Sri Renuka Yellamma Temple at Saundatti
The Renuka Devi temple, or Yellamma Devi temple (as it is more popularly known), is the most famous pilgrimage centre in North Karnataka Yellamma gudda (hill) housing Goddess Renuka Devi, popularly known as “Yellamma Devi” reverberated with the chants of “Udho Udho…”
Yellamma Devi is associated with Renuka, the wife of Jamadhagni and the mother of Parashurama, whose story is told in the Puranas. Here, she is worshipped as Renuka Devi or Yellamma Devi.
Yellamma Devi is also identified with the Goddess Kali. Kali is known as the punisher who destroys evil-doers, but she is also the kind mother who showers love and blessings on her devotees. It is in this aspect that she is worshipped here. A Jain inscription in the temple, in Sanskrit and Kannada, refers to the Rashtrakuta kings Krishna and
Vikramadithya.
The legend has it that Renuka Devi (Yellamma), daughter of Renuka Raja, married sage Jamadagni (son of Ruchik Muni and Satyavathi) and lived in the ‘ramshrung’ Mountains. Jamadagni, the sage well known for his anger, had obtained the blessings of the anger gods by performing severe penance. Renuka Devi was helping her husband Jamdagni muni in all his tasks of performing various rituals and poojas.
She gave birth to five sons Vasu, Viswa Vasu, Brihudyanu, Brutwakanwa and Ram Bhadra. Ram Bhadra got the mercy of Lord Shiva and Parvathi, he was also blessed with “Ambikastra” from Lord Shiva and Parvathi and hence he was called Parashurama.
Renuka Devi used to go to the River Malapahari (Malaprabha) daily to have bath and after having her bath in the holy river, with total attentiveness and devotion she used to fill the pot with river water, which she used to make out of the sand which is available on the bank of the river. Then she would catch the snake which was around there and turn it into a convolution and place it on head as support for the pot. This shows her devotion and concentration towards the Pativrata. She use to bring water daily like this to Jamdagni for performance of rituals.
Once Renuka devi went to River Malapahari to take her bath and get the river water for her husband. She saw the Gandharvas playing in the river. At that instance she lost her concentration as well as devotion and imagined that, she herself playing with her husband in the river. After some time, she came out of her imagination and took her bath in the river and started making the pot using the sand but she was not able to do. Even the snake was disappearing if she tried to catch the snake. Renuka Devi returned to the ashram with great disappointment.
Sage Jamadagni came to know about this and got angry and cursed her. He ordered her to get away. Jamadagni ordered his sons to punish their mother. No one agreed except Parashurama. Jamadagni cursed his sons who did not agree to punish their mother. Parashuma using his axe, cut his mother’s head. Renuka devi’s head multiplied by tens and hundreds and moved to different regions. This miracle made her four eunuch sons and others to become her followers, and worship her head.
This Yallamma temple was constructed in 1514 by Bommappa Nayak. It is built in a combination of Chalukyan and Rashtrakuta styles. There are smaller temples for Ganesha, Mallikarjuna, Parashurama, Eknaath and Siddheshwara in the temple courtyard. The government currently takes care of the temple management.
The Yellamma temple is located on peak of a hill near Saundatti. Saundatti is ancient town which was the first capital of the Ratta family.
The Yellamma temple attracts folks from all over the state and neighboring states, During the ‘ Yellamma Jatra’ particularly the one during the month of Margashira. Even though the fair at Saundatti Yellamma temple is held on many occasions between October and February, devotees from Karnataka and its neighboring states arrive to the Saundatti Yellamma temple with great devotion, especially during Yellamma Jatra, which takes place on the full moon day known as ‘Bharat Hunnime’ which is today.