an impossible task. However, that didn't make our experience of spending time on those step-wells damp or dull. Since we are here in Rayagopura right now we should continue with that we guess.

Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple, Melukote

Having seen Melukote Rayagopura and Kalyani in several Indian movies one weekend we thought of visiting this temple town for a day trip as it is located at a distance of 147 kilometers from Bangalore. 

The Route: Bengaluru-Kunigal-Yadiyuru-Nagamangala-Melukote

Even though we left at 6:30 it was a foggy morning in the wintry month of January. We could see some of the vehicles moving in snail's pace while others completely bringing them to a halt. We stopped in Yadiyuru for breakfast to have delicious Mallige Idli (Soft and spongy Idli) and Yellikayi Chitranna (Citron Rice). With the aid of Google map we reached the sleepy town of Melukote around 10:00.

Perched upon the rocky hills of Yagugiri or Yadavagiri this place also goes by the name Thirunarayanapura. Mythologically Melukote was called Vedadri in Satya Yuga, Narayanadri in Thretha Yuga (Lord Rama), and Yadavadri in Dwapara Yuga (Lord Krishna). Yuga in Hinduism is an era consisting of many human years. During Kali Yuga, early in 11th century Srivaishnava saint Ramanuja was forced to leave Tamilnadu due to religious conflicts with Chola Kings. From then onwards he became the patronage of Hoysala kingdom for many years. He influenced the Jain king Bitti Deva to convert to Hinduism, that king is none other than Vishnuvardhana, the creator of magnificent Belur Chennakeshava Temple. King Vishnuvardhana lend a hand to Ramanjujacharya in building the Cheluvanarayana Swami Temple (Handsome God) in Melukote. Legend has it this temple was visited by Lord Rama along with his sons Lava and Kusha in Thretha Yuga and Sri Krishna and Balarama in Dwapara Yuga.

The main temple is a simple square building with extensive dimensions. Entrance of the temple adorns a triangular tower. Built in Dravidian style architecture the craftsmanship on the pillared corridor is awe-inspiring. As usual we skipped visiting sanctum sanctorum because of the huge crowd.

It is said the temple has a vast collection of precious jewels donated by erstwhile kings of Mysore, which are brought to the temple on festive occasions. And three gold crowns, two were gifted again by Wodeyars of Mysore and one by an unknown person.  

We spent a considerable amount of time appreciating the artisan work on the pillars much to the chagrin of the priests. It was written all over their face how annoyed they were to see group of four loitering around the corridor, appreciating the artistic work with bulk cameras around their neck. We feel they expect some level of devotion and submissiveness from visitors, which clearly we lack.

Just around the corner is the oldest Sanskrit college of Karnataka, which was sadly closed on that day. This “Veda Vedantha Bhodini Sanskrit Mahapathashala” was founded in 1854.

We met few school kids from coastal Karnataka who were on their yearly academical trip. Exuberant and full of life they reminded us of our childhood. Almost everyone in that group wants to become an engineer. We wished them all the best fulfilling their dreams. In 10 to 15 years down the line one of them may visit the same spot, bitten by the travel bug, having conversation with next generation.