Search This Blog

Talakadu Vaidyeswara

Talakadu Vaidynatheswara Temple

The Vaidyeswara or Vaidyanatheswara temple is located in Talakad, an ancient town with an interesting history. It is located In the Chamarajanagar district. It is one of the Panchalinga Sthalas, the other four being in Talakadu too. It is believed that one who obtains a darshana of the five Lingas will be absolved of all sins. Pilgrims from all over South India gather here to worship Lord Shiva.

Mythology

An ascetic named Somadatta was on his way to this temple with his disciples when they were killed by a herd of elephants. They were in turn reborn as elephants and continued to worship Lord Shiva in the form of a tree. Once two hunters, Tala and Kadu tried to cut down this tree and blood rushed out from it. They heard a divine voice declaring that the tree was a form of the Lord and asked them to stop trying to cut it down.

They stopped and covered the wound with leaves and fruits. The wound was healed. From then on, the place was known as Talakad. As Shiva, in the form of a tree, healed himself – he was known as Vaidyanatha or Vaideeshwara – as Vaidya in Sanskrit means Doctor.

Architecture

The Vaidyanatha temple was constructed by the Chola kings who ruled this part of Karnataka in the 14th century. This temple was built in the Dravidian style. There is a beautiful figure of Ganesha riding on his vehicle, the mouse. There is also a statue of Nandi installed at the entrance. The walls are covered by depictions of various forms of Shiva and Vishnu.