Mulbagal is a town and Taluk headquarters of Mulbagal Taluk in the Kolar district in the state of Karnataka, India. It lies just off the National Highway 4.

Etymology

Mulbagilu has been taken from the word Mudalabagilu which means the eastern-door in the native Kannada language. Mulbagal was supposedly the eastern most frontier (and thereby the entrance) of the state of Mysore and hence the name. Also, it was the eastern gate to Vijayanagara Empire. A hill near this town is famous for being the first point of sun rise in Karnataka.

History

A legend specifies that the Hanuman temple here was installed by Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, after the Mahabharata war. Sage Vasishta is believed to have installed the idols of the main deity Srinivasa, Padmavati and Rama-Sita-Lakshmana.

Mulbagal is the birth place of famous literature D.V.Gundappa who is famous and well known by his Manku Timmana Kagga. Retired Lokaayukta Chief Mr.Venkatachalaiah was born in this Taluk.

Places to see

• Someshwara Temple: Apart from the famous Hanuman temple, this town has Someswara' temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Shiva linga here is similar to that at sacred Kashi or Varanasi.

• Baba Hyder Vali Dargah: Mulbagal is also famous for the dargah of Sufi Saint Hazrath Baba Hyder Vali. It is a 700 + years old dargah. Both Muslims and Hindus visit at the darga to get spiritual blessings of the saint. Urs, which is an annual festivity is celebrated for three consecutive days which is very popular even to date.

Temples in and near Mulabagilu

• Kshetra Palaka Sri Anjaneya Temple at Mulbagilu Bus stand, being tired after war Arjuna went on pilgrimage and bought his flag used during war consisting of Vayu Putra image and established in Mulabagal then called shathaka vatipuri.

Temple has been renovated recently by Hiranya gowda from USA native of Chamareddy palli a village near mulbagal.

• Someshwara Temple: Apart from the famous Hanuman temple, this town has Someswara' temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Shiva linga here is similar to that at sacred Kashi or Varanasi.

Legend says childless can pray for child by making pradhakshinas

• Virupakshi Sri Virupaksheshwara Swamy Temple is also located in Virupakshi Village about 4 kilometres from Mulbagal. This temple was built in the 1200s by Vijayanagara Rulers and resembles the Virupaksheshwara Temple in Hampi. The pooja performances at this temple has been done by Agastya Gothra's Sri V.A. Subramanya Deekshit and Sons. This is the only family that has been doing the pooja here since the temple was constructed and dates back to about 8 generations.

• Lord Subramanyeswara temple at foot hills of Anjandri hill.

• 15 km from Mulbagal Avani Rama pratistita Ramalingeshwara temple and beautiful hill where sita stayed.

Avani Sree Sharada Sringeri Temple a temple built by Adishankara and rebuilt last decade.

• Vittaleshwara Temple: Another temple dedicated to Vishnu is the Vittaleswara temple and the idol is similar to Panduranga Vittala at Pandarapur in Maharashtra state.This is also very old temple and has a large gopuras (towers) and vast kalyani (pond).

• Sripadaraja Math: The town was the residing place of Sreepadaraja Swamiji or simply Sripadaraya, a direct disciple of Saint Madhwacharya, who is known as third avatar of Vayu. The earlier two being Anjaneya or Hanuman, second being Bheema; the second Pandava. Madhwacharya established the Dwaita school of philosophy. Sreepadaraaja Swamiji who was the raajaguru (most important advisor) of the Vijayanagara kings, was known to have used kannada keerthanas (hymns) during pooja which was considered holy during those times. Sreepaadaraja Swaamiji was also known to was offering sixty four types of dishes naivedya (offering) to God everyday without fail. He has penned many keerthanas praising God and are still popular even after 600 years.

• Narasimha Teertha: The Narasimha teertha is about 2 km from the town of Mulbagal. It is the sacred place where Swaamiji lived and had his brindavan (sacred resting place for Hindu sages) made, is now the headquarters of the Sreepaadaraaja Mutt founded by him. There is also a Swayamvyakta Yoga Narasimha temple near the brindavan.

• Baba Hyder Vali Dargah: Mulbagal is also sacred for Muslims as the dargah of Sufi Saint Baba Hyder Vali of Mulbagal is situated here here. Both Muslims and Hindus worship at the darga and Urus festival is very popular here even to date.

• Kurudamale Maha Ganapathi Temple: Situated at 8 km from Mulbagal. This place is famous for Lord Ganapathi Temple.the Idol of the lord ganapathi is made of single " Saligrama rock " and the height is about 21 Ft from the ground level , & This Idol as well as temple is told to be 5000 yrs old.

• Sreenivasa Temple in Jyothi Nagara Pet was built by Sri RangaDasulu

Route Map:

By Road 100kms from Bangalore. You can go in Tirupathi and mulbagilu bus at the cost of 65 rupees.

Photo Gallery:

Sripadaraja Math

God Narasimha

Moola Brindavan Sripadarajaru

Prana Devaru

Narasimha Teertha

Samsthana Pooja

Vyasarajara Guhe (Cave)

Shri Sripadarajaru





Photos & Informations: Praveen Joshi-Bangalore