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T.Narasipura Temples

T.Narasipura

About:

Tirumakudalu-Narasipura (Kannada: ) , officially known as T.Narasipura [1],is a panchayat town in Mysore district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The first letter "T" of the name (T.Narasipura) refers to Tirumakudalu,the peninsular town (Trimakuta in Sanskrit) at the confluence of the Kaveri, Kabini and Spatika Sarovar (a hidden mythical lake or spring, also named Gupta Gamini).This is the place in South Indiawhere Kumbhamela is held every three years. It finds a mention in the Skanda Purana as one of the Trimakuta Kshetras (holy places with the confluence of three rivers.[2]. The word 'Narasipur' is the name of the town, which is derived from the famous Gunja Narasimhaswamy temple that is located on the right bank of the Kabini river. Considered as sacred as Prayag (confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati at Prayag – Varanasi - Kashi in North India), it is also known as Dakshina Kashi The town finds mention in tourism guides, both as a tourist place and a pilgrimage centre.

T. Narasipur and its surrounding areas are prehistoric sites where many Neolithic sites have been unearthed by the Department of Archeology and Museums of Karnataka. The rich and fertile areas of the taluk cultivated by the Kaveri and its tributaries, has been the source of continued uninhibited human habitation, over the centuries, as verified by the ancient archeological evidences discovered in the area. The ancient sites excavated in the late fifties and up to mid sixties (between 1959 and 1965) on the left bank of the Kaveri near the Bhiksheswara Temple, opposite to the Narasipur town, which form part of the Upper Kaveri basin, has established the Neolithic phase in the region claiming a date from the first half of second millennium B.C which saw the gradual evolution of the peasants into food producing and settled communities responsible for the growth of civilization. The systematic ground excavations comprising burial ground remnants, potteries, graffiti, stone implements, metal objects, beads and bangles, animal remains, human remains, wood remains, etc examined in depth and in great detail have revealed four cultural phases at the sites, but the most outstanding phase has been deduced as the Neolithic phase.

Location info:

Address:T. Narasipur is the taluk headquarters in Mysore District of Karnataka state, India. It is 29 km South-East of Mysore, the district headquarters and 130 km from Bangalore, the state capital.
District:Mysore
Nearest City:Narasipur
Best time to visit: Jan-Dec

Climate/Weather:

The climate is moderate entire year.
The best visiting time is from September to February as there will not be any rain and the various temples situated at Thalakadu can be seen clearly.

History:

It is said that Tirumakudlu is where Rishi Agasthya had visualised it as 'Dakshina Kashi' long ago. When he travelled down South to Narsipur, the town was a thick forest. Enamoured by the confluence of the three rivers - Kaveri, Kapila and the undercurrent of Spatika Sarovara - he wanted to install a Shiva Linga there and asked Hanuman to get him a linga from Kashi. Since the auspicious period lasting three-and-a-three-fourth of a galige was fast approaching and Hanuman failed to get the linga on time, the sage created a sand linga himself and consecrated it. An insulted Hanuman, who returned soon, cut off the top portion of the sand linga consecrated by Agasthya. From the axed summit, the Spatika Sarovar (Spring )flows out even now and is offered as thirtha (holy water) to the pilgrims. The linga that Hanuman brought was consecrated a little distance away and is called the Hanuman Linga.

T.Narsipur – Lord Gunjanarasimha Swamy in the Sanctum SanctorumThe Someshwara and Markandeshwara Lingam in T Narsipur and the Gargeshwara Lingam at Gargeshwari village, along with the Agasthyeshwara and the Hanuman Lingam, form the panchalingas of T Narsipur, just like the five lingams at Talakad.

The legend associated with Gunja Narasimhaswamy Temple is that Lord Narasimhaswamy appeared in the dream of a washerman telling him that his idol lay beneath the stone on which he washed clothes everyday. The Lord told him to build a temple for him and asked him to look for gold coins beneath the stone which could be used for the construction of the temple. When the washerman expressed his wish to visit (Kashi) Varanasi on a pilgrimage, the Lord told him that the construction of a temple for Him had earned him (washerman) an additional punya (blessing) of about a gulaganji (seed of a twig tree) than that which accrues by visiting Kashi. Thus the name tak Gunja can me into usage with name of the God Narasimhaswamy

Interesting things to do:

Religious festivals : The chariot festivals of Gunja Narasimha Swamy and Agastheswara, conducted every year, are attended by thousands of people.

The Kumbha Mela of T. Narasipur,[2] of recent origin, since 1989, is an event that occurs once in three years. Organised by the Kumbha Mela Trust under the auspices of senior pontiffs and religious leaders of the State. The congregation is meant to underline the concept of unity in diversity. The Kumbha Mela of Allahabad and Nasik is replicated at T. Narasipur when lakhs of devotees assemble and take a holy dip in the confluence of three rivers. A slice of ancient India unfolds as ochre-clad sadhus join people to take a dip at the confluence of the Kaveri, the Kabini, and the celestial lake "Spatika Sarovar".

Interesting things to Visit:

It is a place of religious prominence. The Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple on the left of the Kaveri river, is a massive complex belonging to the Vijayanagar period. The image of Narasimha in the sanctum sanctorum has a twig with seed of the Gunja (botanical name-Abrus precatorius) tree and hence is called Gunja Narasimha Swamy. The temple has inscriptions dating from the Krishnadevaraya period with a melange of Dravidian and Hoysala Architecture and is renowned for the voluminous records in Nagari script. The temple more than 450 years old, which is in need of repair and restoration, is now being renovated by a donor - Dr N.V.Ramanuja Iyengar- an NRI.[1]

Apart from the Gunja Narasimha Swamy temple, there are many other temples such as the Agasthyeshwara temple. (Sage Agasthya founded and sanctified the Agasthyeshwara temple.This temple complex contains many monuments belonging to the Ganga, Chola, Hoysala and Vijayanagara periods at Thirumakudlu, and also at the Bhiksheswara temple, the Moolasthaneshwara temple and the Anandeswara temple in the surrounding area.[2]

Mobile range info:

 

How to reach?

Nearest Railway Station:Mysore Junction Railway Station and Nanjangud Town Railway Station are the nearest railheads
Nearest Airport:Nearest airport is Bangalore International Airport.
Road Transport:T. Narasipur is the taluk headquarters in Mysore District of Karnataka state, India. It is 29 km South-East of Mysore, the district headquarters and 130 km from Bangalore, the state capital.National Highway 212 passes through the area.

Nearest Visiting places:

Somanathapura, about 32 km East of Mysore by road and about 14 km from T.Narsipur, a village on the left bank of the river Cauvery is famous for Sri Venugopalaswamy temple and Sri Channakeshava temple built here in 1269 A.D & 1268 A.D by the Hoysla King Narasimha with exquisite carvings. These temples are good examples of the Hoysala architecture and are of great architectural and artistic interest.

Keethinarayana temple, Talakad,Mysore district Profile of a Hoysala temple at SomanathapuraTalakad an ancient town, situated on the left bank of the river Kaveri, is 45 km South East of Mysore or 5 km from T.Narsipur. Sri Kirtinarayana, Sri Kartikeya, Sri Vaideeswara, Sri Pataleswara and Sri Maraleswara temples are located in this town. Many more monuments lie buried in the barren expanse of sand dunes in the town.

This place is also tagged to the curse called "Curse of Talakad" [4] by Alamelamma on the Wodeyar dynasty (erstwhile Maharajas) of Mysore. The curse which has survived the folklore of last four hundred years is known thus:

-May Malangi turn into an unfathomed whirlpool
-May Talakad turn into a barren expanse of sand
-May the Rajas of Mysore not have children for all time to eternity!

Sosale is another important religious centre because of the famous Vyasraja mutt of the Madhva sect established there by Vysarajathirtha. It is located about 3 km from T.Narsipur.

Nearest Petrol Pump:

T.Narsipur

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

Resorts are available in this place to stay. These are to be booked at Bangalore KSTDC centre.

Things to carry:

 

Tips & Suggestions:

Silk Filature at T.Narasipur[3] is a raw silk manufacturing unit. The unit manufactures raw silk yarn and transfer it to its own silk weaving factory located in Mysore. Approximately 1000 Kilograms of cocoons are purchased daily from Govt. Controlled Market depending on needs. Raw silk yarn known as filatures are produced at the factory from the Cocoons The purchase is done on almost a daily basis, as the purchased cocoon cannot be stored for more than 2 to 3 days.

Sand extraction from the river bed is an activity which has caused increased river bank erosion, and frequent public protests are a common feature against this operation to no avail.

Help Line/Phone Number:

Police Station:Somanathapura
Nearest Hospital:Somanathapura
Society/Community Phone Number

T.Narasipura Temples Nearest Attraction

Mudukuthore Temples
Mudukuthore is located at a distance of 60 km from Mysore, 25 km from Somnathapur, 5 km from T.Narsipur and is close to Talakad. The place is known for the temple of Lord Mallikarjuna. During January-February, every year, a big festival fair is organized for a week where cattle and agricultural items are traded.....more
Nanjanagudu Temples
Located near the city of Mysore, the town of Nanjanagudu (a.k.a. Nanjangud) is a traditional and historical place known for the temple of Lord Shiva, and a variety of flavorful bananas that are grown in the region, called Rasabale....more
Talakadu Temples
Talakad is a scenic and spiritual pilgrimage center located in near T. Narasipura, Mysore district. Talakad is also know as Talakadu in Kannada, state language of Karnataka. Talakad is situated on the banks of the Kapila Cauvery River. Talakad is about 130 Kms from Bangalore and 50 Kms from Mysore. River Cauvery makes a sharp turn here.....more
Mysore Historical
140 Kms from Bangalore lies the abode of untold grandeur and glory. Mysore,the capital city of the Wodeyars has always enchanted its admirers with its quaint charm,rich heritage, magnificent palaces,beautifully laid-out gardens, imposing buildings,broad shady avenues and sacred temples.....more
Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary
Spread across 14 sq km, Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1985, is situated in Mysore District of Karnataka. The area has scrub forests and plantations and is surrounded by agricultural fields.....more
Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary
Holidaying in Karnataka has its advantages. Apart from the ancient and world heritage temples depicting artistic expertise of the dynasties that ruled here, Karnataka offers you a fabulous opportunity to enjoy its majestic natural beauty.....more
Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary
Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary is situated north of Bandipur National Park in Mysore District, Karnataka. It covers about 30 sq km and the northern part of the sanctuary is occupied by the Nugu Reservoir.....more
Nagarhole National Park
Nagarhole National Park also known as 'Rajiv Gandhi National Park' is located 94 km away from Mysore. It is spread between Kodagu and Mysore districts. The national park has rich forest cover, little streams, valleys and waterfalls.....more
Mysore Archeology
This was the capital of Mysore during British times. It was highly developed city with a population of 700,000. Chamaraja established it in 1640. Between 1760 and 1799 the Muslim Hyderali and Tippu Sultan, father and son duo, gained control and shifted the capital to Srirangapatnam in the north.....more
Somanathapur Archeology
"There is a stillness and everlastingness about the past, it changes not and has a touch of eternity," wrote Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in his "Discovery of India." These words somehow hold true when one arrives at Somnathpur, a tiny village on the banks of the Kaveri, 140 kms, south-west of Bangalore.....more
Balamuri Falls
On the way to K.R.S. from Mysore, 3 Km away from the main road, there are two beautiful small waterfalls, which is the hot spot for students and nature lovers. You also come across an ancient Ganesh temple in the vicinity.....more
Chunchanakatte Falls
Chunchanakatte Falls is a waterfall on the Kaveri River, near the village of Chunchanakatte in Mysore district, Karnataka, India. Water cascades from a height of about 20 meters.It is in the Western Ghats. Here the river falls in two small cascades before joining again to flow as one.....more
Kabini River
The Kabini is a river of southern India. It originates in Wayanad District of Kerala state, south India from the confluence of the Panamaram River and Mananthavady River, and flows eastward to join the Kaveri River at Tirumakudal Narasipur in Karnataka, which empties into the Bay of Bengal.....more
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, is an important tourist destination from Mysore city orthe adjoining Vrindavan gardens, both of which are barely 20 km away.....more
Gundal Reservoir
This place is located in Western Ghats hill range starting from Kerala and ending in Tamilnadu. MM Hills also extends beyond B.R.Hills.In between these two hills there is a dam called Gundal dam constructed between two hills,is a picnic spot. In B.R. Hills and attracts lot of devotees from South India.....more