MYSURU: In an age when society is grappling with religious intolerance, 72-year-old retired government school teacher, Mohamed Kaleemulla, from Nagamangala taluk in Mandya district, is striving to protect temples, inscriptions and hero stones (veeragallu), all in the effort to create awareness about the region’s architectural heritage.
Kaleemulla, who served as the social science teacher at a government high school near Basaralu village of Mandya taluk, had noticed the Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple built in the 13th century by the Hoysalas. The small structure was a replica of the temples in Belur and Halebidu, and inspired Kaleemulla to explore and learn more about the temples of Nagamangala. Besides, his interest in literature and culture motivated him to study deeper about his hometown’s past.
During his quest, Kaleemulla came across the Channakeshava Swamy Temple in Dodda Jataka village (earlier Dodda Jattiga village -- Place of Wrestlers), built by Emperor Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire. History has it that the great ruler had two queens, Tirumala Devi and Chinna Devi, and he built the temple in memory of Chinna Devi.
“When I tried to enter the temple, a few women sitting nearby warned me that a dog had given birth to puppies in the premises, and could attack me. I was disappointed that a beautiful temple built by a famous ruler, in memory of his wife, now lay in a state of neglect. This temple is like the Taj Mahal that Shah Jahan dedicated to Mumtaz Mahal,” Kaleemulla says.
Having heard about Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Dharmothana Trust run by Sri Dharmasthala Mutt, which engages in restoration of ancient temples, Kaleemulla met Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade and submitted an application with photos and the temple’s history. The trust sent engineers to make an estimate for the restoration. While the trust agreed to provide 40 per cent of the estimated cost, the state government provided 40 per cent, and the remaining 20 per cent was to be arranged by villagers.
Kaleemulla says it was challenging to arrange 20 per cent of the estimated Rs 10 lakh cost for restoration. “I had to first create awareness about the temple’s importance, its history and need for restoration, before seeking donations from locals. As hundreds of residents have settled in Srinagar in Bengaluru, I approached and convinced them to donate money for restoration. I managed to pool in Rs 2.5 lakh and gave it to the trust. Work was completed in a year,” he adds.
As news of the temple’s restoration spread, Kaleemulla started receiving requests from other villagers. With trust’s support, he restored the Sri Malleshwara Swamy temple in Machalaghatta village of Nagamangala taluk, built during the Hoysala period. Bats had overrun the structure. Restoration was estimated to cost Rs 12 lakh, and he had little financial support, so he approached the people in Srinagar again.
Later, he restored the Sri Channakeshava Temple near Adichunchanagiri Medical College, which was in a dilapidated state, at a cost of Rs 10 lakh, and the Sri Basaveshwara Swamy Temple in Hirisave village of Channarayapatna taluk in Hassan district with Rs 8 lakh.
Bringing veeragallus to life
During his journeys, Kaleemulla came across several veeragallus and inscriptions lying neglected along the roadside or near temples and other places. Veeragallus are generally erected in memory of local chieftains, who laid down their life, protecting women, cattle, horses, or while battling a tiger.
Kaleemulla also visits villages, and with local support, erects stones at prominent locations. “I always tell people that we should respect the stones erected by our forefathers in memory of the leaders who achieved martyrdom,” he says. He also conserved several stone and copper inscriptions found by the roadside. According to him, there are 1,060 inscriptions in Mandya district, but with no experts to decipher them, they sit neglected. The inscriptions that he found were handed over to the state museum in Srirangapatna.
Kaleemulla once found an inscription in Halisandra village of Nagamangala taluk. It is important as it claims that a Hoysala ruler married all three daughters of a chieftain of the region. However, the 13-ft tall inscription was used by a farmer to tether his cattle in a shed. “After convincing the farmer about the importance of the inscription, I had to get a crane to lift it, and got it erected in front of a government high school in the village,” he says.
Kaleemulla, who retired after teaching for 36 years, is a bachelor with a passion for travel. He has visited all the states of India to experience the country’s rich history and culture. He never faced any opposition from his community or family members for protecting and restoring temples. “It is not the deity, but the history, art and architecture of the temples and inscriptions that are integral to the culture, which fascinated me. Today’s children know the US’ history, but have no idea about the history and culture of their own villages,” he concludes.
