Mukteshwara Temple

Overview

The Mukteshwara Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, sitting on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, is a fine example of the Chalukya architecture. The temple is situated about 40 kilometres from the town of Haveri. The outer structures of the temple have been wonderfully preserved even after centuries. The exteriors are covered with amazingly detailed sculptures depicting various events from the puranas.

About the temple

The Mukteshwara temple in Haveri district of Karnataka is renowned in the archaeological circles because it was built during the transition period from Kilimukha to Veerashaivam, where other forms of Lord Shiva were eschewed in favour of the Lingam. This movement was spearheaded by Basaveshwara in Karnataka and the earliest scriptures mentioning Basaveshwara are found here in Mukteshwara Temple.

His followers, called Lingayats, practice this form of worship till today. There are medieval Kannada inscriptions on the temple walls which mention the Veerashaiva movement for the first time during the year 1191. One can see the historical importance of this temple to scholars and archaeologists.

Legend and stories

The Mukteshwara temple in Chaudayyadanapura village in the district of Haveri is considered to be the finest of all the temples of Karnataka.

This is because history shows that it stands witness to the Kannada language in the 11th and 12th centuries. It also signifies the shift to Veerashaivam from the earlier form of Suddha Shaivam that was being practiced when other idol forms like Nataraja were worshipped.

The inscriptions on the temple walls also show that the Gupta dynasty ruled the region at that time, and that King Chandragupta Vikramaditya ruled from his seat of power in Ujjain. Like the Bhrihadheeswara Temple in Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) which contains a lot of information about the Chola kings on its inscriptions, the Mukteshwara temple too carries authentic information about the Gupta dynasty.

This temple is the most religiously significant as it bears witness to the Kannada Kingdom of the medieval ages. The temple testifies to the greatness of Basaveshwara who helped the Veera Shaivam movement to thrive and spread across the entire Southern Peninsula, as almost all the temples across the South have only lingams installed instead of other idol forms of Lord Shiva.

Festivals

Shivaratri is celebrated as festival.

How To Reach Mukteshwara Temple

Road

The Nearest Bus stop is Chaudayyadanapura.

Railways

The nearest Railway Station is Haveri.

Airport

The Nearest Airport is Hubli airport.

Temple Address