Someshvara Temple - Kalkere

 Kalkere village provides a restful escape for those wanting to feel the powerful vibrations from the lord. This unique temple, which contributes to the history of architecture in Karnataka. Kalkeri has places of tourist interest like the Someshwara Temple, a huge lake and the Basaveshwara Temple. Villagers of Kalakeri took initiative have embarked on preserving and renovating the centuries old Basaveshwara and Someshvara temple. 

  A few steps lead you into the Someshvara temple with stone pillars and beautiful clean stone courtyard where you can walk and peacefully experience the calmness of the temple, which has stood witness to mankind for a century.

 A rare 15th-century relic — a combination of Viragallu and Mastigall the 1.85-metre-long and 55-cm-wide stone has sculptures at four levels. At the lowest level, a soldier is injured in a war. He and his wife, who had committed Sati, are carried in a palanquin in the second level. This is the depiction of death, according to experts. At the third level, the couple is seen looking at each other intimately, while sitting in the palanquin. This time, the carriers are women guards ‘approaching the gates of heaven’.

 At the final level, the brave couple is sitting before a Shiva Linga. They are joined by a priest, Nandi, the Sun and the Moon. This is seen as the depiction of heaven. While Viragallus are erected in memory of brave soldiers, Mastigallus represent women who sacrificed their life on the pyre of their husbands. However, this stone is unique as it is a single structure erected in the memory of a brave soldier and his wife, a Maha Sati.

The trail to Golden Era...Part 4.
In the 6 lines carved at the bottom, references have been made to Veera Harihara Rama and his minister Mangappa Nayaka. There is also a reference to Kumara Harihara Rama, who is probably the prince.  Kalkeri was an important cultural centre in the Vijayanagara kingdom. The new stone is an addition to the rich cultural heritage of the village.

 The inscriptions written in Kannada script denote that the stones belonged to the 13th century and were carved during the reign of Yadava (Sevuna) king Ramachandra (1272 AD). The inscriptions tell us about the attack on Chandavara in Kumta taluk of Uttar Kannada district by his army chief Saluva Ballugideva. Ballugideva was defeated by the combined attack of Kavadeva of Chandavara, Hemmadideva (Shivachitta Permadi) of Goa and Pandyadeva of Baarakuru in Udupi district,” Ms. Potnis said in a release. Both the inscriptions reveal the heroic death of the army commanders Paraka Paruseyya Nayak and Kaayya and subsequent “Sati” performed by their wives Elubai and Banubai the place, “Barakuru” in Udupi district, was an important one during the reign of Alupa kings.

 The chirping of the birds and the gurgling of the river are soothing to the ears. The greenery surrounding the riverbanks is breathtaking. All these put together was the picture perfect. . Inside the sanctum sanctorum is the one foot tall lingam. This is said to be an ‘Udhbava Lingam’ meaning lingam which was naturally formed and one can feel the powerful vibrations from the lord.