Mystery Of 1,000 Ancient Carved Shiva Lingas Discovered In India And Cambodia

For the first time in history, a combination of drought and overconsumption of water has pushed the river in India, the Shamala river in Karnataka to its limits, revealing under its bank secrets that have shocked the archaeological community. The receding river has revealed the presence of thousands of Shiva Linga’s which were carved in the distant past along the river bed.

The place referred to as “Sahasralinga” (thousand Shiva Lingas in Sanskrit) has become an extremely important pilgrimage site and thousands of people visit Sahasralinga to offer their prayers to Lord Shiva. Shiva Lingas or the Lingam is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva, it is issued in temples for worship.

Located near Sirsi, in the state of Karnataka, Sashasralinga is one of the most beautiful places in the entire country, representing divine power, and positive energy. The countless shiva lingas discovered due to the draught are proof that some places on our planet still hold the secret of our ancestors, secrets that are slowly but surely coming out into the world, so we can hopefully preserve them adequately and pay respect to their tradition and historical value.

As per history, all these Shiva Lingas were built by Sadasiva Raya (1542–1569) of the Vijayanagar Kingdom. There is a local legend that says the Sahasralingas were ordered to be created by the king based on a belief that doing so might help beget an heir to his kingdom.

Though there are Sahasralingas in locations like Orissa and even near Hampi in Karnataka, the spot near Sirsi is unique in that here the lingas are carved on rocks of various sizes and scattered all over the river bed. In the case of the Sahasralinga at the Parashurameshvara Temple in Orissa, a huge single linga is present and carries on itself in 1008 miniature lingas. Similarly, at Hampi, thousands of Shiva Lingas are found, carved on the rocks along the banks of the River Tungabhadra.

Many Shiva Lingas of Unknown Origin Can Be Found In Cambodia

A similar place exists in Cambodia. Cambodian Sahasralinga is located 25 kilometers from Angkor Wat, the largest Hindu temple outside of India.

The place is called Kbal Spean and its meaning is ‘the Head Bridge’. Here, we also find plenty of carved lingas located in the middle of a river, but the place is not sacred and it is rarely visited other than by curious tourists. It should be added it is also difficult to access due to the surrounding wildness.

Long ago the kings used to come here for a holy bath. It is unknown who carved these lingas and for what purpose. Locals believe that the Lingas are symbols of creative energy and that the river water that flows on the lingas will make the Cambodian paddy fields more fertile. A lot of Hindu symbols were destroyed during the civil war in Cambodia. But these Sahasra Lingas were not affected because of the surrounding thick forest.

One of the remarkable sculptures here is of Maha Vishnu and Brahma emerges from his belly on a lotus flower.