Kuruvathi Basaveshwara temple

Overview

Shri Kuruvathi Basaveshwara temple is one of the ancient and historical temples. Kuruvathi Basaveshwara temple is located on the bank of Tungabhadra river. Shri Kuruvathi Basaveshwara Swamy temple is around 600 years old, built in accordance with Vijayanagara architecture during the period (1336-1565).

About the deity

It is said that the Divine Bull Nandi came here in search of Lord Shiva, found him here and sat in front of him in meditation. He is now revered as Basaveshwara or Basavanna. He is believed to be very merciful and grants every wish of his true devotees.

About Temple

The reason for the name is because it is believed that Basaveshwara came here to cure the Kuru or wounds of his devotees. Basaveshwara is Lord Shiva’s bull Nandi. It is believed by followers to be very merciful, being the fulfiller of every wish made to him by the devotees. He provides the blessings to the people by healing the wounds of their life. Lord Nandi is worshipped here as main deity. In Kuruvathi Lord Basaveshwara is of 10 feet in length and 9 feet in height. Here Lord Basaveshwara fulfills the request of the devotees and blesses them and their families, if one offers prayer to him with sincere bhakti. It is said that the divine bull Nandi came here in search of Lord Shiva, found him here and sat in front of him in meditation. He is now revered as Basaveshwara or Basavanna.

This temple was built in the style of Vijayanagara architecture and is around 600 years old. The temple has a Garbhagraha, a Sukanasi and another hall connecting to the main mandapa. This mandapa is on raised plinths which has carved friezes all around it. There are four entrances to the mandapa, all ornately decorated. There are beautiful pillars all around the mandapa. Inside the sanctum, there is a huge ten feet long and six feet tall figure of Nandi or Basaveshwara. Kuruvathi is also known as Dakshina Kashi or Varanasi, as the Tungabhadra river flows from east to west direction, because in Kashi or Varanasi also, the Ganges river flows from east to west direction.

The Holy mantra chanted here is "Jaya Namaha Pravathi Patheye Hara Hara Maha Deva" , "Om Namah Shivaya" and "Om Shri Kuruvathi Basaveshwaraya Namaha". Shri Mallikarjuna Swamy temple is around 900 years old built in Western Chalukya architecture also known as Kalyani Chalukya.

Legends and Stories

Kalyani Chalukya or Later Chalukya architecture is the distinctive style of ornamented architecture, that evolved during the rule of the Western Chalukya empire in the Tungabhadra region during the 11th and 12th centuries. Chalukya temples fall into two categories, the first being temples with a common mantapa and two shrines (known as dvi kuta), and the second being temples with one mantapa and a single shrine (eka kuta). The contribution of Kalyani Chalukya had very great prominence during his reign of Chalukya dynasty.

Lord Shiva who killed the deamons at this place and revealed himself in a form of Linga is known as Shri Mallikarjuna Swamy. This shrine belongs to Eka kuta category which consist of a Mahamantapa , 3 Navaranga connecting the sanctum and outer mandapa and a Rangamantapa, 3 Dwaar and a Garbhagriha. These 3 Navaranga has mahamantapas that are fabulous and spectacularly incarnated by Kalyani Chalukya and these inturn leads us to Sukanasi. This Sukanasi finally leads us to Garbhagriha where Lord Shiva resides. This Shiva Linga is of 4 feet in height.

The Rangamantapa has 12 pillars which are in triangular form in and is 8 feet height with a width of 4 feet each, where we can find the idol of Lord Ganesha, which is 5 feet in height and Lord Subramanya, Karnataka along with Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy. The ornate pillars that support the roof of the mandapa are monolithic shafts from the base, upto the neck of the capital.

There are 3 entrances for this temple. Each of these dwaras is beautifully incarnated with the traditional design that influences the Western Chalukya architecture. The Goddess Shri Bhuvaneshwari's idol is beautifully incarnated on the main dwara of the temple.

Festival

There are some special pooja performed during the time of festivals and during Maha Shivaratri. Holige and ghee are served as Naivedya to Lord Nandi. In Kartika a special pooja to the Lord Nandi and Mallikrjuna Swamy is performed. The maha Rathothsava is on Maha Shivaratri Amavasya (new moon) day during February–March.

How to Reach Kuruvathi Basaveshwara Temple

The nearest airport is located at Hubli. The nearest railway station is present in Dharwad. There are no direct buses to Kuruvathi, but there are buses to nearby points like Ranebennur, Mylara, and Neelgunda etc. From these places, you can get another bus to Kuruvathi, or an auto-rickshaw.

Temple Address