Pampa Sarovar is among one of the few sarovars or sacred ponds which find mention in the religious scriptures of the Hindus. It is believed to be formed by Lord Brahma and is in fact one of the five sacred sarovars of the Hindus. It is named after Goddess Pampa Devi which is a form of Parvati who did Tapasya or deep meditation for a long time for Lord Shiva at this place. Pampa Sarovar in Sanskrit means the Lotus pond. It was at this place only that Lord Rama met and accepted Shabari Bhilan's devotion.

Description

The beautiful pond with rocky terrain behind it, trees swaying in the wind and the serenity of the temple is a divine concoction in itself. The Pond is rectangular in shape and is filled with lotuses. The view is really a treat for the eyes when the flowers are in bloom. The cave where Shabri mata lived is small and extremely serene. One can immediately visualize the old lady, staying there for so many years, waiting for her Lord.

Footsteps of Lord Rama can be seen at the place where Shabari seated him and washed his feet with water from the Sarovar. There is also a Homa Kund inside the cave where Shabari peformed her pooja. Shabari used to bathe in the Pampa Sarovar and gathered lotus flowers from the Sarovar for worship. Right next to the Shabari cave, there is the temple of Vijayalakshmi as well as of the Shiva and the Pampa Devi. There is also a small shrine of Vinayaka or Lord Ganesha on a circular platform under a mango tree near the Sarovar.

Due to renovation of the temple, much harm has been done to this holy site. Marble tiles have hidden the valuable inscriptions and whitewashed pillars have disfigured icons.

Location

Pampa Sarovar is located in Koppal District which is 45 km from Hampi in Karnataka. It lies to the south of the Tungabhadra River. It lies on the road from Hospet to Anegondi and is a kilometer away from the foothills of Anjaneya Hill.

Mythological Story of Pampa Sarovar

The mention of Pampa Sarovar is found in the great Indian epic Ramayana. Shabari was a great devotee of Lord Rama and lived in the ashram of her Guru, Matunga Rishi. The place where Matunga Rishi’s ashram was located is now known as the Matunga Parvat in Hampi. Matunga Rishi had given a blessing to Shabari that Lord Rama would come to her during her lifetime. As time passed by, Matunga Rishi died. Shabari continued to live in his Ashram waiting for the arrival of Lord Rama. She had so much faith in her Guru’s words that she kept waiting for Lord Rama all her life till she became an old woman. When Lord Rama was journeying towards Lanka in search of his wife Sita who had been abducted by Ravana, it was then that He stopped at Matunga Rishi’s Ashram and Shabari finally met Rama. She fed Rama with ber fruits (Jujube berry). She tasted the berries herself before offering to Rama and threw away the sour ones and fed him with only the sweet ones. Lord Rama accepted even the bitten fruits, understanding the true love of his devotee. Lakhsmana was surprised to see that Lord Rama was eating the bitten fruits.

On Shabari’s suggestion, Lord Rama sought help from Hanumana and Sugreeva of the monkey kingdom who also lived near the Pampa Sarovar.

Another important fact about the Pampa Sarovar is that it was this place where Srimad Vallabhacahrya had performed the Srimad Bhagwad in the 16th century, which makes it a holy place for the Vaishnavas.

Nearby Places to Visit

Anjaneya Hill, Hachappa Mantapa or the Bukka’s Aquaduct, Navabrindavana, Virupapur Gadde, Rishimukh, Chandramouliswara Temple

How to Reach

By Rail

The nearest railway station to Koppal is Bhanapur Railway station Junction which is 17 km away. Hospet station is about 30 km from the place. Kottayam Railway station is at a distance of 119 km from Pampa and Chengannur Railway station is at a distance of 93km from Pampa.

By Air

Bellary Airport is at a distance of 87 km. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and Cochin International Airport is the nearest major airports.

By Bus

There are buses to Pampa from all major bus stations in the state. Auto-rickshaws, moped/bicycle hire are also good options to reach besides private cabs and buses.