Badavilinga Temple - Places to visit in Hampi, Karnataka | Trippyigloo

 

The Badavilinga Temple in Hampi has the largest monolithic Shiva Linga in Hampi. The Shiva Linga has a three eye mark drawn on it in line carving. The three eye mark depicts the three eyes of Lord Shiva.

The beautiful Linga is made of black stone. It has a height of 3 meters. It is believed that the temple has been in existence since the period of the Vijayanagara Empire. Devotees come here from far and near to worship the Shiva Linga. According to devotees, the base of the Shiva Lingam is submerged in water as it depicts the arrival of the holy river Ganges on earth and its flow is controlled by Lord Shiva.

 

• Timing: 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM on all days of the week

• Entry Fee: No entry fee required

• Photography: Allowed

• Visit Duration: About 1 ½ hours

• Best time to visit: From November to February

 

The huge Shiva Linga of the Badavilinga Temple is situated inside a small stone chamber. There is a single opening in front of the chamber through which devotees can get in. An interesting thing to note about the design of the stone chamber is that it has no ceiling. During the day, sunlight enters through the opening in the ceiling and floods the Shiva Linga with light.

The Shiva Linga has a large pedestal that is circular in shape. It is the yone pitha of the Shiva Linga. This circular pedestal draws into an outlet, also known as pranala. The pedestal of the Shiva Linga stands on a bed of water. This is due to the fact that the shrine always remains filled with water as a water channel flows through it.

 

Hampi is a renowned tourist destination. There are several ways to reach Hampi from various parts of Karnataka and beyond. Once a visitor reaches Hampi, he or she can arrive at the Badavilinga Temple without much difficulty as it is easily accessible.

By Air- Hampi is a ruined village that does not have an airport of its own. Ballari (Bellary) is the closest town that has an airport. Bellary is located at a distance of around 64 km from Hampi. Visitors can reach Bellary by taking a flight to the small town and then travel to Hampi by means of local transport.

By Rail- Hampi does not have a railway station. The nearest railway station is situated in the city of Hospet that has the Hospet Junction Railway Station. Hospet stands at a distance of around 10 km from Hampi. One of the easiest ways to reach Hampi from Hospet is to take a bus. A few means of local transport also exists and visitors can avail them to reach Hampi from Hospet.

By Road- Hampi has a good road network and is well-connected to many towns and cities with the help of this network. Several KSRTC buses travel between Hampi and other towns and cities in Karnataka. Visitors have the option to reach Hampi by bus or by hiring private cars, cabs or other vehicles from the major cities like Bengaluru (Bangalore) or Mysuru (Mysore).