Talakadu - a land of folklore, mythology, and mystery steeped in sand

Located on the left bank of river Kaveri, Talakadu (also spelt Talakad) is a town about 45 km from Mysore and 135 km from the capital city of Bangalore. Given its close proximity to the mighty Kaveri, one would expect a fertile town replete with lush greenery. However, Talakadu is a town of stark contrast. It is covered with dry sand all around and akin to a desert. A town with immense historical and spiritual significance, Talakadu forms for an insightful day trip from Bangalore or Mysore.

Intriguing History

The history of the town dates back to 350 A D when it was ruled by the Western Gangas till about 1000 A D. Talakadu was then ruled by the Cholas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagar empire before finally coming under the control of the Wodeyars of Mysore. History has it that the town began to be covered with enormous heaps of sands around the 17th century.

According to a popular legend this was due to the curse of Alamelamma who was the spouse of Tirumala Raya (aka Ranga Raya) of the Vijayanagar family and the chieftain of Srirangapatna. It is said that he fell seriously ill and visited the Vaidyeshwara temple of Talakadu for divine blessings. Queen Alamelamma was in charge of Srirangapatna at that time. On hearing about her husband’s condition, she handed over the kingdom to Raja Wodeyar of Mysore and proceeded to Talakadu. But the latter wanted to covet some of her precious jewellery too and hence sent an army against her. Enraged, Alamelamma threw the jewels in the Kaveri and drowned herself in the river. But before she did, she cursed the king that he would be fail to have heirs and that the town of Talakadu would turn into sand.

As providence would have it the town was covered with sand during this period causing its monuments and temples to submerge. While geologists and ecologists have come up with alternative theories, the presence of sand in the town still remains shrouded in mystery. It is also key to note that there are no natural heirs to the Mysore Maharajas who have adopted sons.

Land of Temples

It was in 1991 that the Archaeological Survey of India discovered a whole set of temples in this region. Of these temples, there are five temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and are believed to represent the five faces of the God. They are the Vaidyeshwara, Arkeshwara, Pataleshwara, Maraleshwara and Mallikarjuna temples. As an ode to these deities, a holy festival is held once in every 3-12 years on the new moon day of the Kartika month. The festival is considered highly auspicious and was last held in Dec-2020.

The Vaidyeshwara (aka Vaidyanatheswara) temple is one among the most magnificent temples of Talakadu. Built in the Dravidian style, this 14th century temple was built by the Cholas. Beautiful sculptures adorn in the inner and outer walls of the temple that is replete with intricate doorways and pillared halls. The workmanship is ornate and the finely chiselled walls are testimony to the architectural brilliance that the craftsmen possessed during those days. Do not miss the beautiful set of granite rings that is sculpted with no joints on one end of the roof. Apart from Lord Shiva the deities in this temple include that of Lord Ganesha, Lord Nataraja and Goddess Manonmani.
The Maruleshwara temple built by the Gangas is one of the oldest in this region. The main deity is Lord Shiva who is worshipped in the form of a Linga here. The Mallikarjuna temple is situated on a hillock and has idols of Lord Shiva and the Brahmaraambika goddess.

The Paathaleshwara cave temple is yet another unique temple where it is believed that the colour of the Linga changes during the day. It is believed to appear reddish orange in the morning, black during midday and white during night. The Arkeshwara Temple located slightly away has the presence of Goddess Durga, Bhairavar and the Abhayangara lingam along with Lord Shiva. Cows suffering from any diseases are bought here and are known to get cured.

Apart from the temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, there is the Sri Keerthi Narayana Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It was established by the great Vaishnavite scholar Sri Ramanuja in the 10th century AD and was built by the Hoysalas.

How to reach: Talakadu can be easily reached by road and is about 135 km from Bangalore and 45 km from Mysore.

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