Talakad in T. Narsipur taluk of Mysuru district is not only a delight for the history buffs but is a great draw for the religious and the devout. For, this ancient capital of the Gangas, on the banks of the river Cauvery, is home to countless shrines of which the five dedicated to Lord Shiva are known as Panchalingeshwara shrines. And on Mahashivaratri, the shrines were teeming with devotees from all over the State.The Vaidyeshwara or Vaidyanatheshwara, Pataleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arakeshwara and Mudukotore Mallikarjunaswamy temple, constitutes the Panchalinga Darshana circuit. Of these, Vaidyeshwara is dated between 10th and the 14th century CE and its architectural style is an amalgam of the Gangas, Cholas and the Hoysala, according to historians.The Pataleshwara and Maruleshwara were excavated from the sand dunes and are reckoned to have a hoary past. The Mallikarjunaswamy temple is undergoing renovation. In T. Narsipura town devotees flocked to the Agastyeshwara temple, whose historicity goes back to the age of the Gangas while the Shiva Linga itself is believed to have been consecrated by sage Agastya.Published - February 26, 2025 07:53 pm IST