Bhalki town, which is at the northern tip of the state is well-known for its historical signifance. Bhalki was known as Shivapuri in earlier times, and the town is known for its many Shiva temples. Footwear was a no-no once one stepped into the town.
There are 12 Shiva lingas in the town, with a lot of references to the Ramayana and the Mahabaharatha. The great devotee Kumbara Gundaiah hailed from these parts. His samadhi (memorial) can be found here even today.
Sadly though, with such a rich history, the place doesn’t seem to have seen any progress. There are no proper roads that connect to the famous Rameshwara temple. The temple itself is in poor shape.
Litterateur G B Visaji points out that elected representatives and the department concerned have not bothered to do much to save the temple.
During the Nizam’s rule in pre-Independence India, none of the temples in the region were renovated.
But even post-Independence, the government has not paid much attention to these temples.
There is a pushkarni (tank) in front of the Rameshwara temple, that had water to the brim even during the severe drought that hit the region in 1972.
It is important that these structures are maintained and preserved.
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