The Panchalinga temple, Begur, 161114
November 17, 2014
Sometimes a lot of the hard work is done for me!
Arvind took Gayatri and me to the 1200-year-old temple of nagarEshwara in Begur. I thought I’d write about it, but
has done a great job of it!
The only difference after 6.5 years is that two rAja gOpurAs have been constructed, and will be consecrated today (17 Nov 2014). There are some rather unimaginative, but well-meaning, repairs in the temple, but the age old nagarEshwara shrine is still rather tottery!
Lovely video with the commentary in Kannada:
So, here are a few pictures I took.
A temple I saw before the Panchalinga temple:
A view of the Panchalinga temple:
A rAjagOpurA under construction (it's supposed to be consecrated today, and seems nowhere near done!)
The other one, more finished:
How can I have a post without birding in it? A migratory Spot-billed Pelican soars over the temple (the Begur Lake is close by).
The old shrine:
The small gopura:
The old part of the temple:
The tottering old nagarEshwara shrine:
the Nandi in front:
Small bas relief of Ganesha:
Getting ready for the deepOtsavA (lamp festival):
A yagnya being performed:
The low ceilings and granite pillars:
rAvaNA, the king of Sri Lanka, a great devotee of Shiva, and the "villain" of the epic, rAmAyaNA, as a vehicle for the god in procession:
Another such pallakki both are at the shrine of kAlikAmbA:
Shrine to sUrya nArAyaNA:
The view of the Nagareshwara shrine:
Hero stones and inscriptions in the courtyard:
A Ganesha carved out of a bullock horn:
View of the "staircase" to the gopura under construction:
It's made of bamboo and bricks, earth-friendly materials instead of metal; looks rickety, but that's what the builders are working with!
Another view of the temple:
A "vilva"(crab apple) tree in full fruition:
One of the trees in the courtyard:
Another one next to it:
The flower seller outside with her umbrella flying in the breeze:
I’ve put up some more photos on my FB album,
(especially those who like to see what everyday religious life is like Over Here!)