1.A temple in Mysore district has an interesting tale to tell. It is the Sri Vasidyanatheswara temple.
In the midst of a fertile river valley, in a town called Talakad in Mysore district stands the Sri Vasidyanatheswara temple. But the temple stands in an island of sand dunes.
The present Maharajah, a titular head, is the caretaker of the temple. The Maharaja has no heir-a state of affairs that has remained largely unchanged in last four centuries In the absence of direct heirs the thrones had been occupied by adopted sons,cousins or nephews.
The legend goes that in the early 17th century when the ruling King died, his inexperienced wife was forced to occupy the throne. The Maharajah of the neighboring kingdom saw this as an opportunity for annexation and promptly did so.
The defeated queen, rather than being taken prisoner jumped into the river. But before she took the fatal plunge she cursed the conqueror prophesying that the place be turned into a desert and the future kings would not have any heirs.
The incident may be apocryphal but the fact remains that the temple is constructed in an area of sand dunes in an otherwise verdant countryside!
2. The abandoned City of Bhangarh.
In the midst of a fertile river valley, in a town called Talakad in Mysore district stands the Sri Vasidyanatheswara temple. But the temple stands in an island of sand dunes.
The present Maharajah, a titular head, is the caretaker of the temple. The Maharaja has no heir-a state of affairs that has remained largely unchanged in last four centuries In the absence of direct heirs the thrones had been occupied by adopted sons,cousins or nephews.
The legend goes that in the early 17th century when the ruling King died, his inexperienced wife was forced to occupy the throne. The Maharajah of the neighboring kingdom saw this as an opportunity for annexation and promptly did so.
The defeated queen, rather than being taken prisoner jumped into the river. But before she took the fatal plunge she cursed the conqueror prophesying that the place be turned into a desert and the future kings would not have any heirs.
The incident may be apocryphal but the fact remains that the temple is constructed in an area of sand dunes in an otherwise verdant countryside!
2. The abandoned City of Bhangarh.
It is better known as the haunted kingdom of Bhangarh, spanning about 158 hectares. The inhabitants of the nearby villages fear to pass through the place at night, much less enter it.The kingdom was abandoned sometime in the 18th century, after a tantrik cursed it when his advances was spurned by the queen.
It now lies deserted save for the denizens of the jungle from the nearby Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary. The dilapidated temples inside the abandoned city, have no idols in them.
Once it was the medieval kingdom, built by Raja Bhagwant Das (1599) for his son Madho Singh- the younger brother of Akbar's general Man Singh of Amber. Around early 18 century it was abandoned by its people.
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