Area Code: 08265

Sringeri was the headquarters of Sri Sankaracharya. He established four main maths (monastery)—at Joshimath, Dwarka, Puri, and Sringeri. He spent twelve of his thirty-two years here. This small town is near the source of the Tunga River.

Sringeri Math
Sankaracharya established the Sri Sharada Devi Temple. The deity installed in the temple stands on a Sri Chankra (yantra). Installed here is one of the Sphatika-lingas that was said to have been given to Sankaracharya by Lord Siva in the Himalayas. This temple is on the bank of the Tunga River.

There is the exquisitely sculptured Vidyasankara Temple (1338) which houses the Vidyatirtha-linga. This temple combines both Dravidian and Hoysala temple architecture. There are twelve zodiac pillars arranged so that the sun’s rays fall on the pillar corresponding to the appropriate month. In front of the temple are stone lions with stone balls inside their mouths that can be rotated. Open 6 am to 1 pm and 4.30 to 8 pm.

Other Places
The Janardan Temple (Vishnu) was first built in the 9th century. There are four guardian deities of Sringeri: Kali Kamba, Hanuman, Durga, and Kala Bhairava. There is also an ancient Brahma temple here.

Practicalities
You can get a basic room for Rs 50 by going to the temple office (50123; fax 50792). There is a new building with good rooms with attached bath for Rs 100.

Sharada Guest House has rooms for Rs 100.
Padmashree Lodge (50363), near the bus stand, has clean rooms for Rs 200/300

Sringeri is 85km east of Udupi and 100km northeast of Mangalore (5 hr). It is 335km from Bangalore. There are buses going to and from Mysore (8 hr), Hassan (5 hr), and Bangalore (10 hr).

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