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4 temples across South India.
A hilltop shrine atop Chamundi Hills overlooking Mysuru, dedicated to Goddess Chamundeshwari, the fierce form of Durga said to have slain the buffalo-demon Mahishasura nearby. A giant statue of the demon stands near the temple, and the thousand-step stone stairway up the hill passes a monolithic Nandi bull carved from a single rock.
Chamundeshwari
A highly revered Shakti shrine on an island formed by the Nandini river in coastal Karnataka, dedicated to Goddess Durgaparameshwari, who legend says appeared here to the sage Parashurama. Its annual Deepotsava festival and traditional yakshagana performances make it one of the most visited temples on the Karnataka coast.
Mookambika
A major Devi temple in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, dedicated to Goddess Mookambika, worshipped as a combined embodiment of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. The sanctum houses a swayambhu (self-manifested) jyotirlinga beside the goddess's idol, and the temple is closely linked to the philosopher Adi Shankaracharya, believed to have consecrated it.
The first of the four sacred Mathas (monasteries) established by Adi Shankaracharya in 8th century CE, dedicated to Goddess Sharada (Saraswati). Located on the banks of the Tunga river, Sringeri is a deeply spiritual destination in the heart of the Western Ghats.
