Belthangady: Freedom fighter Bhojraj Hegde’s funeral rites carried with state honours
Belthangady: Padangadi Bhojraj Hegde (98), who had been the last surviving freedom fighter in the Taluk passed away on Tuesday and was given a state honoured funeral on Wednesday morning.
The veteran freedom fighter received a state honoured funeral around 9.30 am on Wednesday with a 3-round gun salute at his residence.
MLA K. Hareesh Poonja, former MLA K. Vasanth Bangera, former gram panchayat member Rajashri Hegde, Padangadi Panchayat President Meenakshi, Vice President Santhosh Kumar Jain, C. A Bank President Yogish Nadakar, Senior Advocate Nemiraj Shetty were present at the funeral.
Belthangady Tahsildar Mahesh J., former Minister K. Abhayachandra Jain, Dharmasthala’s D. Harshendra Kumar, along with Venur Ajila Seeme’s Thimmannarasa Dr. Padmaprasad Ajila, and several prominent individuals, friends, and relatives paid their final respect at the funeral.
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Rare Kalyani Chalukya-era stepwell discovered in Karnataka’s Gadag district
Gadag: A centuries-old stepwell from the Kalyani Chalukya period is discovered into public in Sudi, a remote village in Karnataka’s Gadag district. The Nagakunda Pushkarani, dating to the 10th-11th century CE, is undergoing extensive restoration under the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage’s ‘Adopt a Monument’ scheme.
The stepwell was focal point of community life and craftsmanship under the reign of Akkadevi, sister of Chalukya king Jayasimha II. It shows the dynasty’s mastery of architecture and water management. Its interior walls are carved with the precision of temple façades, setting it apart from most surviving stepwells in southern India, linking it stylistically to examples in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
After centuries of neglect left its sculptures weathered and its waters dry, the site is now being revived by the Deccan Heritage Foundation India in partnership with Heritage Matters, the Gandipet Welfare Society and the Water Literacy Foundation according to a report published by The HIndu. Work includes structural repairs, removal of invasive vegetation, dredging, stone resetting and landscaping, alongside the restoration of an adjacent mantapa with a large Ganesha idol.
Heritage architect B. Sarath Chandra noted, the project is as much about functionality as aesthetics, with water recharge efforts already underway. Funded by Gandipet Welfare Society founder Rajashree Pinnamenni, the restoration is slated for completion by late 2025, followed by a second phase linking the stepwell to the Jodu Kalasadagudi temple through landscaped pathways.
The report mentions that officials say the revival of Nagakunda Pushkarani could not only reintroduce Sudi’s Chalukya heritage to a wider audience but also serve as a model for conserving other lesser-known monuments across Karnataka.
