Happy TravellerWelcome to Kotturu, a town panchayath and taluk in the Vijayanagara district of the Indian state of Karnataka. This charming town is steeped in history and culture, and is home to a number of fascinating landmarks and attractions. One of the most famous landmarks in Kotturu is the shrine of Guru Kottureshwara, a 15th-century Shaivite saint. Legend has it that Lord Kottureshwara spent his lifetime here, refining and creating awareness about Basavadi pranitha sharana Dharma to people and making them understand about shatsthala, Ashtavarana. Every year, over 200,000 people congregate during the car festival (rathotsava) held in February to pay their respects to the saint.
Kotturu is also famous for its mouth-watering dish called mandakki-menasinakayi, a mixture of puffed rice with savories, accompanied by chili pepper fritters. The chilli peppers are slit along their lengths, stuffed with a condiment of salt and crushed cumin, dipped in lentil batter, and deep-fried. This dish is a must-try for anyone visiting Kotturu.
Historically, Kotturu was well-known for its cotton gin industry and as the terminus of a train route from Hospet. In 2019, that railway line was extended to Harihara and upgraded to the meter gauge. Today, Kotturu is a bustling town with a population of over 22,000 people.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Kotturu is its rich history. The town is named after Saint Kottureshwara, and its history stems from the history of the saint. No one knows about the birth and childhood of Kottureswara, but he reached Shikhapura at a young age. He travelled from North Kashmir to Kanyakumari. During the ruling of Akbar in Delhi, Lord Kottureswar appeared in the bedroom of Akbars wife as an Old saint and blessed her. Hearing the voice of the old man, the guard informed this to the emperor. Akbar in anger came in to the queens bedroom and saw the mid aged person sleeping in the queens bed. For the Queen Kottureshwara appeared as a saint and for Akbar he appeared as an ordinary man. In his fury, he attacked Kottureshwar with sword but to his astonishment the sword became a flower Garland. By this Akbar realized his mistake and surrendered to the Lord. Lord Kottureshwar blessed Akbar and the Rajput queen. Akbar presented Lord Kottureshwar with his Sword and the Cot on which lord Kottureshwara was sleeping. This Cot is located at Gachchina Mutt of Kotturu even now.
Kotturu is also home to a number of fascinating landmarks and attractions. One of the most famous landmarks in Kotturu is the shrine of Guru Kottureshwara. The shrine is divided into 4 shrines in Kottur Murkalmutt (3 stone shrine) Thotalmutt (shrine with cradle) Darbarmutt or Doddamutt (king assembly shrine or big shrine) Gachina mutt (shrine where saint returns kailsa by meditating). The first mutt is the one where the Lord appeared first in the land of Kotturu. The second mutt is where the lord blessed a child. The third is the mutt where he used give sadare (preaching on religion) and solve the problems of the people. The fourth is the mutt where Guru Kottureswara entered Ikya Stala the final stage of Shudstala (Yoga Samadhi).
There is also a temple dedicated to Karilingeswara in the nearby village of K. Ayyanahalli. Some of the descendants of his family continue to do the worship at the Hiremath and stay in this village. In memory of Lord Kottureshwara, devotees name their sons as Kotresh and daughters as Kotturamma. These names are commonly found in and around Kotturu.
Kotturu is located at an average elevation of 587 metres (1925 feet). As of 2001 India census, Kottur had a population of 22,667. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Kotturu has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 76%, and female literacy is 61%. In Kotturu, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Currently, there is only one express train through Kotturu, which connects Hosapete to Davanagere. A new train is to be started from Vijayapura to Yeshwanthpur via Kotturu every night from September.
In conclusion, Kotturu is a fascinating town with a rich history and culture. From the shrine of Guru Kottureshwara to the mouth-watering mandakki-menasinakayi, there is something for everyone in this charming town. So why not plan a trip to Kotturu today and discover all that this hidden gem has to offer?
