Amidst the water and sand of the Cauvery river lays one of Karnataka’s most important archeological site – Talakad. The fact that almost 30 temples of the area are now buried in sand, makes this place an interesting place to visit.
The main attraction at Talakad is the Vaideshyara temple. The entire area is covered with sand and only the temple is visible above the ground. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and boasts of Dravidian style of architecture.
Some of the main sites this place is famous for are the Panchalingams, which comprises Mallikarjuna, Saikateshwara or Maraleshwara, Vasukishwara or Pataleshwara, Arkeshwara and Vaideshyara. Spend some time at the Pataleshwara Shivalinga, as people claim that the temple changes its colour from red in the morning to black in the afternoon and finally white at night.
This historical site has many folklore associated with its inception. A very interesting curse is also associated with this sand site. It i said that Alamelamma, a pious lady, had cursed the kings o Woodeyar dynasty, the reason for which is not known.
The best time to visit Talakad is during the Panchalinga Darshana which is held once in 12 years. This event takes place in the mont of November and lasts for 10 days. This mahotsav begins fro 4:30 in the morning and continues till 11 in the night. Various 1 da tour packages are offered by the Karnataka State Touris Development Corporation (KSTDC),for the pilgrims and tourists alike during the celebration of this event.
Talakd is located at a distance of 45 kms from Mysore and 185 kms from Bangalore. It can be easily accesses via roads. The nearest railway station is at Mysore.