HISTORY & LEGEND

Aalambaadi Basava Statue Bull is facing towards Aalambaadi village (North) @ top of the Temple

The place, Sri Male Mahadeshwara Hills has become a Universally famous pilgrim center.  Millions of Devotes, visit this temple every year for getting the blessings of Sri Lord Mahadeshwara Swamy, the presiding deity of this place.  According to legends, young saint came from Srishaila to this part of the state.  In his boyhood he has spiritually guided by then pontiff of Suthur Mutt & Kunthur Mutt.  He is said to have performed several miracles in his life, in these places.  Afterwards he went to the hillside.  It is a dense forest area surrounded by Seventy Seven hills to seven circles.  It was not a safe place for human habitation.  It was about 6 centuries ago the young saint went to the forest area, to save the saints who were performing penance and taken to bondage by a person known as Shravana who pocessed abundant black magic power.  Apart from this there were tribes living here and there in small groups who were devoid of any rays of human civilization.  It is said that this Lord Sri Mahadeshwara  destroyed the black magic power of Sravana and got released the saints who were in his prision.  The place where they were kept in prison is also a holy place, called "Thavasare" & the place where Shravana lived is called as "Sravana Boli".  There are several places of historical interest in this area to which the devotees often pay their visits.  The miracle activities of Sri Lord Mahadeshwara Swamy have been sung by the devotees even to this day.  The voluminous literature of folk songs in Kannada language is published by research scholors.  It is said that there are folk songs in Tamil language also, but necessary effort is not made to collect & publish them.  More devotees are coming from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & other states also.  This area was included in Madras State (now called Chennai) prior to 1956, ie., before the re-organization of States of India.  Subsequently it has become part of the Karnataka State.

It is said that the saint Lord Mahadeshwara established a Mutt here for looking after the religio-cultural affairs of the people of this area.  It is also said that, he has transformed the attitude of the hill tribes & made them his disciples.  The people coming from these families have become hereditary Archaks of this temple.  The temple was under the control & management of Sri Salur Mutt established by Sri Lord Mahadeshwara till it was handed over to the Madras Government in the year 1953.  After the formation of Karnataka the Administration of the Temples is done by the trust committee, appointed by the Karnataka Government under the Muzrai Department.

About 50 years ago there was no road facilities to this place. people used to reach the place by walking.  At present there are road connections from Karnataka & Tamil Nadu States.  More than 100 buses are flying in this route everyday.

Festivals:    More devotees will gather in the festival of Mahanavami (Dasara), Deepavali, Karthika, Shivarathri, Yugadhi & Sravana.  there will be Jathras in the above said periods.  The Government of Karnataka & Tamil Nadu provide special bus facilities at the times of the Jathras.

Raja Gopura:    The deity is facing west and the door of the Sanctorum is also facing west, when the prakaram was constructed, the entrance of the templ was given to the south & north.  In the south there is Gopuram & in the north entrance there is a big Bull God (Basava).  According to Vasthu Shilpa, the main entrance must be from western side.  After knowing this the construction of Raja Gopuram was done on the western side which cost about 65 lakhs.