Today is Bharat Hunnime (Pournami), a special day at the Saundatti Yellamma Temple in Belgaum district, Karnataka.
The Renuka Devi Temple, also popularly known as the Yellamma Devi Temple, is the most famous pilgrimage center in North Karnataka. The Yellamma Gudda (hill), where Goddess Renuka Devi (Yellamma Devi) resides, echoes with the chants of Udho Udho Udho.
Yellamma Devi is associated with Renuka, Sage Jamadagni’s wife and Lord Parashurama’s mother, as mentioned in the Puranas. Here, she is worshipped as Renuka Devi or Yellamma Devi.
Yellamma Devi is also identified with *Goddess Kali. While Kali is known as the punisher of evil, she is also a loving mother who blesses her devotees. It is in this form that she is worshipped here. A Jain inscription in the temple, written in Sanskrit and Kannada, mentions the *Rashtrakuta kings Krishna and Vikramaditya.
According to legend, Renuka Devi was the daughter of Renuka Raja. She married Sage Jamadagni (son of Ruchik Muni and *Satyavathi) and lived in the Ramshrung mountains. Jamadagni, known for his anger, had gained divine powers through severe penance. Renuka Devi assisted him in performing various rituals and poojas.
She gave birth to five sons: Vasu, Viswa Vasu, Brihudyanu, Brutwakanwa, and Ram Bhadra. Ram Bhadra was blessed by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and received the divine weapon “Ambikastra.” He was later known as Parashurama.
Renuka Devi followed a strict daily ritual. She would bathe in the Malaprabha River and, with full devotion, create a pot out of river sand. She would then catch a snake, coil it into a ring, and place it on her head to support the pot. This act demonstrated her deep concentration and devotion to her Pativrata dharma. She would bring this water daily for her husband’s rituals.
One day, while at the river, she saw Gandharvas (celestial beings) playing in the water. For a moment, she imagined herself playing with her husband. Realizing this, she tried to resume her ritual, but the sand pot would not form and the snake disappeared. Feeling disappointed, she returned to the ashram.
Sage Jamadagni, realizing what had happened, became furious and cursed her, ordering her to leave. He then commanded his sons to punish their mother, but none agreed—except Parashurama. Angered, Jamadagni cursed his other sons. Parashurama, obeying his father, beheaded his mother with his axe. Miraculously, her head multiplied into hundreds and scattered across different regions. This led to her four eunuch sons and others becoming her followers and worshipping her head.
The ‘Yellamma Temple’ was built in 1514 by ‘Bommappa Nayak’ in a mix of Chalukyan and Rashtrakuta architectural styles. The temple complex also includes shrines for Ganesha, Mallikarjuna, Parashurama, Eknath, and Siddheshwara. The government currently manages the temple.
The temple stands atop a hill near Saundatti, an ancient town that was once the first capital of the “Ratta dynasty.”
The temple attracts devotees from Karnataka and neighboring states, especially during the ‘Yellamma Jatra’ in ‘Margashira month.’ Though fairs are held between October and February, the grandest celebration occurs on the ‘full moon day, ‘Bharat Hunnime’, which is today.
