SOMNATHPURA Temple is a rock-cut architectural masterpiece and was built in 13th Century. It is the finest specimen of Hoysala dynasty's architecture and grandeur. It lies 35 kms from Mysore city.
How To Reach: I took one of the hourly buses to Bannur town (Rs. 12, 40 mins.) from the KSRTC Govt. Bus stand in Mysore city and then from Bannur, a ( every quarter-hourly) private bus to Somnathpura(Rs. 4, 10 mins.)
Somnathpura is just a hamlet comprising of a few cottages beyond which lies this surprisingly intact and well managed architectural site. (Entry Rs. 5). Amidst manicured lawns, and pointed by the tall stone minaret at its entrance, the temple compound is protected by a 15 ft. stone wall all around the 60 m. square-shaped complex. The temple is built of black stone and in the Hoysala architectural style is still in all its glory and the finest specimen left in its league. Built by King Narsimha's General named Somnathpura in late 13th Century, it was indeed built to military precision. There are many small chambers throughout its periphery on the inside-featuring the statues of many deities. The central high-rise pagoda-styled temple has 3 main statues inside. But it is the ceiling that holds your breath - intricate geometrical patterns carved into the stone represent the cultural advancement of the era gone by.
This central Pagoda in appearance is like a cluster of several star-shaped conical high-rises with fine mytholigical stone statues of gods and goddesses, their postures and strange facial expressions halting your steps - some defaced by the attack of swords.
Somnathpura is just a hamlet comprising of a few cottages beyond which lies this surprisingly intact and well managed architectural site. (Entry Rs. 5). Amidst manicured lawns, and pointed by the tall stone minaret at its entrance, the temple compound is protected by a 15 ft. stone wall all around the 60 m. square-shaped complex. The temple is built of black stone and in the Hoysala architectural style is still in all its glory and the finest specimen left in its league. Built by King Narsimha's General named Somnathpura in late 13th Century, it was indeed built to military precision. There are many small chambers throughout its periphery on the inside-featuring the statues of many deities. The central high-rise pagoda-styled temple has 3 main statues inside. But it is the ceiling that holds your breath - intricate geometrical patterns carved into the stone represent the cultural advancement of the era gone by.
This central Pagoda in appearance is like a cluster of several star-shaped conical high-rises with fine mytholigical stone statues of gods and goddesses, their postures and strange facial expressions halting your steps - some defaced by the attack of swords.
The place is well-frequented by foreigners as well which explains the unlikely presence of a Tibetan curio-shop.
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20 August, 2005: My Observations on the Return Journey:
The condition of the road from Bannur to Somnathpura suggests that either the govt. seems to be unaware of this road's existence, or perhaps their brainwave included to keep the road in its primitive 13th Century condition as well. I observed that some artisans worked on large metallic bowls - upto 2 metres in diameter. Perhaps these are sold to showrooms later.
Bannur Bus Stand is straight out of famous writer R.K. Narayan's fictitious town Malgudi - a large Banyan tree and in its umbrage, sits a mix of populance - school-children: the smaller ones having to tow the heaviest bags while the elder ones sport a mere pen and a notebook of their favourite heroine; shop-keeper and artisans with their help-boys loading and unloading cartfuls of baggages of their produce or requirements; farmers in their lungis and plows, school teachers with fragrant gajras, the time-keeper in his brown overalls and a ledger, and vendors of coconuts and cucumbers and many others. As one of the local private buses arrive, the non-chalance of the gathered and the dozing, storms into a frenzy and they hug it like a child to a mother. I just manage to squeeze in or so I thought, for the next stop in Main Bannur had another dozen people waiting for this bus!!
20 August, 2005: My Observations on the Return Journey:
The condition of the road from Bannur to Somnathpura suggests that either the govt. seems to be unaware of this road's existence, or perhaps their brainwave included to keep the road in its primitive 13th Century condition as well. I observed that some artisans worked on large metallic bowls - upto 2 metres in diameter. Perhaps these are sold to showrooms later.
Bannur Bus Stand is straight out of famous writer R.K. Narayan's fictitious town Malgudi - a large Banyan tree and in its umbrage, sits a mix of populance - school-children: the smaller ones having to tow the heaviest bags while the elder ones sport a mere pen and a notebook of their favourite heroine; shop-keeper and artisans with their help-boys loading and unloading cartfuls of baggages of their produce or requirements; farmers in their lungis and plows, school teachers with fragrant gajras, the time-keeper in his brown overalls and a ledger, and vendors of coconuts and cucumbers and many others. As one of the local private buses arrive, the non-chalance of the gathered and the dozing, storms into a frenzy and they hug it like a child to a mother. I just manage to squeeze in or so I thought, for the next stop in Main Bannur had another dozen people waiting for this bus!!
Bannur was about to witness a sea-change as BSNL's telecom poles were being erected throughout the area and cementing material was being laid down near the road - hopefully this place will have a better road and telecom connectivity soon enough.
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