The temple where Parvathi appears in dreams

One of the most enchanting spots in Kolar district, Avani has a hoary past. It has several temples of antiquity and all of them have their own tales to relate. However, the temple I am talking about is the Seetha Parvathi Temple atop a hillock in Avani.

Avani is just 10 kms from Mulabagilu and 16 kms from Kolar Gold Fields. It is located in Kolar district and it is easily approachable from Bangalore.

I have visited Avani several times and the Seetha Parvathi Temple has never ceased to amaze. I have also guided several off my friends towards this temple. Almost all of my friends who went there have spoken about the beauty of Avani and the history associated with it.

Several women who have gone there said they had experienced some divinity at the temple of Seetha-Parvathi. Some of my friends who did not have a child for many years, were blessed with children after they prayed at this temple.

I am penning down the legend of the temple as it was narrated to me by the priest and also several locals of Avani. I hope it can help somebody. So here goes the story.

The temple of Seetha Parvathi goes back to the times of the Ramayana.

Seetha comes here when she is pregnant  Rama had asked Seetha to be taken away from Ayodhya after a washerman comments on the chastity of Seetha. The washerman is overheard telling his wife that he is not Rama to forgive his wife for staying with a man.

Rama is anguished by the remark and asks Lakshmana to take away Seetha from the kingdom. In course of her travels, Seetha comes to Avani where Valmiki has his ashrama.

Valmiki asks Seetha to stay back and she agrees. Seetha makes one of the case here her home. (This cave can still be seen today). Seetha worships Parvathi daily. She prays for the well-being of her unborn children and even Rama.

The temple of Seetha Parvathi is atop the hillock. Locals and several of my friends have vouched for the fact that Goddess Parvathi can be felt here.  The priest and the locals say that the cave in Valmiki ashrama, which also has the temple nearby, has medicinal properties.

Well, coming back to the story. Couples who want a child should come here and bathe at the small pond on the top of the hillock called Dahushkodi. Legend has it that Lakshmana shot an arrow here and water sprung up.

Women are expected to bathe here without changing clothes. She should then carry a coconut which will be given by the priest to the temple. Before reaching the temple, they have to go through some caves.

When the woman reaches the garba gudi, she starts feeling sleepy and she falls asleep near the shrine. My friends tell me that their wives dreamt of Parvathi when they fell asleep here. All the women told their husbands that they saw a woman with ornaments and articles which a pregnant woman has or a woman who has delivered has.

Months after  such dreams, the women delivered. This story told here is one of faith and devotion. There is nothing more than getting the blessing of God. The fruits of devotion will always come, however late.

Please find time to visit the time and also talk to the priest of the Seetha Parvathi Temple and the  locals of Avani. Then decide if you want to go through the experience or not.   

Karnataka's Ramayana, unravelling the story of Lava and Kusha

The Valmiki Jayanthi is upon us and Karnataka has all the more reason to celebrate. This is so because the Ramayana came to be written near Bangalore. Another reason for cheer is that the Valmiki Ashrama, the place where Ramayana came to be written, the place where Seetha stayed after Rama banishes her from Ayodhya and the birth place of Rama’s sons Lava and Kusha are all at one place.

What is more important is that this place is just a hour away from Bangalore. I clocked this place as roughly 108 kms from Bangalore.

Located in Kolar district, this holy place is known as Avani. It is small village near Mulabagilu, which was once the provincial capital of the Vijayanagars.

Ten kilometers before Mulabagilu and on the Bangalore Tirupathi Highway, there is a small road going towards the left. A signboard  indicates Avani.

Travel for some time and you will come across a hillock. This is the place, where legend says, that the sons of Ram and Sita-Lava and Kusha-were born. This is called Valmiki or Lava-Kusha hill.

This hill has many small openings and caves. It is more than 3200 feet above sea level.

Lava and Kusha are twins and Seetha was pregnant when she came here. Rama had overheard a washerman scolding his runaway wife.  The washerman was heard saying that he is not Rama to take back a wife who lived with someone else.

Rama decided to pay heed to the words of the washerman and asks Lakshmana to escort Seetha out of his kingdom. During her wanderings, Seetha comes here and finds that there is Valmiki Ashrama here, She decided to stay on here and in course of time, she gives birth to Lava and Kusha,

There is s small cave where Seetha is supposed to have given birth to the twins. A pond nearby is the place where Seetha is supposed to wash her clothes.

There is a small niche on the rock near the cave where Seetha is supposed to have lighted a lamp. When you start climbing the hillock, you come across a rocky seat which is believed to be the exact spot where Rama sat.

There is s small enclosure where Lava and Kusha tied up the Ashwamedha horse that Rama had let loose.

There are temples dedicated to Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrujna here apart from a very ancient temple to Parvathi.

The temples were built by the Nomanba kings and subsequently renovated by the Cholas. In all there are 12 temples in the Ramalingeshwara temple complex.

The temple of Rama is also called Ramalingeshwara and in the background you can see the Valmiki hill. Rajendra Chola built the Ramalingeshwara Temple. There are many Shiva Lingas around the temple and on the Lava Kush hill.  There is a cave where Valmiki lived. Guides will show you the place where Valmiki wrote the Ramayana.

On top of the Valmiki hill, is a temple to  Seetha and Parvathi. Seetha worshipped the idol of Parvathi when she was pregnant. This temple is believed to be so holy that if women perform pooje as per the rituals, they are sure to  get children. My next article will deal with this temple.

This is also the place Rama and his brothers fought against Lava and Kusha and lost. Incidentally, the Mahabharata says this is the very  place where Krishna married Jambavati, the daughter of Jambavata.

There is also a temple of Sharada. With so many temples, Avani has earned the name of being the Gaya of the South.

If you are interested in history or adventure, there is no better spot to stay than Kolar. Visit Kurudamale where there is a mammoth idol of Ganapathi, Virupaksha Temple which is built on the lines of the Virupaksha Temple in Hampi, Narasimha Teertha the abode of Sripadaraja, Mulabagilu which has some ancient temples and Kolar which is famous for the temple of Kolaramma. 

You can stay either at Kolar or Mulabagilu to visit all these place. If you do not have time, you can cover the important temples in a day.

If you are travelling from Bangalore, leave early and visit Avani first. Climb the hill before the day gets hot, Then visit the other spots.

The road from Bangalore to Kolar is superb. However, the traffic leaving from Bangalore is maddening, Therefore, it is advisable to leave early. Do not worry about lunch. There are a lot of good eateries in and around Kolar and Mulabagilu. The Sripadaraja Matha also offers lunch but be in the matha by 12 noon to partake Theertha Prasada.