Sri Arkeshwara Swamy Temple – Mandya

 

Sri Arkeshwara Swamy Temple is located in Gottalu Village in Mandya Taluk in the state of Karnataka.

Sri Arkeshwara Swamy is an incarnation of Lord Shiva.

This temple was built in the South Indian style of architecture.

The place around the Shivalinga was surrounded by Avarkie Plants. So devotees called the portion of Shivalinga as Lord Arkeshwara Swamy.

This temple was built in the 12^th Century.

Devotees believe that victims of snake bites recover if their foreheads are smeared with the sandalwood paste of Lord Arkeshwara. They also believe that the snake bite victim recovers if they drink the theertha and take Prasada of the lord.

Rathotsavam, Vijaya Dasami, and Karthika Masa are the important festivals celebrated in the Temple.

According to temple sources, the place near Guththalu where the temple is located was said to have been a dense forest. Cows that belonged to the home of the chief of Channapana Doddi village in the Mandya district, which is over 1.5 km from Goththalu, were taken to the forest for grazing. One of the cows gave milk only when it surrounded the 'Guththi' plant, 'Vushamparaji' plant, and 'Avarike' plant around the Mruththike (termite mound) there. It is also believed that when the cow was milked at home, blood oozed from it. When a servant informed about blood oozing from the cow, the chief of Channaparna Doddi tied a Ugani plant to the neck of the particular cow. He observed from atop a tree when the cow was milked around the termite mound. Later, he is believed to have cut the bushes in the area using a weapon called Chandrayudha. It is believed that he had accidentally cut the head of the Shiva Linga. The head portion of 'Shiva Linga' rolled down. Myth has it that Lord Shiva conveyed to the chief of Channapana Doddi to build a temple at the place where that portion of 'Shivalinga' was installed. The chief built a temple there. The place around the original 'Shivalinga' was surrounded by Avarike plants. Devotees called the portion of Shivalinga Lord Arkeshwara Swamy. The place where it is situated came to be known as Guttalu or Arkeshwar Nagar.

Temple Timings

6.00 am to 1.30 pm

4.30 pm to 8.30 pm

During special days

5.30 am to 10.00 pm

How to Reach the Temple

3 km from Mandya

60 km from Mysore

96 km from Bengaluru

Nearby Temples

Hanumanthanagara, Sri Aatmalingeshwara Swamy Temple – 13 km

Mandya, Sri Laxmi Janardhana Swamy Temple – 5 km

Ukkada, Sri Ahalya Devi Temple – 35 km

Basaraalu, Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple – 25 km

Melukote Sri Cheluvaraya Swamy Temple – 40 km

Srirangapatna, Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple – 30 km

Srirangapatna, Sri Nimishambha Temple – 35 km