I was in Nanjangud to watch the big car festival last month. While I was struggling my way through a sea of people, I heard two people having an animated conversation about Kalale temple near Nanjangud. My curiosity took me to this temple the next day. I was surprised to see such a big temple in the small village of Kalale.
Kalale is in Nanjangud Taluk, a well known historical, pilgrimage place which also has mythological importance.
The story of Kalale is enticing and the local people of the village weave tales around it. According to them ‘Janamejaya' was the grandson of Abhimanyuand the great-grandson of Arjuna, the valiant warrior hero of Mahabharata. He was the king of the Pandava dynasty. One day on a hunting trip along the course of Kapila and Koundinya rivers he entered this village and saw lord Lakshmikantha's idol lying in bamboo bushes.
This idol is 3 feet and 6 inches long and delightful to see. Kalale in Sanskrit means bamboo. Since the idol was found in bamboo bushes, the place is called Kalale.
Every year, a car festival is held in this temple. This festival takes place exactly 5 to 7 days after the Nanjangud big car festival. People from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu throng the temple to witness the festival.
The night Utsava also known as Teradi Utsava is quite popular. The deity is taken out in a colorful umbrella-Naduchappara, decorated with lights and people walk with the deity the entire night.