Sringeri Homestay

Amazing experience. Mostly known for the heritage and architectural value. There is no full functional pooja here, more of a tourist place. Exceptional architecture and sculptures. Good for Photography in the monsoon months as the skies tend to be more dramatic. We went in December it was good weather around 8am. Highly recommended.

A wonder of the art and architecture world! Yes, the Vidyashankara Temple not just brings about piety in us but also makes one wonder at the architectural marvels sculpted within this great temple.

Each of the 12 pillars representing a 'raashi' each have numerous intricate carvings. The stone orb inside the mouth of a lion sculpted on the pillar is a wonder. The roof carvings depict the stories from the puranas and Bhagavata. Carvings on the inside and outside of the temple wall narrate stories from the epic Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The tall spire above the sanctum has numerous deities carved into it till the peak where the kalasha is placed.

In terms of architectural achievements, the Vidyashankara temple is no less than the Belur and Halebidu temple. A must visit.

Modern Architectural wonder.

Such an amazing art work. You have to minutely observe the stone cravings on this temple, this shows how rich and great are our ancestors and how well we understood the science ages back. This temple is rite beside the Sharad Devi Temple and attracts lot of people for photos.

Very beautiful temple covered with full of rocks and the temple located on the bank of the river named as 'Tunga'.
Must visit place in Karnataka.

📿Vidyashankara Temple In Sringeri📿

The Vidyashankara temple is located in the holy town of Sringeri, in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. Apart from its religious significance, the temple is an eye open for architecture enthusiasts as it combines the Dravidian architectural style with the Hoysala style.

Sringeri is the site of one of the Advaitha mathas established by Adi Shankara himself. It has a continuing tradition and recorded history from the eighth century. Sri Adi Shankara’s disciple Sureshwarachrya was the first head of this matha.

History :

The Sringeri Matha’s continued lineage is traceable through various records. Two of the most famous pontiffs of this matha are Vidya Shankara or Vidyathirtha and his disciple Vidyaranya.

Vidyaranya is a legendary figure in the history of Karnataka and also South India. His period saw the beginning of Muslim incursions into the south. Vidyaranya was instrumental in helping the brothers Harihara and Bukka establish the Vijayanagara Empire, which served as a fortress for defending Hindu traditions and temples against the tidal wave of Muslim invaders from the North.

Vidyaranya it is believed influenced the brothers Harihara and Bukka to have a temple constructed over the Samadhi of his Guru, Vidyathirtha. This temple is known as Vidyashankara Temple.

Architecture :

The Vidyashankara temple was constructed in 1338 AD. Built around the Samadhi of Vidyathirtha, this is a beautiful and interesting temple that bears a slight resemblance to an old Chariot. It combines the general the features of Dravidian style with the Vijayanagara style. Standing on a richly sculpted plinth, this temple has six doorways.

12 pillars surround the mandapa with figures of the twelve signs of the zodiac. They are constructed in such an ingenious way that the rays of the sun fall on each pillar in the chronological order of the twelve months of the Hindu calendar. Each column is topped by a Yali with a rolling stone ball in its mouth.

Inside the temple, on the floor, a circle is drawn with lines corresponding to the shadows cast by each pillar. There are five shrines here. The main shrine has a Shiva Linga over the Samadhi of Sri Vidyashankara and it is known as Vidya Shankara Linga. The other shrines are for Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga. The Garbhagraha is topped by a majestic square vimana.

This temple also houses a broken sandalwood idol of Sharadamba, believed to have been installed in the Sharadamba temple by Adi Shankara Himself. This idol, it is believed, was damaged during the Muslim invasion, and Sri Vidyaranya had the current Gold statue of Sharadamba installed in its place.

The temple stands on the banks of the Tunga river. Fish are often found at the temple steps where they wait for devotees to feed them puffed rice. These fish are considered sacred.

Must visit place for all the Hindus, established by acharya Śrī Ādi Śaṅkara to preserve and propagate Sanātana Dharma and Advaita Vedānta. Excellent architecture. You can still feel the energy there. For puja and prasadam you can choose form the menu. There are three important places here to visit: Sri Vidyashankara Gudi, Sri Sharadamba temple and Gurugala Aadishtaana which is right across the setu. The setu opens at 9am and you can step on it with shoes on; this is the place where Narasimha vana is. You can also get here from the road.

A beautiful example of Hoysala architecture. Temple dedicated to lord Shiva. The carvings are quite immaculate. On one side there are the 12 zodiac signs. Other side features avataras of Vishnu

Vidyashankara Temple is a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and is a beautiful architectural shrine. It’s is located next to Shri Sharadamba temple. The view of the river bank outside the shrine is candid. A must visit place if you add in Sringeri.