Bhoo Varahaswamy Temple is located in a tiny village named Kalhalli on the banks of river Hemavati. This is one of the prominent places near Mysore, Karnataka. the temple has survived several floods. the temple is in rectangular shape and looks plain from outside but the idol inside is breathtaking.
The temple is dedicated to the third incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Varahaswamy or the wild Boar form.In this avatar the Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of a boar to rescue Goddess Bhoodevi from the demon Hiranyaksha.
The deity is supposed to have mysterious powers.The idol is 18 feet tall, is monolith made of saligrama stone. The god is in a sitting pose with goddess Bhoodevi who is 3.5ft tall seated on his left lap.
The temple is said to be more than 2500 years.It is also called punyakshetra or holy region where Great sage Gautama performed penance.According to legend king Veera Ballala while he was hunting he got lost in this forest .while he was resting under a tree he saw a unique thing happening in front of his eyes a hunting dog was chasing a rabbit, when they reached a particular spot, the rabbit turned back and started chasing the dog.
Looking at this strange event the king new there was some magical powers in that place. He dug up the place and he found the deity of Pralaya Varahaswamy hidden under the layers of earth. The king then built a temple and offered prayers everyday. Even today you can see the temple which has weathered severe floods and storm to tell the tale.
The river Hemavati flows graciously beside the temple.Though the river appears calm there are strong undercurrents which prevents people from swimming here. In fact the dept of the river in the centre even till today is not known.During monsoon the water level reaches the temple wall and submerges the adjoining areas. When the water recedes during the months of April or May “Varaha Jayanthi” is celebrated, it is an annual fair.
An idol of Hanuman is also sculpted under the main idol.A new gopura is being built and the surrounding walls are strengthened and beautified.
