Mythology
It is referred in Varaha Purana as ‘Neelachala’, a Sanskrit word, which means 'Blue Mountain.'. It is believed that performing some aesthetic poojas (worship) at this temple could bring a lot of relief to the sufferings one may have gone through in life.
It is said that the hill got its name after a wild elephant, Kari attacked and killed four girls taking bath. To bring them back to life Sage Kutsamuni undertook a rigorous penance and requested the Lord to save His devotees. Another legend has it that during the building of the bridge to Lanka to bring back Sita, Sugreeva brought this hillock, also called ‘Neelachala’ from Tirumala (Thirupathi). On his way several Vishnubhakhtas (disciples of Lord Vishnu) pleaded with him to leave it here and so the hill remained here.
At the temple premises, there are sharp grasses, Eragrostis cynosuroides locally known as Dharbe hullu(grass) in Kannada, which is used for performing all sacred rites. In "Varaha Purana" it is said that when Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of Varaha and shook his body some of the body hair fell on the ground near here the grass now seen here is believed to have come from his hair.
Legend has it that it was on this hill that the British had placed their cannons during the siege of Srirangapatnam.
Read more about this topic: Karighatta Temple
Famous quotes containing the word mythology:
“If science fiction is the mythology of modern technology, then its myth is tragic.”
—Ursula K. Le Guin (b. 1929)
“The history of the genesis or the old mythology repeats itself in the experience of every child. He too is a demon or god thrown into a particular chaos, where he strives ever to lead things from disorder into order.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“The Anglo-American can indeed cut down, and grub up all this waving forest, and make a stump speech, and vote for Buchanan on its ruins, but he cannot converse with the spirit of the tree he fells, he cannot read the poetry and mythology which retire as he advances. He ignorantly erases mythological tablets in order to print his handbills and town-meeting warrants on them.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)