Madhukanteshwara

 Under Shiva’s Moon at Madhukanteshwara

In the sacred land of Sirsi,
time did not move—it listened.
Forests stood in meditation,
and the air carried prayers older than memory.
At the heart of it all stood Madhukanteshwara Temple,
silent yet powerful, ancient yet alive.
Within its sacred walls,
countless Shiva Lingams rested,
each one a universe,
each one a reminder that Shiva is both one and many,
form and formless,
present everywhere.
As we walked barefoot through devotion,
the mind bowed before the soul did.
Friends became family in that sacred stillness—
no roles, no masks, only hearts open in surrender.
And then—
the moon rose above the temple,
calm, luminous, watchful.
Like Chandra adorning Shiva’s matted locks,

it felt as though Mahadev Himself
had paused the night to bless us.
The silver light touched the temple stones,
the Lingams, our folded hands—
turning the moment into eternity.
In that moonlit silence,
prayers needed no words.
The restless mind dissolved,
leaving behind only peace.
Shiva was in the chant of bells,
in the glow of the moon,
in the bond between us,
in the stillness that healed.
Sirsi gifted us more than memories—
it gave us a truth to carry home:
When hearts gather in devotion,
when time forgets to rush,
when the moon watches over faith—
Shiva is not just worshipped,
He is felt.

Nandini Mithun ✍️