Heritage Talk – Last Saturday of every month; Heritage Walk – First Saturday

Mysore/Mysuru: The Heritage Walk is a regular event held on the first Saturday of every month, while the Heritage Talk takes place on the last Saturday of each month.

This initiative is spearheaded by the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, which aims to rejuvenate the concepts of Heritage Walk and Heritage Talk, with the goal of immersing participants in the city’s rich history and cultural heritage.

The inaugural Heritage Walk took place in the city on Aug. 5, led by Prof. N.S. Rangaraju, a retired Professor from the Department of Studies in Ancient History and Archaeology at the University of Mysore. He provided insights into heritage structures through a public address system. The next Heritage Walk is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7.

A Heritage Talk was conducted yesterday at the office of the Commissioner of the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage at Karnataka Exhibition Grounds.

Professor S. Krishnamurthy, the former dean and head of the Department of History and Archaeology at the University of Mysore, shared  his insights into the excavations at Talakad.

During the same event, Professor Shelvapillai Iyengar of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) discussed the archaeological significance, history and heritage of Melukote. The event was attended by Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage Deputy Director C.N. Manjula as well as students from various colleges.

In his lecture, Professor Krishnamurthy highlighted that Talakad, situated along the banks of the Cauvery River, stands as an intriguing archaeological site with a history spanning over a millennium. It served as the capital of the Western Ganga kingdom from the 4th to the 10th centuries CE and maintained its significance as a hub of trade and culture for centuries, even during the era of the Wadiyars.

The enigma of the vast sand dunes that now cover much of Talakad has long captivated the curiosity of archaeologists and historians. Excavations in Talakad have not only extended the region’s historical timeline by several centuries but have also provided scientific evidence for formation of these sand dunes, Prof. Krishnamurthy added.

“These excavations have revealed traces of culture and human habitation dating back to the Neolithic Age, approximately around 2000 BCE. Geological studies have provided compelling evidence that the sand dunes did not exist before the 1750s but were a result of natural geological processes. Subsequently, the sand dunes were cleared, and the temples buried by sand were rediscovered and meticulously restored,” he said.

Prof. Krishnamurthy also noted that the discovery of Buddhist relics and a Parsvanatha idol in Talakad suggests the coexistence of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism in the region during the rule of the Gangas.