Place: Sringeri Sharadamba Temple
Distance: 100 Kms
Region: Sringeri (Chikmagalur)
Type: Historical Temple
Located amongst the lush green mountain ranges of the Sahyadri, Sringeri is located in the modern day district of Chickmagalur in the state of Karnataka in India.
Sringeri, 104 kms from Mangalore and 100 kms from Chikmagalur town, is a well-known centre of pilgrimage situated on the banks of the river Tunga and at the foot of the Sahya Mountain – a part of the Western Ghats, in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. It is as sacred as Kashi, Rameshwaram, Puri, Dwaraka, Tirupathi, Srisailam, Srirangam, Pandharpur, Badrinath and Pashupathinath. This place is held in high esteem also because of the Maha samsthan of Jagadguru Sri Shankaracharya.
It is here that Sri Adi Shankarachrya, the exponent of the Advaita system of philosophy, established the first southern centre (“Sringeri Math”) for propagating the Sanatana Dharma. Sharada being the Goddess worshipped here, this holy place is known as Sharada Peeth as Goddess Sharada is being worshipped here. While moving all over India, Sri Shankara selected a few places for establishing his spiritual centres. Sringeri is prominent amongst such places, the others being Puri, Dwaraka, Badrinath, Kashi and Kedarnath. Sri Shankara spent a longer period
Vidyashankara Temple built here is a combination of Chola, Dravida, Nagara, and Chalukya styles and stands on a plat form of 3ft. Sri Sharadamba Temple is another major temple worth visiting. Accommodation for overnight stay and free food is offered to the devotees though out the year by Peetha. The sacred fishes in the river are an attraction to both young and old.
The name Sringeri is derived from Rishyashringa-giri, a nearby hill that is believed to have contained the heritage of Rishi Vibhandaka and his son Rishyashringa. Rishyashringa appears in an episode in the Bala-Kanda of the Ramayana where a story, narrated by Vasishtha, relates how he brought rains to the drought-stricken kingdom of Romapada