Sringeri

It is believed that this town was named after Rishyashringa, who figures in the famous Indian mythological epic, Ramayana, as the chief priest at the sacrifice of King Dasaratha. Sringeri, where Adi Shankara, the founder of the Advaita philosophy, discovered a cobra sheltering a frog from torrential rains, has its spiritual centre on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, in the evergreen forests of Chikmagalur. The Vidyashankara Temple located here is an architectural marvel its 12 sculpted pillars, each representing a sign of the zodiac, are placed so that the sun's rays fall on each successively, in the order of the solar months. The temple also has a paved courtyard. A second temple, built in the Dravidian style, is dedicated to Sharada, the goddess of learning. The Tungabhadra River flows past the temple, where devotees feed the sacred fish.