Sringeri Sri Malahanikareshwara Temple – Karnataka

Address

Mallikarjuna St, Menase, Sringeri,

Karnataka 577139

Moolavar

Sri Malahanikareshwara

Amman

Sri Bhavani

Introduction

In the heart of the town of Sringeri is the temple of Sri Malahanikareshwara on the top of a hillock, which can be reached by a flight of about hundred and fifty steps. The structure is a fine piece of architecture with figures of Narasimha, Virabhadra. On the ceiling is carved a lotus bud. This temple is located on a small hillock in Sringeri Town and almost behind the Bus Stand. It is within 1/2 km radius of Sringeri Sharadamba Temple.

Puranic Significance

The linga that was worshipped by the Paramarishi Vibhandaka son of Kashyapa is known as Sri Malahanikaresvara (destroyer of the impurities of the soul) and is worshipped even today. He did penance here, had the vision of the Lord and united the Lord in the Linga and disappeared from the mortal world. It is an udhbhava linga.

The temple structure is a fine piece of architecture, consisting of a navaranga, an antarala, a garbhagrha and with relieves on the pillars. The deities inside the temple are Lord Malahanikareshvara, Goddess Bhavani, Sthambha Ganapati, Chandikeshvara, Ganapati, and Durga. The stone structure must have been raised early in the Vijayanagar period, replacing the older one in wood. The Malahanikareshvara Temple at Sringeri (Shringa giri in Sanskrit) is an 8th-century temple.

Repairs were undertaken by Sri Narasimha Bharati 26^th Acharya with great assistance from Somasekhara Nayaka of Keladi. The magnetic Nandi was installed by Janganna Mallinataha, during Somashekara nayaks regime. In the praakaara, the walls were constructed in 1685 by Sitammaji, daughter of Revanna Nayaka of Keladi. Again in 1963 Kumbhabhishekam was performed. During another reconstruction by His Holiness Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Swamigal, a spacious navaranga was added which consists of four beautiful pillars of the Vijayanagara type. These pillars have high relief sculptures of various gods and goddesses such as Narasimha, Virabhadra, Sri Rama, Subrahmanaya, Venugopala, Hanumana, Kalingamardhana and Durga, again a synthesis of gods as propounded by Adi Shankara. The skilled artisans for the reconstruction were brought from Chettinaad, in Tamil Nadu. The Kumbhabhishekam was performed on Feb 11, 1985 by Sri Abhinava Vidya Tirtha Mahaswamigal along with Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamigal. His Holiness Sri Swaroopananda Saraswati of Dwaraka Peetham also participated.

Outside the temple there are small shrines of Meenakshi Sachidanandeshvara, kshetra palaka, and Bindu Madhava. Bindu Madhava is flanked by His consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi on both sides and at the base a Saint sitting in Yogasana flanked by two disciples on both sides can be seen.

Festivals

Arudradarshanam (December-January)
Mahashivaratri(February-March)
Rathotsavam(February-March) and
Laksha Deepotsavam(November December)

The Malahanikareshwara Rathotsava festival spans from Maga Krishna Dasami to Phalguna Shukla Dvitiya and is celebrated on the Maga Amavasya next day to Mahashivaratri. On Mahashivaratri, His Holiness performs special Puja to the Lord during the day for several hours. On Kartika poornima day Deepothsavam is celebrated on a grand scale.