Kuknur
Encyclopedia
Kuknur is in Yalaburga
taluk in Koppal District
, is a small town. is located about 40 km from Hospet
and 7 km from Mahadeva Temple (Itagi)
, Kuknur is renowned for its temples of the Rastrakutas and Chalukyas times, of these the Navalinga group of temples
is famous.
Kuknur (also known as Kukkanur or Kukanoor) town was an important place in the early and mediaeval days and is rich in antiquarian remains of the later Chalukya style of architecture and these buildings range from the 8th to the 13th century A.D. and illustrate the building tendencies of the age. The group of temples that represents the early Chalukya school is called Navalinga (Navalinga Temple
). Two other important temples are those of Kalleshvara and Mallikarjuna.
.
There are 3 deities in the GarbhaGudi
. Two female deities:-Laxmi & Parvathi/MahaMaya.One male Deity:-Harihara
.Harihara means Half-Shiva
and Half-Vishnu
. All the 3 idols are south facing,which is a rare thing,as most idols in temples face the north.South facing deities are considered to be more powerful.
The reference to this temple in Mahabharata suggests it was built before 8-9th century AD.There are rumours that there is a hidden underground temple below the current existing temple. The underground temple was dedicated to the Indian Goddess Kali
. This is the same Kali temple where King Chandrahasa
comes to in the Mahabharata story. As per the priest of the temple,there was Narbali(Human Sacrifice
) done in the ancient times in the Kali Temple Underneath. That would make it one of the oldest continuously worshipped Kali temple's(which has a tradition of NarBali(Human Sacrifice
) in India. There was Digbandhana(Kind of virtual security fence to contain evil spirits) done around the ancient Kali Temple & the temple was buried underground. There were plans to unearth this Kali temple 25 years ago,but,the plan was abandoned due to the insistence of the villagers as they were scared of unleashing the spirits buried there.
Gudneshwar(Rudramunishwar)Temple:It is located near Kukanur,It is also one of the ancient temple belongs to Rishimuni (saint) Gudneshwar located in green belt of Tamarind(ilachi) trees.
]
Yelbarga
Yalaburga is a panchayat town in Koppal district in the Indian state of Karnataka.-Geography:Yelbarga is located at . It has an average elevation of 605 metres .-Demographics:...
taluk in Koppal District
Koppal district
Koppal district is an administrative district in the state of Karnataka in India. In the past Koppal was referred to as 'Kopana Nagara'. Hampi, a World heritage center, covers some areas of Koppal District. It is situated approximately 38 km away...
, is a small town. is located about 40 km from Hospet
Hospet
Hospet , is a city in Bellary District in northern Karnataka, India. It is on the Tungabhadra River, 12 km from the World Heritage site consisting of the ruins of the medieval city of Vijayanagara, former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire....
and 7 km from Mahadeva Temple (Itagi)
Mahadeva Temple (Itagi)
Itagi is in Yalburga Taluk, Koppal District, in North Karnataka, Karnataka, India. It is about 7 km from Kuknur. It is near to Lakkundi about 20 km.Itagi is famous for the Chalukya style Mahadeva Temple...
, Kuknur is renowned for its temples of the Rastrakutas and Chalukyas times, of these the Navalinga group of temples
Navalinga Temple
The Navalinga temple was built in the 9th century, during the reign of King Amoghavarsha I or his son Krishna II of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty. The temple is located in the town of Kukkanur , north of Itagi in Koppal district and east of Gadag in Karnataka state, India...
is famous.
History
Navalinga Temple
The Navalinga temple was built in the 9th century, during the reign of King Amoghavarsha I or his son Krishna II of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty. The temple is located in the town of Kukkanur , north of Itagi in Koppal district and east of Gadag in Karnataka state, India...
). Two other important temples are those of Kalleshvara and Mallikarjuna.
Kannada inscription
9th century old Kannada inscription of Rashtrakutas at Navalinga temple in Kuknur, Karnataka.MahaMaya Temple
There is a MahaMaya Temple in the middle of the town. The temple has great historical value & is mentioned in the Indian Epic MahabharataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
.
There are 3 deities in the GarbhaGudi
Garbhagriha
Garbhagriha or Garbha griha is the small unlit shrine of a Hindu temple.Garbhagriha or ' is a Sanskrit word meaning the interior of the sanctum sanctorum, the innermost sanctum of a Hindu temple where resides the murti of the primary deity of the temple...
. Two female deities:-Laxmi & Parvathi/MahaMaya.One male Deity:-Harihara
Harihara
Harihara is the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu and Shiva from the Hindu tradition. Also known as Shankaranarayana , Harihara is thus worshipped by both Vaishnavites and Shaivities as a form of the Supreme God, as well as being a figure of worship for other Hindu traditions in general...
.Harihara means Half-Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and Half-Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
. All the 3 idols are south facing,which is a rare thing,as most idols in temples face the north.South facing deities are considered to be more powerful.
The reference to this temple in Mahabharata suggests it was built before 8-9th century AD.There are rumours that there is a hidden underground temple below the current existing temple. The underground temple was dedicated to the Indian Goddess Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
. This is the same Kali temple where King Chandrahasa
Chandrahasa
Chandrahasa was the king of Kuntala kingdom which roughly consisted of parts of north of present day Karnataka and south of Maharashtra, India, including Gokarna region. Sometimes a overlapping region Gorashtra is mentioned to be part of Kuntala. The story of Chandrahasa is mentioned in...
comes to in the Mahabharata story. As per the priest of the temple,there was Narbali(Human Sacrifice
Human sacrifice
Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more human beings as part of a religious ritual . Its typology closely parallels the various practices of ritual slaughter of animals and of religious sacrifice in general. Human sacrifice has been practised in various cultures throughout history...
) done in the ancient times in the Kali Temple Underneath. That would make it one of the oldest continuously worshipped Kali temple's(which has a tradition of NarBali(Human Sacrifice
Human sacrifice
Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more human beings as part of a religious ritual . Its typology closely parallels the various practices of ritual slaughter of animals and of religious sacrifice in general. Human sacrifice has been practised in various cultures throughout history...
) in India. There was Digbandhana(Kind of virtual security fence to contain evil spirits) done around the ancient Kali Temple & the temple was buried underground. There were plans to unearth this Kali temple 25 years ago,but,the plan was abandoned due to the insistence of the villagers as they were scared of unleashing the spirits buried there.
Gudneshwar(Rudramunishwar)Temple:It is located near Kukanur,It is also one of the ancient temple belongs to Rishimuni (saint) Gudneshwar located in green belt of Tamarind(ilachi) trees.
]
See also
- Koppal DistrictKoppal districtKoppal district is an administrative district in the state of Karnataka in India. In the past Koppal was referred to as 'Kopana Nagara'. Hampi, a World heritage center, covers some areas of Koppal District. It is situated approximately 38 km away...
- Mahadeva Temple (Itagi)Mahadeva Temple (Itagi)Itagi is in Yalburga Taluk, Koppal District, in North Karnataka, Karnataka, India. It is about 7 km from Kuknur. It is near to Lakkundi about 20 km.Itagi is famous for the Chalukya style Mahadeva Temple...
- Gajendragad
- SudiSudiSudi , is a panchayat town in the Gadag District of Karnataka, India. It is about 30 km from Badami, 12 km from Gajendragad and 3 km from Itagi Bhimambika temple. In the past it was a important town of the Kalyani Chalukyas during 1000 AD...
- LakkundiLakkundiLakkundi in Gadag District of Karnataka is a tiny village on the way to Hampi from Hubli. Lakkundi 11 km from Gadag in the east...
- Gadag
- North KarnatakaNorth KarnatakaNorth Karnataka is an arid plateau from elevation in the Karnataka state of southwest India. It is drained by the Krishna River and its tributaries the Bhima, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, and Tungabhadra...
- Tourism in North Karnataka