Ambuthirtha is a culturally significant mountain located approximately 15 km (9 miles) from the village of

Thirthahalli Thirthahalli is a panchayat town located in the Shimoga district of the state of Karnataka, India. It lies on the bank of the river Tunga River, Tunga and is also the headquarters of the Thirthahalli Taluk of Shimoga district. Geography Thirt ...

, in the

Shimoga District Shimoga district, officially known as Shivamogga district, is a Districts of India, district in the Karnataka state of India. A major part of Shimoga district lies in the Malnad region or the Western Ghats, Sahyadri. Shimoga city is its adminis ...

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. It is the source of the

Sharavathi Sharāvati is a river which originates and flows entirely within the state of Karnataka in India. It is one of the few westward flowing rivers of India and a major part of the river basin lies in the Western Ghats. The famous Jog Falls, locat ...

river, a vital lifeline of the region.

History

Etymology and legend

The name "Ambuthirtha" is derived from

Hindu mythology Hindu mythology refers to the collection of myths associated with Hinduism, derived from various Hindu texts and traditions. These myths are found in sacred texts such as the Vedas, the Itihasas (the ''Mahabharata'' and the ''Ramayan ...

, referring to

Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...

's bow, also called Ambu. The mountain is also the site of Rama temple. According to legend, Rama shot an arrow into the ground because his wife,

Sita Sita (; ), also known as Siya, Jānaki and Maithili, is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Sita is the consort of Rama, the avatar of god Vishnu, and is regarded as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi. She is t ...

, was thirsty. When his arrow hit the ground, water poured out and quenched her thirst. Because the river originated with this event, the river is called "Sharavathi" as ''Shara'' translates to an arrow. A

Shivalinga A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...

marks the origin of the river at Ambuthirtha.

Geological Features

Sharavathi is one of

's main

rivers A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it ru ...

, entirely originating and flowing within the state. It begins its journey at Ambuthirtha, specifically at a small pond atop the mountain. The water level in this pond remains constant throughout the year, sustained by the

Sharavathi river Sharāvati is a river which originates and flows entirely within the state of Karnataka in India. It is one of the few westward flowing rivers of India and a major part of the river basin lies in the Western Ghats. The famous Jog Falls, locate ...

flowing beneath it.

Hydroelectric power plants

The river has two

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...

plants built on it that supply electricity to much of Karnataka. The first plant, located upstream, is known as the

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

Hydroelectric Power Station. The second plant, closer to the bottom of the mountain, is the Shavarathi Valley Project. The nearest city is called

Hosanagara Hosanagara is a panchayat town in Shimoga district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is nested in western ghats of India. The World Cattle Conference with main emphasis on cow was held in month of April 2007 in Hosanagar. The different use ...

(ಹೊಸನಗರ ಶಿವಮೊಗ್ಗ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ) and is a significant employer in the area. The company that runs the plants is "Ambuthirtha Power Private Limited," headquartered in

Bengaluru Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

Habitation

There is a temple to

on this mountain, accompanied by a small pond. The water level remains constant all year round due to the

River; small creeks feed into the pond and help maintain the pond's equilibrium. Donations from the local population finance the temple's upkeep, as it's understood in the region to be a sacred site.

Accessibility and tips

Ambuthirtha can be accessed by road from various nearby towns and cities. The nearest airport is Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Airport near

Shimoga Shimoga, officially Shivamogga, is a city and the district headquarters of Shimoga district in the Karnataka state of India. The city lies on the banks of the Tunga River. Being the gateway for the hilly region of the Western Ghats, the city ...

, followed by a two-hour road journey. For those travelling by train,

is the nearest railway station, approximately an hour's drive from Ambuthirtha. Visitors to Ambuthirtha can explore nearby sites such as Achakanya Falls, Tunga Bridge, Sri Rameshwara Temple, Kavaledurga Fort, and Kuppalli, the home of renowned

Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...

playwright and poet

Kuvempu Kuppalli Venkatappa Puttappa (29 December 1904 – 11 November 1994), popularly known by his pen name Kuvempu, was an Indian poet, playwright, novelist and critic. He is widely regarded as the greatest Kannada poet of the 20th century. He wa ...

Best time to visit

October through April are the best months to visit Ambuthirtha because of the beautiful weather. Summers may be unbearably hot, especially in April and May, while monsoon seasons can make travel difficult with their heavy rainfall.

References

Geography of Shimoga district Mountains of Karnataka {{Shimoga-geo-stub