Hirehadagali

Hirehadagali ; ಹಿರೆ ಹಡಗಲಿ
State :	India
State :	Karnataka
District :	Bellary
Sub-district :	Hadagalli
Location :	14 ° 56 ' N , 75 ° 50' E Coordinates: 14 ° 56 ' N , 75 ° 50' E
Height :	550 m
Area :	20.17 km²
Residents :	3,557 (2011)
Population density :	176 inhabitants / km²
	Hirehadagali, Kalleshvara Temple

Hirehadagali or Hire Hadagali ( Kannada : ಹಿರೆ ಹಡಗಲಿ) is a village with approx. 3,600 inhabitants in the municipality ( taluk ) of Hadagalli in the center of the Indian state of Karnataka . The place is known for a medieval temple in the style of Chalukya architecture.

location

The village of Hirehadagali lies at an altitude of approx. 550 m above sea level. d. About 70 km (driving distance) south of the cities of Gadag and Lakkundi . The climate is subtropical ; Rain falls mostly in the months May to October.

population

The majority of the village's Kannada- speaking population consists almost exclusively of Hindus . The male and female proportions of the population are roughly the same.

economy

Agriculture traditionally plays the largest role in economic life; Grains, lentils and vegetables of all kinds are grown, but coconut palms also play an economically important role.

history

In the Middle Ages, Hirehadagali was part of the Chalukya - and then the Hoysala empire, whose positions of power were taken over by the Vijayanagar empire in the 14th century . Haidar Ali and his son Tipu Sultan occupied power from 1760 to 1799; after that the British dominated . It is unclear whether the site existed before the temple was founded or only developed afterwards. An inscription dating from 1057 is sometimes associated with the founding of the temple; another from 1108 with his consecration.

Attractions

Vestibule ( mandapa )

The temple , consecrated to the Hindu god Shiva under his regional name Kalleshvara , consists of three merging components: cella ( garbhagriha ), anteroom ( antarala or sukhanasi ) and vestibule ( mandapa or navaranga ). The temple does not rest on a walk-around platform ( jagati ), so that the ritual circumnavigation ( pradakshina ) is only possible on the ground level covered with stone slabs and surrounded by several side shrines. The outer walls of the temple are richly structured and ornamented (balcony niches with turrets, etc.); However, there are no pictorial works, but a number of figural steles are unusually placed in front of the base zone. The cella is elevated by a horizontally stepped tower structure ( vimana ), the upper part of which including the kalasha jug has been renewed. The soapstone pillars of the vestibule are only partially turned ; the ceiling segments are decorated with flat rosettes . Immediately in front of the cella is the lying Nandi figure, which is obligatory for a Shiva temple ; In the cella itself there is a lingam made of black stone with a surrounding yoni .

There is also a separate small temple for another Nandi bull inside the temple area.

An inscription stele of the Hoysala king Vira Ballala II dates from 1212; it was placed in the temple entrance. Its arched field is adorned with a person offering the lingam, the Nandi and a cow with a calf.