The lost Capital of Ganga Kingdom – Manyapura or Manne

Location: Nelamangala taluk, Bangalore Rural district, Karnataka

Distance: Around 55 km from Bangalore

How to Reach there: Best by Private vehicle as there is no direct public transport. However, one can try KSRTC bus # 258M from Majestic to Thyamagondlu and then hire an auto to Manne.

One can also try train from Bangalore City Junction to Muddalinganahalli station. There are trains at 07:50, 13:40, 16:45, 18:20 from Bangalore City Jn. Return train to Bangalore is at 16:25. Muddalinganahalli is at a distance of 3 kms from Manne.

Route: Bangalore – Tumkur road (NH4) – Nelamangala – take right turn just opposite to T.Begur left turn and cross the highway – Thyamagondlu – Muddalinganahalli railway station – take right and then left – 3 km to Manne

Where to have food: No facility available. However, you can buy snacks, tea/coffee or biscuits on the way.

Where to stay: No facility available

What to see: Old temples built by Ganga kingdom and country side

After our trek to Nijagal betta, we rode to Manne. Ask for directions if you need but make sure of any suggestion as I found many are not aware of it. Road is narrow but is in good condition. I read somewhere that this road also leads to Goravanahalli and Chikkaballapur.

Manne is village located in a solitude country side. But it was once the capital of the Western Ganga kingdom and was known as Manyapura then. The Western Ganga Kingdom rose to power around 350 AD and had their capital first in present day Kolar. Looks they have move their capital to Manne for a short period and then finally to Talakad of Mysore district.

Once you reach Manne you will be greeted with a board written in Kannada saying – welcome to the old capital of Gangas: Manyapura. We drove through the village and within 1 km found Someswara temple. It is located on the left hand side. I was surprised to see that the temple do not have any idol. A very look at the temple will tell you that how grand it might have been in its heydays. The stone curved temple still exude elegance. It is pity that proper maintenance is not done. It was a Shiva temple so there is a water exit built so that water can go out when the Shiva linga is given bath. The temple is giving way slowly but surely. I think the villagers can maintain it by using it as a regular temple. The nicely chiseled pillars and intricately designed ventilators will make you feel the bygone era.

On the otherside of the road in the midst of woods is another small temple dedicated to Nandi. To reach there you will have to climb little high ground and look for thorny shrubs at the gate. Here the temple is enclosed on three sides and the eastern side gives you the view of a headless Nandi. I believe the head was there earlier and has been destructed. This place looked little mysterious as the logic behind the Nandi temple is not clear.

Little further towards Rampura on the left hand side is kapileshwara (Lord Shiva) temple. You have to get of the road to reach kapileswara temple. This temple has been renovated and used for regular prayer. There is a typical south Indian style on the northern side but no water was there then. At both sides of the entrance to the temple there are two lions curved in stone. Otherwise the rest of the building is painted. So I feel kapileshwara temple was also built in sandstone like Someshwara temple. The original look might have been better which we may never know now.

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