Someshwara Meenakshi temple , SivanaSamudra

In this post we share our visit experience to Someshwara Meenakshi temple at Sivana Samudra a tourist spot about 3 hours journey from Bengaluru

• Temple has Sri Chakra installed by Sri Adi Sankarachaarya

Do visit this spot and share your visit experience.

Gargeshwari Temple , Gargeshwari - Tourist spots near Bengaluru

In this post , we share our visit experience to Gargeshwari Temple at T.Narsipur taluk Mysore district about 3 hours journey from Bangalore . 

Highlights of this spot

• Unique temple where deities  Shiva & Parvathi in form on Ardhanareeshwara idol 
• Small Idol of Ganesha - devotees believe their wishes get fulfilled if they are able to recite prayer and lift the idol successfully.

Do visit this location and share your experience with us.

Scenic roads - T Narasipura Suttur Malavalli- Bangalore picnic spots

In this article we share our visit experience of travelling along Tirumakudalu Narasipura , Suttur , Malavalli roads which attracts with its serene beauty and historic spots - 150 kms from Bangalore.

Misty cloud Malavalli road

T Narasipura Bridge - Over Sangama 

T Narasipura Bridge

Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple , T. Narasipura - Bangalore picnic spots

In this article we share our visit experience of "Sri Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple"  at Tirumakudalu Narasipura ( popularly known as T. Narasipura ) , a panchayat town in Mysore district which attracts with its serene beauty and historic spots - 150 kms from Bangalore.

Significance of this spot - Wiki

This temple is more than 500 yeards old and is a place of religious prominence. The Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple on the right bank of the Kaveri river, is a massive complex belonging to the Vijayanagara period. The image of Narasimha in the sanctum sanctorum has a weighing balance with a twig with seed of the Gunja (botanical name-Abrus precatorius) tree and hence is called Gunja Narasimha Swamy. It signifies the importance of the temple vis-a-vis the Kasi pilgrimage center by a measure of the seedgulaganji. It has inscriptions dating from the Krishnadevaraya period with a mélange of Dravidian and Hoysala Architecture and is renowned for the voluminous records in Nagari script. 

The legend associated with Gunja Narasimhaswamy Temple is that Narasimha appeared in the dream of a washerman telling him that his idol lay beneath the stone on which he washed clothes everyday. The deity told him to build a temple for him and asked him to look for gold coins beneath the stone which could be used for the construction of the temple. When the washerman expressed his wish to visit (Kashi) Varanasi on a pilgrimage, god told him that the construction of a temple for him, had earned the washerman an additional punya (Merit) of about a coral beed vine seed (Abrus precatorius)) than that which accrues by visiting Kashi. Thus, the name tag Gunja came into usage with name of the God Narasimhaswamy

We reached the spot at noon after visiting the Hanuman Linga Agastheshwara temple , Sangama coracle boat rides by 12.30 PM. Temple is on just 50 mts from the NH 212 highway.  On entering the temple gopura , we were welcome with the colorful ranga mantapa , followed by the main sanctum . Lord NarasimhaSwamy temple along with Sri Lakshmi is consecrated here which is about 2-3 feet.  The atmosphere inside is very calm and mind relaxing. 

Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple , T. Narasipura - Gopura

Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple , T. Narasipura - Side view

Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple , T. Narasipura - Mantap

Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple , T. Narasipura - Neem Brindavan

Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple , T. Narasipura - Pillars

Surrounded by this main sanctum is small mantaps where idol of Sri Ramanuja , Ganesha are consecrated.

Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple , T. Narasipura - temple inside View

Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple , T. Narasipura - Inside temple

Devotees around the village organize processions every year along with the famous Kumbhamela held every 3 years . Overall a very nice spot to visit with family and friends . Temple is open between morning 7 till 1.PM and again in the evening between 4.30 to 7.30 PM.

Do visit this temple and share your experience. Check out our touring spots guide for more details on other spots

Sangama Coracle Teppa ride - Bangalore picnic spots

In this article we share our visit experience of "Tirumakudalu Sangama"  at Tirumakudalu Narasipura ( popularly known as T. Narasipura ) , a panchayat town in Mysore district which attracts with its serene beauty and historic spots - 150 kms from Bangalore.

Significance of this spot - Wiki 

The first name refers to the land at the confluence, (trimakuta in Sanskrit(citation needed) at the confluence of the Kaveri, Kabini and Spatika Sarovara (a mythical lake or spring, also named Gupta Gamini). This is the place in South India where Kumbhamela is held every three years. It finds a mention in the Skanda Purana as one of the Trimakuta Kshetras (holy places at the confluence of three rivers).[2] The word 'Narasipur' is the name of the town, which is derived from the famous Gunja Narasimhaswamy temple that is located on the right bank of the Kabini river. Considered as sacred as Prayag (confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the Saraswati at Prayag – Varanasi - Kashi in North India), it is also known as Dakshina Kashi The town finds mention in tourism guides, both as a tourist place and a pilgrimage centre.

The Kumbha Mela of T. Narasipura,of recent origin, since 1989, is an event that occurs once in three years.Organised by the Kumbha Mela Trust under the auspices of senior pontiffs and religious leaders of the State. The congregation is meant to underline the concept of unity in diversity. The Kumbha Mela of Allahabad and Nasik is replicated at T. Narasipura when lakhs of devotees assemble and take a holy dip in the confluence of three rivers. A slice of ancient India unfolds as ochre-clad sadhus join people to take a dip at the confluence of the Kaveri, the Kabini, and the celestial lake "Spatika Sarovara".

Coracle / Teppa ride

Coracle / Teppa carrying people

Not to miss here is the Coracle ride ( known as Teppa in Kannada ). Usually coracles are made of bamboo , but here we noticed it was coated with iron also. The depth of the river is not more than 6 feet during our visit. Safe to drink , the guide said that except few harmless river snakes - its very safe . We spent Rs.50 for almost an hour teppa ride covering the Gunja Narasimha swamy temple , Rudra pada point , Sangama point , back waters  and Hanuman Linga temple. The coracle is rowed here using a single long bamboo stick. 

T Narasipura Sangama Teppa ride - Bhiksheshwara temple view

T Narasipura Sangama Teppa ride - Back waters

T Narasipura Sangama Teppa ride - bridge View

T Narasipura Sangama Teppa ride - Swans 

T Narasipura Sangama Teppa ride - Rudra pada rock

T Narasipura Sangama Teppa ride - Sangama - Kumbhamela point

T Narasipura Sangama Teppa ride - River view from banks

T Narasipura Sangama Teppa ride - River Lilly flowers

Teppa at river banks

A very nice experience traveling along the spots on coracle , a must do activity for tourists visiting here. A cool spot to visit with family and friends.  Do visit this spot and share your experience. Check out our touring spots guide for more details on other spots

Agasthyeshwara temple , T Narasipura

In this article we share our visit experience of "Sri Agasthyeshwara temple"  at Tirumakudalu Narasipura ( popularly known as T. Narasipura ) , a panchayat town in Mysore district which attracts with its serene beauty and historic spots - 150 kms from Bangalore.

Myth of this temple  - Wiki 

It is said that Tirumakudalu is the place where sage Agasthya had visualized it as 'Dakshina Kashi' long ago. When he traveled down South to Narsipura, the town was a thick forest. Enamored by the confluence of the three rivers - Kaveri, Kapila and the undercurrent of Spatika Sarovara - he wanted to establish a Shiva Linga there and asked Hanuman to get him a linga from Kashi. Since the auspicious period lasting three-and-a-three-fourth of a galige was fast approaching and Hanuman failed to get the linga on time, the sage created a sand linga himself and consecrated it. An insulted Hanuman, who returned soon, cut off the top portion of the sand linga consecrated by Agasthya. Ever since this incident a perennial presence of water which is believed to be the water of Ganga can be found in the axed summit of the linga, and the same is offered as thirtha (holy water) to the pilgrims. The linga that Hanuman brought was consecrated a little distance away and is called the Hanuman Linga.

This temple is in the sacred campus of the Cauvery , Kabini , Spatika rivers confluence - Sangama point where Kumbhamela is held every 3 years .  Our team reached here on a sunny sunday noon when the temple was just about to close at 12.30 PM. We were lucky to get the darshan.

Agasthyeshwara temple , T Narasipura - Front View Gopura

The temple inner sanctums where the Hanuman linga is present shows a glimpse of the traditional art style combination of the Chola , Hoysala and Vijayanagara reigns.

Agasthyeshwara temple , T Narasipura - Idol carvings

 On the temple outside walls , we saw this inscription laid during the temple renovations by the Dewan of Mysore his excellency Mirza Muhammad Ismail.

Agasthyeshwara temple , T Narasipura  - Inscription

Agasthyeshwara temple , T Narasipura - Pillars Inside

Agasthyeshwara temple , T Narasipura - Main Sanctum View

We could get the theertha (sacred water) which the priest informed it was from the head of Hanuman Linga.
Besides this temple there are few Hindu mutts , namely the Sosale mutt and Sringeri Vyasaraja mutt. It seems many hindus visit here to perform some rites. Beside the mutt is a small area where hundreds of Naga Lingas are  consecrated. These are however from the devotees. The sosale mutt was closed when we had reached , our guide said it houses hundreds of Hanuman idols. Thats a lot of collections here !!

Agasthyeshwara temple , T Narasipura - Naga Lingas

We were very amazed to see a unique style here - for every shiva linga inside the temple there is a nandi idol in front of it and there are at-least more than 30 such lingas unlike other temples . There is also a big idol of Kamakshi goddess here.

Agasthyeshwara temple , T Narasipura - Inside view

 The Sangama point river banks are just beside this temple.There are arrangements made for Coracle boat rides ( Haragolu  / Teppa in Kannada ) for visitors to reach the sangama point , enjoy the back waters and also reach the other end to visit the famous GunjaNarasimhaSwamy temple here. There is also other temples such as Bhiksheshwara , Rudra pada point which may attract the visitors.

Agasthyeshwara temple , T Narasipura - Sangama point 

Overall we had a very nice experience visiting this spot. We enjoyed the coracle ride all over the river banks which was very good. This temple is open between morning 7 AM to 12.30 PM and at evening between 4 to 7.30 PM . Definitely a weekend picnic spot to enjoy with family and friends.

Do visit this spot and share your experience. Check out our touring spots guide for more details on other spots