Shivagange is a mountain peak with a height of and Hindu pilgrimage center located near Dobbaspet, in

Bengaluru Rural district Bangalore Rural district, is one of the 31 districts in Karnataka, India. It was formed in 1986, when Bangalore District was divided into Bangalore Rural and Bangalore Urban. Presently in Bangalore Rural district, there are 1 division, 4 talu ...

India. It is from the town of

Tumakuru Tumkur, officially renamed as Tumakuru, is a city located in the southern part of Indian state of Karnataka. Tumkur is situated at a distance of northwest of Bangalore, the state capital along NH 48 and NH 73. It is the headquarters of the ...

and from

Bengaluru Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

. , The sacred mountain is shaped as a

shivalinga A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , 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. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional im ...

and a spring flows near locally called "Ganga", thereby giving the place its name. It is also known as ''Dakshina Kashi'' (

Kashi Kashi or Kaashi may refer to: Places * Varanasi (historically known as "Kashi"), a holy city in India ** Kingdom of Kashi, an ancient kingdom in the same place, one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas ** Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi * Kashgar, a ci ...

of the South) and has various temples such as Gangadhareshwara temple, Sri Honnammadevi Temple, Olakal Teertha, Nandi Statue, Patalagang Sharadambe temple and several theerthas such as Agasthya theertha, Kanva theertha, Kapila theertha, Pathala Gange Sri Honnammadevi Temple is inside the cave. Sri Gavi Gangadhare Temple is also inside the cave. Gavi means Cave, Gangadhareshwara means Parameshwara having Gange on the top. Every January, on the day of Sankranthi festival, the marriage function of Sri Gangadhareshwara and Sri Honnammadevi (Parvathi) is conducted. At that time it is claimed Ganga holy water comes from the rock at the top of hill and that holy water is used to solemnise the dhare ritual of the marriage function.

History

Sivaganga is a sacred hill with a height of 4,559 feet above the level of the sea. Its outline appears from the east as a bull, from the west as a Ganesha, from the north as a serpent, and from the south as a linga. The number of steps leading to the top is said to equal the number of yojanas to Benares. Hence this is called Dakshina Kasi. An ascent to the top is considered as a pilgrimage to the holy city. The puranas give it the name of Kakudgiri. It is mentioned by its present name in the 12th century as one of the distant points to which the Lingayat faith established by Basava, the minister of Bijjala, king of Kalyana. During the reign of

Hoysala The Hoysala Empire was a Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur, but was later move ...

kings, the queen Shanthala, wife of Vishnuvardhana, who committed suicide from this hill as she did not give birth to a son. The hill was fortified during the 16th century by Shivappa Nayaka. These fortifications currently lie in ruins. The founder of Bengaluru, Magadi Kempegowda, also made improvements to the fortifications and kept a portion of his treasure within it. A month-long cattle fair is held during ''Sankranthi'' month (around January) every year, which is a market place for bullocks.

Beliefs surrounding the Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple in Bengaluru

Followers believe an interesting miracle happens when abhisheka is performed on Shivalinga with ghee, the ghee turning to butter. It is claimed by the devotees/believers that this ghee has medicinal powers and can cure many ailments. According to legend there exists a secret tunnel that extends from the sanctum sanctorum (Garba Griha) of this temple to the Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple in Bengaluru, around away.

River Kumudvathi

River Kumudvathi has its origin in the Shivagange hills and it is a tributary of river

Arkavati The Arkavati is an important mountain river in Karnataka, India, originating at Nandi Hills of Chikkaballapura district. It is a tributary of the Kaveri, which it joins at 34 km south of Kanakapura, Ramanagara District called Sangam ...

. The Kumudvathi river flows across 278 villages covering encompassing major part of Nelamangala Taluk, Bengaluru Rural District and parts of Magadi Taluk, Ramanagra district. Due to various factors like deforestation, unsustainable extraction of ground water, soil erosion, encroachments and eucalyptus plantations the river has dwindled in size. This has resulting in serious water crisis for drinking and agriculture in all the villages under the river basin. However, projects and efforts are underway to revive the river.

Trekking

The area is a popular site for rock climbing in the

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Kar ...

state. The entire trail to the peak is well marked and the presence of man-made steps (often carved into the rocky landscape, but sometimes made from rocks) makes the trail suitable for beginners. There are frequent rest opportunities with stalls serving food and drinks. The trekking path to reach summit from foothills is of in a pre-defined path. The trail becomes steep and narrow near the summit of the mountain - safety rails are provided in such areas. Monkeys are the main fauna inhabiting the hill.

Protected monument

The temple shrine is a protected monument under the Karnataka Ancient and Historical Monuments and archaeological sites and remains act 1962. File:Shivaganga.JPG, A temple on top File:Shivagange Basavanna.JPG , Basavanna File:Shivagange Olakal Theertha 1.JPG , Olakal Theertha File:Yali pillars in porch entrance to Gangadhareshwara temple at Shivagange.jpg , Architecture File:Shivagange Shiva Parvathi.JPG , Shiva Parvathi File:Shivagange Architecture 1.JPG , Architecture File:Shivagange Veerabhadra Swamy.JPG , Veerabhadra Swamy File:Shivagange Basavanna 1.JPG , Basavanna File:Shivagange Olakal Theertha.JPG , Olakal Theertha

References

External links

*{{YouTube, zn-mQ3Kfwh0, Shivagange - Department of Tourism Video Mountains of Karnataka Tourism in Karnataka Hindu pilgrimage sites in India Hindu temples in Tumkur district Geography of Tumkur district