Mahakuta Temple, Badam in Bagalkot

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Mahakuta Temple near Badam in Bagalkot district.

Shri Mahakuta temple is a group of the temple that is dedicated to the Lord Shiva. It is an important place of worship for Hindus and the location of a well-known Shaiva monastery.  These temples were constructed by the early kings of the Chalukya dynasty of Badami, during the period of the 6th-7th century.


In the period of 7th century, Karnataka artisans achieved certain eclecticism, in their architectural styles.

 A natural mountain spring flows within the temple complex and feeds fresh water into a large tank called the Vishnu Pushkarni ("Lotus pool of god Vishnu") and an ablution tank called Papavinasha Tirtha ("Tank of Ablution").  There is a small shrine in the centre of the Vishnu Pushkarni tank and in it is a Shiva linga (universal symbol of god Shiva) called Panchamukha Linga ("five faced  Linga"), one face for each direction and one on top.
There are around two dozen Shiva temples in a huge temple complex surrounding an attractive spring fed tank known as Vishnu Pushkarini.

The Mahakuteswara and the Mallikarjuna temples are the largest of the Mahakuta group of temples

Mahakuta also provides historians with two important inscriptions.
The first one is a pillar inscription called DharmaVijayastambha. It dates back to Pulakesi I and records a grant of ten villages made by his queen Durlabhadevi to Lord Mahakuteswara.  Interestingly, the villages include Pattadakal and Aihole. This inscription also records some details about the Chalukya lineage and their military expeditions and achievements.

The other inscription, recorded on the porch of the Mahakuteswara temple, speaks of a grant of rubies and silver umbrella, to the Lord by a concubine of Vijayaditya, named Vinapoti.

These temples were built by the Badami Chalukyas, and reflect the Aihole style of temple building. The Chalukya style is a hybrid of the Nagara and Dravidian styles. The temples have tiered or curvilinear towers over the sanctum.

The most important temple here is the Mahakuteswara temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It has a Shiva Linga in the shrine, topped by a curvilinear tower.  It is built in the Dravidian style.  In the temple courtyard, there are several other small temples.  There is a Nandi in front. The wall niches are decorated with carvings of various forms of Lord Shiva.  There is a natural spring-fed tank inside the temple complex called Vishnu Pushkarani.

The Mallikarjuna temple on the other side of the tank is very similar to the Mahakuteswara temple.  It has beautiful carvings on the walls and on the ceilings.

Vidurashwatha Temple, Gauribidanur.

Good morning.(4th June 2017)

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Vidurashwatha Temple is a famous temple dedicated to Nagendra Swamy, most specifically to Santhana Nagendra Swamy.

Vidurashwatha is a little town arranged in the Gauribidanur taluk of Kolar District (Near Chikkaballapur). Vidurashwatha is close to Andhra Pradesh (Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh) outskirt and around 7 km from Gauribidanur.

About The Temple


Naga Devatha sanctuary as the name proposes is committed to Naga Devata. In this sanctuary premises there are a huge number of Naga Devata divinities introduced by the devotees who had got satisfaction of their desires subsequent to performing puja here.

Legend and Stories

The name Vidurashwatha is originated from a gigantic Ashwatha (consecrated fig) tree situated in this town. As indicated by a legend amid the time of Mahabharata, this tree was planted by (Vidura was the illegitimate sibling of Dhirtharashtra and Pandu), a noble in the kingdom of Dhritarashtra. He was a specialist in Archery, Dhanur Vidya. This is the way the name Vidurashwatha developed. In the year 2001, this antiquated Ashwatha tree tumbled to the ground.

The legend says that Yamadharma Raja was reviled to be conceived as a person and was along these lines conceived as Vidura. Subsequent to seeing all the carnage amid the war, Vidura got to be repentant and approached Krishna for salvation. Krishna approached him to go for a theerthayatra (pilgrimage).

In the wake of going by numerous spots, Vidura resulted in these present place, which was really an isolation of Maithreya Maharishi. Once amid sandhyavandhana in the waterway, Vidura got a little sapling when he was going to offer argya to Surya.

Maithreya Maharishi requested that Vidura worshipped the sapling to get salvation. With extraordinary commitment, Vidura worshiped the sapling and Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, satisfied with the dedication, gave him dharshan, and in this way the name of the area got to be Vidura Ashwatha.

Another story is that, quite a while prior when the stream was coursing quickly, two siblings who couldn't cross the waterway took cover on the opposite side of the stream bank where there is a sanctuary to Shiva.

In the night, one of the siblings envisioned that Ashwathnaryana came and requested that the sibling adore him so that he and his future eras would be profited. The following day the sibling was found on the opposite side of the stream bank under the considerable hallowed fig (Ashwatha). From that point on, the worship of Ashwathnaryana was done by this family as it were.

Significance

In this sanctuary, People do the prathishtapana (establishment) of the Naga god (Serpent), to satisfy their longings, such as having youngster, change in business and so forth., the worship here is done to dispose of all issues identified with Naga dosha.

Numerous couples who need to be get kids visit Santhana Nagendra Swamy Temple and offers uncommon pujas like Kalasarpa Dosha Nivarana Puja, Rahu Ketu Puja and Naga Dosha Puja and so forth. They likewise tie a "Mudupu" to Ashwatha Vriksha in the sanctuary premises.

Biligiri Ranganna Temple, Chamrajnagar.

Good morning.(3rd June 2017)

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Biligiri Ranganna Temple near Chamrajnagar.


Biligiri Ranganna temple,  is perched on the top of a hill and is built in the Dravidian style of architecture.  The hills are mentioned to be of Thiru Venkatanatha of Bilikal (white rock).  There are noteworthy and extremely beautiful sculptures of Saraswathi, Krishna and Anjaneya on the pillars of the Biligiri Ranganna temple.

 The temple peak is at a height of 1700 metres from sea level. Hundred years old Champaka tree is one more attraction in this place.

During February-March, there will be a car festival in BR hills and attracts lot of devotees across all Southern states of India.  Tonsuring, offering goat and chicken are common scenes during the festival.

The Name Biligiri means white cliff, Rangana means Lord Ranganatha or Balaji or Venkatesha and betta means hill.  This temple was dedicated to Lord Ranganatha.  The idol was installed by sage Vasishtha and it is in a standing posture, dressed as a hunter  with a dagger in the belt.  The idol is very appropriate to a place surrounded by forests with wild animals roaming freely.

History is that,  there lies a copper plate at Biligiri Ranganna temple  on which the evidence is dated 1667. This copper plate belongs to Mudduraju, son of Trimalarajanayaka of Hadinadu and sheds light on the history of the Biligiri Ranganna temple.  Initially the temple was known as Venkatanatha temple, but later on,  the name was changed to Biligiri Ranganna temple when Tipu Sultan visited the temple on one of his hunting journeys and described it as a temple of Lord Ranganatha.

 The Biligiri Ranganna  temple, has a historical value, unexplained tradition and legend attached to it.  The tourists visiting this temple,  can see a massive pair of sandals.  It is believed that these sandals were used by the presiding deity, Lord Ranganatha. Lord Ranganatha used the sandals to roam around the forests.  It is also believed and said that the pair of sandals are out every day on its journey and it is the duty of the villagers to customarily replace it.

It is said that Shri Rama and sage Parasurama have worshipped Lord Ranganatha on these hills. There is also a separate shrine for Lord Gangadhareshwara.  The temple consists of the idol of Shri Biligiri Ranganatha and Ranganayaki the Lord's spouse.  This temple is of greater significance for many Shrivaishnavites.  Special pooja to the deities are performed on Fridays.