PURUSHOTTAMA GUHA

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An about one metre wide cave entrance of stooping height gives access to an ascending crack in granite or gneiss. The enterable space represents a modified natural, sort of inhabitable temple cave, which is not only said to be the exit cave of Purushottama Thirtharu but also associated with his disciple Sri Brahmanya Thirtha. ETYMOLOGY: So far, I saw the name of this cave called Abbur Cave Puroshottama Guha jignaasa.org/yatre.html (accessed 2011.10.27) Purushottama Guha sumadhwaseva.com (accessed 2011.10.27). SITUATION: The temple cave is not only said to be located amid coconut groves and green fields (note 1) but also to lie at a distance of 2 km (note 2) or 3 km (note 3) along a fair weather road (note 4) in an unidentified direction from the village of Abbur (note 5), which lies at a distance of 6 km on the way to Kanva reservoir (note 6) and approximately north-northwest (note 7) from the town of Channapatna (note 8) or Chanapatna (note 9). CULTURAL HISTORY - religious folklore: 998.10.16 (The Hindu, Chennai, page 14, col. c): Sri Purushothama Theertha (mid-15th century) entered a cave in a hillock near Abbur (Channapatna in Karnataka) never to return. The belief is that he is still worshipping Lord Narasimha within the cave, at the entrance of which an Anjaneya idol has been installed and is being worshipped (hindunet.org/TheHindu/Religion/1998/10/16_relig.ht… accessed 2011.10.27). ANONYMOUS (undated): Sri Brahmanya Thirtha went … back to Abbur [where] he entered a cave and did penance for a long time (karnataka.com/tourism/mysore/abbur.html accessed 2011.10.27). ANONYMOUS (undated): Purushottama Guhe … is where Purushottama Thirtharu entered the cave and he never returned. It is believed that he is still there doing tapassu (sumadhwaseva.com/yatigalu/others/brahmanya-theerth… accessed 2011.10.27). ANONYMOUS (undated): It is believed that Sri Purushottama teertharu used to go to this guha daily to do Japatapaanusthana and from there and carry the water to ffer pooja to “Kambhada Narashima devara devasthaana” in a near by village. Later Sri Purushottama teertharu went into this guha to do his penance and he never came back. It is believed that he still resides there (jignaasa.org/yatre.html accessed 2011.10.27). PS: Comparatively -not far- from the exit cave of Purushottama / Puroshottama near the village of Abbur lies the tunnel near the top of –>Huliyurdurga (N12°49': E077°02' Holiyurdurga, Hoolioordroog, Huliyar).ffer pooja to “Kambhada Narashima devara devasthaana” in a near by village. Later Sri Purushottama teertharu went into this guha to do his penance and he never came back. It is believed that he still resides there (jignaasa.org/yatre.html accessed 2011.10.27). PS: Comparatively -not far- from the exit cave of Purushottama / Puroshottama near the village of Abbur lies the tunnel near the top of –>Huliyurdurga (N12°49': E077°02' Holiyurdurga, Hoolioordroog, Huliyar).