Surya, Talakaveri, Bhagamandala Temple & Other Places on Oct 5 and 6 2013

Sri Sadashiva Rudra Temple

South Canara is mainly famous for its unique temples and traditions in Karnataka.Sadashiva Rudra Temple, located in Suriya Village,near Dharmastala is one among them.Mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple has got a unique tradition of offering clay sculptures to God. Generally people offer money or gold to God when their wishes are fulfilled as a symbol of gratitude, but in this temple people make clay offerings to the God.The Suriya temple is probably only one of its kind because of its unique tradition of clay offerings.

Devotees pray god for their wishes/desires.Once it is fulfilled the devotees along with their clay offerings have to go to the temple preferably on Mondays along with a coconut and a kg of rice.The offerings are available in temple premises which are clay sculptures of your requests.For example chair and table symbolizes job, marriage means small sculptures of bride and groom, human body parts like ear,eyes,heart etc. You can also see children, cradles, limbs, houses, automobiles, coconuts, cattle,eggs, computer,watch,aeroplane etc.., this list is probably endless (as desires of people are endless!!).

There is a small tank near by the temple.All the clay offerings are made in a separate place called Mannina Harake Bana ( Clay Offerings Place) which is close to temple.You can see a huge collection of clay sculptures there.Its believed that temple is around 700 years old.But no one in the temple knows the importance behind this clay offerings.

Clay is within the tradition of India.We make ganesha idol,durga mata idol(usually in West Bengal) and many more using clay.So clay must be pure and good compared to anything and I believe god likes to get clay offerings.

Suriya is around 12km from Dharmastala,which has good connectivity from all parts of Karnataka.You can hire a jeep or auto from Dharmastala to get in to the place.

Temple timings 7 30AM to 2PM and 4PM to 6.30PM.

Address of the temple

Administrator

Sri Sadashiva Rudra Temple

Surya, Nada Grama, Permanu.

Beltanagday Tq, DK-574214.

Talakaveri(ತಲಕಾವೇರಿ)

Talakaveri (Kannada: ತಲಕಾವೇರಿ), is the place that is generally considered to be the source of the river Kaveri. It is located by Brahmagiri hill (not to be confused with the Brahmagiri range further south) near Bhagamandala in Kodagu district, Karnataka, 1,276 m. above sea level. However, there is not a permanent visible flow from this place to the main rivercourse except during the rainy season.

A tank or kundike has been erected on a hillside, at the place that is said to be the origin. It is also marked by a small temple, and the area is frequented by pilgrims. The river originates as a spring feeding this tank, which is considered to be a holy place to bathe on special days. The waters are then said to flow underground to emerge as the Kaveri river some distance away. The temple has been renovated extensively by the state government recently [2007].

On Tulasankramana day (the first day of Tula Masa month, according to the Hindu calendar, which normally falls in mid October) thousands of pilgrims flock to the river's birthplace to witness the rise of the fountainhead, when water gushes up from the spring at a predetermined moment. The tula snanam (Sacred bath in the Tula month) is observed across pilgrim towns in Kaveri's banks.[1]

Talakaveri is about 8 km away from Bhagamandala and 48 km from Madikeri.

Bhagamandala (ಭಾಗಮಂಡಲ)

Bhagamandala (ಭಾಗಮಂಡಲ) is a pilgrimage place in Kodagu district of Karnataka. It is situated on the river Kaveri in its upstream stretches. At this place, the Kaveri is joined by two tributaries, the Kannike and the mythical Sujyoti river. It is considered sacred as a river confluence (kudala or triveni sangama, in Kannada and Sanskrit respectively). Similarly the other related place is Udhaka mandala(British name: Ooty) which means land beside water body in Kannada and Sanskrit respectively.

It is a common practice for pilgrims to take a dip in the triveni sangama and perform rituals to their ancestors before proceeding to Talakaveri, the birthplace of Kaveri. During Tula Sankramana which falls on October 17 or 18th, pilgrims assemble here in large numbers.

Triveni sangama near Bhagmandala temple

A short distance from the triveni sangama, there is a famous temple known as Sri Bhagandeshwara temple, where Bhagandeshwara (Ishwara), Subramanya, Mahavishnu and Ganapati idols are installed. This place is also known as Bhagandeshwara Kshetra, from which the name Bhagamandala is derived. The temples in this area are built in Karavali(West Coast) style.

During 1785–1790, the area was occupied by Tipu Sultan. He renamed Bhagamandala to Afesalabad. In 1790 King Dodda Vira Rajendra took Bhagamandala back into an independent Kodagu kingdom.

Bhagamandala is located about 33 km from the district headquarters Madikeri and is connected by paved roads from Madikeri, Virajpet and nearby places in Karnataka and Kerala. Government and private buses are available on all of these routes.

Bylakuppe (ಬೈಲಕುಪ್ಪೆ)

The Tibetan Monastery or the Tibet Camp as locally called is located around 6 kms from Kushalnagar town towards Mysore. This Tibetan settlement at Bailkoppa or Baylkuppe is the the second largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet. There are over 7,000 monks and students at the Tibetan monastery.buddha statue coorg

After the Chinese took over Tibet, the refugees were settled at Bylkuppe near Kushalnagar and the Buddhist Monastery was re-established here in 1972. It houses over 7,000 monks and students today. The monastery not only attracts large number of young Tibetans seeking enlightenment and education, but also draws huge tourists from all over India and abroad.

tibetan monksBylakuppe Tibetan settlement consists of a number of small camps close to each other, and has a lot of monasteries, nunneries. Most famous among them are the large educational institution Sera, the smaller Tashilunpo monastery and Namdroling monastery.

The 40 ft tall golden Buddha statues are the major attractions of Bailkoppa. The statues of Buddha, Padmasambhava, and Amitayus are the notable ones. The walls of the temples and the institutions are decorated with colorful paintings depicting gods and demons from Tibetan Buddhist mythology. The altar is decorated with flowers, candles and incense sticks.

Apart from the calm and peaceful surroundings there are shopping centers near the temples where one can shop for traditional Tibetan items like costumes, statues, carpets, jewelery etc.