Pampa Sarovar is a beautiful lake that is located between near Anegundi in Karnataka. The lake is situated in a charming valley that lies to the south of the Tungabhadra River. It is considered to be one of the five holy lakes in India. It is famous for its religious significance and is revered by the Hindus.
The beauty and spirituality of the lake attracts a large number of pilgrims as well as tourists throughout the year.
Quick Facts
- Timing: From dawn to dusk on all days of the week
- Entry Fee: No entry fee required
- Photography: Allowed
- Visit Duration: About 1 and ½ hours
- Best time to visit: From November to February
Legend Associated with Pampa Sarovar near Anegundi
The Pampa Sarovar is a place that is regarded as sacred due to its deep connection to Hindu mythology. According to Ramayana, one of the ancient and most famous epics of Hindu mythology, Pampa Sarovar is mentioned as a place through which Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana had passed during their quest to find Rama’s wife Sita.
It is also mentioned as a place where Shabari (also known as Shabri), a disciple of sage Matunga and a pious devotee of Rama, had met Rama.
Legend has it that Shabari had waited for many years with complete devotion to meet Rama. She used to pluck berries from the forest everyday so that she could offer them to Lord Rama when she would meet him. She used to taste the berries first. She used to keep the sweetest berries for Rama and discard the bitter ones.
Finally one day Lord Rama came to her humble ashram. By then Shabari had turned into an old woman. She offered him the berries that she had plucked and tasted for the Lord. Rama accepted her offering of berries and ate them.
Though Lakshmana pointed out to him that she had tasted the berries and thus, made them unfit for Rama’s consumption, Rama told him that he would accept anything that was presented to him with such pure devotion. This episode became a significant part of Ramayana that taught people about the importance of pure devotion.
Due to this episode, the lake Pampa Sarovar came to be associated with Lord Rama’s journey on earth.
The Reason Behind the name ‘Pampa’ Sarovar
There is an interesting episode in Hindu mythology that is related to the incident of the name of Pampa Sarovar. As per legend, Pampa, a form of Lord Shiva’s consort Parvati, had meditated and performed penance at this place to express her devotion for Lord Shiva. Hence, this lake came to be known as Pampa Sarovar.
Note that these are just two of the tales that are related to the sacred lake. There are several other stories involving the lake that are mentioned in the Hindu mythology. All these tales offer the lake a spiritual significance.
The beauty of Pampa Sarovar near Anegundi
The Pampa Sarovar is a beautiful lake that becomes a picturesque sight during the season of lotus blooms. The whole lake becomes filled with lotus buds and offers a majestic sight to the viewer when the lotus buds are in full bloom.
The area surrounding the lake has a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. There is another temple dedicated to Lakshmi. A small Ganesha temple stands under the shade of a large mango tree near the lake. All these temples and the lake makes this whole place a pious destination for the followers of Hindu mythology.
How to reach Pampa Sarovar near Anegundi
Pampa Sarovar is situated near Anegundi and can be reached through means of local transport. Anegundi is located on the northern bank of River Tungabhadra. It is situated at a distance of 3 km from Hampi and can only be reached by private vehicles or by crossing the river. There is no public transport that operates between Hampi and Anegundi.
Visitors can hire a two-wheeler or auto rickshaw to reach Anegundi from Hampi. Another way is to cross the River Tungabhadra and reach Anegundi.
By Air
Anegundi is an ancient place that cannot be reached directly by flight. Visitors have to take a flight to Ballari (Bellary), the closest town that has an airport. Anegundi is situated at a distance of about 35 km from Ballary and can be reached by buses or other sources of local transport.
By Rail
Anegundi has no railway station located in the range of 10 km near it. The closest railway station is located at Hosapete (Hospet). It has the Hospet Junction Railway Station. The railway station at Hosapete is connected to several other places like Bangalore, Hubli, Bijapur, etc. From Hosapete one can take a bus or taxi to reach Anegundi.
Another way is to take a rickshaw or a taxi to Talawarghatta and then cross River Tungabhadra by a coracle (local round boat) to reach Anegundi.
By Road
Anegundi is well-connected through road network. There are regular buses that operate between Anegundi and Hosapete (Hospet). Hosapete is located at a distance of 40 km from Anegundi if one follows the road route. Visitors can hire taxi from Hosapete to reach Anegundi. The road from Hosapete crosses the River Tungabhadra to reach Anegundi. There are several buses that connect Hosapete to all other parts of the state.
Visitors can also reach Anegundi by hiring private cabs and vehicles from places like Bengaluru (Bangalore) or Mysuru (Mysore).
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