Pampa Sarovar


Pampa Sarovar is a lake in Koppal district near Hampi in Karnataka. To the south of the Tungabhadra River, it is considered sacred by Hindus and is one of the five sacred , or lakes in India. According to Hindu theology, there are five sacred lakes; collectively called Panch Sarovar; Mansarovar, Bindu Sarovar, Narayan Sarovar, Pampa Sarovar and Pushkar Sarovar. They are also mentioned in Shrimad Bhagavata Purana. In Hindu scriptures Pampa Sarovar is regarded as the place where Pampa, a form of Shiva's consort Parvati, performed penance to show her devotion to Shiva. It is also one of the Sarovar's that finds a mention in the Hindu epic, Ramayana as the place where Shabari, a devotee of Rama waited for the arrival of Ram.

Description

The Pampa Sarovar lake is located in a valley, hidden among the hills on the road to Anegundi from Hospet. It is about a kilometer from the foothills of the Hanuman Temple. The lake is filled with lotuses, and is really picturesque when the flowers are in bloom. There is a Lakshmi temple, as well as a Shiva temple facing the pond. Next to the pond, under a mango tree stands a small Ganesh shrine.