Shri Ramalingeshwara Swami Temple — Attraction in Karnataka

This time it was to drive towards Kolar district again and visit the Ramalingeshwara temple, trek on the Avani Betta (Avani hillock), and the Koti Lingeshwara temple. We left at around 7.30 am and after an hour and 30-minute drive from Bangalore brought us to the village of Avani.  Avani is a small hamlet and we did not expect such a spectacular temple to be located here. The Ramlingeshwara complex of temples was built in the 10th century AD by the Nolamba dynasty and later renovated by the Chola dynasty. The Vijaynagar kings also had a role to play in the construction of the temple. when they further added the main Mandapam and the Rajgopuram. The temple is now declared a national heritage by the department of Archeological Survey of India

The Ramalingeshwara shrine has a garbagriha, an antarala, and a navaranga. It is in the centre of the courtyard and is the main part of the complex. The pillars of the navaranga  are ornate and have beautiful carvings. This linga was supposed to have been established by Sri Rama himself. Alongside the linga shrine is a shrine for Parvati. The same complex also houses idols of the Chola kings who had built the complex of temples. This shrine is the only one where the daily worship is performed by the priests. A you do need to look up and see the ceilings, lest you miss the exquisite carvings that are engraved. The ceilings have engravings of the ‘ashtha dikpalakas’ or gods of the eight directions. That the Nolamba dynasty were staunch Shaivites is clear when you come to the temple. One can see the other lingas, when you circumambulate the temple. All the temples are pretty much alike with a Shivalinga, a Nandi in front of the temple, the ashthadikpalaka on the ceilings. The sizes may differ, for instance, the Bharateshwara temple has a large Nandi. In contrast, it is not as ornate as the other temples. There is a shrine for Subrahmanyeshwara as well as Lord Ganesha in the complex. In addition there are shrines for Vali and Sugreeva and a Navagraha Mantapa.The outer walls have ornate friezes with carvings of  Ganesha, Krishna, yakshas, figures of dancing women, monkeys, lions, etc. The gopurams of all temples are built in the Dravidian style. The temple has a wall around it that resembles a fort. From the back of the temple, you can see the hillock that is called the Valmiki Betta, or Lava-Kusha Betta or popularly known as the Avani Betta. The Sthalapurana or story behind the temple

Though not part of the original Ramayana, everyone is aware of the second exile that Sita had to undertake when she was pregnant. She is left in Valmiki’s ashram in the forest where she delivers the twin boys Lava and Kusha. Sage Valmiki raises them in the ashram and imparts whatever is required for a Kshatriya king to know. Years later, when Lord Rama undertakes the Ashwamedha Yagna, the mighty horse is supposed to have reached Avani where the young boys capture and tie the horse. The Ashwamedha Yagna is the grandest of the Vedic religious rites of ancient India, performed by a king to establish his supremacy. Rama’s army fights with Lava and Kusha to release the horse but is unsuccessful to rein in the boys. Even Lakshmana, Shatrughna and Bharata fail and Sri Rama himself comes to confront the boys. Sita has to finally intervene and tell them to release the horse, as it belongs to their father. Sage Valmiki tells Rama that since he had fought with his sons, he had to adequately repent and make amends by installing a Shiva linga, and hence the Ramalingeshwara temple came to be present. The other brothers, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna also follow their oldest brother and installed Shiva lingas.

A smaller Nandi in all shrines A large one at the Bharateshwara shrine

Subramanyeshwara Shrine

The Yagna Shala A view of the Valmiki Betta After the darshan at the Ramalingeshwara Temple, we made our way to the Avani Betta. Tune in for more.

Hope you have subscribed! Do click on the star button if you like this travelogue and I would love to hear from you.

Share...

Karnataka is a land of great adventure and spiritualism. if you love to trek or see places of great religious importance you wont be let down. I have been roaming around Bangalore for the past one and half years and in these times I have travelled extensively and seen the best of hills, mountains and temples. I have been reading a lot about one place which exists near to Kollar, named Avani, but somehow I was not able to visit the place even though I tried a lot but for some reasons i could not make it. During lockdown one day I got a chance to visit Bangarpet near Kollar and I immediately planned to visit Avani and I didn't want to miss this time come what may. Morning I left my home to Bangarpet and reached there in the afternoon because of traffic at K.R Puram. After reaching Bangarpet, first I finished my work and then put my car to Avani, which is some 95 Km from Bangalore,58 Km from Bangarpet and 30 Km from Kollar, via NH 75. I had to come to Kollar then took the NH 75 to reach Avani, After reaching there I found a very dilapidated and dirty place. It was Avani. I don't know why Government of Karnataka doesn't give any care to such historical place. It should be shining like a gold but sadly it is left to survive on its own. when I reached there cementing of road which leads to Ramalinga Temple. But it was a real dirty and completely uncared road which was leading to the Temple. But once i was in the temple I forgot everything how dirty and unhygienic place it was. Inside temple I got completely lost seeing the carving and the elegance of the temple. I spent almost two hours inside the Temple and took some 500 photos. I didn't want to come out of the temple but I had to go on the top of the Hill, looking opposite of the temple and believed to be the place where Sage Valmiki of Ramayana fame used to live and where the sons of Lord Rama, Luv and Kush born. Up on the hill top there is a temple dedicated to Mother Sita, the wife of Lord Rama. After spending hours together in the temple I came out and was feeling hungry. Just before the hill base there is a small shop selling biscuits and cool drinks. We had biscuits and cool drink there and the we started the trek to the Hill top. As we were going up I was clicking photos of the beautiful surrounding appearing from the top. The Ramalinga Temple, huge green land down there, a river or lake and many moods of rocks up there. I took nearly hundreds photo of rocks lying in a quite amazing style. I called it the many moods of rocks and saved in my computer. There was few people we saw little up they were coming down because they could not go up to the top. But we wanted to go till the top. No one was there so were feeling little hesitant but still we kept going up and finally in twenty minutes reached at the top, where the temple dedicated to Sita is there. we spend half and hour there and enjoyed the scenes and the splendour appearing around from the top of the hill. It took again some twenty minutes to come down. By the time we came down it was late evening and we had to start for Bangalore. I wanted to see Avani since very long time and when I came it was really worth visit. I would like to share some photos we took there. There are many historical stories attached to this place and if you want to know you must visit the place the grand Ramalinga Temple, Sita temple, trek to the hill top, Shiva Temple, few caves, a natural pond, and many more exciting things. A truly natural beauty and great religious and spiritual place to visit. Trekking up to hill top from many turns and ways gives the journey a real thrill, sometime fear and an awesome feel. would love to go...

Nice ancient temple, good architecture.

Avani is a small village in Mulbagal taluk, Kolar district in Karnatak,  about ten miles from Kolar gold fields. The village is located at 32 km from Kolar, the district centre and 13 km from Mulbagal, the Taluk headquarters. It is a popular location for rock climbing.

Avani is known for the Sita temple situated on a hill. This temple is one of the few temples dedicated to Sitadevi in India. There is a belief that the sage Valmiki, the author of the epic Ramayana, was residing here during the period of Ramayana. Sitadevi lived here in his ashram while in exile. Sitadevi gave birth to her twin children Lava-Kusha here. Even today the room where Sita gave birth to her children exists. The war between Sri Rama and his sons Lava and Kusha happened in this village.

This hill also has the temple of 'Hari Shresta Adi Jambava', Jambava is attributed to Agra Archana. He gave Shyamanthak jewel to Lord Krishna. On the same occasion Lord Krishna marries Jambavati the daughter of Adi Jambav. Jambava along with his army constructed Ramsethu. Jambavan is also been associated with Jamthun village in Ratlam tahsil of Madhya Pradesh and Jambuvan Cave of Ranavav Taluk of Porbandar, Gujarat state.

Avani is also known as the Gaya of the south and has ancient temples known as the Ramalingeshwara, Lakshmaneshwara, Bharateshwara and Shatrugneshwara, dating back to the period of the Nolamba Dynasty.[3]

When Sri Narasimha Bharati IV of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham was on his sancharas, he camped here for a few days. During his stay here, in Avani, he found an idol of Goddess Sharada, in standing posture flanked by Srimajjagadguru Adi Shankaracharya and the Sri Chakra. He consecrated this idol here and established a new Matha and installed one of his shisyas as the head of the new Matha. This matha is now known as Avani Sringeri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sharada Peetham. There is a branch of this matha in Basaveshwaranagar...