Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple: Karnataka

• 16 Jan 2021

Why in News

The overclouded sky impacted the annual phenomenon called Surya Majjana in Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple (Karnataka).

Key Points

• Location: This temple is located in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• Meaning of the Name:
  
  • The temple derives its name from the combination of topographical features and mythology: gavi (cave), and Gangadhareswara (shiva) means the Lord who adorns the Ganga.
• Establishment:
  
  • It is believed to have been built by Kempe Gowda I in its present form.
• Architecture Features:
  
  • Celestial Oriented Architecture: Built in Vijaynagar style, it has unique celestial oriented rock cut architecture due to which Surya majjana occurs on Sankranti every year.
    
    • Surya Majjana:
      
      • Every year on the Makar Sankranti, the sun rays fall on the Shiv linga located in the cave (gavi) making it shine for ten minutes.
  • Two Monolithic Structures:
    
    • In the forecourt stand two monolithic structures, named Suryapana and Chandrapana - each consisting of a massive disc atop a supporting pillar.
    • They have engravings of sitting bulls on the discs face each other.
  • Iconography of Shiva:
    
    • The compound of the temple is adorned with monolith structures associated with the iconography of Shiva - the trishula (trident) and the damaru (an hourglass-shaped, two-headed drum).
    • In between the two discs there is a brass dhwajasthambha (flagstaff), and a small cubicle housing a statue of Nandi, Shiva’s bull carrier.

Kempe Gowda I

• Kempe Gowda I was a feudatory king under Vijayanagar empire.
• He founded the city of Bengaluru in 1537 and named it after their family deity’s consort, Kempamma.
• He is also credited with the construction of several lakes or keres for the purposes of drinking water and irrigation eg. the Dharmambudhi lake.

Other Sites in Karnataka

• Basavakalyan,
• Hampi (World Heritage Site),
• Badami,
• Aihole, etc.

Source:TH