Keladi Rameshwara Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Shimoga Airport is at Sogane, 13 km south of Shimoga city.

• By train

  The main railway station is Shivamogga Town Railway Station, in Shivamogga city. The city has two railway stations.

• By road

  Keladi is about 8 km from the town of Sagara.

Why devotees come here

Keladi Rameshwara Temple stands in Keladi, a temple town in Sagara taluk, Karnataka. It is mainly dedicated to Shiva and Parvati. Its main building is a double temple of Rameshwara and Virabhadra in the Hoysala-Dravida style.

Keladi Rameshwara Temple is mainly dedicated to Shiva and Parvati. It stands in Keladi, a town that was founded together with the temple. It is counted among the amazing pieces of art in Karnataka, and it has been a place of tourist attraction for many years.

Chowdappa Nayaka is credited with building the temple. The town was then ruled by the Nayakas, who were part of the Vijayanagara empire. After Vijayanagar broke up at the Battle of Talikota, the Keladi Nayakas founded an independent kingdom. It lasted until Hyder Ali annexed it to the Mysore kingdom.

The complex has shrines to Parvati, Rameshwara and Veerabhadra. The main building is a double temple of Rameshwara and Virabhadra in the Hoysala-Dravida style. It is large and plain, and its walls carry carvings of lions, horses, tigers and elephants. The temple is an extraordinary example of Dravidian architecture.

Tips for your visit

• The Parvati, Rameshwara and Veerabhadra shrines all sit within the main complex, so one visit covers them.
• Look for the carvings of lions, horses, tigers and elephants on the temple walls.

Questions people ask