<p>One of the joys of travelling in India is how you can stumble upon the unexpected in the unlikeliest of places. Who would have associated Kolar with the sons of Rama? With gold, yes, but with Lava and Kusha? Welcome to Avani, 30 km from Kolar, said to be the birthplace of Rama’s twins and abode of the legendary sage Valmiki. <br /><br /></p>.<p>A little hillock at one end of the town, called the Lava-Kusha Betta, is said to be the hill where the boys were born. At the foot of the hillock is the Ramalingeshwara temple complex, protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The temple complex is very intimate in both its scale and aspect. It does not tower over you. Instead, the complex is a composite of several pocket-sized shrines. Some of the shrines are more than a thousand years old, while others were fashioned in later centuries. Successive rulers have added to the complex, squeezing in shrines wherever space permitted. <br /><br />Fabulous fables<br />If there is a temple, can a story be far behind? Legend says that after rescuing Sita from Ravana, Rama banished her after a washerman questioned her chastity. Sita took refuge in Valmiki’s ashram, where she later gave birth to the twin sons of Rama. Rama however, only came to know of his sons’ existence when he had to fight a battle against them to win back a horse that they had captured from him. In order to absolve himself of the sin of fighting his own children, Rama worshipped Shiva at Avani. And hence you have the Ramalingeshwara Temple. In addition, there are shrines named after Rama’s three brothers, and a few more as well.<br /><br />We started our exploration of the temples with the one dedicated to the eldest brother, which surprisingly turned out not to be the grandest, largest or oldest. The Ramalingeshwara Temple is now attached to a Sita Temple, which historians believe was built in 13th century. The largest and most interesting shrine in the complex is the Lakshmanalingeshwara Temple, also called the Lakshmaneshwara Temple. On the ceiling inside is a clear and lovely carving of the ashtadikpalas, the guardians of the eight directions. The Bharateshwara Temple opposite also has a similar ceiling. <br /><br />Many of the shrines here have a wealth of inscriptions from across time periods, including of the Nolambas, Cholas, Hoysalas and Vijayanagara kings. Two of these inscriptions are by Divalabbarasi, a queen of the Nolamba dynasty, who built a temple in honour of her son Mahendra sometime in the late 900s. She named the temple Nolamba-Narayaneshwara, after one of his titles. This possibly, was the temple now called the Bharateshwara Temple. Compared to the dazzling profusion on the walls of Hoysala temples, Avani’s temples appear rather plain. But the few sculptures that dot the outer walls of the Ramalingeshwara and Lakshmanalingeshwara temples have an appeal of their own. The depiction of Mahishasuramardhini spearing the buffalo demon, for example, with the goddess’ wild hair and livid eyes, is full of liveliness and energy but also a certain charm. <br /><br />Architectural delight<br />The decorations on the basement of the Ramalingeshwara and the Lakshmaneshwara temples are delightful. This is where the artisans who worked on the Temple seem to have given free rein to their creativity. Here we have lions, elephants and makaras (mythical beasts) cavorting playfully, pulling each other’s tails jauntily, snarling, smiling, teasing one another, all while marching purposefully and ceaselessly along the stone. <br /><br />One of Avani’s most important and unusual sculptures is not of a god but of a sage. He occupies pride of place, just above the pranala or the outlet for the abhisheka water, and is shown seated on a lotus, exuding dignity and gravitas. On his right is an inscription that identifies him as Shri Tribhuvanakartara Bhattar, a priest who lived in Avani and was head of its religious institutions for 40 years, through the reigns of two Nolamba kings, until the time of his death in 961 AD. Clearly, Tribhuvanadevam, as he is also referred to elsewhere on the Temple walls, was no ordinary priest. Was it he who personally oversaw the construction of the Temple, I wondered. Did he dictate the depictions of gods and goddesses on the walls? The priest is credited with having built at least 50 temples and two tanks in the region, but he will forever be associated with the Temple where he is shown and where his name is literally written in stone. <br /><br />We were the only people at the Temple when we visited — the priest patiently waited for us to walk around the Temple and did the arti for us. We spent a few more minutes pottering about the shrines and then wandered outside to look at the two ponds flanking the Temple. Archaeological reports written in the early 1900s talk about the ruins of another temple that once stood between the pond on the south and the Ramalingeshwara Temple. No trace of it exists anymore although a pillar with a Nolamba period inscription still stands just outside the temple complex. <br /><br />Meanwhile, as the sunny afternoon skies made way for a pleasantly overcast evening, it was time to climb the Lava- Kusha Betta nearby. The hillock is replete with Ramayana references. The devout believe that a dip in the Dhanushkoti pond that Lakshmana is said to have created for Sita, followed by a visit to the Sita Temple on the top of the hill, will bless a couple with a child. The ground outside Sita’s little cave shrine is full of ‘wish stones’ from people who have prayed here for children and then entrusted their fervent desire to the gods with a little tower of stones. <br /><br />On the plains nearby is a spot where Lava and Kusha are said to have fought their father. It is said that Sita, standing on the hillock where we were, cried tears of blood while watching the battle between her husband and her sons, thus permanently staining some of the rocks on the hill red. But no trace of that legendary grief lingers. Instead, the hillock invited us to drink in the strong breeze and to delight in the bucolic vistas that stretch as far as the eye can see. <br /><br />Getting there<br />Avani is 30 km from Kolar. From Kolar, continue on the Bengaluru-Tirupati highway (NH4) until you reach Kantharaj Circle. Turn right here and continue for six km till you reach Avani. <br /></p>
<p>One of the joys of travelling in India is how you can stumble upon the unexpected in the unlikeliest of places. Who would have associated Kolar with the sons of Rama? With gold, yes, but with Lava and Kusha? Welcome to Avani, 30 km from Kolar, said to be the birthplace of Rama’s twins and abode of the legendary sage Valmiki. <br /><br /></p>.<p>A little hillock at one end of the town, called the Lava-Kusha Betta, is said to be the hill where the boys were born. At the foot of the hillock is the Ramalingeshwara temple complex, protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The temple complex is very intimate in both its scale and aspect. It does not tower over you. Instead, the complex is a composite of several pocket-sized shrines. Some of the shrines are more than a thousand years old, while others were fashioned in later centuries. Successive rulers have added to the complex, squeezing in shrines wherever space permitted. <br /><br />Fabulous fables<br />If there is a temple, can a story be far behind? Legend says that after rescuing Sita from Ravana, Rama banished her after a washerman questioned her chastity. Sita took refuge in Valmiki’s ashram, where she later gave birth to the twin sons of Rama. Rama however, only came to know of his sons’ existence when he had to fight a battle against them to win back a horse that they had captured from him. In order to absolve himself of the sin of fighting his own children, Rama worshipped Shiva at Avani. And hence you have the Ramalingeshwara Temple. In addition, there are shrines named after Rama’s three brothers, and a few more as well.<br /><br />We started our exploration of the temples with the one dedicated to the eldest brother, which surprisingly turned out not to be the grandest, largest or oldest. The Ramalingeshwara Temple is now attached to a Sita Temple, which historians believe was built in 13th century. The largest and most interesting shrine in the complex is the Lakshmanalingeshwara Temple, also called the Lakshmaneshwara Temple. On the ceiling inside is a clear and lovely carving of the ashtadikpalas, the guardians of the eight directions. The Bharateshwara Temple opposite also has a similar ceiling. <br /><br />Many of the shrines here have a wealth of inscriptions from across time periods, including of the Nolambas, Cholas, Hoysalas and Vijayanagara kings. Two of these inscriptions are by Divalabbarasi, a queen of the Nolamba dynasty, who built a temple in honour of her son Mahendra sometime in the late 900s. She named the temple Nolamba-Narayaneshwara, after one of his titles. This possibly, was the temple now called the Bharateshwara Temple. Compared to the dazzling profusion on the walls of Hoysala temples, Avani’s temples appear rather plain. But the few sculptures that dot the outer walls of the Ramalingeshwara and Lakshmanalingeshwara temples have an appeal of their own. The depiction of Mahishasuramardhini spearing the buffalo demon, for example, with the goddess’ wild hair and livid eyes, is full of liveliness and energy but also a certain charm. <br /><br />Architectural delight<br />The decorations on the basement of the Ramalingeshwara and the Lakshmaneshwara temples are delightful. This is where the artisans who worked on the Temple seem to have given free rein to their creativity. Here we have lions, elephants and makaras (mythical beasts) cavorting playfully, pulling each other’s tails jauntily, snarling, smiling, teasing one another, all while marching purposefully and ceaselessly along the stone. <br /><br />One of Avani’s most important and unusual sculptures is not of a god but of a sage. He occupies pride of place, just above the pranala or the outlet for the abhisheka water, and is shown seated on a lotus, exuding dignity and gravitas. On his right is an inscription that identifies him as Shri Tribhuvanakartara Bhattar, a priest who lived in Avani and was head of its religious institutions for 40 years, through the reigns of two Nolamba kings, until the time of his death in 961 AD. Clearly, Tribhuvanadevam, as he is also referred to elsewhere on the Temple walls, was no ordinary priest. Was it he who personally oversaw the construction of the Temple, I wondered. Did he dictate the depictions of gods and goddesses on the walls? The priest is credited with having built at least 50 temples and two tanks in the region, but he will forever be associated with the Temple where he is shown and where his name is literally written in stone. <br /><br />We were the only people at the Temple when we visited — the priest patiently waited for us to walk around the Temple and did the arti for us. We spent a few more minutes pottering about the shrines and then wandered outside to look at the two ponds flanking the Temple. Archaeological reports written in the early 1900s talk about the ruins of another temple that once stood between the pond on the south and the Ramalingeshwara Temple. No trace of it exists anymore although a pillar with a Nolamba period inscription still stands just outside the temple complex. <br /><br />Meanwhile, as the sunny afternoon skies made way for a pleasantly overcast evening, it was time to climb the Lava- Kusha Betta nearby. The hillock is replete with Ramayana references. The devout believe that a dip in the Dhanushkoti pond that Lakshmana is said to have created for Sita, followed by a visit to the Sita Temple on the top of the hill, will bless a couple with a child. The ground outside Sita’s little cave shrine is full of ‘wish stones’ from people who have prayed here for children and then entrusted their fervent desire to the gods with a little tower of stones. <br /><br />On the plains nearby is a spot where Lava and Kusha are said to have fought their father. It is said that Sita, standing on the hillock where we were, cried tears of blood while watching the battle between her husband and her sons, thus permanently staining some of the rocks on the hill red. But no trace of that legendary grief lingers. Instead, the hillock invited us to drink in the strong breeze and to delight in the bucolic vistas that stretch as far as the eye can see. <br /><br />Getting there<br />Avani is 30 km from Kolar. From Kolar, continue on the Bengaluru-Tirupati highway (NH4) until you reach Kantharaj Circle. Turn right here and continue for six km till you reach Avani. <br /></p>
