IT Café Online

Across the lush green sugarcane and paddy fields of Mandya District in Karnataka, a drive down rural Kalahalli in K R Pet taluk reveals its own saga – a place reminiscent of history, a temple that speak volumes of the grandeur of yesteryear and a beautiful idol in the picturesque settings of a riverbank.

The gigantic Bhoo Varahaswamy or Pralaya Varaha Moorthi temple - An ancient, monolithic structure that stands alone on the backwaters of Krishna Raja sagar Dam where Cauvery, Hemavathi and Laxman Thirtha rivers join to form sangama.

In fact, this place is one of the many lesser–known places in Karnataka that remain unnoticed. This marvelous Bhoo Varahaswamy or Pralaya Varaha Moorthi Temple is a case in point which is neglected for decades for reasons best known to powers-that-be.

This ancient temple does not have a recorded history of its own though locals say many things in many things in many words. The gigantic Pralaya Varaha Moorthi is 18feet tall, carved out of a single black stone or saligrama shila with six-feet-tall, Bhoodevi seated on his left thigh.

Little available information reveals that this temple was constructed by the cholas about 1,000 year ago, though the locals claim the temple to be almost 2,500 years old. Further, according to locals, this place was originally known as Gautama Kshetram as this Pralaya Varaha Moorthi was the samputa moorthi (idol worshipped everyday and kept in olai peeti) of Gautama rishi.

In fact, once upon a time, kalahalli was a Brahmin agrahara where the community worshipped Lord Varaha Swamy, When the Keiashnaraja Sagar Dam was constructed, Kalahalli was displaced and the tempke was submerged in the back waters of Cauvery.

While the displaced people were relocated elsewhere, the temple remained submerged in the water for many years. During the course of time, while canals and irrigation systems developed, water levels receded gradually and the temple started reappearing on the mainland. Once again, the worship of Varaha Swamy started but the pujas were irregular.

However, the Perikal Mutt of Mysore took over the temple about seven years ago and formed a Trust to oversee its administration. The Trust ensures regular pujas at the temple and has appointed Mr Vijay Bhattar as the priest, The temple is open on all days between 9 am to 5 pm for the benefit of devotees.

Right in front of the temple is a stone inscription, which may throw some light on the exact period of the temple and the rulers who were instrumental in constructing it. However, this inscription remains to be deciphered.

The idol of Lord Varaha Moorthi is endowed with shankup-chakara, Sudarshana charkra, Gayatri chakra, padma chakar, Ashta Lakshmi pada and Navagraha pada.

Revathi is the star of Varaha Morthi and abhishekam is performed once a month, on the day of the Revathi star. In fact, 4-5 priests perform abhishekam to this gigantic idol, which almost takes 3 to 4 hours, says Mr vijay Bhattar.

Popular belief is that Varaha Moorthi represents land and is sarva dosha nivaraka ( one who frees people form all ill-effects). According to Mr Vijay Bhattar, Lord varaha symbolises land as he rescued the earth form pralaya and by worshipping him all land-related problems will be solved, Devotees generally visit the temple to seek his blessings and to solve any land-related problems.

Those constructing new houses bring bricks meant for construction and get the puja done. Devotees also visit the temple for navagraha homa. Another popular puja at the temple is the homa done to neutralise rahu dosha, when people perform the homa and gift urad dal.

However, this temple is not known to many and hence only about 20 to 25 people visit the temple on weekdays abd about 50 over the weekend. The annual fair of the temple is celebrated in May every year, on Varaha Jayanthi, when over 3,000 people from neighbouring villages participate.

There are two routes to reach Kalahalli. It is 40 km from Mysore via krs and about 69 km from Mandya via Pandavapura, chinakurali and Bhookanakere, The roads on both the routes are bad, especially from Chinakulali to kalahalli. The government has made no efforts to repair this road is a Herculean task and it is a real miracle if one reaches the temple without a flat tyre. Pack your own foodstuff if you want to visit this place, as nothing is available in kalahalli.

Those who wish to visit this temple may contact:

Vijay Bhattar: 08230-266109 or
Srinivas Raghavan, the president of the Trust: 9448011535