District: Chikmagalur
Town: Kalasa
Temple: Kalaseshwar Temple
The Kalaseshwara Temple is located in Kalasa town in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka.
Kalaseshwara Temple – Overview and Mythology
Kalasa town is located on the banks of the river Bhadra. Tradition traces the origin of this town to events related in the Skanda Purana. The wedding of Parvati and Parameshwara was held in Kasi, and all the gods and Rishis and celestials assembled there. This caused the Northern plate to go down by the sheer weight of the divine personages.
Lord Shiva requested Sage Agasthya to go south to create a balance. This implied that Sage Agasthya was so powerful that he alone would be enough to balance the combined divinity of the other wedding attendees. Sage Agasthya agreed, but expressed a wish to still witness the wedding. Lord Shiva granted him a boon saying wherever he halted and thought about it, he would be able to see the wedding ceremonies as if he were directly present. So, Sage Agasthya proceeded south, and the balance of the earth was restored.
According to local tradition, Sage Agasthya halted at Kalasa, and saw the wedding from here. A Shiva Linga appeared out of his Kalasha, the pot. He built a temple here and installed the Linga in it. This is the temple now called Kalaseshwara. The Linga is enshrined in a silver mandapa. The Devi in this temple is known as Sarvanga Sundari.
How to Get to Kalaseshwara Temple
Kalasa is located at a distance of about 300 km away from Bangalore. Bus services are available from everywhere in Karnataka to Bangalore, so this route can be taken.
Kalaseshwara Temple Facts
The Kalaseshwara Temple is the chief attraction in Kalasa, but it has a lot of other temples and picnic spots and tourist attractions.
Temples
- Shree Chandranatha Swamy Temple
- Kalaseshwara Temple
- Hanuman Temple
- Venkataramana Temple
- Ranjal Mahalakshmi Temple
- Vasishta Ashrama
Kalasa is also known for the sacred Pancha Theertha, which stands for five sacred waters. They are:
- Vasishta Theertha—This Theertha is special because of the Sage Vasishta
- Naga Theertha—This one is special as it is believed that a dip here will cure Naga Dosha.
- Koti Theertha—Koti Devatha remained here at the request of Sage Agasthya during Girija Kalyana
- Rudra Theertha—It is believed that offering pinda here is as auspicious as offering pinda at Vishnu Pada or Gaya
- Amba Theertha— The sacred water spot of Goddess Parvati
- Duggapan Katte—From this spot, the whole town of Kalasa can be seen.
Festivals
- Girija Kalyana – This is the celebration of the marriage of Shiva and Parvati.
- Kalasa Car Festival – This the Rathotsava of the Kalaseshwara Temple
- Venkataramana Swamy Temple Car Festival—This is the Rathotsava of the Venkataramana Swamy Temple
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