For some calm at sacred Kalasa
A visit to the Annapoorneshwari temple at Horanadu followed by a few enquiries with locals led us to another temple town called Kalasa, situated very close to Horanadu, famous for its Kalaseshwara temple.
The town of Kalasa gets its name from the Sanskrit term 'kalasha' which means sacred pot or jug.
Some sources also mention that geographically, the town's location resembles that of a pot and hence the name. This place has a lot of mythology attached to it.
Mythological associations
According to legend, the wedding ceremony of lord Shiva and goddess Parvathi saw the attendance of all the other gods and goddesses. This caused a severe imbalance on the earth.
In order to restore balance, lord Shiva requested sage Agasthya to travel south and act as a counter weight. Sage Agasthya, being a devout follower, requested the lord to grant him an opportunity to witness the wedding upon which lord Shiva blessed the sage with divyadrusthi (divine vision) that would enable him to witness the wedding from anywhere on the earth.
The sage began his journey south and eventually settled in a place which is present-day Kalasa.
From here he witnessed the divine wedding and then installed a linga which became the famous Kalaseshwara temple. Built on an elevated location, the entrance to the temple overlooks the town's central road and cannot be missed.
A set of steps leads one to the entrance, which has a typical Malnad type architecture and houses small idols of lord Ganesha. Climbing further and turning right, one enters a plain compound which houses the temples of main deities, lord Shiva and Sarvanga Sundari Amma in addition to other deities. Although having a slightly modern look on the outside, the inner structure still retains its old charm.
Surrounded by coconut trees, the temple compound is well maintained and has a pristine and calm environment.
There is a regular inflow of devotees who have an option to donate rice and other items in the service of the deity. Every year, the girija kalyana festival is held to commemorate the wedding ceremony of the lord and goddess Parvathi. It is believed that the lord and goddess reside in the temple for a day before returning to their heavenly abode.
One gets to enjoy a special meal during this period which, incidentally, we had an opportunity to relish.
How to get there
Kalasa is about 300 km from Bangalore and about 7 km from Horanadu. KSRTC buses plying from Bangalore pass through Kalasa during their onward journey to Horanadu.
One also has the option to reach Kalasa from Horanadu by private buses. The bus service is regular and the charges nominal.
A visit to the Annapoorneshwari temple at Horanadu followed by a few enquiries with locals led us to another temple town called Kalasa, situated very close to Horanadu, famous for its Kalaseshwara temple.
The town of Kalasa gets its name from the Sanskrit term 'kalasha' which means sacred pot or jug.
Some sources also mention that geographically, the town's location resembles that of a pot and hence the name. This place has a lot of mythology attached to it.
Mythological associations
According to legend, the wedding ceremony of lord Shiva and goddess Parvathi saw the attendance of all the other gods and goddesses. This caused a severe imbalance on the earth.
In order to restore balance, lord Shiva requested sage Agasthya to travel south and act as a counter weight. Sage Agasthya, being a devout follower, requested the lord to grant him an opportunity to witness the wedding upon which lord Shiva blessed the sage with divyadrusthi (divine vision) that would enable him to witness the wedding from anywhere on the earth.
The sage began his journey south and eventually settled in a place which is present-day Kalasa.
From here he witnessed the divine wedding and then installed a linga which became the famous Kalaseshwara temple. Built on an elevated location, the entrance to the temple overlooks the town's central road and cannot be missed.
A set of steps leads one to the entrance, which has a typical Malnad type architecture and houses small idols of lord Ganesha. Climbing further and turning right, one enters a plain compound which houses the temples of main deities, lord Shiva and Sarvanga Sundari Amma in addition to other deities. Although having a slightly modern look on the outside, the inner structure still retains its old charm.
Surrounded by coconut trees, the temple compound is well maintained and has a pristine and calm environment.
There is a regular inflow of devotees who have an option to donate rice and other items in the service of the deity. Every year, the girija kalyana festival is held to commemorate the wedding ceremony of the lord and goddess Parvathi. It is believed that the lord and goddess reside in the temple for a day before returning to their heavenly abode.
One gets to enjoy a special meal during this period which, incidentally, we had an opportunity to relish.
How to get there
Kalasa is about 300 km from Bangalore and about 7 km from Horanadu. KSRTC buses plying from Bangalore pass through Kalasa during their onward journey to Horanadu.
One also has the option to reach Kalasa from Horanadu by private buses. The bus service is regular and the charges nominal.