The Thousand Shrines of "Sahasralinga"

[JANASENA]

There is a place in the district of Uttara Kannada of Karnataka state in India, where hundreds of shrines of the Hindu god Shiva are carved in the exposed rocks of the Shalmala riverbed and on its banks. The site is called Sahasralinga, literally, “a thousand lingas”, and is located in the middle of a forest in the Western Ghats. The nearest town is Sirsi Taluk, around 17 km away. The best time to visit the place is when the water level in the river is low, and most of the shrines are visible along with their bases called “yonis”. Originally, every linga had a carved figure of the holy bull called Nandi facing it, but many of these have been damaged and some are missing. On the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu festival, thousands of pilgrims throng to this place to worship Lord Shiva.

The shrines are believed to have been built on the order of Sadashiva Raya, the king of Sirsi, of the Vijayanagar Kingdom during 1678-1718. According to a local legend, the king commissioned them on the belief that doing so might help him beget an heir to his kingdom.

Photo credit: Unique Creator/Wikimedia

Advertisement

It should be noted that places like Sahasralinga are not uncommon in India. In Orissa and near Hampi in Karnataka, there are sites where hundreds of lingas are curved in the rocks. But Sahasralinga is unique because the shrines are of various sizes and scattered all over the river bed over a wide area. It’s difficult to say how many shrines are there at Sahasralinga.

There is another Sahasralinga, in far away Cambodia, about 25 km from the famous Hindu temple of Angkor Wat. The place is called Kbal Spean, which means “Bridge Head”, but is commonly known as the “Valley of one thousand lingas”. Along with lingas, there are various Hindu mythological motifs in that river bed including depictions of Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Lakshmi, Rama, and Hanuman, as well as animals such as cows and frogs.

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: Unique Creator/Wikimedia

[solman]

maagaavalee ditto

[Maryadaramanna]

sivoham

[loveindia]

em em artist lu unnaru / undevaaru man india lo... asalu super....

[vizagpower]

1 minute ago, loveindia said:

em em artist lu unnaru / undevaaru man india lo... asalu super....

guruji ekkada location ????

[loveindia]

Just now, vizagpower said:

guruji ekkada location ????

karnataka lo anta man....

[vizagpower]

4 minutes ago, loveindia said:

karnataka lo anta man....

thanks!!!! hows was ur weekend guruji

 

[loveindia]

Just now, vizagpower said:

thanks!!!! hows was ur weekend guruji

 

good man, pool party, casino, cricket... fun fun man... @ronitreddy hand give man....

[vizagpower]

1 minute ago, loveindia said:

good man, pool party, casino, cricket... fun fun man... @ronitreddy hand give man....

party ante gurthochindi  guruji...... oka friend monna  maa tella gf gurinchi thread este  maa bava tho directly tolded ..... me voddu illa threadsa putting ani ....maa bava  tide avvak aiyadu.... i dont know his id : but im guesssing who it mite bee ani 

[loveindia]

7 minutes ago, vizagpower said:

party ante gurthochindi  guruji...... oka friend monna  maa tella gf gurinchi thread este  maa bava tho directly tolded ..... me voddu illa threadsa putting ani ....maa bava  tide avvak aiyadu.... i dont know his id : but im guesssing who it mite bee ani 

who is ur bava man?

[vizagpower]

1 minute ago, loveindia said:

who is ur bava man?

hes not in DB , hes my sisters hubby 

[loveindia]

10 minutes ago, vizagpower said:

hes not in DB , hes my sisters hubby 

are you doubting tom bayya undoubtedly man???

[k2s]

36 minutes ago, JANASENA said:

There is a place in the district of Uttara Kannada of Karnataka state in India, where hundreds of shrines of the Hindu god Shiva are carved in the exposed rocks of the Shalmala riverbed and on its banks. The site is called Sahasralinga, literally, “a thousand lingas”, and is located in the middle of a forest in the Western Ghats. The nearest town is Sirsi Taluk, around 17 km away. The best time to visit the place is when the water level in the river is low, and most of the shrines are visible along with their bases called “yonis”. Originally, every linga had a carved figure of the holy bull called Nandi facing it, but many of these have been damaged and some are missing. On the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu festival, thousands of pilgrims throng to this place to worship Lord Shiva.

The shrines are believed to have been built on the order of Sadashiva Raya, the king of Sirsi, of the Vijayanagar Kingdom during 1678-1718. According to a local legend, the king commissioned them on the belief that doing so might help him beget an heir to his kingdom.

Photo credit: Unique Creator/Wikimedia

Advertisement

It should be noted that places like Sahasralinga are not uncommon in India. In Orissa and near Hampi in Karnataka, there are sites where hundreds of lingas are curved in the rocks. But Sahasralinga is unique because the shrines are of various sizes and scattered all over the river bed over a wide area. It’s difficult to say how many shrines are there at Sahasralinga.

There is another Sahasralinga, in far away Cambodia, about 25 km from the famous Hindu temple of Angkor Wat. The place is called Kbal Spean, which means “Bridge Head”, but is commonly known as the “Valley of one thousand lingas”. Along with lingas, there are various Hindu mythological motifs in that river bed including depictions of Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Lakshmi, Rama, and Hanuman, as well as animals such as cows and frogs.

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: www.indiadivine.org

Photo credit: Unique Creator/Wikimedia

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CBqhKx7Dwhc/TQ29EbQyPlI/AAAAAAAAAHE/sHjZ8m5RJo0/s1600/Om+Namah+Shivaya.gif

[vizagpower]

14 minutes ago, loveindia said:

are you doubting tom bayya undoubtedly man???

me , my bava , tom b are team mates and tom baiya esalu ani update chestunta ... so not doubting him