Talakadu Tourism - The City of Lost Temples

Talakadu, once a magnificent city with more than 30 temples, was buried under sand in the 16th century. Writings from the time say that this was caused due to a natural disaster during the rule of the Wodeyars, but local stories and myths state otherwise. It is said that Talakadu was buried under sand because of the curse of Alamelu, the queen of the region.

Talakadu, a city that once sported five popular Shiva temples, was ruled by the Gangas and then by the Cholas. The Cholas were chased out of Talakadu by the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana. The city was later ruled by the King of Vijayanagara and was taken over by the Wodeyars of Mysore.

When the Raja from Mysore moved against Talakadu with an army in order to lay his hands on a jewel of Alamelu, she threw the jewel into the River Cauvery and drowned herself. Legend states that before she died, she laid a curse, stating: œLet Talakadu change to sand, let Malangi become a whirlpool and let the Mysore Kings be heirless. It was in the 16th century the city was buried under sand.

The Local Culture and Heritage - Tourist places in Talakadu

The city is known for its five temples, namely the Vaidyanatheshwara, Pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, and Mallikarjuna temples. All these temples tend to get buried under sand every year, but efforts are now constantly on to keep these open. The region also has a Keerthinatheshwara temple, a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu that stands among the five Shiva temples, and this is now being reconstructed.

The river Cauvery flows through this city and takes a very sharp bend here, so the scene on the banks of the Cauvery here is picturesque. This city is popular for its Panchalinga Darshana which takes place once in 12 years. The last one happened in the year 2009. The Panchalinga Darshana takes place on the new moon day in the month of Karthika, when the two stars Khuha Yoga and Vishaka come together.

Other places that you can visit around Talakadu are Somnathpur, Shivansamudra, Mysore, Sri Rangapattana, Ranganatittu and Bandipur.

Best Time to visit Talakadu

The Best time to visit Talakadu is between November and March as the temperatures are pleasant during this time.

How to reach Talakadu

Talakadu is located in the Mysore district and lies at a distance of about 43 km from Mysore and about 120 km from Bangalore. These two major cities offer travel options to this town, and it is well connected through road.

You can always find shops selling snacks and soft drinks in the town, and these can keep you occupied when you're not exploring the temples. You can opt for accommodation in Talakadu as there are many prominent hotels in the town. If mythology and history are your primary interests, the mysterious town of Talakadu can keep you occupied and thrilled.