Talkad is an ancient town located in Mysore. This seaside town had been the capital city of Chola and Ganga kingdoms. As a traveler you will come across several ancient temples, which are located at a walking distance from the seaside. These temples are built in Dravidian style. Besides these Talkad in Karnataka is also famous for the fairs and festivals. Amongst the 6 temples in Talkad the Vaidyeswar Shiva temple is the most talked about one. As is the case with many of the holy places in Karnataka Talkad, too, is an important site for Shaivites.
The Vaidyeswar Shiva temple dates back to 14th century. The striking feature about this temple is that it houses the idol of Shiva in different postures. At the entrance statues of Tala and Kadu are to be found. These brothers were granted immortality by the Lord. The city has been named after these two brothers. They were instrumental in discovering the idol of Lord Shiva.
Another attraction of this temple town is the Lingeshwar. As the day proceeds this idol keeps changing its hue. In the morning it is deep red in color, pale yellow in the evening and white at night. These temples lie buried under the sand and every 12 years they are being dug out during October-November (Karthik) for celebrating Panchalinga Darshana.
Along the border of Talkad district there are two more temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The Shiva temple depicts the god lying in an eternal sleep. This incarnation of the lord is popularly known as Ranganathan. Besides the temples there is a forest by the hillside. The river Cauvery has also led to the formation of two waterfalls. These present mind-blowing scenarios for the travelers.
Talkad in Karnataka is located at a distance of 77 kilometers from Mysore. This place is also accessible from Sivasamudram.
