KELADI

.

Keladi ಕೆಳದಿ
—  town  —
Rameshwara Temple, Hoysala-Dravida style, Keladi Nayaka period
Keladi Location in Karnataka, India
Coordinates: 14.2241°N 75.0164°E
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Shimoga
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	577 443
Telephone code	08183Keladi is a temple town in Shimoga district of the state of Karnataka in India.

Located about 8 KM from Sagara town.

[edit]History

It is interesting as the place whence the Ikkeri chiefs derived their origin, which is thus related :-

Two brothers named Chavuda Gauda and Bhadra Gauda, living in the village of Hale-bayal, in the Keladi taluk of the Chandragutti paragana, had two servants or slaves, named Yadava and Murari, who cultivated their masters' fields. A cow they had was discovered to shed her milk over a certain ant-hill, which, on digging into, Chavuda Gauda found, contained a linga, over which, therefore, he built a small temple. A little time after, the servants, when ploughing, turned up an old sword, which they put into the thatch of the house, intending to make a scythe of it. But they discovered that if a crow perched on the shed the sword leaped out in the form of a serpent and killed it. On this, Chavuda Gauda took it and, carefully cleaning it, kept in his house, giving it the name of Nagaramuri. At another time, the ploughshare struck against the ring of a cauldron, which contained treasure. Afraid to disturb it, Chavuda Gauda covered it up again, but that night had a dream, in which he was directed to offer a human sacrifice and take the treasure. On hearing this, his two slaves volunteered to be the victims on condition that their memory was preserved. All the preparations being made, the place was dug up at night and the slaves, after ablutions, prostrated themselves to the cauldron and were beheaded with the sword Nagaramuri.

With this accession of wealth, the Gaudas raised a small force and began to subdue the neighbouring villages. But they were seized and sent to Vijayanagar by order from the king, and there put into custody. Hearing that a Palegar near Balihalu was rebellious, they made an offer through the court musicians to punish him if allowed to do so. Permission being given, they went with a force and killed the Palegar, on which they were released and confirmed in the possession of the places they had captured, receiving from the king a seal (sikha moharu). The town of Keladi was then founded, together with the temple of Rameshwara.

One day while the Gauda was hunting, a hare turned upon his hounds, indicating heroic virtue in the soil of the place in which this occurred. He therefore removed his town to the spot, calling Ikkeri. His son and successor, with the sanction of Sadasiva Raya, the Vijayanagar sovereign, took the name of Sadasiva-Nayak.

Two mounds, called Kalte, at the entrance to Keladi are pointed out as the scene of the human sacrifices.

The principal building in the place is the double temple of Rameshwara and Virabhadra, a large and plain structure built in the Hoysala-Dravida style.

After the disintegration of Vijayanagar Empire in the Battle of Talikota, the Keladi Nayakas created an independent kingdom and it remained so until it was annexed to Mysore Kingdom by Hyder Ali.

KELADI CHENNAMMA

Shivappa Nayaka and Chennamma were the rulersKeladi Chennamma was the Queen of Keladi Kingdom in Karnataka, daughter of Siddappa Setti of Kundapur. She married King Somashekara in 1667. After Somashekara, she became the queen of Keladi Nayaka dynasty who fought the Mughal Army ofAurangzeb from her base in the kingdom of Keladi in the Sagara, Karnataka India. She adopted Basavappa Nayaka, who was one of her close relatives. She gave shelter to the son of Shivaji Maharaj infuriating the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Her cabinet was headed by brave Timmanna Nayaka who was the descendent of a commander of Vijayanagra. The battle in Keladi with Mughals ended in a treaty. Her rule lasted for 25 years, and Keladi kingdom was probably the last to lose autonomy to Mysore rulers and subsequently to British. She is considered as the epitome of the Kannada women's valor along with Onake Obavva and Kittur Chennamma.

Aurangzeb had conquered many kingdoms in North India and had turned his eyes towards the South. His thirst for expansion was not yet quenched and his vast, powerful army attacked this small state. The excuse had been that the Queen had given shelter to the son of Maharaja Shivaji.She had the complexion of a pearl, with bright eyes and a broad forehead. A long nose and curly hair adorned a face of royal dignity. The beautiful Queen was full of good qualities. She had the ability to kill her enemies in battle, like Durga (the goddess of power). Beauty, valor, piety and generosity all blended in this great Queen.

She was the Queen of an ancient State. She had no husband. Still she fought with the many foes around and freed the kingdom from several dangers. But soon she had to face another danger.

Aurangzeb was the Moghul Emperor then. 'Alamgir' was his title. Alamgir means one who has conquered the whole world.
Aurangzeb had conquered many kingdoms in North India and had turned his eyes towards the South. His thirst for expansion was not yet quenched and his vast: powerful army attacked this small State. The reason given was that the Queen had given shelter to the son of Maharaja Shivaji.

But the Queen was not afraid. Nor did she feel sorry. She did not ask for pardon. She faced the attack like a heroic woman. When the enemies themselves withdrew their attack and begged for a treaty, she was quite generous.

This heroic Queen and noble lady was Queen Chennamma of Keladi.

Chennamma ruled the kingdom of Keladi for twenty-five years. She had the complexion of a pearl, with bright eyes and a broad forehead. A long nose and curly hair adorned a face of royal dignity. The beautiful Queen was full of good qualities too. And she had the ability to kill her enemies in the battles, like Durga (the goddess of power). Beauty, valour, piety and generosity all blended in this great Queen.

Keladi was a kingdom in the MaInad area of Karnataka. The first King of Keladi was Chowdappa Nayaka who came to the throne in 1500. He was a great hero.

In about 1645, the able King Shivappa Nayaka came to the throne. During his reign, many reforms were effected in Keladi. This King became famous as a great ruler because of his administrative reforms. Government and collection of taxes were so systematized that he came to be called 'Shistina Shivappa Nayaka' ('shistu' - meaning discipline and order and it is also known as a kind of Local Tax). His younger son Somashekhara Nayaka became the King in 1664. At that time the kingdom of Keladi stretched along the entire seacoast from Goa to Malabar.

Somashekhara Nayak was a very efficient king. With a good figure, power and wealth, he also had good qualities. He was
religious-minded, too.

Somashekhara Nayaka did not marry for several years. He was young and a king; and was also handsome, virtuous and famous. Naturally many a king tried to make him his son-in-law. The Nayaka saw many beautiful princesses. But he never thought of marriage.The pious and virtuous woman, the brave and intelligent Queen, breathed her last in Shravana, a holy month of Hindus. Basappa Nayaka and the people of Keladi were in deep grief. Chennamma was laid to rest in the Koppalu monastery in Bidanur.

When, because of the foolishness of the king Somashekhara Nayaka, Keladi was in chaos and was encircled by enemies,
Chennamma acted boldly and -wisely and in the interests of the State and the subjects. She crushed all the enemies. Other kings were all afraid of Aurangzeb and denied shelter to the great Shivaji's son. But this lady of the Kannada land helped him. As a queen she was wise and able as she was brave.So she established a peaceful era in Keladi. She ruled the kingdom in such a way that the people could live without fear of the enemies, and without trouble from thieves or oppression from officers. She gave succor to the poor and respected all religions.

The name of Keladi's brave Queen is written in Golden letters in the history of Karnataka and the history of India. Chennamma's life is a source of inspiration to all who love freedom and admire courage and nobility.

KELADI TEMPLE

RAMESHWRA TEMPLE

The temple is popularly known as Keladi Rameshwara Temple. The shrine has three deities, Devi Parvathi, Lord Rameshwara and Lord Veerabhadra. The temple was built by Chowdappa Nayaka. The temple is in dravidian style of architecture influenced by Kadamba and Hoysala style. The roofs and pillars of the temple is made out of carved wood.

The stone sculpture of Ganda Berunda on the ceiling of the Veerabhadra temple is exquisite.(It is used as logo for Karnataka Road Transport Corp. KSRTC)

It is a depiction of a two-headed garuda (a mythical bird) holding lions with its beak and elephants with its claws. This dwajasthambam is said to be erected during the regime oa museum in which many ancient artefacts are carefully preserved. It has the collection of rare artifacts like swords, combs, manuscripts, coins and brass idols.

I also visited small village called Varadahalli. Its where Shree Shridar Swamiji attained the Moksha or Nirvana (Divine bliss). The place is 6 km from Sagar. Its been said that this divine place in Western ghats was the chosen place of Maharshi Agastya and Veda Vyas to do Sadhana thousands of years ago.

The journey was incomplete as there was time constraint. I had only two days of time to visit Shimoga. Anyways there is always ‘next time’ to explore more places.