The mysterious Sahasralinga of Karnataka!

Today, let us get to know more about the mysterious Sahasralinga in Karnataka, which have left many of us wondering about its origins. Many of us know about the famous Sahasralinga pilgrimage in the town of Sirsi, Karnataka. Did you also know that there is another Sahasralinga in Cambodia? Siem Reap, a quaint city in Cambodia is where you can see the Sahasralinga means a 1000 Shiva Lingas. These thousand lingas are carved at both places and are dedicated to the Hindu God, Lord Shiva.

The Sahasralinga is a pilgrimage site located in Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. It is situated in the Shalmala River and is famous for being the location where almost 1000 Shivalingas that are carved on rocks in the river, are scattered all over.

As far as history goes, these 1000 lingas were installed by the ruler Sadashivaraya of the Vijayanagar Kingdom, sometime between years 1678 & 1718. The unique thing about the place is that each linga features a carving of Nandi, the bull right in front of it.

Each year, on the day of Maha Shivratri, devotees from across the country visit here to perform Shiva puja. The place looks mysterious and lovely in every way, as you get those many lingas together peeking through the river waters. These lingas though, do not come in the same shape or size, and each one is different from the other.

Given the force of river water, some of these lingas lost their shape and some are dislodged or completely disfigured. It is suggested to visit the place only when the water level is low. Because otherwise, the lingas remain underwater, making them almost impossible to view clearly.

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The area is serene with divine environment found amidst the lush green nature, making it a great place to not just relax, but also attain some of mental solace in the presence of Lord Shiva, placed on the rocks spotted in the river here.

The Cambodian Sahasralinga, which is also known as Kbal Spean, meaning ‘the Head Bridge’, was discovered back in year 1969 by Jean Boulbet, who was an ethnologist. But due to the Cambodian Civil War, the place was kept out of reach. After almost 20 years, it was finally declared safe to visit.

This magnificent site is now one of the most popular tourist spots in the city. The Cambodian Sahasralinga is about 25 km from Angkor Watt - the largest Hindu temple outside of India. Here too, there are a 1000 carved lingas amidst a river.

But, this place is not considered as divine there, and is only a major tourist spot in Cambodia. Also, given that is located in the wild, it’s really difficult to reach.

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But again, there is no factual evidence on when these lingas were actually carved and what was the purpose behind it. According to the locals, these lingas are symbols of great creative energy. It is also believed that the water flowing over lingas will reach the paddy fields to make them more fertile.