Kotturu
Kotturu is a small town, a commercial and education centre in the
Bellary district of
Karnataka,
India. It is the home of
Guru Kottureshwara, a 15th century saint. More than one lakh people gather during car festival (rathotsav) conducted during February , every year.Kotturu is also famous for mandakki-menasinakayi(mirchi).It has a population of 40,000.
The history of Guru Kottureshwara...or the place Kotturu named after Saint Kottureshwara.On the earth when the backward and the Virasaiva religion was under threat lord shiva ad parvathi from the Heaven or Kailasa orders Nandhi to Go to (Sarasipura,Shikapura) the previous name of Kottur and protect the innocent people.Lord nandhi was un happy with the shiva and parvathi decision realizing this shiva promises nandhi that when ever you call me i will be their to help you.Then Nandhi disappears from the Kailasa and appears in the image of untidy mad saint in the shikapura or Sarsipura Shiva temple(Murkal Mutta-The three stone temple or shrine).The presence of the rushi spreads through out the ssrasipura.People start troubling nandhi by throwing stones and using bad words.All the people who troubled nandhi lose there eyes and become blind.The people realize their mistake and bow their heads in front of Nandhi.By this incident Nandhi or the Saint become famous and people start visiting to solve their problems.It is said that one day a baffalo dies and the cow man approaches saint to save the baffalo saint keeps his hand on the buffalos head the dead baffalo gets its life.Day by day the popularity of the saint increases.Nandhi offers his blessiings with Shiva accompanied in his heart to all the people and solbves the people problem.Nandhi preachs the Virasiva religion principles to the people.
The Virasaiva religion practised by the mankind prirorto the Mahanjadharo and harappa civilization times founded by Five anccient saints (Renukaradhya,Dharukardhya,Ekoramardhya,Somanathardhya,Viswardhya)the five faces of lord shiva.These five saints came to Earth on the direction of shiva to save the Mankind from the Evils and to preach the anncient principles of worshiiping shiva to attain Moksha.The Five saints comes together to earth through the Five Shivalinga of five temples in india.The Saint Renukaradhya from Kolanpak Somesahwara temple,Andhrapradesh.The Dharukardhya from the Ujjaini Mahakaleshwar.The Ekoramardhya from Mahabalewar Shiva temple,Andhrapradesh,Somanataradhya from Srishyla Andraprasedh and Viswaardhaya from Kashi viswanath temple Kashi.All the saints esatblished their base or Mutts in their respective places.The saints started teaching the principles of virasaiva on earth.They observed the diffrences in the society and decided to preach the prniciples to the Rishi muni who came from backward community.The rushi muni were Agasthyamuni,Dadichimuni and few others who where from backward caste.The idea of the Five saints or acharya was to remove the differences from the society.The five Saints Mutt or Shrine presently continues to preach the Virasaiva principles from the Five mutts.The Renukaardhya Ashrama form Balehonnur Chikamagalur,Karnataka.The Dharukardhya Ashram from Ujjini Bellary Karnataka.The Ekoramaradhya from Keddar, Somanatharadhya mutt from Srishyala Ashrama.The Viswaradhya from Kasi ashrama.Due to some indifferences or monoploy of other non virsaiva religion the holy mutts or asharams where shifted or moved from there original places over a period of centuries by the preceeding Saints or Acharyas.These Five Asharams are called as PanchaPeeta asharams.Many of the saints of the Panch peeta preached the divine principles of Virasaiva to other communities.Saint Basaveshwara was blessed by the acharya of Renukardhya Mutt.Bassavvana born in Brahmin family fed up with the high orthadox practices of brahmin and making indifferences among the people made remarkable changes in the childhood to Basavanna.He decided to come out of brahmin religion and approached the Virasaiva Renukaradhya mutt branch saint situated on the bank of river and accepted the Virasaiva religion.He gave the religion a new dimension by converting the Sanskrit litrature "Siddantha Sikamani"( The holy book of Virasaiva written by one of the Panch peeta saints) in to the regional language Kannada of karnataka in 12 century.He also worked hard to throw the indifferences from the society.The tradition continued till 15 century followed by Kottureswara of Kottur.The Virasiavism is spread across india and srilanka,nepal.Even today you can find the pujaris of pashupathinath temple belonging to veerasaiva religion.The 1 crore siva lingus or idol of shiva established by Srilanka king Ravana brother Vibhishana can be found in Srilanka even today.The Virasaiva rather than being a religion it is a way of life reaching lord shiva.
Saint Nandhi name was called by people as Kottureshwar(Kottu or Kodu in Kannada means give and Eshwar means God shiv) Kotu + Eshwara= Kottureshwara.
He travelled from North kashmir to kanyakumari.During the ruling off Akbar in delhi lord kottureswar or Nandhi appeared in the BEd room of Akbar wife as Old saint and blessed her.Hearing the voice of the old man the door keeping soldier informed this to the king emperor Akbar.Akbar came in anger to the queen bed room and saw the mid aged person sleeping in queens bed.For queen kottureshwara appeared as saint & for Akbar saint appeaed as ordinary person.He attached on kottureswar with Sword the sword became Flower Garland.Then akbar realized his misatke and surrenderd to lord nandhi.Lord nandhi or kottureshwar blessed Akbar ann Rajput queen that is akbar wife.Akbar presented Lord kottureshwar with his Sword and the Coat on which lord Kottureshwara was sleeping.He also declared as Sarsipura or shikapura as independent territory which was under his ruling.Lord kottureswara temples are divided in to 4 shrines in Kottur 1.Murkalmutt (3 stone shrine)2.Thotalmutt (shrine with cradle)3.Darbarmutt or Doddamutt(king assembly shrine or big shrine) 4.Gachina mutt(shrine where saint returns kailsa by meditating).In first mutt where lord nandhi came first to earth.Second mutt where lord bless a child.Third Is the mutt where he used solve the problems of people.The fourth is the mutt where guru kottureswara reached Lord Shiva by meditating.
