Hassan brings to one's mind art, culture and history. It has made a name for itself as a tourist destination, a haven of art and as a strong inter-link between the past and the future. The Bahubali statue, the dance forms of shilabhalikas at Belur and Halebidu are an essay in stone. These are identified and are well known as religious places as well. However, Ramanathapura of Arkalgudu taluk has a cultural history spanning several hundred years.

The temples at Ramanathapura were established during the Chola period and rejuvenated during the reign of the Hoysalas. Apart from the fact that it houses different art and architectural styles, Ramanathapura is an important religious centre of South India.

Sri Rameshwara, Pattabhirama and Agasthyeshwara temples stand  testimony to the grand architecture of the Chola and Hoysala ages. Moreover, Vahnipushkarani, a beautiful fish pond, is the main attraction of the place. From time immemorial, devotees have been visiting these temples, considered as the epicentre of spirituality.

However, the saddening part is that neither the elected representatives nor the officials concerned are paying due attention to the development of temples with great historical and cultural backgrounds. Ramanathapura, which once attracted tourists from all over the country, is now left with few visitors. Moreover, assurances given by the chief minister and the officials concerned to rejuvenate the temples have remained as mere hollow promises.

Every year, throughout the Margashira month, Subramanya Rathotsava is held at Ramanathapura when thousands of devotees from different regions of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra come to the village to pay their tribute to the deities. But the lack of basic amenities seems to pose a major hurdle to the devotees.

The historically prominent Agasthyeshwara temple has a rich cultural background too. It is a true representative of art, music and culture of its time. The temple is also a model of broad thinking, intellectual maturity and guru-shishya parampara. The Agasthyeshwara temple is also famous for its historical background and its portrayal of the emotional landscape of the society and the strength of religion. Every wall of the temple has a tale of its own to tell. The temple architecture and the surrounding environment prove conducive to the same.

At the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is a huge Shivalinga. Apart from this, the temple also houses Mahaganapathi, Parashurama, Laksmi Devi, Chamundeshwari and other deities. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, on his recent visit to the temple, had directed the officials concerned to prepare a plan to rejuvenate the temple at an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 crore. However, now after the survey, a report has been submitted to the State Government.

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Translated by R S Ranjeetha Urs