Abhinava Tirupathi Sri Venkateshwara Temple – Hanumasagara

Abhinava Tirupathi Sri Venkateshwara Temple – Hanumasagara

Sri Venkateshwara Temple also famously known as Abhinava Tirupathi is located at Hanumasagara village in Kushtagi taluk of Koppal district- Karnataka.

This temple has history dating back to the time of Bijapur Adil Shahi’s rule i.e. about 400 years ago. Katapura was a small kingdom ruled by Shrimanta Timmappayya Desai who was a devotee of Lord Venkateshwara. Every year Desai would visit Tirumala temple (in present day Andhra Pradesh) without fail. During those days people going on pilgrimage would walk all the way. As Desai aged he found it difficult to carry out his annual pilgrimage to Tirumala. He was worried about not seeing his Lord’s image. One night Desai had a dream in which his Lord orders him to visit Hanamasagar hill and look for a sleeping cow and an image of his feet. The Lord also commands Timmappayya Desai to worship his feet and not travel all the way to Tirumala.

Timmappayya Desai along with family members finds a cow sleeping on a pair of feet as seen in his dream. Desai was happy to see his Lord’s feet. He starts living on Hanamasagar hill spending his time in his Lord’s service. Some time later, Desai begs to see the full image of his Lord because he was not satisfied by just worshiping his feet. As an answer to his prayers Lord Venkateshwara commands Timmappayya to search for his murthy (idol) on a washerman’s stone at Kalabhavi village near Kushtagi town. As directed Desai finds his Lord’s murthy and brings it to Hanamasagar hill, installs it there and gives a name to the place as Abhinava Tirupathi. Later a small temple and a kitchen were constructed.