Madhukeshwara Temple

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Overview

The Madhukeshwara temple is located in Banavasi, an ancient town on the borders of the Uttara Kannada and Shimoga districts. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed to have been built during the reign of the Kadamba dynasty.

About The Temple

The main shrine in the Madhukeshwara Temple was built during the nascent stages of temple architecture. So, it is a very simple structure with minimal decorative sculptures on the walls and pillars. A Sankalpa mandapa was added to the temple during the Chalukyan rule. There is a Nritya mandapa which was built during the Hoysala period. This mandapa has exquisite carvings on the pillars and ceiling. The main deity is Lord Shiva in the form of a honey colored Shiva Linga. The color of the Linga is the reason for the name, Madhukeshwara. There is a beautiful monolithic Nandhi statue in this temple.

One of the seven Mukti Sthalas of Karnataka. Dedicated to Shiva. Another attraction of this temple is a seven ft high idol of Nandi, the mount of Lord Shiva. They renowned Madhukeshwara temple is the prime attraction of Banavasi, a quaint town located in Uttara Kannada district. Banavasi was the capital city of the Kadamba kings, the first royal dynasty of Karnataka who established their empire in 345 AD. The only remains of the ancient Kingdom of the Kadambas is the famous Madhukeshwara temple of Banavasi. The entire life of the town revolves around this temple. Built in stone around 1,500 years ago, it was renovated with additional structures by later dynasties. The presiding deity of Madhukeshwara (Lord Shiva) is a honey colored Linga installed during the period of the first king of Kadambas. It also has a seven feet Nandi idol made of a single stone.

About The Deity

The unique attraction of the temple is the half idol of Lord Ganesha, whose remaining half is believed to be in Varanasi. Within the temple is also located an idol of Lord Narasimha having a peaceful face. Moreover, the temple has a sculpture of five hooded Naga, which belongs to the 2nd century.

This five-hooded Naga sculpture has an inscription in Prakrit (the old language). As per this inscription, it was installed by Princess Sivaskanda Nagashri following the construction of a Vihara and tank at the site. The temple is visited by devotees of Lord Shiva during Shivaratri.

Legend and Stories

The Madhukeshwara Temple is one of the oldest temples in Karnataka. It is believed that Mayura Sharma, the first King of the Kadamba dynasty built this temple. The Kadambas are the oldest Dynasty of Karnataka. They ruled over large parts of Karnataka till the rise of the Chalukyas. The Madhukeshwara temple has undergone many changes, with additions during the rule of other dynasties like the Chalukyas and Hoysalas.

Legend has it that Mayurasharma and his guru, grandfather and teacher, Veera Sarma went to the city of Kanchi in 345 CE to pursue Vedic studies. A misunderstanding took place with a Pallava guard who unknowingly humiliated Mayurasharma. He changed his name from Sharma (priest class) to Varma signifying that he had joined the warrior clan and set out to seek revenge with his sword.

The Kadambas were quite successful until they were defeated by the Chalukyas and Rashtrakuta empires. They continued to serve their conquerors as feudal lords for 500 years. It was somewhere during the Rashtrakuta rule that the Kadambas built the Madhukeshwara Temple. Later empires like the Chalukyas and Hoysalas added to the temple complex as it stands today.

Festival

The best time to visit would be during the Rathotsava in March, Mahashivarathri and during the two day Kadambotsava cultural festival in December every year.

Accessibility

The nearest airport to Banavasi is Hubli which is 100 km away. The nearest railway station is at Haveri, 50 km away. The easiest way to reach Banavasi is to get a bus to Sirsi, a major bus Terminus 23 km away. From Sirsi, regular bus service is available to Banavasi.

Temple Address