Panchalinga Darshana
Encyclopedia
Panchalinga Darshana is a holy festival held once every twelve years in the ancient temple town of Talakad
on the banks of the Kaveri river
in Karnataka
, India
.
The five temples of Kshethra Sri Vaideshwara, Sri Pathaleshwara, Sri Maruleshwara, Sri Arakeshwara, Sri Mudukuthore
Mallikarjuneshwara are believed to be Panchalingas
and thus have become famous.
The festival takes place simultaneously at these five temples of Shiva
which are decorated with plantain stalks and flowers. Here the pilgrims of Panchalinga Darshana offer their Pooja to the Gods.
The festival takes elaborate preparation as millions of pilgrims attend to participate in the ceremonies, spread over a period of five days. It was last held in 2006. The uniqueness of this festival is that the five temple poojas begin at the same time following the ancient tradition for obtaining blessings for devotees and rulers of the country.
Before the beginning the special pooja, the head priest accompanied by more than 10 priests, takes holy dip at the Gokarna Pushkarni (Holy lake), adjacent to the lord Vadyanatheswara temple at the appointed time and brings the agrodaka (Water from the Pushkarani) to perform Ganga Pooja to the Gods.
On this occasion poojas would be performed to Lord Shakthi Ganpathi, Manonmani Devi, Chandikeshwara and Veerabhadraswamy. Later poojas shall be performed to Arakeshwara, Pathalaeswara, Maraleshwara and Mallikarjuneswara.
After the Panchalinga Darshana culminates, it would be followed by Gajaraohana, Sridivya Brahama Rathotsava (Chariot procession) will be held and Sri Shyanotsava the following day.
Theppotsava (Utsav on a Boat) is scheduled on third day and poorvaka Kailsavanahana on fourth day and the next day the event would conclude with Nandi Vahanotsava.
Talakad
Talakad is a desert-like town on the left bank of the Kaveri river at a spot where the river makes a sharp bend. It is 45 km from Mysore and 133 km from Bangalore in Karnataka, India. A historic site, Talakad once had over 30 temples that today are buried in sand. Now it is a scenic...
on the banks of the Kaveri river
Kaveri River
The Kaveri , also spelled Cauvery in English, is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is traditionally placed at Talakaveri, Kodagu in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the...
in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
The five temples of Kshethra Sri Vaideshwara, Sri Pathaleshwara, Sri Maruleshwara, Sri Arakeshwara, Sri Mudukuthore
Mudukuthore
Mudukuthore is a pilgrim centre situated on the banks of the river Kaveri. Mudukuthore is a quiet village with a backdrop of a hillock called Somagiri. Mudukuthore is located at a distance of 48 km from Mysore, 25 km from Somnathapur, 18 km from T.Narsipur and is close to Talakad....
Mallikarjuneshwara are believed to be Panchalingas
Lingam
The Lingam is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples....
and thus have become famous.
The festival takes place simultaneously at these five temples of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
which are decorated with plantain stalks and flowers. Here the pilgrims of Panchalinga Darshana offer their Pooja to the Gods.
The festival takes elaborate preparation as millions of pilgrims attend to participate in the ceremonies, spread over a period of five days. It was last held in 2006. The uniqueness of this festival is that the five temple poojas begin at the same time following the ancient tradition for obtaining blessings for devotees and rulers of the country.
Pooja niyama (traditional procedure of worship)
The date and time for the special pooja and abhisheka are decided after consulting the Panchangam (Stellar almanac of Hindu tradition) to begin at the auspicious movement of Kuhumahuratha, which falls on Vishaka Nakshtra during the Krishnapaksha amavasaya of Karthika Somavara (Monday). This movement usually comes once seven years. The last Panchalinga Darshana was held from 20—25 November 2007 and the previous one was held 13 years earlierBefore the beginning the special pooja, the head priest accompanied by more than 10 priests, takes holy dip at the Gokarna Pushkarni (Holy lake), adjacent to the lord Vadyanatheswara temple at the appointed time and brings the agrodaka (Water from the Pushkarani) to perform Ganga Pooja to the Gods.
On this occasion poojas would be performed to Lord Shakthi Ganpathi, Manonmani Devi, Chandikeshwara and Veerabhadraswamy. Later poojas shall be performed to Arakeshwara, Pathalaeswara, Maraleshwara and Mallikarjuneswara.
After the Panchalinga Darshana culminates, it would be followed by Gajaraohana, Sridivya Brahama Rathotsava (Chariot procession) will be held and Sri Shyanotsava the following day.
Theppotsava (Utsav on a Boat) is scheduled on third day and poorvaka Kailsavanahana on fourth day and the next day the event would conclude with Nandi Vahanotsava.