Елена Рыбалкина – India. Exploring Karnataka (страница 2)
By the way, the Shiva statue's facial expression changes in different lighting. Take a closer look.
Around the statue of Shiva, you can see a beautiful park and huge sculptures of the sacred bull Nandi, a chariot with the gods Arjuna and Krishna, and a huge golden sun symbolizing the god, Surya.
Descending the steps, you'll find yourself at an equally significant and majestic site—the gopuram, the gate tower. Like the statue, the gopuram is the tallest, standing 75 meters high. Inside, the tower is equipped with elevators that take you to the very top, to the observation deck. The views from the top are worth the fifteen rupees entrance fee.
Once you go down, you can take your time and examine the life-size elephants standing at the entrance.
In a city located on the coast, it's impossible to miss the beach. Hundreds of boats are moored on one side of the shore. The city's residents primarily engage in fishing. The other part of the coast is a beach area, where Indians conduct a brisk trade no less eloquent than at the once-famous Cherkizon. This is the dirtiest part of the coast.
Hindus used to use banana leaves instead of plates for food, throwing them away afterward. These centuries-old traditions have become embedded in modern life, and now Hindus habitually throw anything that can't be consumed on the ground.
You can have lunch at the Naveen Beach Restaurant, which is located on the opposite side of the Gopuram on the coast.
Chapter 7
The Lost Kingdom of the Jains
Pepper Queen Chennabhairadevi not only built the Mirjan fort and ran a successful spice trade, but also professed Jainism, building many Jain basadis in Karnataka.
My curiosity and thirst for adventure left me no choice but to set out in search of the lost kingdom of the Jains. All that remains of the kingdom are ancient basadis and various artifacts dug up from the depths of the earth.
The entrance to the Chaturmukha Basadi isn't always open, and access is always left to the mercy of the universe. I was lucky: the temple doors were open. Nothing remains of the Jain kingdom after seven centuries. All that remains are the Basadi temple, a well, and a couple of outbuildings where archaeologists store discovered artifacts.
Chaturmukha translates as "four-faced," hence the temple's perfectly symmetrical structure and four entrances facing the Garbhagriha. The Garbhagriha features four free-standing sculptures of Tirthankaras, facing the four exits. The Tirthankaras symbolize the all-encompassing knowledge of the cosmos.
What is surprising is that the temple is built from carved granite rocks without any binding material - just stone on stone.
The Jains who lived here preached non-harm to any living creature. They observed strict asceticism: their elders died by abstaining from food. To avoid accidentally swallowing a fly, Jains wear face coverings. They walk the streets with a broom to avoid crushing any living creatures. A kind of ancient Greenpeace.
You can get to the temple from the town of Karkala by car or taxi.
Coordinates:14°13′43.4″N 74°39′53″E / 14.228722°N 74.66472°E / 14.228722; 74.66472
Chapter 8
Green Fort Mirjan
Little-known and dilapidated landmarks attract me no less than those that have retained their integrity and attract crowds of tourists. We visited one such place near Kumta. Fort Mirjan doesn't look like a defensive structure at all, but rather like a castle. A queen's castle.
This is partly true. According to one theory, the fort was built to store and protect spices shipped by river to Europe. The exact date of its construction is unknown. Some sources say it dates back to the 13th century, others to the 16th century, and was restored in the 17th.
A plaque at the entrance claims it was built in the 17th century. This fact is both admirable and perplexing. The fort was built of volcanic rock, a rather loose substance. How it has survived to this day remains a mystery. However, it is unknown what remains of the original after the restoration of 2000–2001, when the laterite stone was replaced.
The fort's original construction is attributed to Queen Chennabhairadevi, who ruled the area for 54 years and also resided in the fort. The queen successfully traded in the finest black pepper, earning the nickname "Pepper Queen." Pepper was more valuable than gold in the 16th century and had to be guarded. Besides pepper, the fort also stored wild nutmeg, saltpeter, cassia, and betel nut. During the reign of the "Pepper Queen," matriarchy reigned in South India.
After suffering defeat at the Battle of Talikota, which destroyed the Vijayanagara Empire, the queen fled from the Mirjan fort to safety on an island in the Sharavati River. According to another version, she was captured and met her death in prison.
After the death of Bednur's last ruler in 1755, his wife assumed control, representing her 17-year-old adopted son, Chanbasaviya. When her adopted son objected to her taking a lover, she killed him. This led to a revolt by the agitated local population, and, taking advantage of the situation, the Marathas captured the fort. In the 18th century, the fort was captured by the British. The British maintained the fort until 1947, when India gained independence.
Coordinates:14.493267, 74.423750
Chapter 9
The flooded church of Shettihalli
Churches are often closely associated with mysticism. What could be more mystical than a church rising from the water at a certain time?
A mystical wonder hidden in the vastness of the Indian city of Hassan and hovering above the water is the French Christian church of Shettihalli.
During the monsoon season, the church submerges and resurfaces in the summer. Upon learning of this miracle, I was ready to swim there on anything, even a small basin. The floating basin became our means of transportation between the submerged and majestic ruins. Not the most comfortable, but very romantic.
This mysterious Gothic church was built to serve the Christian communities living in Karnataka in 1830 by French missionaries. A hundred years later, civilization, in the form of a burst dam, forced the people to leave, leaving this grandiose building to nature.
As I mentioned earlier, the flooded church now has a rather mystical appearance, and if you visit after sunset, you'll surely get a thrill, mistaking the silhouettes of the birds living inside for ghosts. Before sunset, however, floating between the church's arches, reflected in the water and appearing golden in the rays of the setting sun, you'll feel an incredible sense of peace and tranquility.
You can get to the church from the city of Khasan by bus, telling the driver to make a stop at the church, and then walk 10 minutes.
Coordinates:54.716354, 20.524586
Chapter 10
Belur. Chennakeshava Temple
Various architectural mysteries always captivate the human mind, causing us to freeze, as if petrified, for a moment, near exquisitely crafted massive stones. Especially when these stones are ancient.
The lacework of Hindu temples remains a centuries-old mystery for modern man. The enormous carved columns and openwork elements of the temples spark heated debate about how the ancient Indians could have sculpted such beauty using hammers and chisels. Or did they have lathes or other more sophisticated tools?
Belur was the second capital of the Hoysalas, hosting refugees from Halebid during the war with the Muslims. The Chennakeshava Temple in Belur took 103 years to build. It was built by the Hoysala king Vishnuvarhana. The temple's architectural style is Hoysala. Its base resembles a star.
The facade walls are decorated with horizontal friezes depicting scenes from the Puranas, Upanishads, Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Among the sculptures, the figures of dancing girls—apsaras—are particularly noteworthy. Particularly famous is the sculpture of Darpana-sundari—a beauty looking into a mirror. Apsaras from the Belur Temple, Karnataka, 1117 CE.
Demigoddesses in Hindu mythology, spirits of clouds or water. Beautiful women in rich clothing and wearing jewelry. In Vedic mythology, they are the wives and lovers of the Gandharvas. Celestial dancers and courtesans. According to legend, Apsaras also indulges heroes fallen in battle in Indra's paradise.
There are several versions of the origin of the apsaras. The Ramayana mentions that the apsaras were created during the churning of the ocean by the gods and asuras; neither of them wanted to marry them, and they became the property of everyone. According to other legends, the most famous apsaras (such as Menaka, Urvashi, Tilottama, and others) were created by Brahma, while the rest were the daughters of Daksha.
Apsaras, who were in direct service to the gods, were often used by them to seduce ascetics or holy hermits, who, through asceticism, could become equal to the gods. The figures are well detailed, but unfortunately, elements of some sculptures have been lost.
The temple's interior is supported by 22 solid stone pillars. The central pillar, depicting Narasimha (an avatar of Vishnu), bears over a hundred images of deities. The Narasimha pillar, made of soapstone, once had the ability to rotate. Touching the pillar creates the sensation of touching soap.