Kalasa

Kalasa ಕಳಸ Kalasha
town
Spiden Gasteracantha hasselti found in Kalasa
Kalasa Location in Karnataka, India
Coordinates: 13°14′02″N 75°21′19″E / 13.2340°N 75.3553°E / 13.2340; 75.3553Coordinates: 13°14′02″N 75°21′19″E / 13.2340°N 75.3553°E / 13.2340; 75.3553
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Chikkamagaluru
Languages
• Official	Kannada
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	577 124
Telephone code	08263
Vehicle registration	KA-18

Kalasa is a holy temple-town located in Chikkamagaluru district in Karnataka. Kalasa is home to the Kalaseshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Kalasa lies 92 Kilometres South-west of Chickmagalur and is located on the banks of the Bhadra River.

The origins of Kalasa are traceable to Mythology. Although unsubstantiated, local myths attribute the origin of Kalasa to an event mentioned found in the Skanda Purana.

Accordingly, the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvathi in Himalayas caused a shift in the Earth's rotation because of the attendance of all Gods and Goddesses. To restore the Earth's balance, Lord Shiva requested Sage Agasthya to travel South. Agasthya however, expressed his wish to witness the wedding. Lord Shiva assured to grant divine vision to the sage, which would enable him to witness the wedding from any part of the world.

Agasthya travelled southward and resided in Kalasa from where he watched the wedding. Local legends state that a pilgrimage to Kalasa brings greater religious merit (punya) than a visit to Varanasi.

The Girija Kalyana (marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvathi) is celebrated in Kalasa every year to commemorate this tradition. This auspicious occasion falls on Karthika Shuddha Ekadashi of Lunar calendar.

Other legends also state that Sage Vasishta had lived in a hermitage near Kalasa as also the Skanda Dwaya.

The word Kalasa is a corruption of the Sanskrit root, Kalasha, which means a waterpot or jug. In the context of Hindu temple architecture, every temple should have a round pinnacle placed at the top, known as the Kalasha.