Kottureshwara Temple Kotturu, Karnataka

Shri Guru Kottureshwara Shrine at Kotturu is an ancient shrine located at Kotturu taluk, Vijayanagara District, North Karnataka, India, 583134.This temple is 19 km from Kudligi, 28 km from Harapanahalli, 70 km from Davanagere and 253 km from Bengaluru.

History
Origin
Kotturu (Kannada: ಕೊಟ್ಟೂರು) is named after Saint Kottureshwara, so its history stems from the history of Guru Kottureshwara. Once on the Earth when the Veerashaiva Sect was under threat, Lord Shiva and Parvathi from Heaven (Kailasa) ordered Nandi to go to Sarasipura/Shikapura (the earlier name of Kottur) and protect the innocent people. So Lord Nandi disguised in a form of saint and reached Shikapura.

This Saint was later called by people as Kottureshwara (Kottu or Kodu in Kannada means “Give” and Eshwar means “Lord Shiva”), the one who gives blessings.

Kotturu is also famous for a dish called mandakki: Menasinakai. There are different varieties of mandakki. Devotees make it a point to have this dish when they visit.

Ancient history
It is believed that Darbar Matha (or Dodda Matha or Hire Matha) (Shrine) used to be a temple of Lord Virabhadra. Once people started visiting Lord Kottureswara to get the blessings, they stopped worshiping Lord Virabhadra. Lord Virabhadra complained about this to Lord Kottureshwara. Then the Guru asked him to occupy another place called Kodathgudda where Lord Virabhadra Swamy temple is now. This is an equally famous temple in this region.

Nandi who disappeared from Kailasa (Heaven) and appeared in the image of an untidy saint in the Shikapura or Sarasipura Shrine (Murkal Matha: The three stone temple or shrine). The presence of the Rushi (singer of sacred hymns, also an inspired poet or sage) spread throughout the Sarasipura. People started troubling Nandi by throwing stones and using bad words. All the people who troubled Nandi lost their eyes and become blind. The people realized their mistake and bowed their heads in front of the saint. By this incident Nandi who was in a disguise form became famous and people started visiting him to solve their problems. It is said that one day, a buffalo died and the cow boy approached to the Saint to save the buffalo; than the Saint kept his hand on the buffalo’s head, the dead buffalo got back its life. Day by day the popularity of the saint increased. Saint offered his blessings with Shiva accompanied in his heart to all the people and solved the people’s problem.