Talakadu

Nestled on the banks of River Kaveri, the town of Talakadu in Karnataka is a mystic place submerged in the sand of extremely fine quality. Steeped with rich past and heritage, it is famous for its Vaidyanatheshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The place derives its name from two local chieftains Tala and Kada and thus is called Talakadu. Situated only 3 hours drive from Bangalore, this is an ideal place for history buffs and for the devotees of Lord Shiva.  With a rich past and heritage, the town is also quite famous among the devotees who come here for a special worship.

Talakadu is situated on the left bank of River Kaveri and visitors can witness the legacy of the town that still reflects in its age-old antiquity. There are a number of temples located on the banks of River Kaveri that are buried under the sand and are excavated once in every 12 years for special worship called the 'Panchalinga Darshana'. The Panchalinga Darshana includes five major temples namely Vaidyeshwara temple, Arkeshwara temple, Vasukishwara or Pataleshwara temple Saikateshwara or Maraleshwara temple and Mallikarjuna temple. It is said that the Pataleshwara Shivalinga change colours according to the time of the day- red in the morning, black in afternoon and white in the evening.