Durvasapura Mutt

Durvasapuram is located at a distance of about 2 miles from Tirthahalli. It is on the bank of the Tunga river. There is a small island (dvipa) in the middle of the Tunga, called Durvasasrama. This place is situated at a distance of 36 miles from the source of the Tunga. According to the sthala-mahatmya, while the Pandavas were staying here, the water of the river, did not flow downwards, because Bhima had constructed a dam (Bhima-setu) there. Seeing this Durvasa wanted to curse Bhima, Bhima then made three openings in the dam through which the water flowed down. Bhima installed a murti of Sive (Bhimeswara) there. It is said that those who have darshan of Bhimesvara, Siddhesvara installed on the Siddhesvara hillock and Ramesvara installed at Tirthahalli by Parasurama will not be born again.

आदौ भीमेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा मध्ये सिद्धेश्वरं तथा । अन्ते रामेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥

One of the acharyas of the Dwaraka Peetha removed himself to Malabhagalu situated to the North of the present Kolar. During the time of Sivappa and Bhimappa Naik of Bidanur, the then Acharya of Dwaraka (Mulabhagalu) Matha was invited to the Durvasapura. He accordingly visited the place and had a Matha constructed there. The principal deity worshipped in the temple is Sri Gopalakrishna. There are also murtis of Sri Chandramaulisvara Swamy and Sri Gayatri Devi.

(Original Article: Written by Sri Anantanandendra Swami of Upanishad Brahmendra Matha – Published by Prof.S.Soundararajan,Bangalore)