Special pujas are held in the temple on Tuesdays, Fridays, Full moon day and on Amavasya day.
Additional Updated Information About Huligi Huligemma Devi Temple
Nestled on the banks of the holy Tungabhadra River in the
Koppal district of Karnataka, the village of Huligi — also known as Aroli — is
home to one of the most revered Shakti shrines in northern Karnataka. Known in
Sanskrit as Vyaghrapuri, meaning the abode of the tiger, Huligi has been a
sacred pilgrimage centre for over a thousand years. The very name Huligi is
believed to be derived from the name of the presiding goddess herself —
Huligemma Devi.
Huligemma Devi is an incarnation of Goddess Renuka Devi, and it is believed that Mother Shakti appeared in the form of Goddess Huligemma before two of her ardent devotees at Huligi.
The temple is believed to be self-manifested — the Goddess having appeared in the form of an abstract rock on the scenic banks of the Tungabhadra. This svayambhu, or self-manifest, nature of the deity is considered among the highest forms of divine grace in the Shakta tradition, signifying that the Goddess chose the place of her own will.
The Sacred Story of Nagajogi and Basavajogi
Two ardent devotees of Saundatti Renuka Yellamma Devi —
named Sri Nagajogi and Sri Basavajogi — lived in the town of Huligi
approximately 800 years ago. They were disciples of Sri Somanathabhatta, the
priest at the nearby Sri Someshwara Temple, who would impart lessons of
devotion and the glory of Renuka Yellamma Devi to his two disciples.
On a full moon night during the monsoon season, the two
jogis could not make their monthly pilgrimage to Saundatti due to incessant
rain. Heartbroken and dejected, they spent the night chanting the Devi's name
and eventually fell asleep. At the break of dawn, Renuka Devi appeared in their
dream and assured them that they need not make the arduous journey every month
to Saundatti. She declared that she would make her presence felt in Huligi
itself and bless them constantly.
Nagajogi and Basavajogi narrated this dream to their guru
Sri Somanathabhatta, and all three began searching for signs of the Devi's
presence. They discovered a Shaligrama and a Srichakra in the western confines
of the Someshwara Temple. The present-day inner sanctum of the Huligemma Temple
is believed to be the very spot where the Devi was found. This sacred account
is etched on a large granite slab installed within the temple premises for all
devotees to witness.
The Devi Mahatmya, a celebrated text within the Markandeya
Purana, affirms the omnipresent compassion of the Goddess. In Chapter 11, verse
24, the Goddess declares: "Whenever trouble arises and you remember me,
I shall destroy all your afflictions." This promise finds a living
expression in the story of Huligi, where the Goddess came to her devotees
rather than await their arrival.
Historical Significance
The temple has an edict from 1088 AD which proclaims that
this place, Huligi, was gifted to Chaturvedi Bhatta by the Chalukyan emperor
Vikramaditya the Sixth. Chaturvedi Bhatta also built a canal from the
Tungabhadra to aid the local people in cultivating crops around the area. The
Huligemma temple is a 13th-century structure devoted to the Goddess. The
Chalukyan connection places the temple firmly within one of the most
distinguished eras of Karnataka's dynastic history, a period when
temple-building and patronage of the divine flourished across the Deccan.
Daily Worship and Rituals
The Goddess is worshipped each day with full Agamic honours.
The temple conducts daily rituals and special pujas, including Abhisheka — the
ritual bathing of the deity — along with Archana and special prayers during
Navaratri and other significant occasions. Shibikotsava, Devi Bhagavata
readings, and Purana patana rituals are performed in the temple. The chanting
of the Devi's names, flower offerings, and lamp worship form the core of daily
observance.
Special pujas are held in the temple on Tuesdays, Fridays,
full moon days, and on Amavasya. These days are considered most propitious for
the worship of feminine divine energy. Devotees gather in large numbers, and
the atmosphere on these occasions is marked by deep devotion, the scent of
incense, and the steady sound of bells and sacred chanting.
Festivals and the Annual Jatra
The most important festival is held from the first day to
the eleventh day of the waxing phase of the moon in the Vaishakh month, which
falls between April and May. Known as the Huligemma Jaatre, this annual fair
attracts thousands of devotees from across Karnataka and neighbouring states. The
Jatra is a grand gathering that brings together pilgrims of all communities,
reflecting the Goddess's universal appeal beyond caste and region. Navratri,
the nine-night festival dedicated to the Goddess in her many forms, is also
celebrated with great fervour at the temple.