Cubbon Park's historical memorial
A structure of historical importance, the K Sheshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, is also Bangalore's well-known Central Library. Located amidst huge trees and surrounded by the greenery of Cubbon Park, this eye-catching red building's history dates back to British rule when the British Resident of Mysore, Donald Robertson, laid its foundation in the year 1903.
The Memorial Hall, a stately edifice, was built in the memory of the longest serving dewan of princely Mysore, K Sheshadri Iyer (1883-1901) who succeeded Rangacharlu, the first dewan of erstwhile Mysore province under Wodeyar kings. K Sheshadri Iyer was being honoured for his many initiatives like the electrification of KGF and Bangalore from the Shivanasamudra Hydro-Electric power project (first in Asia), critical measures taken to save plague-afflicted Bangalore (in 1898) and starting off Victoria Hospital in 1900.
He was often called the 'maker of modern Bangalore'. The European style structure, Sheshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, was built by Lord Curzon. Located opposite the Memorial Hall is a well maintained rose garden with the dewan's statue - it was unveiled in 1913 by the British Viceroy, Lord Hardings. The memorial building was converted into a full-fledged library by the government in 1915.
The Sheshadri Iyer Memorial Hall has been the State Central Library since 1966. With more than two lakh collections of books on virtually all subjects, the library has separate reference sections for the blind, children and also for people interested in reading news journals. The book-lending facility, available for members earlier, is expected to be resumed once again.
The lands of Yaksha Brahma
A short journey from Manchenahalli takes you to a lakeside Jain temple dedicated to Yaksha Brahma. Located beside the village lake, Dandiganahalli Kere, it is also known as Kodi Brahma temple. As the flooding or overflow (kodi) of this village lake is a regular feature during the monsoons, the temple's main deity Brahma, came to be worshipped as Kodi Brahma.
Situated in a secluded rural location close to the village lake, the Manchenahalli temple's presiding deity Yaksha Brahma is on horseback. The temple also had another idol, Seethalanatha Bhagavan, sculpted from black stone in a yogic posture installed twelve years ago. Kodi Brahma is believed to be the sthala rakshaka (guardian deity) who keeps vigil of the surrounding villages day and night.
Next to the lakeside temple, there is small hillock called Brahmagiri atop which is a temple with an 18-ft-tall stone image of Bahubali. As devotees go up Brahmagiri they see yet another temple boasting 24 idols who represent the twenty four teerthankaras. Devotees also can offer poojas to the marble sculpture with the pada mudre (foot marks) of all twenty four teerthankaras.
The annual festival of Manchenahalli temple held in pushya masa (Jan-Feb) is known to attract visitors in droves from far off places. Devotees from nearby villages regularly worship at the Kodi Brahma temple. The locals also conduct religious rituals associated with marriage and other family functions. This lakeside temple is just 15 km drive on Gowribidanur-Chikkaballapur bus route.