Tirthahalli

Thirthahalli is a panchayat town located in the Shimoga District of the state of Karnataka, India. It lies on the bank of the river Tunga and is also the headquarters of the Thirthahalli Taluk of Shimoga district.EtymologyAccording to a Hindu legend, the sage Parashurama beheaded Renuka's head with an axe on the orders of his father, the great sage Jamadagni. Parashurama tried to wash the blood stains off the axe by dipping it in various rivers, but a sesame-sized blood stain remained on his axe, until he dipped his axe in the Tunga River near Thirthahalli. This place is now called Parashurama Thirtha (or RamaThirtha) and is the origin of the name Thirthahalli (halli means village in the Kannada language). Near RamaThirtha, there is a stone Mantapa called Rama Mantapa. This legend has made Thirthahalli a holy place for Hindus, who believe that a dip in the river Tunga will cure one of all sins.HistoryAnother legend set in the time of Ramayana, indicates that Maricha, a relative of the Lanka king Ravana came disguised as a golden deer to enchant Sita, the wife of Rama. When Sita asked Rama to get her the deer, Rama followed the deer and killed it. This incident is supposed to have happened near a place called Mrugavadhe in Thirthahalli Taluk. Mrugavadhe means Killing of an animal in the local Kannada language.