A festival dedicated to Lord Shiva was recently celebrated at the Shishileshwara temple, located in Nidagundi Taluk, Karnataka. Nidagundi Taluk is located in the Vijayapura sub-division. Lord Shiva was worshipped in the form of Udbhava Linga in this temple and the devotees were served the Sri Anna Prasadam. Sri Anna Prasadam is made using millet, jaggery, sesame, cashew, almond, pure ghee, and khoya. According to Local 18, some of the devotees also performed the Jogathi Nritya, which is a folk art form of north Karnataka. This folk dance is performed by female devotees of the goddess Yellamma. Abhishekam and Rudrabhishekam were also performed in the temple. Abhishekam is a sacred Vedic method of pouring tender coconut, water, milk, ghee, and honey on idols of deities. Mantras are also chanted while Abhishekam is performed. In Rudrabhishekam, these religious offerings are gradually poured on the Shiva linga. Mantras are also chanted alongside for seeking Lord Shiva’s blessings.
Later, the devotees took out a procession in the main streets of Vijayapura town. Everyone, irrespective of gender, participated in it. Various art troupes from different districts of Karnataka also took part in this procession and displayed their artefacts. The Udbhava Linga was decorated with various flowers and petals in the temple.
It is believed that tribals found the Udbhava Linga centuries back in the nearby hilly region named Kumara Gudda. The Linga was worshipped for quite a long time on this hill. It is said that one fine morning, the Linga appeared in the Shishileshwara temple by itself. This made worshipping the linga extremely convenient for the priest and devotees.
Shishileshwara temple is located in Dakshina Kannada and receives a large footfall of devotees. It is surrounded by hills, dense forests, and the Kapila River from all directions. According to popular beliefs, the Shishileshwara temple has the power to attract even atheists to its pedestal. According to an engineer from the archaeology department, this temple is probably 700 years old. There are no proper documents available in particular to provide accurate information about the year in which this temple was constructed.
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