Badavilinga Temple is a Shiva temple located in the region of Hampi in the southern Indian state of Karnataka and boasts of the biggest monolithic Shiva ‘linga’ in Hampi. It is situated close to the statue of ‘Narasimha’ and is thronged by innumerable devotees and tourists every year.
The Shiva Linga has a three eye mark drawn on it in line carving. The three eye mark depicts the three eyes of Lord Shiva.
The beautiful Linga is made of black stone. It has a height of 3 meters. It is believed that the temple has been in existence since the period of the Vijayanagara Empire. Devotees come here from far and near to worship the Shiva Linga.
The Shiva linga has been established in a chamber which is equipped with a singular opening in front of the temple. There exists a huge circular pedestal or ‘yoni pitha’ attached to the Shiva linga which leads to an outlet which is also referred to as ‘pranala’. There exists a ‘three-eye mark’ alongside the ‘Somasutra’ or central median line which has been drawn in line carving.
Adequate water has been filled in the sanctum which contains the Shiva linga since a water channel is created to flow through it.
The name Badavilinga is a combination of two words – Badva and Linga. In the local language Badva means poor and Linga represents Shiva. Legend has it that the Shiva Linga placed inside the temple was commissioned by a poverty-stricken peasant woman. Hence the temple came to be known as Badavilinga Temple.
Hindu mythological account states that Ganga River was invited on earth from the heaven to quench the thirst of mankind and also to relieve them of the severe drought. However the might of the river was enough to split the earth into two different parts if it was permitted to drop onto the earth. Therefore Lord Shiva agreed to let Ganga River fall into His matted hair which would reduce its impact on the earth. Thus the earth was able to receive a beautiful smoothly flowing river, from the hair of Lord Shiva. It is for this reason that one would come across a pot dropping water over Shiva linga in Shiva temples.
The Badavilinga Temple is a shrine that has not escaped the destruction that had befallen Hampi several centuries ago. However, the good part is that the Shiva Linga stands intact even today. The inner walls of the shrine, surrounding the Shiva Linga, have also escaped any severe damage.