Yellamma Temple, Saundatti
Belgaum, Karnataka
Yellamma Temple, also known as Renuka Temple, is a temple of Goddess (Devi) Renuka and a pilgrimage destination located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from the town of Saundatti in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is situated on a hilltop known earlier as Siddhachal Parvat and now known as "Yellammanna Gudda", named after the temple. The deity in the temple is the goddess Yellamma or Ellama or Renuka, revered as a fertility goddess. The temple is associated with the ancient Devadasi practice of dedicating girls to the temple, which the Government of Karnataka eradicated in 1982 through Devadasi Prohibition Act. The hill, a part of the Sidhachal or Ramagiri hill range which overlooks the Malaprabha river, contains archaeological evidences of occupation dating to the mid-8th to mid-11th centuries of the early Rashtrakuta or late Chalukya period, and includes megalithic tombs which predate these periods.
From the Wikipedia article Yellamma Temple, Saundatti, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it is
Belgaum, Karnataka. Open in Google Maps
How to reach
- By train: nearest station Dharwad railway station (DWR), about 48 km by road.
- By air: Hubballi Airport (HBX), about 55 km by road.
In-depth temple guides nearby
- Shri Manguesh Temple (Shree Mangesh Saunsthan), Mangeshi – Mangeshi village, Priol, Ponda taluka, Goa (about 166 km)
- Shree Shantadurga Temple (Shree Shantadurga Saunsthan), Kavlem – Kavlem (Kavale), Ponda taluka, Goa (about 167 km)
- Shree Karveer Niwasini Ambabai (Mahalaxmi) Temple, Kolhapur – Mahadwar Road, Kolhapur city (about 181 km)
- Sri Virupaksha Temple, Hampi – Hampi Bazaar, Hampi, Vijayanagara district (formerly Ballari) (about 183 km)
- Shri Jyotiba Temple, Wadi Ratnagiri – Jyotiba hill, Wadi Ratnagiri, Panhala taluka, Kolhapur district (about 195 km)
Timings and rituals for this temple aren't in our guide yet – check locally before you travel. More temples in Karnataka