Talakadu, Karnataka
"Let Talakād become sand ; let Mālangi become a whirlpool ; let the Mysore Rājas fail to beget heirs." uttered Mysore queen, Rāni Alamelamma before drowning herself in Malangi. This is the curse of Talakadu, and ever since the 16th century, the town has been covered in sand dunes, burying the temples and the Wodeyar family, against whom the curse was issued have not had an heir to the throne since. Today, many temples including the Kirtinarayana (Hoysala architecture), Pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, Vaidyanatheshwara and Mallikarjuna temples have been excavated while it is believed that still more than 30 are under the sand. A 2 km, covered path has been added for easy access to all the excavated sites, though walking on sand is not the easiest. The path also leads to the Kaveri river bank where you can dip your toes, swim or cross the river on a coracle, a round boat. The water level varies depending on the rains and how much is released to Tamil Nadu downstream.
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