Chitradurga Hidambeswara Temple, Karnataka

Address

Chitradurga Hidambeswara Temple, Hidambapattana, Chitradurga, Karnataka 577501

Diety

Hidambeswara

Introduction

Chitradurga town is located on NH-4 and NH-13, about 200 km from Bangalore city. Buses ply regularly from Bangalore to reach Chitradurga. There is also a railhead in Chitradurga. Hidembeswara temple – Chitradurga – Karnataka. Earlier it was a buddhist temple, later converted into Shiva temple – with decline of Buddhism. Puranic Hidimbasura, whose sister Hidimbe married Bhima – is supposed to have lived in this area according to local legends. The temple is within the Chitradurga Fort. The stone carvings and sculptures, artillery units, ancient temples, grinding stones driven by buffaloes used for crushing the gunpowder, water tanks, cauldrons for storing oil, a resplendent teak door, and also a view point to see the surrounding area.

Puranic Significance

There are 18 temples in this fort, but the shrine of Hidimbeshwara is very unique, and its completely ruins. Thousands of years ago, when Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers of Mahabharata, was wandering in exile with his brothers and mother Kunti, he came across a wicked demon named Hidimb. When Hidimb challenged Bhima for a fight, the two fought a deadly battle until Bhima succeeded in killing the demon. Soon after, Bhima got married to the virtuous sister of Hidimb known as Hidimba, on her behest. The rocks lying around this fort are believed to be used by Hidimb and Bhima for throwing at each other. There is also a broken tooth of Hidimb which is kept on display at the temple shrine.