Yellamavasye Jatre

Thirthahalli Taluk in Shimoga District of Karnataka is the home of many temples and Mutts of different faiths.  Thirthahalli town houses an ancient and famous temple whose presiding deity is Lord Rameshwara.  This temple is built of stone and stands on a high place on the bank of the river Tunga which flows majestically through this town.  The sanctum sanctorum of the temple has the “Mood Linga ,” which is said to have been installed by Sage Parashurama.  Outside the sanctum sanctorum there are idols of Durga and Ganapathy.  This temple is a major Mujrai temple of this Taluk.
 
Legend has it that Sage Jamadagni married Renuka, a woman of great chastity and got five sons from her.  Once Renuka went to the river for bathing and there saw Chitraratha, a Gandharva.  She was fascinated by him and stayed there for some more time.  It was late when she returned to the ashram.  Jamadagni by his divine sight could know what had happened.  He became furious and asked his four sons one by one to chop off Renuka’s head.  But the sons were not ready to do so.  Jamadagni asked Parashurama to chop off Renuka’s head.  Fearing the displeasure of his father, Parashurama immediately carried out his father’s order.  Jamadagni was highly pleased and asked Parashurama to pray for any boon.  Parashurama prayed his father to bring his mother back to life, to make her never to recall that incident, to liberate his brothers from the curse and give up his anger, Jamadagni agreed to all his requests.
 
Then Parashurama undertook a long pilgrimage to wash off the blood stains on his Parashu (axe).  He dipped his Parashu in many holy rivers.  Still the bloodstain of the size of sesame remained.  At last he came to this place on the New moon day of Margashira month and washed his Parashu in the river Tunga.  What a miracle! Even the last trace of the bloodstain disappeared.  The spot where he washed his Parashu obtained holiness and came to be called Ramatheertha.
 
Since then every year on the New Moon Day of Margashira thousands of devotees coming from places far and near take a dip in Ramatheertha very early in the morning braving the biting cold.  On Padya, the first day of Pushya Masa, there is a car festival of Rameshwara.  The idol of Sri Rameshwara is taken in a procession in a decorated chariot.  On Bidige, the second day of Pushya Masa, Teppotsava is help for Sri Rameshwara in the river Tunga.  These three days go by the name “Yellamavasye Jatra.”
 
There is also another legend which says that Parashurama traveled through the length and breadth of the country to destroy the enemies of mankind.  Afterwards for the salvation of those who died at his hands he gave Theertharajapura.  “Yellamavasya” is the celebration of that event.
 
Around Ramatheertha there are Chakratheertha, Shankatheertha, Gadatheertha and Padmatheertha.  Near Ramatheertha, there is a stone mantap called “Rama Mantapa.”  In front of this mantap there is a stone baser.  Between Ramatheertha and Chakratheertha there is “Jogigudda” with a cave in it.  It is said that Jogis (Wandering Ascetics) used to sit in this cave and meditate.  Originally Thirthahalli was called Theerthahvali or Theertharajapura.
 
Opposite to Rameshwara there are two Agrahars 1) Sadashiva Agrahara.  2) Vyasarayana Agrahara.  (Somashekara Agrahara)  In Vyasarayana Agrahara there are two stone temples.  One is Ramachandra Devaru Temple and the other is Sri Vittal Temple.  Sri Ramachandra Devara temple is situated on the banks of the river Tunga in Somashekara Agrahara in Thirthahalli.  It was a private Institution.  The temple was constructed and dedicated to Sri Ramachandra by Samagodu Ramappaiah probably in the 18th century.  The temple was constructed by Samagodu Ramappaiah to fulfill the wish of his father Sri Thimmappaiah who had a pious wish to construct a temple and dedicate it to Sri Ramachandra.  In due course the temple came to be called Sri Kodandarama Temple.  Later it was taken over by the Mujrai Department.  Later since the construction of the temple, the descendants of Thimmappaiah have been worshipping in the temple and conducting other usual ceremonies.
 
Sri Vittal Temple.  This temple was built by one Damarasa Pai, who was a minister during the rule of Ikkeri and Keladi Kings in the 15th Century.  Since then the descendants of Damarasa Pai have been conducting poojas and other ceremonies in the temple.  At present, Sri Raghavendra Bhat and his brothers are performing poojas in the temple.