Jodi Basava Current Status ಜೋಡಿ ನಂದಿ ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತ ಸ್ಥಿತಿ Arasinakere Mysore Tourism Karnataka Tourism

The face-to-face Nandi Statues or Jodi Basava at Arasinakere in Jayapura Hobli of Mysuru taluk, Mysore Tourism Karnataka Tourism. Ancient statue of Lord Shiva’s bull Nandi found near Mysuru. Jayachamaraja Wadiyar had desired to see the monoliths but could not as the area was marooned under water. Villagers of Arasinakere in Jayapura Hobli of Mysuru taluk have unearthed two giant statues of Nandi (bulls) in a nondescript field . The idols are monolithic and so far were buried deep inside the earth. The name of the village Arasinakere, translated to English means ‘King’s Lake’. Villagers say that the Lake was frequently visited by Jayachamaraja Wadiyar during the fag end of his rule. Two Nandis are centuries-old Nandi statues, carved out of monolithic soapstone. While one Nandi statue measures 15ft in length and 12 ft in height, the other statue is smaller. The horns of the Nandis were observed by the villagers and following this, villagers started offering pujas to them. The statues were excavated on14thJuly 2019 using earthmovers in a four-day long operation.The statues were found facing each other. Archaeologist N L Gowda acknowledged that the statues appear to be from the 16th or 17th century AD dating back to the post-Vijayanagar period. The statues are carved out of a single rock. “The statues are incomplete. While one appears to be 60% completed, the other is at about 85%,” Mr. Gowda said. “The statues are of different sizes and are carved out of a monolithic rock. There is a 2.5-metre gap between the two statues. The larger one is 4.5m x 2.5m x 3.1m, and the smaller around 3m x 2.5m x 2.5m. The statues are not complete; one is almost 85% complete and the other 65%. It remains a mystery why the statues were left at this site without completion,” Gowda said. According to a villager, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, who had heard about a temple of Basaveshwara that had remained under water, came to the village and saw water that had covered the entire field. He then dispatched men and materials including a motor to pump the water. Villagers say that Jayachamaraja Wadiyar had come to know about the existence of a Shiva temple (Basaveshwara) complete with Nandi Statues and the idols of other Gods and Goddesses. Villagers said that the men could not accomplish the task even after one week of relentless work as the presence of water was a daunting factor. Jayachamaraja Wadiyar had to be content by performing puja to the water as he believed that his prayers will reach the Nandi, termed Basaveshwara by villagers. After Jayachamaraja Wadiyar’s futile efforts to excavate the giant statues, villagers continued their efforts from time to time and launched the work of removing water. They eventually succeeded but only the facial part of Nandi could be seen. Since then, they have been worshipping the idols.Now, they have finally excavated the remains using earth movers. They have also found various other idols of the Gods and Goddesses proving the existence of a huge temple, now buried under earth. Some villagers said that more than ten idols of Gods too were found at this spot but they did not have a specific identity of them. Although these idols are said to be dated to the Mysuru Maharaja rule, there is no clarity about this, they said. Whether there was a Shiva temple at the spot or were these statues meant for relocation to any other place needs to be found. The villagers also regretted that the Archaeology Department had failed to visit Arasinakere, which is just 15 kilometres from Mysuru and conduct a study of the Nandi statues and other idols. Pointing out that they have been worshipping these statues for over three decades, they said that the locals were doing the job of removing the silt around the statues once the water receded at the spot, so that they could be better visible. the sculptures are incomplete as sculptures around the eyes and ears are not distinct. Also, there are no carvings of rope, chain and a bell around the neck of the statues as can be generally found in other Nandi statues. Full video of Jodi Basava: /watch/kgCRPnI4ABd4R Google map location: https://goo.gl/maps/z7Djd1PPJcMCjjFs8 For Business and Support, Contact : microsudhi@gmail.com

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