AN ABODE OF PEACE

Hosagunda, a village in Sagar Taluk, Shimoga District of Karnataka has been the secondary capital of Shanthara Dynasty who ruled from Hosagunda from 11th century onwards for about 300 years (according to Mr.B.L.Rice, preface to Epigraphy, Karnataka edition, chapter 8, 1904). As per the stone inscriptions available in and around Hosagunda, the name of the first King was Bommarasa who ruled from 1132 AD onwards. But, however coins belonging to the age of Ganga Dynasty and land digging equipments belonging to New stone age found during one of the recent excavations at Hosagunda indicate that history of Hosagunda can date back to new stone age days.

For the reasons not known yet and for which research has to be done, the entire capital township of Hosagunda went to ruins and also the rich heritage and various temples situated there. This must have taken place about 600 years ago, because the last available stone inscription on the Hosagunda rulers dates back to 1320 AD and the gigantic trees of more than 600 years surrounding the temple area in Hosagunda may also be an indication for this estimation.

A small population comprising about 100 houses found today in Hosagunda are the ones who have come here on a resettlement package about 50-70 years ago, during Linkanamakki Dam construction. All that has been set by the present population are historic, monumental Sri Umamaheshwara Temple structure, remains of stone inscriptions, and idols of various other temples situated there and an evergreen forest of about 600 acres covering the entire capital township and Temple areas. Sri Umamaheshwara Temple has been lying abandoned in the middle of this forest without daily worship or pooja for more than hundreds of years.

Even though efforts for the restoration of the temple dates back to early 1980’s, the process got real momentum during May-2001 when Sri.CMN Shastry family brought “ Narmada Banalinga”(shivalinga) from Narmada river. The idol was installed at the empty Sanctum sanctorum with reverence and fervor. Sri.Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Raghaveshwara Bharathi Mahaswamiji, Head of Sri.Ramachandrapura Mutt, performed the installation ceremony under the dharmic rituals by renowned Agama Shastra Pandit Sri.Katte Parameshwara Bhat, thousands of devotees witnessed this historical event. Sri.H.D,.Nagarajappa Gowda family and other locals, prominent historians and archeologists actively supported the program of restoration of the worship and pooja. The Charitable Trust called “Sri Uma Maheshwara Seva Trust” was formed and registered with Sri Sri.Raghaveshwara Bharati Mahaswamiji as the Chief Patron and Mr.CMN Shastry as the Managing Trustee.

With the immediate surrounding of the Temple getting cleaned up and daily religious rituals and poojas being restored, the temple with rick Kalyana Chalukya archeological splendor was made presentable to the general public.

Since then, with the active support of local people and guidance from the pontiff the trust has taken up various activities such as research on the area, Conservation of bio-diversity, botanical identification, social service and awareness building programs. Side by side, archeologists took up excavation work around the area and have unearthed many stone inscriptions, idols, foundation of old shrines date back to 1000 years such as Sri Kanchi Kalamma, Sri Prasanna Narayana, Sri Lakshmi Ganapathi and others.

The Trust has published a book on the history of Hosagunda, helped researchers to conduct detailed research and also sponsored a study of flora and fauna of Hosagunda forest area by department of Botany, Kuvempu University. It has taken up the matter with the State Govt. to declare 600 acres of valuable fragile forest area around the temple as a Sacred Forest (Devara Kadu). The trust held Astamangala Deva Prashnam to finalize the plan of reconstruction as per Astrological guidelines and to restore regular day to day rituals, annual festivals as per the guidelines. It has drawn up a detailed Master Plan for developing Hosagunda as an unique “Eco-Heritage-Spiritual Center”.