My father, his friend Shyamanna and others had just arrived from a small trip. Shyamanna was copying the photos he clicked to my laptop. Some of those photos were so amazing I couldn’t stop myself from probing about the place. To my surprise he said the place was “Ikkeri”. I always heard of that place but didn’t know that the place is so astonishing. Though the place is not so far off from my village I never visited. Once I saw those pictures I decided to visit Ikkeri. I called my cousins and planned to visit there in Navaratri vacation.
But as usual my plan turned upside down. My cousins tied up with few stuff and most of them canceled it. Having no choice, I, uncle, aunt, their daughter and my sister were set to visit Ikkeri. We packed our lunch, poured some coffee into flask and headed towards Ikkeri. I was so excited and even they were as I had already shown those photos. We were so involved in our talks, we didn’t realize how time flew and we reached Ikkeri..!!
The place was so beautiful, as soon I got out of the car, I exclaimed “wow”. It was built around 15-16th century. I was so amazed to see it. As we entered we saw lawn on either side. Few feet further there was a building made of rock inside which a huge idol of Nandi is situated facing Aghoreshwara temple. Some tourists were clicking photos standing near that Nandi. We entered Aghoreshwara temple, there were two elephant made of stone in the entrance. As I stepped inside I was spellbound by the huge pillars of stone and the walls. The intricate carvings on those walls and pillars were absolutely stunning. I handed over the camera to my sister and began to wander here and there. I was so astonished that I couldn’t understand what to see and where to go? I was wondering how many sculptors had worked and toiled to build such beautiful temple!!!!
I had bowed to Lord Aghoreshwara, I walked all around, clicked few photos of Nandi but yet my eyes were looking for something. I was searching for those sundered stone feet I saw in those photos. After a long search I found them in the middle of the lawn.
I went there, along with that sundered feet some more pieces were also kept. I stood in front of it and sighed. If truth to be told, it was those feet which attracted me the most and prompted me to visit the place. It is said that the temple was ransacked by Bijapur sultans and the huge idol of Aghoreshwara was sundered. I thought of the sculptor who made this idol, how much he had hurt on seeing it destructed? I thought of those people who worshipped the idol faithfully, how they endured the onslaught made on their emotions? In that moment I remembered of a Zen Budhdhist temple mentioned by Paulo Coelho in one of his book. Every twenty years the temple is destroyed and rebuilt. The reason is the monks who have trained as carpenters and architects can use their practical skills and pass them on to their apprentices. It also shows them that nothing in this life is eternal. True, when man himself is not eternal then how can his creations be? I sighed.
My excitement had waned after seeing that sundered pieces of the idol. We were leaving and I turned back to bow my head and prayed. Suddenly a thought hit my mind, they destroyed the idol but they couldn’t destroy the faith. That means there is something eternal. I smiled, my excitement was recouped and we headed towards Keladi.
Leave a Comment