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Foundation of Sri Chamundeswari Temple is considered
to build in 12th century old while its tower is relatively
new about 300 years old. The temple has a seven story
tall and 40 metre high 'gopuram' adorned with intricate
carvings. Major attraction of the temple is the idol
of the Chamunda Devi which is said to be made of solid
gold. Even the gates of the temple are made of silver.
The original shrine is thought to have been built in
the 12th century by Hoysala rulers while its tower was
probably build by the Vijayanagar rulers of the 17th
century. In 1659, a flight of one thousand steps was
built leading up to the 3000 foot summit of the hill.
At the temple are several images of Nandi (the bull
mount of Shiva). There is a huge granite Nandi on the
800th step on the hill in front of a small Shiva temple
a short distance away. This Nandi is over 15 feet high,
and 24 feet long and around its neck are exquisite bells.
The temple has a seven story tall 'gopuram' decorated
with intricate carvings. The idol of the Chamunda Devi
is said to be made of solid gold and the temple gates
are made of silver. we also have chamudeswari remple
on the bank of river Mangeera in Chitkul village in
medak district,Andra pradesh,India
The famous Sri Chamundeswari Temple is located on top
of picturesque Chamundi Hills near Mysore in the state
of Karnataka. In fact Chamundi Hill is named after Goddess
Chamundi who is believed to be the incarnation of Parvati,
the consort of Lord Shiva. A large number of devotees
from all over the country and even abroad visit the
temple every year. Pilgrims strongly believe that the
Goddess helps them to fulfill their needs.
The temple also boasts of a jewel Nakshatra-Malike
with 30 Sanskrit shlokas inscribed on it. A 16-foot-high
statue of the demon Mahishasura near the temple is another
significant feature of Sri Chamundeswari Temple. This
is so because Mahishasura was slain by the goddess Chamundeswari
(Durga or Parvati) to protect the area. Hence Chamundi
Devi is also lovingly known as the Goddess of Mysore.
The word 'Chamundi' means terrible, and this is another
name for Parvati, who is in an angry mood to slay the
demon.
It takes about one thousand steps or a taxi ride to
reach the top of Chamundi Hill. One can have a bird's
eye view from the top of the hill and enjoy the beautiful
vistas of Mysore. Halfway up the hill, along the road,
is a 16 foot high and 25 feet long Nandi (Shiva's holy
bull) carved out of a large granite stone. Nandi is
another attractive feature of the Chamundi Hill and
attracts millions of tourists every year.
Best Time for Visit
Chamundeswari Temple is approximately 13 kms from Mysore
and can be reached by road. Tuesdays and Fridays are
considered to be the auspicious days to visit the Chamundi
Devi temple hence a large number of devotees throng
the temple on these days. Best time to visit the temple
is during 'Dussehra Festival' in September or October
when Mysore city can be seen in all its pomp and splendor
due to regal Dussehra celebrations.
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