Veerabhadreshwara Temple -Kallathgiri falls

Being an unusual construction, not much is known about the history and inception of the Veerabhadreshwara Temple except for the confirmed fact that it was established during the reign of the Vijayanagara period. It is believed that the cave shrine was built during the reign of Krishna Deva Raya, the sixth ruler of the Sangama Dynasty in the Vijayanagara Empire.

Veerabhadreshwara Temple is dedicated to an avatar of Lord Shiva- Veerabhadra. According to mythology, Veerabhadra was created from the wrath of Lord Rudra after his wife Goddess Sati self-immolated herself during the great Yagna in the palace of her father King Daksha.

In tune with the location of most of the temples of Lord Shiva and his avatars, the Veerabhadreshwara Temple also stands on a pristine landscape near Kalhattipura, around 20 km south of Tarikere town in the Chikmagalur and about 10 km from Kemmannagundi. The temple stands quaint and mystic against the backdrop of the gorgeous Kalhatti Falls.

The metallic idols of Lord Veerabhadreshwara and Goddess Bhadrakali rest inside an ancient cave carved out between gigantic rocks. The entrance of this ancient temple is skirted with interesting stone carvings of three elephants. The sculptures of the deities as well as the indigenous art displayed on the rock carvings are a must see.

One must cross a small and shallow pool of water from the Kalhatti Falls to reach the temple. The raw and untampered nature of the temple, untouched by the artistic and scientific hands of men, lends the Veerabhadreshwara Temple a cabalistic and spiritual appeal. Devotees throng this temple seeking wealth, knowledge, salvation, and relief from chronic ailments.

CHAMPAKADHAMA SWAMY TEMPLE

The Champakadhama Temple is located in a distance of 20 km from Bangalore in Bannerghatta. This historical Champakadhama temple at Bannerghatta is dedicated to Lord Champakadhama incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple attracts huge number of devotees from Bangalore city and surroundings.

The Temple is maintained by Government of Karnataka. It houses unique stone scriptures. Champakadhama is another name of Lord Rama or Vishnu.

The history of the temple dates back to 12th century. As per the inscriptions found here, it is believed that the Champakadhama Temple was built in 1257 during Hoysala period under the ruler Tamilarasa. You can also see the writing which belongs to the 12th century as soon as you enter the temple premises.

The shrine houses idol of Lord Champakadhama along with Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Bhoodevi. You can also visit temples dedicated to Lord Narasimha and Lord Sampangi on a hillock located behind the Champakadhama temple.

Ananthasayana Temple

Ananthasayanagudi in Hosapet Bellary district, Karnataka state, India was constructed by King Krishnadeva Raya (1524 AD) of the Vijayanagara Empire in memory of his deceased son.

This North facing temple is one of the great monuments of Vijayanagara period. Built by Krishnadeva Raya, this temple is situated in Ananthasayanagu Di village, just outside of Hospete, Karnataka. The village itself was built by Krishnadeva Raya as Sale Tirumala Maharayapura in memory of his Son. Later it got the present name after this huge temple. The main deity of the temple was Anantha Padmanabha Swamy. Currently there is no Murthi in the Garbha Griha.

The Garbha Griha is a wide chamber measuring more than 20 meters in width, 6 meters in depth and about 20 meters in height. Yes, it is an unusual size for regular Hindu temples. The base of the statue suggests that the deity might have been in a reclined posture. There are three entrances to the Garbha Griha.

Visitors entering Garbha Griha will be awe struck by its huge proportions. There is every possibility for Hampi visitor to miss this temple as it is away from the main heritage sites of Hampi. Do make it a point to keep this in your Hampi itinerary.

Hombuja Atishaya Jain Teerth Kshetra

Humcha/Hombuja is a small village near Ripponpet, Hosanagara taluk in Shimoga district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Hombuja Atishaya Jain Teerth Kshetra is famous for being home to an ancient temple of Goddess Padmavati, and to the Humbaj Matha (seminary/monastery), an important institution of the Jain community. This temple is considered to be very holy and is known for its cultural and historical heritage.

Other notable highlights of the place are a lake that reputedly never dries up and a tree that likewise always remains green.

The History of this region is also associated with Santara or Bhairarasa dynasty. Santara or Bhairarasa is the name of a medieval ruling dynasty of Karnataka, India.

Jinadatta Raya, a Jain prince from Mathura in Northern India was the supposed founder of the dynasty. He is said to have migrated to the town of Humcha with an idol of the Jain deity Padmavati, laying the foundation of the kingdom in Humcha. The area covered by their kingdom included territories in the Malenadu region as well as the coastal districts of Karnataka. The dynasty founded by Jinadatta appears to have split into two branches by the 12 century C.E. One branch being stationed in Hosagunda of Shimoga district and Kalasa in the Western ghats, chikkamagalur district. Gradually these branches (or only the Kalasa branch) shifted their capitals to Keravashe (14 km north-east of Karkala) and Karkala both in the old South Canara district. Hence the territory they ruled was also known as the Kalasa-Karkala kingdom.

SRI SUBRAHMANYA SWAMY TEMPLE HALASURU

This popular temple dedicated to Sri Subrahmanya is more than 800 years old.

The temple is close to the celebrated Halasuru Someshwara Temple, and right opposite to Sri Adhi Vinayaka Temple near Halasuru metro station. It is said that this temple is older than Sri Someshwara Temple. The deity is also known as Ananda Murugan here. The lord Subrahmanya here is a replica of Murugan at Thiruthani Murugan Temple one of Arupadaiveedus of Murugan. Lord Subrahmanya is flanked by Valli on His right and Devasena on His left in this temple in separate shrines.

Legend has it that this temple was built by one of the Maharajas of Mysore many centuries ago.

The then Maharaja of Mysore was on his way to visit his uncle who was suffering from eye disease. It came to his notice that there were devotees frequenting an Anthill at the present site of the temple. The Maharaja visited the anthill and prayed that if his uncle is cured of the eye disease, he would build a temple at the site for the Lord. Once the Maharaja reached Mysore, it was brought to his notice that his uncle was cured of the eye disease. The temple was constructed to thank the Lord as a votive offering.

There is a sculpture of sage Mandavya in the Mantapam. As per one of the versions, Sage Mandavya had this temple built on being directed by the Lord. Some are of the opinion that this temple was built around the same time Sri Someshwara temple was built due to its connection with Sage Mandavya.

There are separate shrines for Chandikeshwara and Nagadevata. It is believed that the temple was once a Shiva temple. The temple also has Ardha Nareeshwara, Durga, Surya Narayana Sage Agastya, Navagrahas and Kalabhairava enshrined. The temple follows Shaivagama guidelines. There are Nandis on the temple walls and Lord Vishnu shrine at the back entrance of the temple. This is typical of a Shiva temple. The Sthala Vriksha is Athi maram. There is a tank within the temple premises.

Shivaratri Amavasya

Shivratri, or Mahashivratri, is the most auspicious day dedicated to Lord Shiva and is popularly known as the night of Siva. In Panchangs and Hindu calendars followed in Australia, United States, United Kingdom (Britain) and Canada. This holy night of Shiva is observed on the night before ‘amavasya’ in the Hindu month of Phalgun (February – March) as per traditional Hindu calendar followed in North India. The corresponding period in other regions is the night before Magh Amavasya.

Planetary Position on Shivaratri Night

It is believed that the planetary positions align in such a way on Shivratri night that it naturally creates an upsurge of energy in the human system. This is also why traditionally it is known to be beneficial both physically and spiritually to stay awake and aware through the night.

Shivratri and Amavasya (No Moon)

The significance of Shivratri is closely associated with ‘amavas’ - the no moon night or full dark night as per traditional Hindu Calendar. Amavas symbolically represents Kaliyuga or spiritual ignorance. Lord Shiva appeared just before the beginning of Kaliyuga to rid the world of evil and ignorance. Therefore Shivratri is celebrated to get rid of evil and ignorance.

It must be noted here that Shivratri is observed during Phalgun month in North India. The corresponding month in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh is Magh Month.

There is also a Masa Shivratri which is observed on thirteenth day of Krishna Paksha (waning phase of the moon) in all traditional Hindu months.

Ragigudda Sri Prasanna Anjaneya Swamy Temple

Did you know that the Ragigudda Sri Prasanna Anjaneya Swamy Temple in Jayanagar 9th Block of Bangalore is located on a hillock  named Ragigudda- a compound word of Ragi meaning 'millets' and gudda meaning 'Hill' in Kannada.

Ragigudda Sri Prasanna Anjaneya Swamy Temple, also called Prasanna Veeranjaneya Temple or popularly as Ragigudda Anjaneya, is on a small but ancient rocky hill called Ragigudda which has a mythical history.  The stone tools found in this hill date back to 10,000 years and the small Hanuman idol found here is believed to be one such Swyambhu idol on the hill which has been deeply venerated. This temple is now most sought after social center and worship centre in Jayanagar, South Bangalore. Over the years the vigarahas (Idols) of Lord Shiva and Rama of Epic Ramayana are part of the ensemble in the hill top temple. As one starts going up the hill, a temple dedicated to Ganesha, Navagraha and Rajarajeshwari are seen at the foot of the hills. The total area of the temple is around 5 acres and all the development of the temple complex is reported to have occurred in the early 1970s, a group of dedicated youth with supportee by local people launched the programme of enlarging the hill temple and related faculties.

There is an interesting legend related to the naming of Ragigudda as prefix to the Anjaneya temple. It so happened that once a pious lady called Sudharma, wife of a local chieftian called, wanted to give alms of fresh ragi (Raghava dhanaya) from the heap of Ragi they had harvested on their field, to the three Brahmins, representing the Trinity of gods who appeared before her. Her mother-in-law took exception to this act of her Daughter- in -Law and wanted the ragi to be taken back from the three brahmins seeking alms  But this would not happen as these three brahmins who appeared before the daughter-in-law were the trinity of Gods - Shiva, Vishnu and Maheshawara. The  Ragi heap from which alms were given then froze into a hill and a small vigraha (idol) of Hanuman (Anjaneay) was deified on it. Further, pleased with the pious lady, the Trinity decided to remain at this place in the form of three stone statues; these large rock statues are on the eastern side of the Ragigudda. They stand here in the foot hills of temple as a witness to all the developments to the temple complex and its precints which have taken place over the last five decades. It is now one of the most popular and large Hanuman temples in Bangalore visited by thousands of devotees every day.

The temple has an arched entrance from a narrow street. A winding stairway leads first to the big Ganesha temple. This is followed immediately by the Annapooreshwari Devi, nicely decorated with garlands and ornaments, where deavotees offer rice bags  to the Devi as 'Anna dana' or food offering to be shared with devotees. Further up the stairway  is a shrine dedicated Suryanarayana, the Sun God; deified as seated on his chariot drawn by seven horses. Next to Lord Ganesha sits Lakshmi Devi shrine.

The stairway then with 87 steps leads to the main Anjeneya temple with an archway facade (decorated with ‘dasavathara’ or the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu). The magnificent Lord Hanuman is flanked by the shrines of Lord Shiva (Vedic God of Hinduism), and the Ram, Sita,  Lakshmana with Hanuman of epic Ramayana; these idols are big and well-sculpted. The Shiva Linga (made of green-colored stone) is seen in the mainhall, and is very big and neatly maintained. The total number of stone steps from the start to the hill top is stated to be 150.

The principal deity, Hanuman on the hill top, is seen holding the sacred Sanjeevini Mountain with his left hand and the mighty ‘gadha' (club or blunt mace) on the right hand. The gadha is seen resting on his right shoulder. The tail of Anjeneya is seen raised above his head and is resting on the Sanjeevi parvath (mountain). Lord Hanuman is seen divinely glittering, adorned with various ornaments all over his body; particularly noted is a Rathna Kundalam on his ears and a majestic crown on his head.

A copper coloured Nandi (Bull mount of Shiva) sits before Lord Shiva. The stairway leading to the Hanuman Temple is very well covered from rain and sunshine. A divine fancy view from a particular angle, the Hanuman temple appears perched as if on the back of an ‘annapakshi’, the divine swan, a celestial bird, floating in the air.

The temple administration has built two halls - the smaller one that can be rented for performing small Hindu ceremonies like the thread ceremony, seemantham, etc., and the bigger one for major events like marriage.  The temple Trust (registered in 1972) runs a charitable wing that provides affordable education and healthcare to the less privileged in and around the temple,

Every year, in the month of December, the festival of Sri Hanumajjayanthi (the auspicious birth of Lord Hanuman) is celebrated in a grand manner, as a 12-day event. The other main festival held at this temple is of Ramanavami (birth day of Lord Rama) during March or April. On both occasions, a number of yagyas, abhisheka and poojas are carried out with the Mahaprasad being served to thousands of devotees.

Anegudde Ganesha Temple

Anegudde village is located at a distance of 9 km south of Kundapura, in Udupi District. Anegudde is also popularly called as Kumbashi. The name Kumbhashi is said to be derived from demon Kumbhasura. According to the history, when drought hit this area, Sage Agasthya performed penance to appease the Varuna, the Rain God. During the penance, demon Kumbhasura started troubling the sages. Bheemasena gets weapon from Lord Ganesha to kill Kumbahasura and assassinate him at this place. Anegudde is rewarded one of the seven 'Mukti Sthalas' of Karnataka (Parashurama kshetra). The temple at Anegudde is dedicated to Lord Vinayaka (Ganesha). Anegudde is the combination of two words - 'Aane' meaning 'Elephant' and 'Gudde', which stands for 'hillock' as it is the abode of the elephant-headed god.

Kadu Malleshwara Temple

Did you know that in the Kadu Malleshwara Temple, the Shiva deity as a small linga, deified in a shrine on a small hillock is known as Malleshwara  (a form of Lord Shiva) which gave the name to  the suburb of Malleshwaram of Bengaluru,  established in a forest area in the 15th century? 

The Kadu Malleshwara Temple (ಕಾಡು ಮಲ್ಲೇಶ್ವರ), also known as Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, was initially built in the forested area which was earlier known as Mallapuram. When built, intially it was a small shrine on a hillock with the Linga of Lord Shiva. The credit for building this shrine is attributed to  Venkoji Rao, step brother of Chatrapathi Shivaji, in the 17th century (1669) when he came here with his minister Baji Rao Peshwa. The original name of the place Mallapuram was changed when the Malleswaram was developed as an upscale suburb of the Bengaluru city during the British Raj in the 17th century when plague  affected the region. As this temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva was existing at that time the suburb got the name after the deity of the temple as Malleswara with a prefix 'Kadu' (meaning 'forest' in Kannada) indicationg the forest area amidst which the temple was located; and has since been popularly called Kadu Malleswara Temple. In 1898,  a devotee named  Yale Mallappa Shetty renovated the temple to the present status. In 1981 the Goverment of Karnataka also carried out some renovations in the temple complex.

Kadu Malleshwara Temple has a rajagopura at the entrance, built in Dravidian architectural style.  Shiva is worshipped here as Mallikarjuna or Malleshwara, and the deity, as a small Shiva linga is deifieid on a hillock  approached by a series of stone steps (40 steps in two stages) from the open courtyard, following the Rajagopura.

As is the norm in Shiva temple,  a statue of Nandi (mount of Lord Shiva)  pays obeisance to the Lord Shiva, facing the inner sanctum.  The surroundings look very attractive with green trees and plants. 

Near the entrance of the temple on the left side one can see a mandapa and the kitchen.

The Vimana or gopuram of garbha gudi (inner sanctum) was built later in 1993. Recently, a mukha mandapa (outer mandapa) was added. To  the back of the inner sanctum, on its southern sidie,  deities of Dakshina Murty and

Lord Subrahmanya are seen and on the north, the statue of Chandikeswara.

In the Mukha Mandapa, the deities of Ardhanareeswara, Kashi Viswanatha, Ganapati and Kalabhairava are also seen.

The navagraha platform is also seen in the Mukhamandapa. There is also a Anjaneya (Hanuman)  temple with a bilwa tree seen behind it. There are innumerable serpent stones and a huge serpent statue near the foot of the hillock as part of the Naga Pratishthapana vow undertaken by devotees.

The divine importance of this small shrine is highlighted in an inscription on the rock face of the stairway that says: "Whoever tries to destroy or harm the place will be reborn as crows and donkeys. If it is done by a Hindu, it would be considered equivalent to eating a cow in Kashi and if it is damaged by a Muslim, it would be equivalent to eating pork." Further, the antiquity of the temple has been mentioned in the well known News paper 'Hindu' as 7,000 years old.

The temple complex also houses a very impressive  Nandishwara Teertha Temple (Basava Theertha), diagonally opposite to the main shrine of Malleswara; theertha means 'holy water.'  It is believed  to be the main origin of the Vrishabhavathi River.

This temple has an elegant courtyard and a Kalyani (a stepped tank of a water body)  and a south facing Nandi statue from whose mouth flows a clear stream of holy water which falls on the Shiva Linga placed below as an oblution offering. Surrounding the Kalyani is a double storeyed colonnaded structure.

This temple was a chance re-discovery in 1997

when excavations were carried out in a place south-east of the Kadu Maleshwara temple. This Nandi Theertha is now considered integral to the main Kadu Malleswara Swamy temple. A shrine to Ganesha is also present in the vicinity.

The temple is located on the main Sampige Road  in the 15 cross of Mallewaram suburb in Bengaluru.

Siddhaganga Shivakumaraswamy Birthday

Shivakumara Swami (born Shivanna; 1 April 1907 – 21 January 2019) was an Indian humanitarian, spiritual leader and educator. He was a Veerashaiva Lingayat religious figure, he joined the Siddaganga Matha in 1930 Karnataka and became head seer from 1941. He also founded the Sri Siddaganga Education Society. Described as the most esteemed adherent of Lingayatism(Veerashaivism), he was referred to as Nadedaaduva Devaru - ನಡೆದಾಡುವ ದೇವರು (walking God) in the state.

In 2015, he was awarded by the Government of India the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award.

Early Life

Shivanna was born on 1 April 1907 in Veerapura, a village near Magadi in the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore (in present-day Ramanagara district of Karnataka state). He was the youngest of thirteen children of Gangamma and Honne Gowda. Having been devoted followers of the deities Gangadhareshwara and Honnadevi, Shivanna's parents took him to the shrines in Shivagange, alongside other religious centres around Veerapura. His mother Gangamma died when he was eight.

Shivanna completed his elementary education in a rural Anglo-vernacular school in Nagavalli, a village in the present-day Tumkur district. He passed his matriculation in 1926. He was also a resident-student at the Siddaganga Math for a brief span during this time. He enrolled in Central College of Bangalore to study in arts with physics and mathematics as optional subjects, but was unable to earn the bachelor's degree as he was named successor of Uddana Shivayogi Swami to head the Siddaganga Matha. Shivanna was proficient in Kannada, Sanskrit and English languages.

After losing his friend and the heir to head the Siddaganga Matha, Sri Marularadhya, on 16 January 1930, Shivanna was chosen in his place by the incumbent chief Shivayogi Swami. Shivanna, then renamed Shivakumara, entered the viraktashram (the monks' order) on 3 March that year upon formal initiation, and assumed the pontifical name Shivakumara Swami. He assumed charge of the Matha on 11 January 1941, following the death of Shivayogi Swami

Social Work

The Swami founded a total of 132 institutions for education and training, that range from nursery to colleges for engineering, science, arts and management as well as vocational training. He established educational institutions which offer courses in traditional learning of Sanskrit as well as modern science and technology. He was widely respected by all communities for his philanthropic work.

The Swami's gurukula houses more than 10,000 children from ages five to sixteen years at any point in time and is open to children from all religions, castes, and creeds who are provided free food, education, and shelter (Trividha Daasoha). The pilgrims and visitors to the mutt also receive free meals. Under the Swami's guidance, an annual agricultural fair is held for the benefit of the local population. The Government of Karnataka announced the institution of Shivakumara Swamiji Prashasti from 2007, the centennial birth anniversary of Swamiji. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, visited him at Tumkur and praised the initiatives of Swami in education and humanitarian work.

Illness and death

In June 2016, Swami was hospitalised with jaundice and discharged later after treatment. He was again hospitalised in May 2017 and was diagnosed with various infections but completely recovered after treatment. In September 2017, he was hospitalised again. In January 2018, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and a gallbladder infection, but made a full recovery after a brief hospitalization. In June 2018, he was hospitalised again for a recurrence of the gallbladder infection.  All of these treatments happened in BGS Hospital Bangalore and was treated by Dr. Ravindra B.S., chief of medical gastroenterology at the BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals.

The Swami returned to hospital on 1 December 2018, after suffering from a liver tube infection. Although he was initially discharged, he was admitted again two days later. On 8 December, he underwent liver bypass and gallbladder removal surgeries, performed by Mohamed Rela. The surgeries were successful and the Swami was discharged after various days spent in the intensive care unit. On 29 December, he was diagnosed with a lung infection  and on 3 January 2019, he was hospitalised again. On 11 January, he was placed on life support as his conditions deteriorated.  On 16 January, despite a complete lack of recovery, the Swami was shifted back to Siddaganga Matha as per his own will.^[ On 21 January, it was reported that he was in a critical condition after his pulse and blood pressure dropped. Attempts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead at 11:44 a.m. (IST) that day.

The Government of Karnataka declared a public holiday on 22 January as part of the three-day state mourning period in a mark of respect.

Seebi Narasimha Swamy Temple (Karthika Shukla Chaturdashi)

The Narasimha Swamy temple at Seebi (also spelt Sibi) is located in the Tumkur taluk of Tumkur district, in the Indian state of Karnataka. Seebi is located on National Highway 4, just 20 km north of Tumkur city.

According to the renowned British Raj era historian and epigraphist B. Lewis Rice, legend has it that once a merchant carrying grain on bullocks stopped at Sibi. When a pot of grain was boiled on a projecting rock, its color turned blood red causing the merchant, his attendants and the buffalos to swoon. While in the unconscious state, the god Narasimha appeared in the merchant's dream and informed him the rock was his abode and that the merchant should build a temple for him at that spot as atonement for desecrating his abode. A small temple was thus built by the merchant. In more recent times, the consecration of a larger temple over the pre-existing shrine was taken up by three wealthy brothers: Lakshminarasappa, Puttanna and Nallappa who were the sons of Kacheri Krishnappa, a Dewan in the court of King Tipu Sultan of the Mysore Kingdom. Story goes that Nallappa had a dream in which the god Narasimha promised him eternal happiness if a temple was raised where it stands today. The completion of the temple construction took ten years. The Narasimha Swamy temple is a simple yet elegant Dravidian structure built around the end of the 18th century. The main deity of the temple is Narasimha, an avatar (incarnation) of  God  Vishnu.