From a Mid-Lake Spiritual Wonder
Varanga Lake Jain Temple
Each day brings a miracle of its own. The blessings of each day is what you need the most. Take a step out, so you know where you want to go. Life is so unpredictable. You never know what’s gonna happen. So, let’s enjoy our life with our own rules, in our own ways.
There are reasons for everything. Let me call them happy accidents. May be Karma. May be divine intervention. But it’s up to us to trust that things are always going to happen as they should, makes living life much easier.
It was a beautiful day in August. We were at Manipal in Karnataka. Manipal, a major educational centre, and a suburb of Udupi, that attracts students from all over India and Internationally. We were there for my younger daughter’s college admission. Most Indians know of Udupi not as a place, but as a category of restaurants, generally serves south Indian style vegetarian food.
Udupi is located at a distance of 60 km from Mangalore. The city is famous for many heritage sites including the 13th century Sri Krishna temple, the ancient Anantheshwara temple of Lord Shiva and the heritage museum that features coins dating back to 400BC. Udupi is also known for being the place where our favorite ‘dosas’ were first invented.
After exploring Udupi we decided to go to a must-see attraction in Varanga. Varanga, a small village in Karkala of Udupi district in Karnataka, is a home to ancient Jain temples that are eight hundred to a thousand years old. The Kere Basadi built by Pandya VI in 1545 AD, is a real wonder with the four deities facing four directions. Jainism reached Karnataka 2200 years ago. The principles of modern Jainism and its philosophy were formalized by Mahavira, the last Tirthankara born in 599BC, 32 years before the birth of Buddha in Lumbini.
Kere Basadi — The Lake Temple. The Kere Basadi has a history dating back over 850 years. it is dedicated to Jain lord Parshwanatha. The history of Jainism in Varanga can be traced to the 7th and 8th centuries. The temple is built as a four faced symmetrical structure. thus, it is known as Chaturmukha Basadi. The temple can be approached only by boat.
A short boat ride to the temple near Karkala. Enroute the Agumbe Ghats in Karnataka, South India. This is a unique temple located in the middle of a lake with a beautiful backdrop of a hill and lush greenery all around. Kere Basadi means Temple of the Lake. There is a well at the Basadi that is distinct from the water of the lake and is used for Abisheka of the temple idols.
There is another temple called Neminath Basadi nearby. The temple has some writings in old Kannada. The intricately crafted short doors make every devotee bow down while entering the temple.
It’s a small wooden boat and it was scary, one has to be careful as rocking the boat can cause it to capsize. The temple stands like a magnificent lotus right in the middle of the lake. The pond is filled with fishes. You can feed the fish. We walked around the temple and enjoyed the view. The images of these Jain deities are installed facing four different entrances facing four directions. The North, east, south and west. Even after 850 years, active worship still takes place in this Basadi.
If you are a nature lover, travel aficionado, a heritage buff then Varanga is a perfect blend of harmony and peace in the middle of nature at its best. Truly a picturesque stop. Do try the famous Dosas and the local Mangalorean cuisine and seafood on your visit.
Travel changes us every time. We are learning and gaining information from new places. Travel can shape us into a better person, that we value our experiences more than any material possessions we may own.
Travel transforms your mindset, it is more than just visiting new places. You can change your beliefs, break free from your comfort zones and see the world and broaden your perspectives.
The end of a journey means the start of another one. It’s addictive, once you see how peaceful it is. Stories don't end. This is just an end of a chapter. You just have to get on with things, moving on to the next chapter with a line of new stories, giving the world the best of you.
