Sri Kasi Vishweshwara Swamy Temple is located at Antharagange in Kolar district, Karnataka. The shrine is dedicated to Shiva. Antara Gange literally means "Ganges from deep" in Kannada. Antharagange are around 4 kms from the temple.
Kolar Antharagange Temple – History – Story
In the Satya Yuga, King Muchukunda fought on the side
of the gods in the war between the devas and asuras. After the war, when he was
sent back to Earth, it is said that he had spent nearly a year in heaven. Indra
granted Muchukunda a boon that he could sleep peacefully wherever he wished in
the world, and that anyone who disturbed his sleep would be destroyed. After
receiving this boon, Muchukunda lay down to rest.
Later, in the Dvapara Yuga, Lord Krishna came to the
same Satya Ganga mountain while escaping from the demon Kalayavana. Krishna
entered the cave and sat upon Muchukunda’s seat. When Muchukunda opened his
eyes, the demon Kalayavana—who stood before him—was instantly burned to ashes
by the power of Muchukunda’s gaze.
At the beginning of the Kali Yuga, at the end of the
dawn of the age, Lord Shiva established a Shiva Linga here and named it Kashi
Vishweshwara. When Sage Muchukunda brought water from Kashi and performed
abhisheka (ritual bathing) for the deity, Goddess Ganga is believed to have
declared that she herself was coming from Kashi to this temple.
On the southern side of the temple, the Ganga is said to
have emerged from the earth in the form of lime juice, Rudraksha, a mendicant’s
staff and bowl, and the waters of Kashi, for the convenience of devotees. It is
believed that Sage Muchukunda also built two Nandi (Basava) statues and a
sacred water tank (kalyani).
Because water continuously flows from the mouth of a serpent
here, the place came to be known by this name, and the source of this water
remains a mystery. Since the water tank lies to the south and the water flows
southward, this sacred site is called Dakshina Kashi (Southern Kashi).
On the night of Shivaratri in the month of Kartika, special worship is performed at the temple. It is believed that the deity fulfills the sincere wishes of devotees. There is also a belief that bathing in the water flowing from the mouth of the Basava statue (stone bull) beside the temple cures diseases. This water is considered to possess medicinal properties.