Thirthahalli

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Thirthahalli ತೀರ್ಥಹಳ್ಳಿ Theertharajapura
Taluk
Tunga Bridge with Lightings during Theppotsava Tunga Bridge with Lightings during Theppotsava
Thirthahalli Location in Karnataka, India
Coordinates:
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Shimoga
Government
• MLA	Kimmane Rathnakar
Area
• Total	5.91 km2 (2.28 sq mi)
Elevation566	591 m (1,939 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	14,357
• Density	2,400/km2 (6,300/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Kannada
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	577 432
Telephone code	08181
Vehicle registration	KA-14
Website	www.thirthahallitown.gov.in

Thirthahalli (Kannada:ತೀರ್ಥಹಳ್ಳಿ)([t̪iɾt̪ʰəhʌɭɭi]) is a panchayat town located in the Shimoga District of the state of Karnataka, India. It lies on the bank of the river Tunga and is also the headquarters of the Thirthahalli Taluk of Shimoga district.

Etymology

According to a Hindu legend, the sage Parashurama beheaded Renuka's head with an axe on the orders of his father, the great sage Jamadagni. Parashurama tried to wash the blood stains off the axe by dipping it in various rivers, but a sesame-sized blood stain remained on his axe, until he dipped his axe in the Tunga River near Thirthahalli. This place is now called Parashurama Thirtha (or RamaThirtha) and is the origin of the name Thirthahalli (halli means village in the Kannada language). Near RamaThirtha, there is a stone Mantapa called Rama Mantapa. This legend has made Thirthahalli a holy place for Hindus, who believe that a dip in the river Tunga will cure one of all sins.

History

Another legend set in the time of Ramayana, indicates that Maricha, a relative of the Lanka king Ravana came disguised as a golden deer to enchant Sita, the wife of Rama. When Sita asked Rama to get her the deer, Rama followed the deer and killed it. This incident is supposed to have happened near a place called Mrugavadhe in Thirthahalli Taluk. Mrugavadhe means Killing of an animal in the local Sanskrit language.

Thirthahalli has a rich archaeological history with Neolithic sites uncovered in Kundadri Hills near Agumbe and portholed burial chambers found at Arehalli near Thirthahalli.

A fort was constructed at Kavaledurga, near Thirthahalli at around 9th century AD. The king of Belagutti, Cheluvarangappa strengthened this fort in the 14th century. Venkatappa Nayaka, a Keladi king, acquired this fort and constructed seven battlements to protect this fort in the 16th century. Hyder Ali conquered this fort in the 18th century and later the fort came under the rule of Tipu Sultan and became part of the domain of the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore.

Geography

Bridge across the river Tunga at Thirthahalli

Thirthahalli is located at . It has an average elevation of 591 metres (1938 feet). it is located in the midst of the dense forests of the Western Ghats.

File:SAHYADRI POLYTECHNIC PICTURE.jpg

Sahayadri Polytechnic

Transport

Thirthahalli is 60 kilometres from the district headquarters, Shimoga. The National Highway NH-13 (Thirthahalli road) provides access to other cities. The nearest railway station is in Shimoga. Numerous trains run from Bangalore and Mysore to Shimoga. Traveling for North Udupi railway station is the major one. The nearest airport is Mangalore International Airport.

List of Tourist Attractions in Thirthahalli

Tunga Bridge

The Tunga Bridge, also called Jayachamarajendra Bridge, is a bridge connecting Thirthahalli to Kuruvalli. This bridge has an arc-like structure at the top which is supported by consecutive pillars on either side of the bridge. This bridge was designed by Sir M. Visvesvaraya. The bridge was completed in 1943, and inaugurated by the erstwhile H.H Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, the then Maharaja of Mysore, also named after him. Now the bridge connects Thirthahalli to Koppa, Sringeri towns and is a part of NH 13.

Sri Rameshwara Temple

File:Zoomed View of Main God Rameshwara Temple.JPG

Rameshwara Temple

Sri Rameshwara Temple is the main Hindu temple of Thirthahalli. This temple is made of stone and is on the banks of the river Tunga. It is near Parashurama Thirtha. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple has a Lingam which is said to have been installed by Sage Parashurama himself. The day when Parashurama cleansed his axe to remove the sesame-sized blood stain, the New Moon Day of the month of Margashira in the Hindu calendar, is termed Yellu Amavasya; Yellu meaning sesame and Amavasya meaning New Moon day, and Thirthahalli has an annual festival, Yellu Amavasya Jatre to celebrate this.

The three days out of the five-day festival which are of particular interest to the public are Yellu Amavasya, when Utsava Moorthi, the main idol of Lord Sri Rameshwara is taken to the river to be consecrated; the second day, when the decorated temple chariot is pulled along the main street of Thirthahalli by devotees; and the third day, when the Utsava Moorthi is taken on a Teppa (raft) down the river Tunga to the river bank at Kuruvalli and brought back. This celebration is called Teppotsava (raft-festival). On this day, a lot of colourful crackers are lit and also the river banks, Tunga Bridge and Rama Mantap are decorated with lights.

Ambuthirtha

The river Sharavathi forms a water falls near Shimoga; a myth holds that when Rama & Sitha were in Vanavasa, Sitha got thirsty and asked Rama to fetch water. There was no water source in that place, so Rama shot an arrow to where the Goddess Ganga came and quenched her thirst, and a river sprang up. Now, Jog Falls is a source of hydroelectric power in Karnataka.

Anandagiri and Siddeshwara Gudda

File:Siddeshwara Temple.JPG

Siddeswara Hill

Two hills in Thirthahalli are Anandagiri Gudda, on Shimoga Road, and Siddeshwara Gudda, on Agumbe Road near Balebailu. Both are reachable by foot from the town, and both offer scenic vistas.

Kuppalli

Kavishaila at Kuppalli

Situated 18 km from Thirthahalli on the [Thirthalli - Koppa road], Kuppalli is the home town of the great Kannada poet and playwright Kuvempu.

Agumbe

Agumbe is a small town in Thirthahalli Taluk famous for being the location where the television serial Malgudi Days (based on a novel of the same name by the famous writer, R K Narayan) was shot. In addition to the scenery, this area has the world's first king cobra sanctuary. Agumbe is also known for its rainfall and is referred to as "Cheerapunji of South".

Chibbalagudde

The temple of Sri Siddi Vinayaka and Matsyadhama is located in Chibbalagudde, ten kilometres from Thirthahalli, near Kuppalli. The temple is there on the bank of Tunga River. You can also see lot of beautiful fishes in river.

Mrughavade

The temple of Sri Mallikarjuna Swamya is located in Mrughavade at a distance of 24 kilometres from Thirthahalli. The temple is situated on the bank of Brahmi River.

Madaga

It is a beautiful place situated 15 kilometres from Thirthahalli, where you can find submerged remains of the temple. It is between Kaimara and Yedur on the road from Thirthahalli to Kundapura via Mastikatte.

Kundadri

Kundadri Jain Temple

The Kundadri hills are near Thirthahalli and Agumbe; there is a beautiful pond and an old Jain temple here. It is 30 km from Thirthahalli town and 20 km from Agumbe near guddekeri.

File:Aerial View of Fort.JPG

Kavaledurga

Gummanamakki is said to be the place where all the regional Hindu gods gather and celebrate a certain festival in the month of December on the banks of River Tunga near Malur.

Kavaledurga

Located at a distance of 18 kilometres from Thirthahalli is a 9th-century fort which was renovated in the 14th century by Cheluvarangappa. The massive fort has lines of walls built on the contour of a natural hillock. At the top of the hillock is situated the temple of Shikhareshvara also known as The Srikanthesvara Temple.

Notable people

List of MLA's

Name	Party	Period
Kimmane Rathnakar	Indian National Congress	2013 – present
Kimmane Rathnakar	Indian National Congress	2008-2013
Araga Jnanendra	Bharatiya Janata Party	2004-2008
Araga Jnanendra	Bharatiya Janata Party	1999-2004
Araga Jnanendra	Bharatiya Janata Party	1994-1999
D.B.Chandre Gowda	Janata Dal	1989-1994
Patamakki Rathnakara	Indian National Congress	1985-1989
D.B.Chandre Gowda	Janata party	1983-1985
Kadidal Diwakara	Indian National Congress	1978-1983
Konandur Lingappa	Socialist Party	1972-1978
Shantaveri Gopala Gowda	Samyukta Socialist Party	1967-1972
Shantaveri Gopala Gowda	Samyukta Socialist Party	1962-1967
A.R.Badarinarayan	Indian National Congress	1957-1962
Kadidal Manjappa	Indian National Congress	1952-1957

File:Thirthahalli Night Aerial View From Siddeshwara Betta.JPG

Thirthahalli Night Aerial View From Siddeshwara Betta

List of Sahakari Rathna Award Winners

Name	Year
Dr. R M Manjunath Gowda
Vijay Dev	2012

Literature

• Padma Bhushan Kuvempu - Kannada Writer & Poet.
• Smt. M. K. Indira, Kannada Novelist.
• Sri. Poornachandra Tejaswi, Sri. U. R. Ananthamurthy, Sri. S V Parameshwara Bhatta - Kannada Writers.

Arts and Entertainment

• Sri. Girish Kasaravalli, Kannada Film Director. Winner of 4 Golden Lotus Awards.
• Diganth, Rakesh, Pavan Sagar - Kannada Cinema Actors
• Divya Ramachandra- Playback Singer.
• Kodlu Ramakrishna - Kannada Film Director.
• Sri. Alaka - Playwright, Story Writer, Poet.
• Sri. H R Manjunath (Manju), Sri S V Padmanabh, Sri K R Swamy, Sri Nataraj Aralasurali, Sri Shirdhar Humcha, Dattu Kattehakkalu - Kannada Cartoonists.
• Seetharamachar Udupi - Kannada Actor

Government

• Sri Shantaveri Gopala Gowda - Politician, Opposition Leader of Karnataka Assembly, Popular for "Kagodu Satyagraha".
• Sri Kadidal Manjappa, former Chief Minister of Karnataka.
• Mr. Araga Jnanendra, Chairperson of Mysore Paper Mills and former MLA.
• Mr. Kimmane Rathnakar, MLA of Thirthahalli, elected in 2008.

Sports

• S.D. Eshan - Silver Medallist Asiad in Discus Throw
• Shruthi K - State Women's Chess Champion
• Smt K V Lalithamma - Sportsperson.

Journalism

• Sri. T S Ramachandra Rao(TSR), Sri. E V Sathyanarayana - Prajavani NEWS Editors.
• Chetana Thitrthahalli - Journalist & Writer

Justice

• Justice. M Rama Jois - Judge, was the former Governor of the Jharkhand State & also has been the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Courts.
• Justice N D Venkatesh - former Justice of Karnataka High Court and the former President of Kuvempu Prathishtana.

Education

• Tunga Mahavidyalaya
• Sahyadri Polytechnic
• Government Degree College
• Government Pre-University College
• Government High School
• Govt. Girls High School, Soppuguddde
• Government Higher Primary Boys School
• Sahyadri Higher Primary School
• Sevabharathi Higher Primary School
• Sahyadri High School
• Sahyadri Pre-University College.
• St.Marry Higher Primary and High School
• Vaghdevi Higher Primary and High School
• Vaghdevi College of Education
• Sevabharathi Shishu Mandira
• ITI COLLEGE
• National Residential School,Konandur

Press & Media

Daily Newspapers

• 1. Chalagara

2.Belagina Vidhata 3. Bruhaspathivani

• 4. Neladha Dhwani

Weekly Newspapers

• 1. Varadhi
• 2. Vidhatha
• 3. Nimma Antharanga
• 4. Sahyadri Varthe
• 6. Lakshmeesh Pathrike.

Cable Media

• e-digital Cable Network (NAMMA THIRTHAHALLI) - seebinkere, Thirthahalli

Online News

• www.thirthahalli.in

Gallery

Notable People

Theppothsava 2013

• Tunga Bridge Day.JPG

  Tunga Bridge

• Tunga Bridge with Lightings & Fireworks2.JPG

  Tunga Bridge - Theppothsava 2013

• Tunga Bridge with Lightings Aerial.JPG

  Tunga Bridge from Agrahara

• Tunga Bridge with Lightings Aerial from Siddeshwara Hill Foreworks.JPG

  Tunga Bridge from Siddeshwara Hill

• Tunga Bridge with Lighting.JPG

  Tunga Bridge

• Theppotsava Theppa.JPG

  Theppa

• Behaind Rameshwara Temple from Rama Mantapa.JPG

  Behaind Rameshwara Temple

• Tunga Bridge on the Day of Theppotsava.JPG

  Tunga Bridge on the Day of Theppotsava

• Tunga Bridge Evening View in the time of December.JPG

  Tunga Bridge Evening View

• Zoomed View of Main God Rameshwara Temple.JPG

  Rameshwara Temple

• Gods in Rameshwara Temple.JPG

  Rameshwara Temple

• Nandi (bull) facing the shrine in the Rameshwara Temple at Keladi.jpg

  Nandi at Rameshwara Temple

• Big & Small Cars.JPG

  Big & Small Cars

• Tunga Bridge from Rameshwara Temple.JPG

  Tunga Bridge from Rameshwara Temple

• Shivalinga & Nandi.JPG

  Shivalinga & Nandi in Basement of Rama Mantapa

• Rama Mantapa Behaid.JPG

  Rama Mantapa Behaid

• Swimming Pool by the side of Rama Mantapa.JPG

  Swimming Pool by the side of Rama Mantapa

• The Place Parashu Rama God washed his Axe.JPG

  The Place Parashu Rama God washed his Axe

• Tunga Bridge View from Rama Mantapa.JPG

  Tunga Bridge View from Rama Mantapa

• Siddeswara Hill from Tunga River Bank Behaind Rameshwara Temple.JPG

  Siddeswara Hill

• Boating in Tunga River 1.JPG

  Boating in Yellamavase Jathre 2013

• Anandagiri & Tunga River in Thirthahalli from Agrahara.JPG

  Beauty of Thirthahalli

• Rama Mantapa from Putthige Mata.JPG

  Rama Mantapa from Putthige Mata

• Tunga Bridge with Fireworks.JPG

  Tunga Bridge with Fireworks

Siddeswara Hill

• Siddeswara Temple.JPG

  Siddeswara Temple

• Tunga Bridge at Night.JPG

  Tunga Bridge at Night.JPG

• Siddeswara Betta at Night.JPG

  Siddeswara Betta at Night.JPG

• House Built from Stones.JPG

  House Built from Stones

• Growing Stone in Siddeswara Hill.JPG

  Growing Stone in Siddeswara Hill

• Tunga Bridge from Agrahara.JPG

  Tunga Bridge from Agrahara

• Siddeswara Hill From Agrahara.JPG

  Siddeswara Hill From Agrahara

• Full View of Thirthahalli.JPG

  Full View of Thirthahalli

• Cave in Siddeshwara Gudda.JPG

  Cave in Siddeshwara Gudda

• Pond in Siddeswara Betta.JPG

  Pond in Siddeswara Betta

Others

• Rama Mantapa.JPG

  Rama Mantapa

• Tunga Bridge.JPG

  Tunga Bridge

• Tunga college.jpg

  Tunga Mahavidyalaya

See also

• Araga Jnanendra
• Kimmane Rathnakar
• Kuppalli
• Tunga River
• Diganth
• Shimoga
• Kundadri Hills
• Western Ghats
• Agumbe
• Kuvempu
• Poornachandra Tejaswi
• M. K. Indira
• U. R. Ananthamurthy
• Girish Kasaravalli
• Shantaveri Gopala Gowda
• Kadidal Manjappa
• Esha Idur
• Tunga Mahavidyalaya
• Sahyadri Polytechnic
• Udupi
• Divya Ramachandra

External links

• Official Website of Thirtahalli Town Panchayath
• FaceBook Page
• Facebook Places Page
• Appkut Places Page