Talagunda Pranaveshwara Temple, Karnataka

Address

Talagunda Pranaveshwara Temple, Talagunda, Shimoga district, Karnataka 563102

Diety

Pranaveshwara

Introduction

Talagunda is a village in the Shikaripura taluk of Shivamogga district in the state of Karnataka, India. Many inscriptions found here have provided insights into the rise of the Kadamba Dynasty. A temple dedicated to Pranaveshwara (Hindu God Shiva) is located in Talagunda. Next to it is located a stone slab containing inscriptions. The temple stone is in ruins. Even the temple Pooja is taken once a year. The pillar inscriptions were written in the mid-5th century CE during the reign of Śāntivarman (a descendant of Mayurasharma).

Puranic Significance

This temple is a highly respected shrine of Lord Shiva. There is a stone slab with inscriptions next to the temple. There is also a pillar with inscriptions in Sanskrit in front of the temple. The inscriptions were made in the mid-5th century under the rule of Santivarma by Kubja, a court-poet. The inscriptions describe Kadambas as Brahmins who had turned into conquerors and they praise Brahmins as “Gods on Earth”, and speakers of Rig, Sama and Yajur Vedas. The Kadambas, the foremost Kannada dynasty, were Hindu in origin and the earliest known temples in Karnataka are connected to them. The town of Talagunda in the Shimoga district is believed to be the original home to the Kadambas.