Hosahalli, Shimoga | Best time to visit, How to Reach

Hosahalli, Shimoga (Shivamogga) Overview

A unique village that merges ancient India with modern civilisation, the village of Hosahalli, along with its twin village Mattur, is known across the world as the only place where the ancient Sanskrit language is still spoken on a day-to-day basis and is the official language. It is situated on the banks of the Tunga River, 4 km away from the city of Shimoga. The villagers also speak the rare dialect called Sanketi, a unique mixture of Sanskrit, Tamil and Kannada.

Hosahalli, once part of the great empire of Vijayanagara, is full of marvellous temples like the Lord Channakeshava temple with an impressive Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) at its entrance, the Shri Rama mandiram at the heart of the village where devotional singing or bhajans are recited on Saturdays and festive days, and the Lord Shiva temple situated on the bank of river Tunga. These temples are a great testament to the religious and traditional lifestyle observed in this village, to which the villagers are committed to preserving. There lies a bridge across the Tunga river to connect to the Mattur village.

Hosahalli Lifestyle

Along with preserving India's oldest language, the inhabitants of Hosahalli are also proponents and practitioners of a rare folk art of Karnataka known as Gamaka, a unique blend of singing and storytelling. The entire village is a square, like a typical agraharam, with a temple in the center, called Brahmanaru Mane. There is a village paatashala, which teaches chanting of Vedas in the traditional way, especially Krishna Yajur Veda along with other ritualistic rites from Bodhayana sutras and Aabhasthamba sutras. Other rituals for yagnas are conducted for learning purposes.

The village follows the tradition of Gurukul-teaching in which the student seeks to find his teacher, and an intense course on learning the Vedas is taught to the students starting at the ripe age of 10. The Mattur-Hosahalli villages are a grand tribute to the millenia old customs, traditions, and culture of an almost forgotten ancient India. Despite the chosen lifestyle of the ancient Vedic age, the village stays abreast with the latest technologies, with one finding electricity, mobile phones and vehicles being used like any other place.

Best Time To Visit Hosahalli

The best time to visit the village is from October to May as the temperatures in the region are kind during this time of the year, hovering around 25 to 30 degree Celsius with evenings, slightly cooler. The monsoon period also a good time to visit Hosahalli.

Stay Near Hosahalli

Shimoga, situated 4 kilometres from the Hosahalli, should be the preferred destination for accommodation as it has many options catering to all budget sizes.

Sightseeing Around Hosahalli

While in Hosahalli, visit the Varsiddi Vinayak Temple, Matangamm ayane mariyamma Temple, Lord Shiva, Lord Rama, and Goddess Durga temples.

Tips For Visiting Hosahalli

Hosahalli is a small village that does not have any dining places or guest houses. Guests wanting to stay here may stay in the local village school (pathshala). Some of the villagers also offer homestays for guests.