Talakadu

Talakadu Talakad, Talkad
Town
Vaidyeshvara temple, Talakadu
Talakadu Location in Karnataka, India
Coordinates:12.22°N 77.03°E/12.22; 77.03
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Mysore district
Elevation	700 m (2,300 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	8,539
Languages
• Official	Kannada
Time zone	UTC+5:30(IST)

Talakaduis a town on the left bank of theKaveri river45 km (28 miles) fromMysoreand 133 km (82 miles) fromBangaloreinKarnataka,India.Latinizations of the towns name vary, but include Talkād, Talakadu, Talakkadu, or Thalakadu. It had over 30 temples, most of which now lay buried in sand. The extantgroup of temples,where the eastward flowing Kaveri river changes course as the sand on its banks spreads over a wide area, is a popularpilgrimagesite forHindus.

History

Close up view of the shrine and mantapa (hall) outer wall at Vaidyeshvara temple

The origin of the town is lost in antiquity, but one tradition is that its name was derived from twoKirātatwin brothers, Tala and Kādu. The brothers cut down a tree after seeing wild elephants worship it and discovered it contained an image ofShivaand that the elephants wererishistransformed. The tree being miraculously restored, all obtainedmōkshaand the place was named Tala-kādu, which was translated intoSanskritas Dala-vana. Two stone images declared to represent the brothers are pointed out in front of the temple Veerabadra swamy. In a later age,Rāmais said to have halted here on his expedition toLanka.

The earliest authentic mention of the city of Talekād or Talakādu, in Sanskrit Dalavana-pura, is in connection with theGangaline of kings. Harivarma, who has been assigned to find a place (247–266 CE) was, according to an old chronicle,installed at Skandapura (said to be Gajalhatti, in theCoimbatorecountry, near where theMoyārflows into theBhavāni), but resided in the great city of Dalavanapura in the Karnāta-dēsa. After Talkād became the capital these powerful sovereigns and there the subsequent kings of that line were crowned.

At the beginning of the eleventh century CE, theWestern Gangassuccumbed to theChōlas,who captured Talkād and gave it the name of Rājarājapura. But about a century later theHoysalakingVishnuvardhana,who drove the Chōlas out of Mysore, took it. After this time, Talkād was composed of seven towns and fivemathas.The town of Māyilangi or Malingi, on the opposite side of the river, was also a large place and had the name of Jananāthapura.Until the mid-fourteenth century, it remained a possession of the Hoysalas and then passed into the hands of afeudatoryof theVijayanagarsovereigns, whose line appears to be known as that of Sōma-Rāja.

Curse of Talakadu

In 1610 CE, the Mysore Rāja conquered Talakadu under the following circumstances. Tirumala-Rāja—sometimes calledSrī Ranga Rāya—the representative of the Vijayanagar family atSrirangapatna,being afflicted with an incurable disease, came to Talkād for the purpose of offering sacrifices in the temple of Vaidyēsvara. His second wife Rāni Alamelamma was left in charge of the government of Srirangagapattanam, but she—hearing he was on the point of death—soon after left for Talkād with the object of seeing him before he died, handing over Srirangapattanam and its dependencies toRāja Wodeyarof Mysore, whose dynasty ever since retained them. It appears that Rāja Wodeyar had been desirous of possessing the jewels which was the property of the Rāni, and being unable to obtain them and eager to seize at any pretext, he levied an army and proceeded against the Rani. Rāni Alamelamma went to the banks of theCauvery,and throwing in the jewel, drowned herself opposite Mālangi, at the same time uttering a three-fold curse: "Let Talakād become sand; let Mālangi become a whirlpool; let the Mysore Rājas fail to beget heirs." The latter part continues to affect the royal family.

Talakadu is also tagged to the curse called "Curse of Talakadu" by Alamelamma on theWodeyardynasty (formerMaharajas) ofMysore.

The following is what is known as the curse of Talkād, in the original:

Talkādu Maralaāgi,
Mālingi maduvaāgi,
Mysuru dhorege makkalagade hōgali!
(ತಲಕಾಡು ಮರಳಾಗಿ; ಮಾಲಿಂಗಿ ಮಡುವಾಗಿ, ಮೈಸೂರು ದೊರೆಗೆ ಮಕ್ಕಳಾಗದೆ ಹೋಗಲಿ!)

The curse may be translated into English by:

May Talakadu become desert land,

Malangi become a whirlpool,

And Mysore Kings bear no heirs!

The old city Talkād is completely buried beneath the sand stretching for nearly a mile in length, only the tops of twogopurasbeing visible. The sand hills used to advance upon the town at the rate of 9 or 10 feet a year, principally during the south-westmonsoonand as they pressed it close on three sides. The inhabitants of Talkād were constantly forced to abandon their houses and retreat further inland. The town, however, is increasing in population, owing to the rich wet cultivation in the neighbourhood, derived from the Mādhavamantrianicutand channel. More than thirty temples are beneath the sand, but the Kírti Nārāyana temple has been successfully excavated. The most imposing temple left uncovered by the sand is that of Vydyanatheshwara temple.

In the early nineteenth century, two temples—Ānandēsvara and Gaurisankara—were unearthed. Four fragmentary records were found on the outer walls of the Pātālēsvara temple. One of these is an old inscription inKannadaof the Ganga period, the others being inTamil.The Ānandēsvara temple is said to have been built by one Chidānandasvāmi, a contemporary of Haidar. A story is related to that of theSvāmithat he once crossed the Cauvery in full flood seated on a plantain leaf and that Haidar who witnessed the miracle greatly honoured him and made a grant of land for the temple founded by him. A Kannada inscription at the Gaurisankara temple tells us that this temple was built during the reign of the Mysore kingChikka-Dēva-Rāja-Wodeyar(1672–1704).The Hoysala ruler,Vishnuvardhana,conquered theGangasand Talakadu. He built the impressive VijayanarayanaChennakesava Templeat Belur.

Talakadu Today

A view of Talkad

This sleepy little town is at the epicenter of some of the latest advances inhorticultureandwine making.Often referred to as Bangalore's Gourmet Valley by name Cauvery Valley, it is still a secret many chefs choose not to share. Fine wines, exotic Zero Pesticide fresh produce,artisan cheeseand diverse culinary experiences are changing this once sleepy hamlet.

Gallery

• 
  The Kaveri flows in Talakadu
• 
  Mahadwara (great entrance) of Kirtinarayana temple, recovered from the sand dunes at Talakadu
• 
  Dwarapalaka(door keeper) and a profile of themantapaat Vaidyeshvara temple
• 
  A profile of the outer wall of the mantapa in Vaidyeshvara temple
• 
  Ornate doorjamb andDwarapalakasin relief in Vaidyeshvara temple
• 
  Stone vessel at Vaidyeshwara temple, Talakadu
• 
  Five headed snake and stone chain
• 
  A view of Vaidyeshwara temple, Talakadu
• 
  South entrance porch to Vaidyeshwara Temple
• 
  Roman coin mold found in Talkad

References

C. Hayavadana Rao, B.A., B.L., Fellow, University of Mysore, Editor, Mysore Gazetteer, 1930, Government Press, Bangalore.

• Mudukuthore
• Talakadu temples
• Temple Tales

External links

• Talakadu
• "Gangas of Talakad" in Quarterly Journal of Mythic Society, April 1954 by Dr S. Srikanta Sastri
• The Gangas of Talakad
• Talakad Map
• "Thousands throng Talakad".The Hindu.21 November 2006. Archived fromthe originalon 1 October 2007.Retrieved24 December2013.