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Temples of Kashi - The Kardameshwar temple

The absence of ancient Hindu structures in Kashi is something I have always lamented about. The shrines are certainly ancient, and that is something that has always attracted me to the city. However, I miss the beauty of the ancient structures that we see at other sites. This feeling is intensified when I see marble and concrete and tiles in temples that once would have been beautifully adorned with evocative sculptures, and worn by the passage of time, touched by the hands of seekers who came before. This time , this desire to see some remnants of an ancient Hindu structure in Kashi came true when I managed to visit the Kardameshwar Temple. The Kardameshwar temple is not one of the main temples in the city. It is part of the temples on the Pancha Kroshi yatra, a pilgrimage which takes one on a circumambulatory tour of the whole city. The temple is located on the outskirts of the city, on the western bank of a tank called the Kardama Kund. The Kardameshwar temple is one of the...
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Shveta Varahaswamy Temple, Mysore Palace

There are 12 temples inside the Mysore Palace complex. Some of these are ancient ones, which stood long before the palace was built, while others are relatively recent, having been built by the royal family in different periods. Among these, it is the Shveta Varahaswamy Temple which is the most prominent, since it is located right next to the present entrance to the palace.

Varaha over the main doorway





Varaha is the third avatar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the family deity of the Wodeyars. He appears in the form of a wild boar,bringing out the earth (Bhu-devi) from the ocean. The idol being made of white stone, He is called ‘Shveta (white) Varahaswamy. It is said that the idol was brought from Srimushnam in Tamilnadu, by Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar (1672-1704), and consecrated at a new temple in Srirangapatna, which was then their capital. In 1809, the deity was brought to Mysore and consecrated in this temple by Diwan Purnaiah as per the wishes of Krishna Raja Wodeyar III.




The temple is built in the typical Hoysala style of architecture with intricate work over the doorways and pillars. 




There is also a separate shrine for the goddess. 



One of the interesting things about this temple are the paintings representing the Ramayana and Bhagavata on the walls of the pillared hall. Unfortunately, cameras aren’t allowed inside the temple, so I have no photos of these. Instead, here is a depiction of the Dashavatar (the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu) over the doorway…

Narasimha... killing the demon Hiranyakasipu

Narasimha in a different pose... as Lakshmi Narasimha accompanied by smaller ircons of Dashavatars... the one on the left is Vamana. I cant identify the one on the right. Looks a bit like Garuda. 

Some of the Dashavatars/.. the central one is Rama. see the smaller icons of Matsya, Kurma and Varaha

I am sharing this post today with SkyWatch Friday. True, there isnt much of the sky in these pics, but standing in the palace complex, looking around, the temples with their majestic gopurams were the most visible on the skyline! For more beautiful skies from around the world, visit the Skywatch page. 

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Location: Mysore Palace, Sayyaji Rao Road, ಮೈಸೂರು, Karnataka 570001, India

Comments

  1. ErcotravelsSeptember 6, 2013 at 12:08 PM

    Wow, Gorgeous! Indeed, extraordinary architecture...like your tour.
    Really, you have an Amazing Blog, Anu! I glad that found your blog and continually enjoying your new posts and/or a follower at your blog. but now I hope, you'll be a follower and commenter. Indeed, I have also very informative and interesting blog..Have a nice day..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarSeptember 6, 2013 at 1:27 PM

      Thanks so much. I havent been able to see a lot of blogs recently, but when i start to catch up, I surely will read yours. hope to keep seeing u here.

      Delete
  2. SteffiSeptember 6, 2013 at 2:56 PM

    Very beautiful photos for SWF!Have a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. RajeshSeptember 6, 2013 at 9:09 PM

    Beautifully covered. I have been wanting to do this for long now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarSeptember 7, 2013 at 2:44 PM

      Thanks Rajesh! would love to read your impressions of the temple too.

      Delete
  4. R Niranjan DasSeptember 9, 2013 at 10:00 PM

    Wonderful architectures. Nice shots.

    http://rajniranjandas.blogspot.in/

    ReplyDelete

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