Shivanasamudra & Muthati

Shivanasamudra

Our trip started from Bangalore to Shivanasamudra mean Shiva’s Sea situated in a rocky terrain in Mandya of Karnataka. The very first place where I changed my SLR into Sports mode and started clicking to the beauty of nature. In this region river cauvery is splitted into two falls in a valley in separate places called Ganganachukki and Bharachukki and re-unites downstream.

Gaganachukki is a scenic beauty of waterfalls from a height of about 90mts. Water drops into a big pool which is merged into mainstream of Kaveri River. There is a hydal power station can be reached by 1-2kms drive from the falls.

Bharachukki is also a magnificent water falls dropping from a height of 70mts. This is the 2nd largest waterfall in India.

Mythology:

In Krutha Yuga, Lord Indra consecrated the place of Shivanasamudra. River Kaveri encircled like a garland. A demon obstructed the flow of river in form of colossal boulder when Lord shiva came rescued and destructed the obstruction. The result made river to flow like sea and hence named as Shivanasamudra.

Talakadu is a famous pilgrimage site situated on the banks of Kaveri River. Talakadu have more than 30 temples most of them are buried in sand today. Majorly there are 5 shiva temples – pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, Vaideeshwara and Mallikarjuneshwara temple. The keerthinarayana temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is a beautiful site with wonderful carvings.

Mythology behind is its name was derived from two kirata twin brothers, Tala and Kadu while cutting down a tree saw elephants worshipping and discovered that it contains shiva and that elephants transformed to rishis. The tree cut got restored and all of them got Moksha.

Talakadu was ruled by Gangas and then by cholas. The cholas were chased out by Hoysala king vishnuvardhana. When raja from mysore moved against Talakadu with an order to lay his hands on a jewel of Alamelu, she threwed the jewel into river cauvery and drowned herself. Legends say she laid a curse before doing so. She cursed Talakadu to be drowned in sand and Malandi to become a whirlpool, mysore king be heir less.

A famous festival called Pancha Linga Darshana is celebrated here once in 12 years on a new moon day in month of Karthika.

Somnathpur is well known for breathtaking prasanna chennakeshava temple, one of the three famous representations of Hoysala architecture (other 2 being temples at Belur & Halebid). This temple is a confluence of Hari and Hara with image of fish on the ceiling representing Vishnu and Linga representing Shiva. Here we can see a shrine of Prasanna Meenakshi which has a srichakra installed by Adi Sankaracharya.

Another temple just 2kms away is of sri ranganatha swamy reclining on Adhisesha known as Madhyaranga.

Chennakeshava temple is located on the banks of Cauvery river , this temple was built in 1268 by somnatha. A general of king Narasimha III. It is designed as a mini cosmos with scenes carved on walls.

Panchakki falls is a group of several wonderful waterfalls formed by a stream of cauvery river. There is a small fall dropping from a height of about 30ft into the pool.

After this we visited Muthati –Sri Anjaneya swamy temple which is in deep forest. Our road is so good that we have the river on one side and the thick forest on the other. We saw animals coming on our way in road not the Tigers, Elephants, Lions but Jackals, Wild Boars, Mangoose, Snakes. We rushed in speed towards temple for about 10kms in forest and it’s a thrilling experience.

Muthati Temple is very famous and hence more people visit though it’s deep in forest. Then we started in another way towards kanakapura. This time we have chosen the road for 16kms in forest which is indeed a shortcut but I wouldn’t have preferred if I know the route before. It’s dangerous. As it’s already late I have started riding with my friend on bike when my family made their journey in car. It was an amazing ride I ever made in my career through the deep forests.