Sri Kotilingeshwara Temple Koteshwara
Koteshwara or Dhwajapura is located 2 Kms north of Kumbhasi has an important temple dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Kotilingeshwara and is one one of seven Muktistala’s of Karnataka.
This temple is said to have seven Prakara. The outermost prakara is now a concrete road and the temple has got doors on all the four sides. There is a 10'*10' platform very outside of the temple, leading to the main entrance. Once can see the deity directly from this platform.
The main entrance door, facing east, is a huge one about 25 feet high and 10 feet wide. There is a big ‘Dwajasthambha’ of about 100 feet height and there is a small ‘Nandi’ on the top of that. The second prakara is also very wide, having many big stone plaques (shila-shashana) narrating the history of the temple. Unfortunately no one knows how to read them and so the history of the temple is still mysterious. The main kitchen hall, the overhead water tank in the shape of ‘Damaru’ and the small temples of Shri Ganapathi, Shri Mukhyaprana and Shri Venu Gopalakrishna are main attractions in this prakara.
The next door leads to the main building of the temple. The temple, a rare and miraculous construction of granite stone, dates to many centuries back. The giant pillars, slabs, and roof-sheets everything is by granite stone and it is beyond one’s imagination about how they constructed such a big temple without any modern tools and technology.
There are many small temples on this third prakara; few of them are Sapta Matarikas, Subramanya, Venkatramana and Mahisasura Mardhini. There is a very unique deity called ‘Kali Laxmi’ holding a child in one hand and broom in other hand. It is very interesting to see such unique statue. Unfortunately the purana behind this is yet to be unfolded. There is a big Nandi and as seen in any other Shiva temple, lot of stones representing the ‘buta gana’ are lined up in this prakara. The garbagudi starts from here onward inside. There are two big full size Nataraja statues made of bronze, on both sides of the door.
The shlokas composed by Shri Vadiraja are written with big letters at this entrance and devotees can pray Lord by reciting these shlokas.
Oh Koteshwar Kshetra, You are as powerful as Gangadhara Who dwells here in Koti (Crore) linga form.
Oh shankara you have hoisted the flag [DhwajA], At Kailasa after conquering Tripuras.
Here also you have won Kandhavara, Gajapura & Brahmavara, and get gifts for holding thy annual car festival, In a supremely colorful manner. ………….49
The main shrine has a big idol of Shiv linga. The Shiv Linga has face with two large eyes – a typical style how Shiv Linga is found in this region. There is a hollow inside the main shrine with a lot of small Shiv Linga idols. Normally devotees won’t go inside and ‘theertha, gandha’ are distributed at this door. However one can go inside up to main ‘Garba graha’ which is in fourth prakara. There is another Ganesh in this prakara in south corner, known as ‘moole ganapathi’ and can be seen from outside through a window. The main deity is still inside and only priests can enter here. There is a small well in the center inside and it is said to have one crore lingas on the inner surface of the well. It is not clearly visible from outside and earlier people used to feel that by hand on inside wall of the well. The well is normally covered with a big silver face of Lord Shiva and all pooja is done to icon.
Then Shiva appeared in front of each of them thus this place where Lord Shiva appeared in one crore form, became popular as Kotee-eshwar, but slowly got translated as Koteshwar. It is said that the present temple was built by Pandavas, no doubt it looks that old and giant. Historically people say it was built by King of Basaruru, a nearby place where some traces of royal family can still be seen. There is a big lake on the north side of the temple known as ‘Kooti-theerTha’. There were big and old ‘aswaththa’ trees with ‘Naga shila’ ( stones with carving of cobra) on four sides of this lake, but now only one or two are seen. On the main pavements, there are nice carvings of tortoise, crocodile, fishes etc. Everyday the water from this tank is taken for abhisheka of main deity. Newly wedded couples are supposed to go round this lake on the day of car festival.
The decorated chariot is very lovely and it is amazing to see that giant chariot being pulled by people. The proceeding of the festival continues for another two days. It is said that in earlier days, all three nearby major towns ( Kandhavara, Gajapura, Brahmavara) used to contribute for this temple, accepting Lord Shankar’s supremacy.
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Architecture
The temple is built in typical Kerala type temple architecture. This temple is said to have seven ‘prakara’(circular path around the central deity). There are two separate shrines found diagonally opposite to the main shrine. One shrine is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and another to Dhandeswari (utsav idol – bronze idol). Each and everything in this temple is unique and astonishing. The car street is very wide, reminds one of that at Puri Jagannath car street.This temple is said to have seven Prakara. The outermost prakara is now a concrete road and the temple has got doors on all the four sides. There is a 10'*10' platform very outside of the temple, leading to the main entrance. Once can see the deity directly from this platform.
The main entrance door, facing east, is a huge one about 25 feet high and 10 feet wide. There is a big ‘Dwajasthambha’ of about 100 feet height and there is a small ‘Nandi’ on the top of that. The second prakara is also very wide, having many big stone plaques (shila-shashana) narrating the history of the temple. Unfortunately no one knows how to read them and so the history of the temple is still mysterious. The main kitchen hall, the overhead water tank in the shape of ‘Damaru’ and the small temples of Shri Ganapathi, Shri Mukhyaprana and Shri Venu Gopalakrishna are main attractions in this prakara.
The next door leads to the main building of the temple. The temple, a rare and miraculous construction of granite stone, dates to many centuries back. The giant pillars, slabs, and roof-sheets everything is by granite stone and it is beyond one’s imagination about how they constructed such a big temple without any modern tools and technology.
There are many small temples on this third prakara; few of them are Sapta Matarikas, Subramanya, Venkatramana and Mahisasura Mardhini. There is a very unique deity called ‘Kali Laxmi’ holding a child in one hand and broom in other hand. It is very interesting to see such unique statue. Unfortunately the purana behind this is yet to be unfolded. There is a big Nandi and as seen in any other Shiva temple, lot of stones representing the ‘buta gana’ are lined up in this prakara. The garbagudi starts from here onward inside. There are two big full size Nataraja statues made of bronze, on both sides of the door.
The shlokas composed by Shri Vadiraja are written with big letters at this entrance and devotees can pray Lord by reciting these shlokas.
chaaru kOtIshwarasThaanam shObhathE, yath puraariva purathrayaM nirjithya DhwajEna adhyaapi jRumbhathE ||49||
Oh Koteshwar Kshetra, You are as powerful as Gangadhara Who dwells here in Koti (Crore) linga form.
Oh shankara you have hoisted the flag [DhwajA], At Kailasa after conquering Tripuras.
Here also you have won Kandhavara, Gajapura & Brahmavara, and get gifts for holding thy annual car festival, In a supremely colorful manner. ………….49
shithikamTaaya thE namah yah(bhavan) kOtisamKyarShithOShaNaath kOtIshwarasamjGnya abhUth sa(bhavan) EkarShikaamaDhuk na kim ||50||Oh Shambhu, your presence here, as Koti lingas was to bless crores of munis, Who prayed for your kind grace; Oh supremely divine Shankara, Can you not fulfill our wishes, As we are praying you all alone. …………50
The main shrine has a big idol of Shiv linga. The Shiv Linga has face with two large eyes – a typical style how Shiv Linga is found in this region. There is a hollow inside the main shrine with a lot of small Shiv Linga idols. Normally devotees won’t go inside and ‘theertha, gandha’ are distributed at this door. However one can go inside up to main ‘Garba graha’ which is in fourth prakara. There is another Ganesh in this prakara in south corner, known as ‘moole ganapathi’ and can be seen from outside through a window. The main deity is still inside and only priests can enter here. There is a small well in the center inside and it is said to have one crore lingas on the inner surface of the well. It is not clearly visible from outside and earlier people used to feel that by hand on inside wall of the well. The well is normally covered with a big silver face of Lord Shiva and all pooja is done to icon.
Kshetra Purana
According to Kshetra Purana long long back all sages numbering to one crore, gathered in this place and did tapas for a long time to please Lord Shiva.
Then Shiva appeared in front of each of them thus this place where Lord Shiva appeared in one crore form, became popular as Kotee-eshwar, but slowly got translated as Koteshwar. It is said that the present temple was built by Pandavas, no doubt it looks that old and giant. Historically people say it was built by King of Basaruru, a nearby place where some traces of royal family can still be seen. There is a big lake on the north side of the temple known as ‘Kooti-theerTha’. There were big and old ‘aswaththa’ trees with ‘Naga shila’ ( stones with carving of cobra) on four sides of this lake, but now only one or two are seen. On the main pavements, there are nice carvings of tortoise, crocodile, fishes etc. Everyday the water from this tank is taken for abhisheka of main deity. Newly wedded couples are supposed to go round this lake on the day of car festival.
Kodi Habba
The car festival is a grand nine day program of evening festivals and it is called ‘Kodi habba’ meaning the top most car festival, top in all respect, in duration, gathering, size of the chariot etc.. The deity will go on procession, in the late evening to nearby villages, in one direction each day for four days, and in the night after return from the tour, the deity will be taken around the temple on a small chariot. On the final day, (the full moon day of scorpion) the big chariot or ‘Brahmaratha’ will be used for procession in the morning and evening. Thousands of people gather in that small town on that day and everything goes very peacefully and methodically.
The decorated chariot is very lovely and it is amazing to see that giant chariot being pulled by people. The proceeding of the festival continues for another two days. It is said that in earlier days, all three nearby major towns ( Kandhavara, Gajapura, Brahmavara) used to contribute for this temple, accepting Lord Shankar’s supremacy.
Map
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Contact Details
Sri Kotilingeshwara Temple,
Koteshwara, Udupi Dist, Karnataka
576222
Ph: 08254-262230
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