Yellur Sri Vishweshwara Temple, Karnataka

Address

Yellur, Belapu

Udupi district,

Karnataka 574113

Moolavar

Sri Vishweshwara

Introduction

Yellur Sri Vishweshwara Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishweshwara (Shiva) in the Yellur village of Udupi district in the state of Karnataka, India. Lord Vishweshwara is referred to at least in 12 rock edicts and recorded by the Kaifiyaths. The temple is over 1500 years old and has been mentioned in 12 rock diktats.

Puranic Significance

The Mahathobhara Sri Vishweshwara Temple is as ancient as the Puranic legend associated with the temple. It is believed that a Sudra king of the Kuthyar Dynasty, Kunda Raja had once invited Bhargava Muni to his kingdom. But the sage dismissed the invitation on grounds of the absence of temples, Brahmins, sacred rivers and the holy plant Tulsi (holy basil) in the kingdom.

Hurt and disappointed by Bhargava Muni’s rejection, Kunda Raja let the responsibility of his kingdom with his deputy and set out to the bank of the holy river Ganga to perform a great sacrament for invoking Lord Shiva. The Lord, pleased by the king’s devotion, appeared before Kunda Raja and asked him to make a wish. The king requested the Lord to stay in his kingdom, to which Lord Shiva readily agreed.

Sometimes later, a hungry tribal woman, who was searching for her lost son in the forest, chanced upon a plump tuber. As soon as she placed the first blow on the tuber with her sword, the tuber began to bleed. Horrified that she must have mistaken her son for a tuber, the woman began to cry “Yellu” (name of her son). At that very moment, Lord Shiva appeared in the form of the Linga. That’s how the place got its name Yellur. It is also said that the mark of the wound is still visible on the Linga.

Beliefs are that the tuber stopped bleeding only after Kunda Raja and his subject had poured tender coconut water on it. This is the reason why it is a ritual among the devotees thronging the temple to offer coconut water to the deity. Beside coconut water, the devotees also offer coconut oil to the Lord. This oil is used to keep the lamps in the temple burning inexhaustibly.

Special Features

The temple is mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva; there are also separate shrines for Lord Vinayaka and Goddess Annapoorneshwari. Besides, there’s a small Bhagirathi temple attached to a lake on the northern side of the main temple. There’s a belief that the Ganga once flowed from this lake.

One striking attraction of the Mahathobhara Shri Vishwanatha Temple is its classical Devaayathana style of architecture, which makes it a perfect living model of the great architectural style of the bygone era. Although the temple has recently undergone large-scale renovation, utmost care has been taken to retain the charm of that classical architecture.

Festivals

The temple particularly draws a huge crowd during November-December when it wears a breathtakingly divine look in the golden glow of one lakh earthen lamps lit to commemorate Laksha Deepotsava, a festival of one lakh glowing lamps.