Sri Trivikrama Temple- Sonda

Sri Trivikrama Temple is located at Soda/Sode/Sonda is a tiny hamlet near Sirsi in Karnataka.Sri Rama Trivikrama Swamy temple dedicated to an incarnation of Lord Vishnu is a part of Sode Sri Vadiraja Mutt.The temple was built during the reign of Arasappa Nayaka, a chieftain who was a vassal under the Vijayanagara Empire. Sri Vadiraja Teertharu entered Brindavan here.

There is a very interesting legend about how Rama Trivikrama temple was established. Sode ruler, Arasappa Nayaka invited Sri Vadiraja Teertharu to his fort and requested for a Vishnu temple for the protection of his kingdom. Sri Vadiraja promised him that he would establish one for the king. He asked the king to go ahead and build a temple and Teertharu would arrange for the main deity. He drew a temple plan for the construction. As the temple construction neared finish, the devotees and the ruler were worried and sought Sri Vadiraja again.

Sri Vadiraja Teertharu assured all the people and told them, the shrine was already under worship in Badari by sages Veda Vyas and Sri Madhwacharya himself. Teertharu had made arrangements for the transporting of the entire sanctum. He ordered Bhootaraja to bring the temple from Badari. While Bhootaraja was bringing the temple that was in the shape of a chariot, a demon tried to attack. Bhootaraja used a wheel from the chariot to get rid of the demon. Sri Vadiraja completed the ceremony of establishing Rama Trivikrama Swamy temple. Even to this day, you can see the chariot has only three wheels and a wheel is missing.

Rama Trivikrama Temple is fondly called Bhu Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Srimannarayana himself. It consists of three sections. A sanctum where Lord Trivikrama has been established. The stone chariot used by Bhootaraja for transporting the image of Trivikrama. Goddess Lakshmi called Rama Devi installed in the chariot. The image of Rama carved in black granite is very beautiful to behold. Temple sanctum is complete with a Kalash on the tower. Outer walls of the sanctum have a few interesting sculptures.

A tall Dhwaja Stambha has been established in front of the temple. Dhwaja Stambha has a beautiful shrine for Garuda at the top with bells on all the four sides. Sri Vadiraja atop a Hamsa (Swan) and Garuda have been carved in the faces of the Dhwaja Stambha.

There is an interesting story about Dhwaja Stambha.
Dhwaja Stambha in front of Sri Trivikrama Swamy temple was established by Sri Veda Vedya Teertharu. He succeeded Sri Vadiraja Teertharu after his Brindavana Pravesha. When Veda Vedya Tertha was trying to get Dhwaja Stambha erected, the installation was not stable. He had a dream once and Sri Vadiraja instructed him to get a carving done on one side of the stone pillar, with Sri Vadiraja riding a Hamsa (swan). Sri Veda Vedya Teertha followed the instructions and the pillar was erected without any further hassles.