Servarayan Temple: The Hill and its Consort

The ancient tribal temple of Servarayan gives the hill range its anglicised name, Shevaroy Hills. The modern exterior of the temple is a bit of a red herring; it is merely a façade for the actual shrine, which is in a narrow, dark and permanently damp cave.

Inside the cave, are images of Lord Servarayan and the Goddess Kaveri, representing the Servarayan Hills and the Kaveri River.

This timeless union between a hill and a river, is an interesting example of how nature is paramount in tribal culture. Servarayan is said to have married the river maiden of a distant region, and brought her to the cave through a tunnel, hundreds of kilometres long. It is said that the base of the cave touches the bed of the river Kaveri, which explains its perennial dampness. No one has really ventured beyond the sanctum sanctorum; the believers because that would amount to sacrilege, and the non-believers because they fear the unknown.

The temple area comes alive in the month of May when devotees congregate to celebrate the Kodai or Summer Festival. The festival is marked by music, dance and food. The divine couple, cloistered in their cave in wedded bliss, smile and bless them from afar.

Good to Know

Location: 8 km from Sterling resort  

Timing: 7am to 7pm

Take care to: Maintain an attitude of reverence; Follow photography/mobile phone instructions; Keep kids safe (and quiet).