Bhatkal Choleeshvara Temple- Karnataka

Address

Bhatkal Choleeshvara Temple- Soosgadi, Bhatkal, Karnataka 581320

Diety

Choleeshvara

Introduction

Choleeshvara Temple is a lesser know temple in Karnataka. Choleeshvara Temple is part of a cluster of temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in the Uttara Kannada District, Belgaum division, Karnataka. Bhatkal is located on NH-17 connecting Mumbai and Kochi. It is well connected with all major towns of Karnataka.

Puranic Significance

Choleeshvara Temple – This temple is built in dravida style and has two storied shikhara. The entrance is flanked with dvarpalas on either side. In front is a detached Nandi-mandapa. Legend says that a king of Cholamandala lost all his children by snake-bite, and coming to the village of Hadili, his queen was delivered of a son, which a snake immediately bit; but a Brahmana of the place skilled in the mantras for curing snake-bites, forced the snake to suck back its own poison: whereupon the child revived and the king erected this temple to commemorate the event. The temple seems to have been built during the Chola occupation of the region. The Temple is believed to be 1000 years old. There are few inscription however of quite late period.