Sri Jagadguru Ajaatha Nagalinga Swamy Mutta-Navalagunda

Ajaatha Nagalingaswamy

The following temple is a testimony that the "Hinduism" is not a religion, but a way of life. This temple is UNIQUE and one of its kinds. The temple that I’m referring to is Sri Ajaatha Nagalinga Swamy Mata  in Navalagunda town in Darward Dist., Karnataka, India. Sri Ajaatha Nagalinga Swamy is a 19^th century Yogi. He was born in Javalagi Village in Sindhanur town of Raichur Dist., Karnataka. He became a yogi at a very young age. He spent his initial life in wondering around, doing miracles, and helping people in distress.  He finally settled down at the Mouneshwara cave temple in Dharwad.  His teachings were very simple and anyone could easily understand and put it in to practice.  He preached; ''Ones heart is the temple while ones soul is the god''. So, one has to have a clean and pure heart. He believed in Advaitha philosophy. In his times he was very popular among villagers, still he is. He has many devotees and many followers.         

Ajaatha Nagalinga Swamy

He is a yogi who has uncanny resemblance to Jesus Christ. The Picture of Sri Ajaatha Nagalinga Swamy’s hung on the temple walls will concur with my comparison. When there is a mention of Jesus Christ then there should some reference to Bible. Yes, you read me right. There is indeed a very sacred book here and that is the BIBLE. Bible is the sacred book in this Hindu temple. Everyday, the temple priest offers prayers as per Hindu tradition and is kept for display. Every devotee who comes to this temple pays his/her prayers to the bible aswell. Bible written in Kannada-the official language of Karnataka state is not read in this temple. Although, bible is very sacred here it is not a ‘CHURCH’ but a ‘HINDU’ Temple.

Bible @ the sacred sanctum

The miracle of this temple is the bible, which is 

growing on its own. There is a very interesting story as how this Bible reached this temple. This Bible is one book and has both Old and New Testaments. Once lived a great Devi devotee by the name Kalappa in Mushteegeri village of Badami town in Bagalkote dist, Karnataka. Kalappa also showed interest in Bible reading; he had a first edition of bible (published in 1865 by Watson machine prints). Sri Ajaatha Nagalinga Swamy met Kalappa and prophesied his next birth. He took the bible from Kalappa, drilled a hole on it with the help of a hook (used to peel coconut from its shell).  The yogi then dropped a 1 Re Victorian silver coin in to the perforation. It came out from the other end smoothly. He informed Kalappa that the hole will completely close on its own and when it does, he will be born again in a different avatar.  From that day on, the hole started closing.. subsequently the missing words on the bible reappeared magically. As of today, the hole is a size of a needle. Yogi passed away in 1881. The yogi’s followers have erected the place where he is buried, a Shiva lingam. Late Kalappa gave away the Bible to the temple. To this date, the Bible and the Silver coin are preserved in this temple with great care and devotion.  And Temple officials have recorded the radius of this hole regularly. Anyone can access it, ofcourse with temple authorities permission. 

Bible and the coin

Thole that is closing on its own

The coin that was dropped inside the hole

initial measurement were recorded on the bible itself

Official records of the measurement

Besides bible, there are also some interesting items in this temple like the ‘Panja’ (The sword used during Muslim festival ‘Moharam’) and a “Cart” (sidagi in Kannada) used to carry the dead to the burial ground in this very same temple. No where else you will see bible, panja or the cart together in a hindu temple. This Sidagi was used as yogi’s chariot. Yogi used to sit on it and his followers carried him around. Yogi first found this abandoned cart at a graveyard, and requested his students to carry it while he sat on it. He requested to go around the village. Many villagers objected to this procession, as it is very uncommon for a living person to use a sidagi. Those who objected were mysteriously died, and  some  faced weird difficulties. They understood that yogi was not an ordinary person and then on they too became a staunch follower of the yogi. Thereby, yogi attracted many devotees from all walks of life. Today, female devotees tie green bangles in memory of yogi’s greatest devotee Beemavva to this cart for either for a prosperous marriage or for children. All their wishes have come true. Sometimes bangles are tied for various reasons too. Moharam too is celebrated in this Hindu temple. This temple resonates communal harmony from every nook and corner.

Panja

Sidagi

Although, yogi is not physically present, some devotees claim they have seen the yogi, while some others say they have heard the yogi speaking, either ways people in this region have great respect for the yogi, who has taught that making peace is more important than making war. This indeed will be one of my favorite Temple stories to this date. 

The arier view of the temple/mutt

The Entrence

The cave temple

The cave temple 1

                   

Sadhu Yateeshwara Swamy -Nagenahalli

Nagenahalli in Chennagiri taluk in Davanegare dist. in Karnataka is a snake sanctuary. Nagenahalli literally translates to cobras’ village.  Snakes are seen everywhere.  People and snake co-exists here. If bitten by any poisonous snakes and left unattended will results in death! However, this village stands as an exception. In this village, when bitten by a poisonous snake one doesn’t die. The poison doesn’t WORK. The village itself stands as a challenge to the science fraternity.

Snake poison doesn’t work on people in this village and this is a result of a curse! There is an interesting story behind this. A Saddhu by the name Yateeshwara swamy was living in this village. He lived a monk’s life. And was residing at the village’s Hanuman Temple. He went to each and every house and begged for a living. Yateeshwara Swamy was a staunch Hanuman devotee. Some even believe that he is a reincarnation of Lord Hanuman.  One day, when he had been to the neighboring village for begging, found a newborn boy baby in the bushes.  The sight moved him. The Saddhu took the new born with him. He took care of the baby very well, showered the boy with lots of love and affection. When the boy was 12, a snake bit the boy and the boy died. The Saddhu had been out, when returned and he found the boy dead. Through his yogic powers he realized the cause for the death. The Sadhu was very furious and was about to curse the entire Snake kingdom.  The Indra of Nagaloka- Nagendra appeared before him and apologized.  He begged the Sadhu to spare the snakes and not to curse the entire snake kingdom, and also promised to revive the child. The Sadhu cursed the snakes, anyway. Snakes in his village will not bite anyone; even if it does no one will die of the bite. The Sadhu marked the village limits with 4 stones in each direction. Each stone has an inscription written on it by the Saddhu himself.  As promised, the son was brought back to life by Nagendra.  Hence snakes are cursed in this village and their poison do not kill anyone! There is no vimochana for this curse. 

The Mile Stones & the encriptions

We do not know how old the temple is, we do not even know when Yateeshwara lived. What we know is villagers do believe that the snake will not bite anyone and the story is passed on from generation to generations. The entire miracle is owed to Yateeshwara Swamy, when he was alive he had made a rule that No villagers will kill snakes, and no villagers will consume meat. If anyone breeches this, they will have to face dire consequences!! To this date, villagers and the outsiders alike follow this rule. When snakes are found, they leave the snakes at the Saddhus Samadhi. When bitten, they visit the Lord Hanuman Temple, take the teertham and spend a night at the temple. Beside this, they do not do anything no medications or first aid.

Hanuman Temple

Lord Hanuman and Nagaraj

Scientists are yet to unlock the mystery as how it is possible that the poison is effective outside the village and not inside. There are around 70 houses in this village. There are a large number of deadly cobras here. It is a regular sight to see them in the houses, gardens etc. Neither the villagers nor the snakes are scared of each other. Villagers do not considered snakes as a threat. They all live in peace. Killing a snake is a strict NO NO. Even when a snake dies, villagers do the last rights as per Hindu customs. To till this date, there have been many reports of snakebites within the village, however there are no deaths so far.

Snakes are found everywhere in Nagenahalli

You may want to visit this village to have an out of the world experience!

May the lord Hanuman Bless us all with Happiness, prosperity and health!