Kalkere Someshvara Temple, Karnataka

Address

Kalkere Someshvara Temple, Karnataka

Kalkere,Bengaluru,

Karnataka – 560016

Moolavar

Someshvara

Introduction

The Kalkere Someshvara Temple in Kalkere village, Bangalore, Karnataka, India, holds a unique and historically significant relic dating back to the 15th century. This relic is a combination of two distinct types of memorial stones, Viragallu and Mastigallu, commonly found in southern India.

Lowest Level: The first level of the stone features a sculpture of a soldier who has been wounded in a battle. This level symbolizes the soldier’s heroic act and his sacrifice in the service of his kingdom.
Second Level: On the second level, the soldier and his wife are depicted being carried in a palanquin. This level represents death, and it also portrays the wife’s act of committing Sati. Sati was a historical practice in which widows would self-immolate on their husband’s funeral pyre.
Third Level: Moving up to the third level, the couple is shown looking at each other intimately while still in the palanquin. This time, the palanquin is carried by women guards. This level symbolizes the couple’s journey towards the gates of heaven.
Top Level: At the highest level, the brave couple is depicted sitting before a Shiva Linga, the sacred symbol of Lord Shiva. They are joined by a priest, Nandi (the bull associated with Lord Shiva), the Sun, and the Moon. This level represents the couple’s arrival in heaven, where they find eternal peace and divine blessings.

The uniqueness of this relic lies in its combination of both Viragallu and Mastigallu narratives, commemorating a brave soldier and his wife, who was a Maha Sati. While Viragallus are typically erected in memory of courageous soldiers, Mastigallus represent women who sacrificed their lives on their husband’s funeral pyres. This particular stone beautifully combines both stories into a single structure.

The inscriptions at the bottom of the stone provide references to historical figures, including Veera Harihara Rama and his minister Mangappa Nayaka. The reference to Kumara Harihara Rama likely represents the prince associated with this remarkable story. The discovery of this relic in Kalkeri adds historical significance to the region, highlighting its role as an important cultural center during the Vijayanagara kingdom.