A Temple town in Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Sringeri is located on the banks of Tunga River along the Western Ghats. It is popular as a spiritual destination. It is also renowned for the Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham established by Adi Sankaracharya. It is one of the four main temples of the Advaita Vedantha philosophy and one of the Shakthi Sthalams of India. Sringeri also attracts tourists for it scenic beauty and cultural activities along with its many temples. Some of the places to visit in Sringeri are:

Sringeri Mutt:

Also known as Sringeri Sharadha Peetham and Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Sharadha Peetham, this Mutt is situated on the banks of River Tunga. It has a VidyathirthaLinga in accordance with the Yajur Veda traditions. The architecture followed is Dravidian and Hoysalan. The skilful style is seen in the twelve zodiac pillars arranged in such a manner that the rays of the sun fall on the pillar of the particular zodiac month. The main sanctum stands on a raised circular star-shaped platform.

Sharadha Temple:

Devoted to Goddess Sharadamba, the temple was established by Acharya Sri Shankara Bhagvatpada. It is built in the style typical of South Indian temples. A highlight of the temple is the multiple stone pillars complete with carvings of several Goddesses.

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Malayala Brahma Temple:

Located close to the Sharadha Temple is this temple. It is dedicated to Malayala Brahma or KshetraPalaka which means caretaker. Legend has it that a Malayala Brahmana scholar was cursed for not sharing his knowledge and became a Brahma rakshasha. To get rid of the curse he was advised to act as caretaker of the Mutt by Vidyaranya Rishi.

Sri Chappara Anjaneya Temple:

The idol of Lord Hanuman is impressive, carved out of black stone and wearing garlands of lemon and beetel leaves. Shrines of Lord Shiva and Serpent Gods are also present in this temple.

Vidyasankara Temple:

A rectangular shaped temple, it is devoted to Vidyashankara who resided in it in the 14^th century. Built in many styles like Dravidian, Vijayanagaran and Chalukyan, the temple has many inscriptions which talk about the contributions by the Vijayanagara rulers. The main sanctum has the deities of Goddess Durga and Lord Vidya Ganesha along with the idols of the Trimurthis and their consorts. The central ceiling, sloping channelled slab roofs and the carvings of Gods and Goddesses on the basement of the shrine are exemplary and stunning.

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Torana Ganapathi Temple:

Dedicated to Ganapathi, the temple worships Ganapathi in various forms like Kshipra Varaprasadhi and VaraPrasadi. Offerings prepared are coconuts and modaks made from sugar and jaggery which are the favourites of Ganesha. The padukaas of Vriddha Narasimha Bharati Swamy are another important element of the temple.

Kere Anjaneya Temple:

To the west of the Sringeri Math is the KereAnjaneya Temple. This Hamuman Temple is believed to be the only Anjaneya temple consecrated and built by Adi Shankaracharya. Along with a huge idol of Hanuman, the temple also has shrines for Lord Ganesha and Lord Shiva. 27 steps have to be climbed to reach the temple.

Horanadu:

Around 20 kilometres from Sringeri is Horanadu. It is attractive with lush landscapes of the forests of the Western Ghats. A temple dedicated to Goddess Annapoorneshwari is another attraction. The deity is depicted as holding a shankha and chakra and is seated on a peetha. An idol of Sri Chakra Gayathri Devi is also present.

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Kigga:

At a distance of ten kilometres from Sringeri is the Kigga village replete with greenery and trekking trails. A trekking route leads to Narasimha Parvatha peak. A temple dedicated to Saint Rishyasringa who is popularised by Ramayana is a major attraction in the village. The others are Srimane Falls and Rishi Vasishtha’s Ashram. Indulge in umpteen activities like rock climbing, hiking, trekking, camping and exploring while in Kigga.

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Hariharapura:

Prominent for two temples, Hariharapura is a town around 20 kilometres from Sringeri. Hari Temple is dedicated to Lord Hari and Hara Temple to Lord Shiva. Hara Temple is around 400 years old and stands on the shores of the Tunga River. A 110 year old bridge built across the Tunga River connecting Hariharapura with Koppa is a major attraction.

Photo Credit: Hariharapura.org

At Sringeri, worship the many Gods in this religious centre, enjoy nature at its best in its beautiful green surroundings and take home freshly prepared banana chips, spicy pickles and jackfruit pappads from locally grown produce.