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Land of the fusion god

Harihara may not pull many tourists but pilgrims consider it the Kashi of the South

A PEEK INTO HISTORY The Harihareswara temple dates back to the Hoysala times

There is a tendency to just pass through this place while making a journey between two cities. But Harihara, located scenically on the banks of the Tungabhadra, definitely deserves some time and attention.

Just 14 kilometres away from a business centre like Davangere, Harihara may not be that popular as a tourist spot. But many consider it the Dakshina Kashi or the Kashi of the South. The Harihareswara Temple here is not only the most beautiful temple in the district but also a monument of national importance. B.L. Rice's book Epigraphia Carnatica contains 47 inscriptions from here.

Honourable books

The temple, built for Lord Harihara, the fusion god (symbolising the coming together of Vishnu and Shiva), finds a mention in the books Temples of Karnataka, South Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses (H. Krishna Sastri) and Iconography of Minor Hindu and Buddhist Deities (Bhagavant Sahai).

The Harihareswara temple is ancient — built by Polalva, a minister under the Hoysala King Narasimha-II in 1223 A.D. The place is called Guhasura Kshetra, named after a demon slayed by Harihara in the form of Shankara-narayana.

One should visit the temple in the morning when the sun's rays highlight the intricate sculpture around and the remarkable pillar work inside. The left half of the idol represents Hari and the right half Hara.

Two shasanas (edicts) are kept on the left side as you enter. One is the famous Davangere Dg.39 that stands 15 feet tall. (Its text runs into four pages in the Epigraphia Carnatica.) The other one is incomplete. Some other edicts are kept on the right side corner. The deepa-sthambhas (huge lamp pillars) are added attractions. The best time to visit the Harihareshwara temple is between 7 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. and again in the evening 5 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

For those who are fond of catching sunset views, there is a point just near the old bridge built across the Tungabhadra, way back in 1868. While returning you can also visit the Panchamukha Anjaneya temple and other structures built there by the Raghavendra Mutt Trust. Incidentally there are samadhis of five yatis (one of them Nadi Paramahamsa had came from Hyderabad).

There are shrines dedicated to Dattatreya, Sri Rama and Iswara.

FACTFILE

Harihara is 277 kilometres from Bangalore on NH 4. Instead of just passing through or changing a bus at Harihara, you can spend some time marvelling at the architecture of the Harihareswara Temple and the scenic beauty created by the flowing river. If time permits, visit Ukkadagatri Basaveswara.

H.S.MANJUNATHA

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