Choleeshwara Temple, Bhatkal,
Karnataka
Choleeshwara Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to
Lord Shiva located in Bhatkal Town in Bhatkal Taluk in Uttara Kannada District
in the Indian state of Karnataka. This temple is protected as monuments of national
importance by the central Archaeological Survey of India.
Legends
As per
legend, a Chola King lost all his children by snake bite. He along with his
pregnant queen came to the village of Hadili. She delivered his son at this
village. Unfortunately, this child was also bit by the snake immediately after
the birth but a brahmana belonged to this village skilled in the mantras for
curing snake bites forced the snake to suck back its own poison and thus
reviving the child. It is said that the Chola king erected this temple in
memory of this event.
History
The
temple is said to have been built during the Chola occupation of the region
between 880 CE and 975 CE. There are few Tamil inscriptions can be found in the
temple premises, but these inscriptions are of later period. Bhatkal was named
after the ninth century Jain grammarian Bhattakalanka Deva, who hailed from
Haduvalli, the capital of the Saluvas. Bhatkal was also called as Bhatta Kala /
Batikula / Bhatkala / Batikala during ancient times. Bhatkal was also mentioned
as Vrittapura in a 16th century CE inscription.
The Temple
The temple
is facing towards east and built in Chola style of architecture. Dwaja Sthambam
and Nandi housed in a nandi mandapa can be seen in front of the temple facing
towards the sanctum. The temple is of two storeys in height. The lower storey
is roofed with stone slabs and the upper storey is roofed with tiles. The
entrance of the sanctum is flanked by dvarapalas standing on snakes on either
side. The sanctum enshrines the presiding deity, Choleeswara in the form of
Shiva Linga.
Connectivity
The temple is located at about
1.5 Kms from Bhatkal Railway Station and 2 Kms from Bhatkal Bus Stand. Bhatkal
is located at about 14 Kms from Murdeshwar, 21 Kms from Baindur, 37 Kms from Honnavar,
55 Kms from Kundapura, 88 Kms from Gokarna, 90 Kms from Udupi, 128 Kms from Karwar,
142 Kms from Mangaluru Airport and 144 Kms from Mangaluru. Bhatkal is situated
on Karwar to Mangalore route (NH – 66). Bhatkal Railway Station is one of the
major railway stations along the Konkan Railway line, which runs
between Mumbai and Mangalore.
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