Gangadhareswara Temple

Overview

Sivagange is a small hillock located near Dabaspet in the Tumkur district of Karnataka in India. The name ‘Sivagange’ is a combination of two words – Shiva and Gange. The hillock looks like a Shiva lingam when seen from one of the sides. There is a temple of Lord Shiva situated at the summit of the hill. There is also a spring nearby that is locally called Gange. The water from this spring is believed to be sacred. Due to all these factors the place has been named as Sivagange.

About The Temple

Sivagange – A sacred place for the pilgrims

Sivagange is a rocky area that has many shrines and religious places. There is a stone carving of Nandi. It is a major attraction of the place and draws a lot of visitors. At the footsteps is a small village and many temples are located on the way to the hill-top.

The statue of the bull, Nandi, stands at the highest point on the hill. The special feature of the bull is that it has been carved out of a single rock. It is amazing to note that the statue stands just at the end point of the huge boulder and there is not enough space to go round it. It is a wonder how the sculptor had carved the statue at such a high point in such a dangerous position.

Gangadhareswara

The Gangadhareswara temple is an ancient shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the first temples located on the climb up the hill. The temple has a low roof and the earthen lamps lit inside it are the only source of light inside the dark interiors. Regular poojas and abhisheks are performed here.

Olakala Theertha

The Olakala Theertha is located further up the hill. It has a spring flowing in between the rocks. The water of the spring is considered to be sacred. Steep rocks take one down to the spring. It is believed that only the pious and honest people can touch the water of the holy spring here.

Legend and Stories

The Santhala point is situated at a height of 500 ft from the base of the hill. The point is named after Queen Santhala, wife of Hoysala king Vishnuvardhan. Legend has it that she was a great Bharathanatyam dancer but was depressed as she was unable to give birth to a son.

One night she came out of the palace on her horse to this point. After praying at the nearby temple, she committed suicide by jumping. Since then the deep gorge has been named as Santhala drop. Locals believe that the restless soul of the queen still wanders at this place. It is said that the sound of her anklets can still be heard on some nights. The view of the surrounding area from the Santhala point is breath taking.

Rare Facts

The term ‘Patala Gange’ means Ganges that flows underground. The temple was named so because there is an underground spring seeping at the entrance of the shrine. A noticeable thing here is that the water level of the spring keeps on changing. The inner sanctum of the temple can be reached only after crawling through a tunnel. It is said that the holy water of the spring at Patala Gange is connected to Antaragange in Kolar.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit is during September to January.

Accessibility

Airport

The airport at Bangalore is the nearest airport.

Railways

The nearest railhead is at Dabaspet.

Road

Sivagange can be easily reached from Dabaspet, the nearest town, through buses and auto rickshaws.

Temple Address

Gangadhareswara Sivagange Hill Temple,
Sivagange,
Karnataka.