The hillock where Janamejaya meditated in Bangalore

This is believed to be the hillock where Janamejaya, the Kuru Emperor and the son of Parikshit and Madravati, performed penance.

The grandson of Abhimanyu and the great grandson of Arjuna the matchless warrior and bowman, Janamejaya ascended the Kuru throne following the death of his father by snake bite.

The hillock here in Bangalore is the place where Janamejaya, who performed the greatest snake sacrifice of all times, did tapas or sat in meditation.

A beautiful Swayambu or self originated idol of Anjaneya or Hanumanta marks this spot. Today, people know the spot better as one of the many temples dedicated to the monkey God but many seem to have forgotten the legend behind it.

The swayambu Anjaneya Swami - the presiding deity of the Karenji Anjaneya temple- depicts the avatar or swaroopa of Anjaneya who is returning to India to meet Rama after locating  Sita in the Ashoka Vana in Lanka.

The legend of the idol in this temple is a fascinating tale of  devotion, adventure and supreme sacrifice. Moreover, the temple of  Karenji Anjaneya is one of the landmark structures of Basavanagudi and it is as old as the founding of Bangalore.

Rama is deeply concerned about the well-being of Sita and he sends Anjaneya as his emissary to Lanka. Anjaneya meets Sita and carried back with him a message to Rama.

Sita gives him a chudamani to give back to Rama as a mark of her deep love and devotion. Anjaneya then goes to the court of Ravana and taunts him.

Anjaneya also submits himself to the Brahmastra cast by Ravana's son Indrajit. The demons bind Anjaneya with chains and ropes and this nullifies the effect of the Brahmastra. Thereafter, Anjaneya’s tale is bound in clothes and it is set on fire.

Anjaneya destroys or rather burns down Lanka, except the Ashoka Vana where Sita is sitting, and leaves for India.  

This legend is closely associated with the massive idol of Anjaneya. It faces north-towards Lanka.

The statue is twenty two feet in height and he is depicted as returning from Lanka. He holds the sacred Chudamani in both his hands.

Anjaneya here is shown barring his teeth in fury at Ravana and other demons. The teeth are protruding and it looks like the monkey God is snarling with rage. His tuft of hair appears to have loosened.

The broken chains and bangles on his arms show how he escaped from the demons by breaking loose of the Brahmastra.

When Kempe Gowda (1513-1569) was founding Bangalore, he came across this small shrine. He immediately ensured that a temple was built with the mandatory garbagriha. He also ensured that the structure stands on the banks of the Karanji lake which stretched from the Bugle rock area till the present National College.

The temple got the name Karenji Anjaneya. Kere in Kannada means lake and Enji means remains.

Kempe Gowda also built another temple adjacent to the Anjaneya temple. This was the temple of Rishaba or Basava and this is how Basavanagudi got its name. Though hundreds of people visit the Basavava temple every day, only a handful of them care to visit the nearby Anjaneya temple.

Interestingly, the Sri Rama Temple opposite the Anjaneya temple was built by the Marathas. It was the Maratha chieftain, Muthnjirao Scindia, who built the Rama temple facing Anjaneya as per the Agama shahtra.

Rama is seen with his consort Sita and his brother Lakshmana. There is a small opening in the northern wall of Anjaneya temple through which Anjaneya sees his Rama.

Suvarnamukhi and the call of the wild

Trekking and Weekend Getaways

How about a temple which is just beneath a huge boulder hill and situated only a little before a well-known national park.

Though thousands of tourists make it to the national park every day, hardly a few of them give more than a passing glace at the spectacular setting of the temple beneath a towering granite hill. Even among them, only a few would take the diversion to the temple.

This is the beautiful temple of Champakadama Swamy, which is situated just before the Bannerghatta National Park, on the outskirts of Bangalore.

Located just 30 kilometers from Bangalore,  the path to the Champakadama Swamy Temple is easy to find, When you come to the Bannerghatta Circle (this is where you either take a left and head towards Anekal or drive right to Bannerghatta ), take the road to the national park.

Just before you reach the national park, take the road to the right which is a winding tarred patch. It will lead you to the Champakadama Swamy Temple. A series of steps cut on boulders will lead you upto the temple. The history of the temple dates back to 12th century. Inscriptions found here point to the fact that the structure was built in 1257 AD. You can an inscription to this effect as soon as you enter the temple.

This temple is called Champakadama Swamy as it was the practice to give the deity Champaka or Sampige flowers regularly. There is an idol of Goddess Lakshmi in the same temple.

The temple is constructed in Dravidian style and it is believed to have been constructed during the Hoysala period. The temple welcomes you with a beautiful but huge Gopura.

The temple has beautiful images of Vishnu with his two consorts Sri devi and Bhoo devi. Just behind the temple is the Lakshminarasimha or Narasimha Temple.

It is located on a hill which is called Vahnigiri. The view from the top of this hill is something to be experienced.  The path to the top of the hill is a zig zag and there are steel railings which can be used for support. The temple closes by 12 p.m., during  Dhanurmasa. 

Two kilometers from here is the famous Suvarnamukhi pond or Kalyani. The water in this Kalyani is believed to have curative powers. Locals will tell you that a dip here will cure you of  several diseases.

This is the place where  Emperor Janamejaya took bathe and prayed after which he was released from sarpa dosha or the curse of the snake. He also got a golden body after he had bathed in this pod. Hence, it is called Suvarnamukhi. He then consecrated the idol of  Champakadhama Swamy.

The Pushkarini, Kalyani or pond is emptied once an year so that the rock at the bottom, which is engraved with the image of  Anjaneya, maybe worshipped. After worship, water is once again let into the pond.

You can start your trek to the overhanging hill either from the Champakadhama Swamy Temple or from Kalkare, a small village. The path will lead you to Suvarnamukhi Hill.

There is also a stream called Suvarna Mukhi which flows from the range of hills inside Bannerghatta National Park. One has to trek inside after reaching the park and this requires special permission from the Forest Department.

The entire area is surrounded by thick forests and it affords a once in a lifetime opportunity of the beautiful landscape. What makes this  more appealing is that it is accessible only on foot, although one can motor up to the national park.
The terrain, at several places, is rough and it is regularly interspersed with bushes, boulders and small hillocks. The area is home to more than 50 different species of birds and is frequented by herds of elephants, mainly during winter and at the onset of summer.

The locals will show you places where a variety of medicinal plants and herbs can be found. The history of Suvarnamukhi is not very clear and it is still shrouded in mystery. However, local legend states that Bannerghatta and surrounding areas were part of Dandakaranya forests in which Rama wandered about with Seetha and Lakashmana.

There is also a maze of  pebbles and stones spread over a vast area depicting various complex themes. Several miniature houses using stones brought by pilgrims have also been built in the belief that their wishes would be granted here.
The beautiful Suvarnamukhi stream, which is tropical, meanders through these hills. In summers, the stream reduces to a trickle and in several years it has run dry.

The dry deciduous vegetation is home to a variety of birds and small animals. Visit his place before heading to Bannerghatta or the nearby Suvanramukhi falls, which is also called Thottikal falls.