Kuruvathi is situated at the banks of Tungabhadra, in whose holy waters the Western Chalukya king Someshvara I gave away his life by drawing himself. This story is narrated in an inscription and in Vikramankadeva-charitam of Bilhana. The Mallikarjuna temple is probably erected in his memory by his son. There is an image of this king with his queens placed inside the temple.