Temples in Karnataka

Karnataka has always been praised for its rich cultural diversities and religious fervour. Right from the time of Shri Adi Sharakara choose Shringeri to build one of the four mathas for spreading Hindu religion, with Jainism flourishing, different kingdoms who ruled Karnataka [then Mysore Empire] embarked their religious and cultural footprints and to the very later stages Buddhist monastery have spread across the state.

Being very rich in religious and cultural aspects, Karnataka is blessed with different temples across its length and breath. Temples are spread across the Western ghats to different regions of Karnataka. I am trying to put together temples, basadi and monasteries across Karnataka which are worth visiting in your lifetime. Many of the readers may have already visited most of the listed temples.

1. Shri Dharmasthala Manjunath Swamy Temple, Dharmasthala

                        

Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala, Holy Land, is renowned hindu religious shrine having 700 years of of history. Lord Shiva (Supreme) worshipped as Lord Manjunatheshwara. Padmashri Shree shree Dr. Veerendra Heggade is a present Dharmadhikari of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala.

Dharmasthala, a sacred place, as the name suggests is a place of Truth, Faith, Communal harmony, Cultural Tolerance and spiritual experience in the Holy Land. Here, everyone enjoys the generous hospitality without any distinction of caste, creed or class whatsoever. Dharmasthala pilgrim center situated on the banks of river Nethravathi in Beltangady Taluk of Dakshina Kannada (South Canara) District.

Dharmasthala offers you place to stay at a very nominal place, however during the festive times, you may not find one. Temple serves lunch and dinner to the devotees all around the year.

2. Kukke Subrahmanya Temple, Kukke

Kukke Subrahmanya Kshetra lies in the luxurious abundance of the beauty of the nature nature with rivers, forests and mountains in Sullia Taluk of Dakshina Kannada (South Canara) District. Kukke Subrahmanya Temple is regarded as one of the seven Mukti stala pilgrimage sites of Karnataka. (Kollur, Udupi, Kumbasi, Kodeshwara, Sankaranarayana and Gokarna are other Mukti places).

Kukke Subrahmanya is about 105 Km from Mangalore, the head quarters of Dakshina Kannada District. Kukke Subrahmanya is situated on the banks of river Dhara, which originates in the Kumara Parvatha (mountain) and proceeds towards western sea. It is also called as 'Kumaradhara River'.

The Subrahmanya temple is situated in the heart of this village. Kukke Subrahmanya temple is dedicated to lord Subrahmanya, who had manifested with Vasuki (the king of serpents). Lodging facility is provided by the temple management, you need to check for the availability once you reach temple. Temple also offers food to the devotees. Plan your visit to during the hours of prasad usually between 12 to 3 pm  and between 8 to 10 pm every day.

3. Kollur Mookambika Temple, Kollur

Kollur Mookambika Temple, an important seat of Shakti worship is located in very picturesque surroundings at the foot of the Western Ghats in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district. This sacred place is situated on the banks of river sauparnika and surrounded by thickly wooded hills and has a natural formation resembling the Sri Chakra. Kollur is one of the seven mukti places which were created by Parashurama. It is believed that rishis have performed penance on this holy place.

4. Shri Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysore

The Chamundeshwari Temple (ಶ್ರೀ ಚಾಮುಂಡೇಶ್ವರಿ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ) is located on the top of Chamundi Hills about 13 km from the palace city of Mysore in the state of Karnataka in India.The temple was named after Chamundeshwari or Durga, the fierce form of Shakti, a tutelary deity held in reverence for centuries by Mysore Maharajas.

Weekend must be good option to visit this place for darshan and get out to nearby places. 

5. Marikamba Temple, Sirsi

Sri Marikamba Temple of Sirsi is a famous Devi shrine situated in northern part of the state of Karnataka. The temple is highly regarded by the devotees spread not just all over Karnataka but also in the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Every alternate year millions of devotees from remote parts of the country gather at Sirsi to participate in the famous Shri Marikamba Fair. Darshana of Devi is considered to be extremely auspicious during the time of the fair. 

Sri Marikamba Temple houses a huge idol of Devi - about seven feet tall. The temple is said to have been built in the year 1689. It is in fact considered to be the biggest idol and temple dedicated to Marikamba in the state of Karnataka. People of Uttara (northern) Kannada and Dakshina (southern) Kannada districts regard Goddess Marikamba as their chief goddess of worship and a family deity. They believe that Devi dispels evil forces and protect them from natural calamities. 

6. Gomatheswara, Chandragiri Hill, Shravanabelagola

The gigantic statue of Bahubali, which is considered a Siddha (one who has attained salvation), is carved out of a single block of granite and stands majestically on top of a hill. For centuries, Shravanabelagola has remained a great pilgrimage center and thousands of pilgrims flock to see the magnificent, gigantic statue. It is 17 m. (55 ft) high and is visible from a distance of 30 km.

7. Sri Krishna Matha, Udapi 

Udupi Sri Krishna Matha (ಉಡುಪಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಮಠ) is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to god Krishna located in the town of Udupi in Karnataka.

The matha area resembles a living ashram, a holy place for daily devotion and living. Surrounding the Sri Krishna Matha are several temples, the most ancient being made of basic wood and stone of 1,500 years origin 

8. Mahatobar Shri Siddi Vinayaka Temple, Idagunji 

Idagunji Ganapathi temple is an ancient temple with a history of more than 1500 years.The idol of Lord Ganesha is little different here compared to other places. Here Ganesha idol is in standing posture with 2 hands and short legs.One hand he is holding Padma(lotus) and the other Modhaka.

9. Shri Mangaladevi Temple, Mangalore

Sri Mangaladevi Temple dedicated to Goddess Parvathi situated in the Bolar town near Hampankatta, in the heart of the city of Mangalore. Mangalore is named after this deity. This temple originated in the ninth century is very famous even to this day. Many devotees throng to the temple seeking the Mothers blessings

10. Shri Annapoorneshwari Temple,Horanadu

“Sri kshetra Horanadu " is situated on the banks of river Bhadra in a remote corner of chikamaglur dist., Karnataka, surrounded by the natural vegetation, forest, green lands, and natural beauty of the western Ghats

Temple offers stay at a very nominal fee and provides the devotees daily prasad, lunch and dinner.

11. Shri Durga Parameshwari Temple, Kateelu

Sri Durga Parameshwari temple is situated on an islet in the middle of the sacred river Nandini amidst panoramic scenes and fascinating greenery. Thousands of devotees visit Kateel every day to seek blessings from goddess Durga Parameshwari.

12. Kudala Sangama, Bagalkot

Kudalasangama (also written as Kudala Sangama) (ಕೂಡಲ ಸಂಗಮ) in India is an important center of pilgrimage for people of the Lingayat faith. The Aikya Mantapa or the holy Samādhi ofBasavanna, the founder of the Lingayat faith along with Linga, which is believed to be self-born (Swayambhu), is here.

13. Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna

The Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna is a Hindu temple located in Gokarna, a Hindu religious pilgrimage centre in Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka. A Pranalinga (Pranalinga is defined as “the reality of God which can be apprehended by the mind.”) also known as Atmalinga or Shiva Linga is deified in the temple, which is facing the city beach of the Arabian Sea in Gokarna. The Shiva Linga has a hoary legend. It is said to bestow immense blessings to devotees who even glimpse it. The temple is considered as pious as the Shiva temple at Varanasi or Kashi in North India on the banks of the Ganges River and hence is known as the Dakshin Kasi (South Kasi).

14. Murudeshwara Temple, Murudeshwara

Murudeshwara Temple is built on the Kanduka Hill which is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the Arabian Sea. It is dedicated to the Lord Shiva, and a 20-storied Gopura is constructed at the temple. Two life-size elephants in concrete stand guard at the steps leading to it.

15. Sidharudha Math, Hubli

Sidharudha Math in Hubli is built by the followers of Sadguru Siddharudha Maharaj. People visit to the math in numbers from the nearby cities and yearly procession of the chariot is a must watched and visited events across North of Karnataka.

16. Banashankari Amma Temple, Badami

Banashankari Amma Temple or Banashankari temple is a Hindu shrine located atCholachagudd near Badami, in Bagalkot district, Karnataka, India. The temple is popularly called Banashankari or Vanashankarisince it is located in the Tilakaaranya forest. The temple deity is also called the Shakambhari , an incarnation of the goddess Parvati.

The temple attracts devotees from Karnataka as well as the neighbouring state of Maharashtra. The original temple was built by the 7th century Kalyani Chalukya kings, who worshipped goddess Banashankari as their tutelary deity. The current 18th century structure was built by a Maratha chieftain. The temple celebrates its annual festival called Banashankari jatre, in the months of January or February. The festival comprises cultural programmes, boat festival as well as a Rath yatra, when the temple goddess is paraded around the city in a chariot.

17. Renuka Yallamma Temple, Saundatti

The temple of Goddess Yellamma or Sri Renukadevi is a popular pilgrimage site for Shakti devotees. Every day, hundreds of pilgrims visit the temple with great devotion. The congregation is especially large, crossing the ten lakh mark on two auspicious days Banada Hunime andBharathi Hunime. The century-old temple of Yellamma is situated atop Yellamagudda, amidst picturesque Ramalinga Hills about 5 km from Savadatti. Between Savadatti and the temple is the magnificent fort of Parashghad, dating back to the 10th century.

18. Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple, Puttur

Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple: This is an ancient temple of said to be built in 11-12th Century, Lord Shiva (popularly known as Puttur Mahalingeshwara) is main deity of this temple. You will find the photo/idle of this deity in most of the houses/shops in the entire puttur taluk as the deity is believed to be the protector of Puttur Taluk. In the premises of this temple we find unique pond on the western side. It is said that in olden days pearls were found to be growing in the pond. In the local dialect muttu means pearls, which brought the name Mutthur to this place later called as Puttur. 

Famous Puttur Kambala is organised in front of the temple premises during the month of November.

Ancient Temples of archaeological importance 

19. Badami cave temples

The Badami cave temples are a complex of temples located at Badami, a town in the Bagalkot District in the north part of Karnataka. They are considered an example of Indian rock-cut architecture, especially Badami Chalukya Architecture. Badami, the capital of the Early Chalukyas, who ruled much of Karnataka in the 6th to 8th centuries, lies at the mouth of a ravine with rocky hills on either side and a town tank in which water from the ravine flows. The town is known for its ancient cave temples carved out of the sandstone hills above Cave 1 (Shiva), Cave 2 (Vishnu as Trivikrama or Vamana, Varaha and Krishna), Cave 3 (Vishnu as Narasimha, Varaha, Harihara and Trivikrama.) and Cave 4 (Jain Tirthankara Parsvanatha)

20. Temples of Pattadakal

The group of 8th century monuments in Pattadakal are the culmination of the earliest experiments in the vesara style of Hindu temple architecture. The town displays both Dravidian (Southern) and the Nagara (Northern, Indo-Aryan) styles of temple architecture. Group of temples include Virupaksha Temple, Sangameshvara Temple, Mallikarjuna Temple, Kashivisvanatha Temple, Kadasiddhesvara and Jambulingeswara temples, Galganatha temple, Jain Temple

21. Aihole Temple Complex

Aihoḷe (ಐಹೊಳೆ) is a temple complex in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. It is a very popular tourist spot in north Karnataka. It lies to the east of Pattadakal, along the Malaprabha River, while Badami is to the west of both. Aihoḷe was known as Ayyavoḷe and Aryapura in its inscriptions. It was a prominent city of the Chalukya Dynasty. A place known by the name Morera Angadigalu near the Meguti hillocks has a large number of cists of pre-historic period. The place was an agraharam. The village has 125 temples divided into 22 groups by the archaeological department. Aihoḷe has been described as one of the cradles of temple architecture. Of late some brick structures of pre-Chalukyan times have also been excavated. It must have been a great ancient city, a commercial centre as well, with the federation of trade guilds having its headquarters here.

22. Chennakeshava Temple, Belur

Chennakeshava temple complex contains the Chennakesava Temple (dedicated to Chennakeshava, meaning handsome Vishnu) as the centre piece, surrounded by the Kappe Chennigraya temple built by Shantaladevi, queen of king Vishnuvardhana. The temple is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture. It was built by king Vishnuvardhana in commemoration of his victory over the Cholas.

23. Halebidu

The temple complex comprises two Hindu temples, the Hoysaleshawara and Kedareshwara temples and two Jain basadi. 

24. Somanathapura Temple, Mysore

Somanathapura is famous for the Chennakesava Temple (also called Kesava or Keshava temple) built by Soma, a Dandanayaka (commander) in 1268 CE under Hoysala Empire King Narasimha III, when the Hoysalas were the major power in South India. The Keshava temple is one of the finest and most complete examples of Hoysala architecture and is in a very well preserved condition. The temple is in the care of the Archaeological Survey of India is a protected heritage site. 

25. Virupaksha Temple, Hampi

Virupaksha Temple is located in Hampi. It is part of the Group of Monuments at Hampi, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Virupaksha is a form of Shiva and has other temples dedicated to him, notably at the Group of Monuments at Pattadakal, another World Heritage Site.

Please See:

• I have tried to put up the list, travel information needs to be explored by the reader. This is purely my list of temples in Karnataka, reader can comment on places which are missed. I will try to include in the same blog. 
• Content gives the brief information and is picked from wikipedia and few other sites. 
• Pictures courtesy from google pics, although I have visited most of the places and clicked the pictures, recent hard disk crash left me void of pictures. I will soon replace these one with picture captured by me.

Keep travelling and exploring.. !