Śrī Śāradāmbā Temple, Sringeri

Śāradāmbā (Sarasvatī) · Sringeri, Chikkamagaluru · Karnataka

Language

Śaṅkarācārya's first maṭha on the Tunga

⭐ Why it is famous

The seat of the Dakṣiṇāmnāya Śāradā Pīṭham, founded by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya as the first of his four maṭhas. The golden Śāradāmbā image sits in a granite Dravidian shrine beside the Tunga, whose fish are fed and never caught.

📜 Pilgrimage history

Śaṅkarācārya is said to have chosen the spot on seeing a cobra shading a labouring frog — a place of such sattva that natural enmity ceased. Vidyāraṇya, the maṭha's most famous pontiff, guided the founding of Vijayanagara in the 14th century; the present Śāradā shrine was rebuilt in stone by Sacchidānanda Śivābhinava Nṛsiṁha Bhāratī around 1916.

🕰️ Temple timings

Darśan 06:00 – 14:00 and 16:00 – 21:00
Śāradā abhiṣeka around 06:30, Rātri pūjā around 20:30

🙏 Darśan details

Free darśan; no ticket queues on ordinary days
Sevās such as Kumkumārchana and Chandika Homa booked at the maṭha counter
Traditional dress preferred; mobile phones discouraged inside
Free anna-dāna at the maṭha dining hall, three times a day

🚉 Location & getting there

📍 Śrī Śāradāmbā Temple, Sringeri, Sringeri, Chikkamagaluru13.4198, 75.2528 · Tap to open Google Maps

📍 Open in Google Maps Directions →

Nearest railway station

Shivamogga Town (SME) — 95 km

Nearest bus stand

Government: Sringeri KSRTC bus stand, 1 km
Private buses: Private buses from Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Udupi and Shivamogga

Nearest airport

Mangaluru International (IXE) — 105 km

Regional / UDAN airport

Shivamogga Airport (RQY) — 95 km · UDAN regional flights

By road

KSRTC buses from Bengaluru (330 km), Mangaluru and Udupi; the Agumbe ghāṭ road is scenic but slow in monsoon.

🪔 Poojas, sevās & tickets

This temple does not publish a rate list. Darśan is free; ārcanā, abhiṣeka and other sevās are booked at the counter inside the temple on the day.

🧭 Around the temple

Places to see besides the temple — tap any one to open it in Google Maps.

📍 NearbySringeri Tunga River Ghat1 km awayRiver ghat with fish sanctuary beside the temple town.⛰️ HillsKigga Village Forest Trail10 km awayForested countryside walk near a quiet Malnad village.⛰️ HillsKudremukh Peak Trailhead45 km awayTrailhead for the horse-face shaped peak in the Western Ghats.

🛏️ Where to stay

Maṭha guesthouses (Narasimhavana, Bharathi Nilaya) — book on sringeri.net
Small hotels and homestays in Sringeri town, ₹800–₹3,000
Coffee-estate homestays near Koppa and Chikkamagaluru

₹ Indicative trip cost (per head, 2 days)

Budget	Standard	Comfort
₹2,500	₹5,000	₹11,000

Indicative only — travel, stay and food, excluding shopping

🛕 Nearby temples

Śrī Annapūrṇeśvarī Temple, Horanadu Mūkāmbikā Temple, Kollur Śrī Durgāparameśvarī Temple, Kateel