Benavara

Benavara(ಬೆನವಾರ) is a small farming village in Kunigal Taluk, Tumkur district, Karnataka State, India. It is located at a distance of about 100 km (driving distance) from the state capital, Bangalore.

Geography

Benavara is located at +12° 50' 23.95" N, +76° 56' 2.96" E at an altitude of 780 meters above the mean sea level.It is in the Simsha basin of Cauvery River in the southern border of Tumkur District; a plain area with a hillock in it called Thimmappana betta atop the hill adored by Lord Thimmappa with a small temple built in Hosyala style in 15th or 16th century but, rebuilt in its original style in 2007-08. It is nestled in between the Taluks Gubbi to north, Magadi to east, Maddur to south and Nagamangala to west. Nearby towns include Amruthur, Huliyurdurga, Maddur, Mandya and Nagamangala; and nearby famous religious institutions like Yediyur Siddlingeswara temple/ Mutt and Sri Adichunchanagiri Mutt.

Transportation.

Benavara village is connected by PMGSY road to State Highway No. 84 between Tumkur and Mandya via Amruthur and Kunigal; an asphalted and motor-able road. The double road NH 48 between Bengalore and Hassan is at 25 km from the village. The village has frequent bus services from Kunigal, Magadi, Nagamangala and Mandya those links to Bangalore, Tumkur and Mysore.It is at 100 km from Begalore and 90 km from Mysore.

The proposed railway line between Hassan and Bangalore passes through Yediyur and Kunigal and a station has been planned at Yedyur which is 15 km from Benavara. Although the project was proposed in 1994, it hasn't seen its light yet due to various legal and land acquisition hurdles. When completed, the village will benefit from improved connectivity through railways.

Economy

Benavara is in the command area of Markonahalli Reservoir built across Shimsha River at the confluence of Rivers Shimsha and Bellur at Markonahalli in Kunigal Tq in the 1940s; till then it was dry belt dependent on scanty rains. Now, most of the lands are irrigated assured with water from further connection to the bigger reservoir 'Hemavathi Dam'. The economy is predominantly agrarian with paddy as main crop supplemented by ragi(millet)crop as staple food as well as commercial crop. There are coconut and arecanut plantations in small patches dotting the village. Due to frequent failure of rains and non assurance of regular water from Markonahalli dam to fields, farmers go for bore-wells and end with despair due to the stony under ground strata of the earth that do not yield ground water in bore wells in 3/4 th area of the village and uncertain electricity in rural areas. Now,the farmers depend mainly on monsoon rains for water to the Markonahalli dam and to crops, since Hemavathi waters is not assured as planned due to many reasons in spite of the efforts of GoK.

Animal husbandry like rearing of sheep and goats is economical in small scale along with rearing of draught animals for use in agriculture is the second occupation of the farming community in the village.

The mechanization of agriculture is yet take off in this area and the village except tractor for ploughing/ transportation and machines for trashing of paddy. Machines for sowing, transplanting, weeding, spraying of pesticides and harvest etc. are yet to invade this area.

Demography and education

Benavara is a village with about 100 houses with population of around 500 due to migration of most of the youths to cities mostly to Bangalore on jobs in government service and in private firms since the agriculture is not remunerative. One or the other from each house is in Benaglore either for earning or for education. There is a hamlet called Benavara Koppalu attached to this village right on the SH 84, about 1 km away from the main village.

This village has a reputation of having a govt primary school since pre-independence compare to neighbour villages, but, still remains with the same school. There were literates in the village among the generation of the 1900s. Anganavadi(A nursery) is the only addition since the 1970s due to limitation in population. The Govt. Middle School, at adjoining Hanchipura was only the school after Independence for higher primary education till such time only 3 students went out to pursue education in Tumkur and happened to join govt service in the 1950s. Then, a H S was opened in 1963 at Yedavani till then students had to go out to cities/ towns for high schools. Since the 2000s there is a High School at Valagerepura close to the village and Junior college at Amruthur and degree college at Kunigal with a lot of bus facilities.

There are graduates from this village since the 1960s and now (2010s), it hosts a number of degree and PG graduates from this village. The children of the officials of this village are in good positions after good education in engineering/ medical fields.There are two Dy.Coservator of Forests(Rtd)from this village; Sri B.M.T.Rajeev,IFS is one among them and he is a freelance writer and has authored/ published three books on wildlife/ forestry.

This village had the blessings/ guidance of the reputed social workers/ politicians/educationists hailed from the adjoining village M A colony late H M Gangadharaiah, MLC the founder of Siddhartha Engg and Medical colleges, Tumkur in the 1950s and Late M H Jayaprakash Mayayan, MLA and founder of Dr Ambedkar Engg College, Bengaluru from 1967 to 1994; who did their best to guide the villagers in the field of importance of education and its importance in social, economical and political upliftment through it.

Climate, flora and fauna

Climatically Benavara falls in dry weather zone, where the rainfall is about 400 mm from both the monsoons. The SW monsoon is always low with some showers in May–June since the village is in rain shadow area. It receives some good showers from NE monsoon in September–November. The temperature goes up to 38 °C in summer and falls to 15 °C in winter.Droughts are common, but not experienced much due to the irrigation facility available from Markonahalli dam.

Flora: The Vegetation of the village is dry deciduous stunted growth with lofty trees like bevu, arali, basari, goni, mavu, honge, gobali,tabasi, halasu, hunase, bidiru etcin cultivated fields. The common natural under growths seen are Haale, kare, chittunde, mundagalli, ekka, tumbe, tangadi, bandarike, etc. with variety of grasses palatable to the cattle. The exotic weeds like Eupatorium and parthenium are invading the area through the waters of Hemavathi since the 2010s and looks menacing affecting the farming and the fodder source of cattle. Lantana is also common The Ipomia weed in water bodies is also menacing affecting the quality of water.

Fauna of the village is interesting,one can see jackal and wild boar if he is lucky in the early mornings near the hillock. Mongoose, squirrel, hare, rats, blandy coot are common. Reptiles seen are cobra, water snake, green snake, viper, monitor lizard, varieties of lizards, chamelian etc., varieties of frogs, fishes also common. Birds seen are brahminy kite, pariah kite, vultures have become rare, pheasant crow, crows, partridge, mina, warblers, wagtile, redwattled lapwing, pea fowl, black ibis, adjutant crane, egrets, duck, heron, cormorant, coot, baya, house sparrow etc.

Religious and cultural activities

Religiously, Hindus only reside in this village. It consists of 3 castes, but dominated by Daliths and represented by Daliths only; as a result, it has faced a lot of persecution/ discrimination from the neighbouring villages on caste basis, till its youths get education and join government service/ jobs in the 1970s and onwards. Now, it is free from discrimination/ clashes from any body on caste and creed basis.

Religious activities are more in this village as it the home of two famous temples in the locality i.e. Pattaladamma popularly called as Benavaradamma and Arivinamaramma. These goddesses, the incarnation of Parvathi as Maari have devotees from 7 villages including Benavara, who are said to be from this village and migrated to other villages i.e.Valagaerepura, Kilara, Hanchipura, Chendanahalli, Kuppe and Shettipura in the time immemorial. All the devotees from these villages attend the annual festival that falls in the middle of Chaitra masa with cars-Chariots, pooje-a rectangle, decorated with 7 Kalasa, mask of the Goddess in the center on a Gindi- bronze pot to be placed on head of a person and Pata(Javali) to dance to the tune of drums for three days. The 1st day- generally Friday's night will be celebrated with Konda- big fire on which the Priests will run with Pooje after the procession with Pata, Made, folk songs/ dances with a lot of fun and crackers show befitting to the occasion. The next day is Jatra- with processions as explained and it use to ended with Doolamari- till the 1980s; the sheep/ goats use to be offered to the Goddess by devotees and the head priest use to lift them with emotion as if Goddess is on him and kill one after the other by biting at gullet and drinking the blood; a terrorizing act to make the people to believe, that Goddess is cruel and people has to remain faithful to her. Now, it is banned.Third day is the festival-jatra of Arivina maramma,with a finale of non-vegetarian food in all the houses. This Goddess is famous for attracting bali- sacrifices of animals to please her.It is a famous temple. Most of people from the above villages visit this temple during the Jatra at least once in a year. Most of the women folk gone out on marriage, people on jobs residing outside their natives also visit during this festival. The priests are from the fishermen community and not the Brahmins. Temples opens weekly on Fridays and attract more devotees. Arivinamaramma temple remains open on even Tuesdays.

The untouchability was practiced against Daliths in these temples till the 1970s and it has vanished with the rise of educated youths from Benavara. These temples are managed by a committee of Dharmadharshees represented from all the seven villages.

The village has one more temple Bettadathimmappa on hill top. A Hosyala style temple was renovated in to its original style in the 2000s with donations by a devotee from Hanchipura and it has devotees/ allegiance from Valagerepura, Hancipura, Chanadanahalli, M A Colony. Other temples are Channigaraya, Maramma- village goddess, Varadaraswamy, Anjaneya, Ishwara, Doddamma, Chikkamma that religiously attended in this village.

There is one Basavana gudi- a tomb like structure with a statue of Basavanna- small bull said to be tomb of 2 maids of a Brahmin priest, who could not perform their marriage and forced them to live Samadi, as their chaste was spoiled by some youths and cursed the perpetrators be ruined. This was said to be the root cause for the migration of the ancestors of the villagers that have obedience to the Goddesses of this village. Even most of the lands of this village are owned by the neighbouring villages than the people of this village. Most of the residents of this village are said to be migrated from Mandya district 4-5 generation back except 3 families. This village has two old mantaps- stone shelters for the travelers/ devotees. There is a stone pillar- about 25 ft height, 5–6 ft girth by the side of the village to north, said to be the pillar used to tie the elephant in ancient times. But, this is a pillar proved to have been planted on the tomb of a village head man or an important person of 800 BC as per the research done recently in Krishna Raja Pet Tq on such old monumental pillars by Mysore University in Nov, 2011. This monumental pillar of Benavara proves the say, that this village was a very old and big village in the past and it has a history of nearly 3,000 years.

Culturally, this village practices all the mores, folklore's and festivities of Hindu calendar. Shankranthi, Shivaratri, Ugadi, Mari habba, Muni, other family deities festivals, Mudipu of Lord Thirupathi Thimmappa, Ekadashi, Shravana, Gowri, Ganesha, Dasara- Pitrupaksha, Karthika in a year.

Ref: History of Benavara by B.M.T. Rajeev, M.A(Socio); D.C.E; Indian Forest Service (Retd)

Compiled By: Sri B.M.T.Rajeev, IFS(Retd).