Keladi/Ikkeri Sirsi Attractions

Keladi /Ikkeri

Keladi

Keladi is a temple town in Sagar Taluk of the state of Karnataka in India.

Rameswara temple at Keldi

In the outset as you enter the Rameshwara temple it appears like a building with a normal covered roof structure looming out in the middle of the street. It seems like another traditional residence in coastal Karnataka by Mangalore tiles covering the roof.

On entering inside the complex you notice transformation into a very old structure. The temple houses three deities, Lord Rameswara (Linga and Nandi), Lord Veerabhadra and Lord Ganesh. The pillars are superbly adorned with legendary gods as well as animals. At the ceiling you can find the legendary (imaginary) two headed bird called Garudabande.

You can also find the statue of Rani Channamma. You can observe Rani Chenamma is riding a horse. Underneath Lord Ganesh, Rani Chenamma is paying respect accompanied by her consorts. At the back of the temple complex that is more or less facing the entrance a picture of vaastu sketched on full wall panel. There exists a massive manasthamba at the backyard of temple. This indicates the temple could have been altered subsequently in accordance with vaastu guidance.

Museum: You can find a Museum situated outside the Keladi Rameswara temple that is maintained by Karnataka state government. Keladi Museum is a rich storehouse of copper inscriptions, palm leaves, coins and many more interesting antiques of the Keladi period. The museum also has the recovered idols of Hoysala and Chalukya period from the early 16th century to the late 18th century.

Keladhi History

Two brothers named Chavuda Gauda and Bhadra Gauda, living in the village of Hale-bayal, in the Keladi taluk of the Chandragutti paragana, had two servants or slaves, named Yadava and Murari, who cultivated their masters' fields. A cow they had was discovered to shed her milk over a certain ant-hill, which, on digging into, Chavuda Gauda found, contained a linga, over which, therefore, he built a small temple. A little time after, the servants, when ploughing, turned up an old sword, which they put into the thatch of the house, intending to make a scythe of it. But they discovered that if a crow perched on the shed the sword leaped out in the form of a serpent and killed it. On this, Chavuda Gauda took it and, carefully cleaning it, kept in his house, giving it the name of Nagaramuri. At another time, the ploughshare struck against the ring of a cauldron, which contained treasure. Afraid to disturb it, Chavuda Gauda covered it up again, but that night had a dream, in which he was directed to offer a human sacrifice and take the treasure. On hearing this, his two slaves volunteered to be the victims on condition that their memory was preserved. All the preparations being made, the place was dug up at night and the slaves, after ablutions, prostrated themselves to the cauldron and were beheaded with the sword Nagaramuri.

With this accession of wealth, the Gaudas raised a small force and began to subdue the neighbouring villages. But they were seized and sent to Vijayanagar by order from the king, and there put into custody. Hearing that a Palegar near Balihalu was rebellious, they made an offer through the court musicians to punish him if allowed to do so. Permission being given, they went with a force and killed the Palegar, on which they were released and confirmed in the possession of the places they had captured, receiving from the king a seal (sikha moharu). The town of Keladi was then founded, together with the temple of Rameshwara.

One day while the Gauda was hunting, a hare turned upon his hounds, indicating heroic virtue in the soil of the place in which this occurred. He therefore removed his town to the spot, calling Ikkeri. His son and successor, with the sanction of Sadasiva Raya, the Vijayanagar sovereign, took the name of Sadasiva-Nayak.

Two mounds, called Kalte, at the entrance to Keladi are pointed out as the scene of the human sacrifices.The principal building in the place is the double temple of Rameshwara and Virabhadra, a large and plain structure built in the Hoysala-Dravida style.

After the disintegration of Vijayanagar Empire in the Battle of Talikota, the Keladi Nayakas created an independent kingdom and it remained so until it was annexed to Mysore Kingdom by Hyder Ali.Shivappa Nayaka and Keladai Chennamma were the rulers of this kingdom.

Ikkeri

Ikkeri is a historical place located at a distance of 3 km from Sagar in Shimoga district.The meaning of the word Ikkeri in Kannada language is Two Streets.

Ikkeri was the capital of the Keladi rulers for about 120 years. After Ikkeri the capital was moved to Nagara and then to Kavaledurga.The prime attraction of Ikkeri is the Aghoreshwara Temple. The Aghoreshwara Temple in Ikkeri was constructed by the Keladi Nayakas, who were once upon a time feudatories to the Vijayanagara Empire.

The Aghoreshwara temple in Ikkeri is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Temple looks with vast open outer space throughout the temple compound. The Aghoreshwara temple is found in a big rectangular compound which is on a slightly higher ground. Instead of the tower gateway (Gopura) to the temple compound a simple but superb cubical arch carved out of granite across the small passage with many steps.

As soon as you enter the temple, it is really simple to grasp the plan of the temples and other structures interior. The very first thing is an prominent shrine of Nandi in the axis of this main temple. It can be rare to get this kind of large Nandi image having a glasslike finish.

Right next to Nandi shrine is a big Balipitha and a number of smaller Balipithas. A Balipitha (the Altar Stone) is where ritual offerings for god are offered. A couple of feet ahead at open area number of broken carved stones kept arrange. Actually that is the ruins of main deity's image.

The porch of goddess's shrine in Aghoreshwara Temple in Ikkeri is in the normal Vijayanagara style.

One can inquire the priest of the temple to get additional information. Priests of Aghoreshwara Temple in Ikkeri are friendly and they are surely happier to explain the history of the temple.

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Nearest Cities: Sagara,Siddapur,Sirsi,Shivamogga,Hosanagara,Gerusoppa

Distances from Keldi:

Sagar:10km

Siddapur:41km

Gersoppa:70km

Sirsi:80km

Shimoga:80km

Hosanagar:50km

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