Talk:Tarakeshwara Temple, Hangal

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A fact from Tarakeshwara Temple, Hangal appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 16 June 2016 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that the Tarakeshwara Temple in Hangal has an octagonal hall with a 6-metre (20 ft) diameter lotus carving (pictured) as its ceiling?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2016/June. The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Tarakeshwara Temple, Hangal.

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Dab?

I'm not sure how primary this temple is to the worship of Tarakeshwara/Tarakeshvara. This source uses the name to talk about an unrelated structure in Benares. Google Books browsing suggests that that temple is probably the PRIMARYTOPIC. This Karnataka State Gazetteer mentions another Tarakeshwara temple in Belgaum District. It "helpfully" describes that the Belgaum District temple "has a mukhamantapa with a kakshasana (fallen), a close navaranga and a garbhagriha. The garbhagriha has a Kadambanagara shikhara with a shukanasa." — $Llywelyn II$ 23:37, 29 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Benares Temple

Apparently also had an earlier, destroyed temple. This source calls it "the Loardes of India" and describes it as famous for its "wonderful curative powers". — $Llywelyn II$ 23:15, 29 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Meaning of Tarakeshwara

This source mentions Shiva as saying the "tāraka mantra" into the ear of the dying who are brought to the Tārakeshvara temple (in Benares). This one calls him Tarakeshvara Shiva and glosses it as "Saviour". This one calls him "Tāraknath (an incarnation of Siva)" and mentions that the West Bengalis would take vows to grow their hair, beards, or nails for a certain time without cutting in the hope of his removing some illness. The article was republished here. This one calls it the "Tarakeshvara linga temple" and glosses the name as "Shiva who whispers the mantra of liberation into the ears of those who die here". This doc (p 40) explains "Shiva is worshipped as Tarakeshvar, one who whispers the Taraka Mantra in the ear of the dying". Rough Guides glosses it as "Tarakeshvara, Shiva as Lord of the Taraka Mantra, a 'prayer of crossing' recited at death". This source says, "as Tarakeshwara, Shiva is the divine boatman who rows the souls of the dead across the river to heaven, all the while singing..." This source glosses it as "Shiva, Lord of the Ferry". — $Llywelyn II$ 23:41, 29 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Ok. Etymologically, it's from तारक and is going to be some form of "Deliverer", although "Ferryman" probably creates a closer mental image to the intended sense in English. — $Llywelyn II$ 00:58, 30 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

A Handbook of Karnataka

is one of those infuriating "snippet" views at Google Books. The relevant passage is:

The Tarakeshwara temple here [sc. Hangal] is a huge structure with wonderful series [sic] of images and polished tall Chalukyan pillars spread over a very long area. The Virabhadra, Billeshwara and Ramalinga etc. [sic], are other temples here, and the Ganesha temple near Tarakeshwara has a northern curvilinear (Nagara) shikhara. The town is on the left bank of the Dharma river [sic], and has ruins [sic] of some fortification on the river bank. There is a famous Veerashaiva Kumaraswamy Matha here.

p. 256. — $Llywelyn II$ 23:58, 29 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]