Kambada Narasimhaswamy Temple

                                 Kambada Narasimhaswamy Temple- Kotebetta

Its 28/11/2020 and my weekend trip to surround places near Mysore. This was the last temple that I visited today. It was around 4 pm and we reached the top of the hill and not many people were there even though it was a Saturday. This temple is located close to Nagamangala it is around 8 kilometers from Nagamangala. This is a hilltop temple where Narasimhaswamy is in swayambhu roopa in a kambha and so you will not find a carved statue in this temple. But there is a huge very big statute of Lord Narasimhaswamy in the entrance of the temple top where he is in sitting position and on his lap lays king Hiranyakashyapu. It is in ugra form but the statue is nicely made. The temple premises was still under some construction as they were painting gopuram of the temple and some alteration work was going on. It is very well maintained with small parking place near the temple top. You can reach the top of the hill by climbing the steps that has been built or you can take your car/bike till the top of the hill, but still you need to climb around 50 steps to reach the entrance of the main deity.

Lord Narasimhaswamy is residing here in a stone pillar (kambada narasimha) and there is no carved statue of the Lord in the garbhagudi. There are no other gods except Lord Narasimhaswamy in the temple premises. The scenery around the place is very beautiful and there is also a lake below the hill. Its so beautiful scenic view from the top of the hill. As it was evening when I reached the top I could see the sun's rays on the lake and so the lake was shining so bright. There is water facility available in the temple premises for the devotees who climb/drive to the hilltop. There is small parking facility but they charge for the vehicle that are parked there. For car they charge Rs25.00. Not many cars can be parked there but ample place to park the two-wheelers. The temple is open from morning till evening 5 pm everyday. You can go on a bike ride here too very beautiful scenery around. If you want to trek that too is good you will enjoy it. 

Ranganathaswamy Temple

                                             Ranganathaswamy Temple - Bookanabetta

                                                    

It was around 1 pm of 28/11/2020 that I visited this place and it was open as it was a Saturday and they were doing mahamangalarti to the Lord when I visited the place. It is located close to Hassan and is around 89 kilometers from Mysore city. This place is a small hilltop temple where Lord Ranganathaswamy resides in the standing position as like Lord Vishnu. He is not sleeping on his Sheshanaga as usually us see in these kind of temples. There is road that leads directly to the top of the hill and you can reach to the top with your vehicle (car/two wheeler) and reach the temple. You can also climb the stairs and reach the top. Its not very huge hill so its not stressful for anyone to climb the hilltop. This is also quite old temple and has been renovated the surroundings of the temple recently and so you can walk around the hill top easily as the flooring is even as they have put tiles.

This temple is open from morning 6 am to evening 6 pm. The priest said even if the temple is closed and if the devotees who have come to the top of the hill can ring the bell that is kept on the top of the hill and the priest would come to open the doors of the Lord for darshanam for the devotees. The view from the top of the hill is very beautiful you can see the villages around the hill and other mountains too. So much greenery the huge coconut trees look so tiny from the top of the hill. When you reach the top of the hill you first get to see Lord Ganesha in the entrance and then the main door of the temple although it is closed always you can go inside from the side of the main door (Gopuram entrance). When you enter there you get lord Hanuman to the right hand side of the door and then there is main deity Lord Ranganathaswamy who is in standing  position with abhayahastha. It is a small statue may be around 3-4 feet but very beautiful black stone statue. Every Saturday there is some crowd in the temple otherwise it is very calm and quite place to spend time. Not much people visit during other days. If you visit 32 feet Sai baba temple at Hirisave this is very close to that temple and you can also see Ranganatha swamy temple gopuram from Sai mandir. So you can visit this place too along with Sai mandir. Hope you guys also enjoy your drive to this place as me and my son did! :)

Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple

                                             Mudigere Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple

                                                                    

Today its 28/11/2020 and we are at the brink of the year ending and so took a break and traveled towards Hassan and saw explored few temples which are ancient ones. This temple is build by Hoysalas which is around 900 years old and is considered that the greatest architect Jakanachari built this temple and you can see the beautiful Lord Narasimha Swamy sitting in the Yoga Mudre. The main deity is very very beautiful you cant take your eyes off the statue. It is carved in black stone and the statue also shines so nicely. Another specialty of this temple is that Lord Laxmi Varaha Swamy resides directly in front of Lord Narasimha Swamy. The priest said that although Lord Narasimha is in Yoga mudre there is some fierceness in the statue and to calm that they have installed Lord Varahaswamy with Laxmi on his lap. Both the statues are really so beautifully carved and there is so much strong energies you can feel here.

On Chandrmana Narasimha Jayanthi and Souramana Jayanthi they organise rathotsavam and people from far and wide come here to witness the same. Turmeric alankaram is very famous here. The temple is constructed may be around 10 feet above the ground and you will have to climb few stairs to reach the main santum and the temple is basically divided in to 3 parts which has Garbhagriha, Sukhanasini, and Navaranga mantapa. You can clearly tell that the temple is Hoysala style of architecture if you look at the 4 pillars in the temple which are finely carved and shines so brightly. I love the Hoysala temples and their architecture and it always mesmerises me how they could do such a fine cuts out of those heavy huge stones!

The temple is kept quite clean and neat and there is well parking facility also. They have also built toilets for all the devotees who visit the place and they are kept quite clean and locked so that no locals use them and make it dirty. Very well managed by the temple. The temple is surrounded by old houses and Sugarcane fields and it is a scenic beauty to drive around such a place and feel the fresh breeze on your face. Its always lovely to be around such a beauty of nature. 

The temple is open from 9 am to 1 pm and evenings 5.30 to 6.30 pm every day (this is due to Covid it may change later). The contact person of this temple to perform any pooja is 9945299923, Sridhar swamy, the priest.

Omkareshwara Temple

                                                          OOOOMMMMMMMMMM

Its weekend of November 2020 and we are the brink of the year end just a month left for the year to get over. Phew what a year to begin and end with! Today I decided to travel towards Hassan and so I found this beautiful place called Mudigere where there are two temple located. One is dedicated to Lord Shiva and another to Lord Narasimha Swamy. Omkareshwara temple is constructed in the midst of beautiful greenery surrounding the temple. There are many very nice murals and deities pictures depicted on the exterior walls of the temple which explains many stories from our Hindu mythology. They are really beautiful and mesmerizing pictures. I loved the whole structure of the temple premises. The main deity of  the temple is Lord Shiva but it is very different from other temples as Lord Shiva sits there in the Lingam form and also as Shiva in sitting position with lord Kartikeya on his lap chanting Omkara in the ears of the Lord Shiva. This temple deity is really very different from any other Shiva temples that I have seen. I am sure you too will fall in love with the place if you visit.

The temple premises also has other gods like, Lord Ganesha, Lord Narasimha, Saptamatrikas and Navagrahas too. Each of these deities have separate place for themselves and beautifully carved statues have been kept and maintained very neatly. The place has a good collection of hibiscus plants with different colour flowers and a small lotus pond too. I got to see 2 beautiful pink lotus flowers buds in the pond when I visited the temple.  There was so much peace and tranquility in and around the place. I was lucky enough to get to see the abhishekam of the main deity Lord Shiva and it was a feast to my eyes to see the beautiful god in different shades of colours of nature red, yellow, white, during the time of abhishekam. Its was wonderful to be here for sometime around and be part of the pooja and abhishekam of the Lord.  

If you are travelling towards Hassan or Chanraypatna I would suggest you guys spend some time here with the Lord Shiva and I am sure you would also fall in love with the place and the lord!.

Atma Lingeshwara Temple

                                                                        

Its Thursday today 12/11/2020 and I decided to take a break and travel to nearby places and explore more temple as usual which is my hobby. I explored this temple called Atma Lingeshwara temple and it is located at Hanumanthanagara KM Doddi Bharathi Nagara near to Mandya, which is around 16 kilometres from Mandya and 55 kilometres from Mysore. Travelling to this place is easy using google maps and the place is also very nice for kids as they have park and play ground and boating all kinds of fun activities near by to the temple.  The temple is run through the trust and they also have a naturopathy department behind the temple which treats for illnesses through the use of natural remedies. Naturopathy hospital is maintained by the Temple itself. 

There is good parking space near the temple and a small kalyani is also found near the entrance of the temple. You have to climb some stairs to reach the temple may be somewhere around 50- 60 steps. While climbing the steps we first get a huge Nandi statue to the right and a big Hanuman statue to the left hand side of the stairs. The temple premises is kept very clean and full of greenery around the place. Nandi faces directly to the temple entrance and faces the Lord Shiva. Once you reach the top there is a huge gopuram which has a big gate to the temple. Once you enter the premises you will see such a huge premises of the temple may be  an acre land is used to build the place. They have a small lotus ponds to the left and right hands side of the main deity Lord Shiva. There is also Lord Subramanya, Ganesha, Lord Bhrama, Durga in the premises. A small room is built and they have kept a White Statue of Lord Shiva in a meditative form and surrounded by mirrors so it looks like there are thousands of lord Shiva in the room. Very nicely made. Beautiful statue in the temple premises.

You have to visit the place to feel the vibes in and around it. In the park outside the temple premises there is boating facility also for kids and am sure they will enjoy the small ride in it. Very nicely planned place and done beautifully. As per me it is a must visit place with family and kids.

Sri Kala Bhairaveshvara Temple

                                                                        

 Today on 12/11/2020 I visited Sri Kalabhairaveshwara Temple at Chikkarasinakere which is close to Maddur. From Mysore it is around 70 kilometers drive. The road to this place is also good but when you reach near to the temple the road is not so well maintained. It is in the Mallavalli and Maddhur highway road. One can see the gopuram of the temple from the highway too which is painted in white colour. 

This temple is dedicated to Lord Kalabhairava which is not an ancient temple but it is built very beautifully. The temple has beautifully carved Nandi too. There are many other gods are also present in the premises of the temple. Lord Ganesha and Lord Hanuman and Lord Subramanyaswamy can also be found at the temple premises. There is also a Basava (Nandi) which is basava given to the Lord. People from surrounding villages come here to ask the Basava about any problems in their life. The Basava is very nice so pure white in colour and looked after very well by the temple authorities. Every Sunday there is abhishekam done to the main diety Lord Bhairava and the crowd is also very good. People from many places visit this place and pray to the lord. There is also a small ant hill in front of the temple and villagers say that there are snakes living in it and they pray to that anthill too. Another important part of the temple is that there is a lake near the temple which is called as Sooley Kere. Don't know why this name they have kept to the lake! They also serve food to the devotees on special occasions and on festival days and so there is also dasoha bhavana near the temple but it is outside the premises of the main temple which is close to the lake. There are a lot of dogs here which is the main vahana of Kalabhairava. 

It was a good visit overall for me. You can also visit here if you are travelling towards Maddhur or Mandya or Mysore and enjoy the peaceful place. It is good to spend some time here with the kids and they can also enjoy sitting on the bank of the Sooley Kere (lake) near the temple which is clean.