Vidyashankara Temple

Getting there

• By road

  Sringeri is about 100 km northeast of Mangaluru and about 85 km east of Udupi, across the Western Ghats. From Bengaluru it is about 335 km west-northwest.

Why devotees come here

Vidyashankara Temple is in Sringeri, a hill town and taluk headquarters in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka. It is dedicated to Shiva as Vidyashankara, and its astronomical design is what sets it apart.

The Shiva shrine here was first built in the 14th century, and a shrine to Devi Saraswati followed in the 15th century. The sanctum holds the Vidya Shankara Linga. The temple is dedicated to Shiva, and its shrines honour Saraswati as well.

The temple was built in 1338 A.D., entirely of stone, in Hoysala and Dravidian styles. It sits on a high plinth, and yalis flank the steps. The temple can be entered from four directions, and a passage circles the sanctum so that visitors can walk around it.

Inside, a large mandapa has intricately carved pillars, and several antechambers hold artwork. The temple is adorned with mythological carvings, yalis and sanctified reliefs. Twelve zodiacal pillars inside the shrine align with the sun's position during the solar months, and that alignment is what sets the temple apart.

Festivals

• Kartika Shukla pakshaVidyatirtha Rathotsava

  Celebrated on a grand scale. It runs for seven days, from Tritiya to Navami. Special puja is held on Saptami, and the Aradhana of Vidya Shankara is performed on Shashti, Saptami and Ashtami.

Tips for your visit

• A passage circles the sanctum, so you can walk around the shrine.
• The temple can be entered from four directions, so you can choose the entrance that suits you.
• Sevas performed at the shrine include Abhishekha, Archana and Navagraha Pooja.
• The road from Mangaluru or Udupi crosses the Western Ghats before it reaches Sringeri.

Questions people ask