11/11/2020
Famous Temples in Coastal Karnataka you must not miss (Part-2)
Continuing from the first part, below are the famous temples in Coastal Karnataka heading further south towards the Mangalore district:
Listed below are the famous temples in Coastal Karnataka:
10. Sri Somnatheshwara Cave Temple, Nellitheertha:
11. Shri Durga Parameshwari Temple, Kateel:
12. Shri Shardamba Temple, Sringeri:
13. Shri Annapoorneshwari Temple, Hornadu:
14. Shri Mangala Devi Temple, Mangalore:
15. Kudroli Gokarnanth Temple, Mangalore:
16. Kadri Manjunath Temple, Mangalore:
17. Manjunatha Swamy Temple, Dharmasthala:
18. Kukke Shri Subrahmanya Temple, Subrahmanya Village:
10. Sri Somnatheshwara Cave Temple, Nellitheertha:
The Nellitheertha Somnatheshwara Cave Temple is one of the sacred temples in Coastal Karnataka. Whether you come as a devotee to pray and ask for God’s blessings or just enjoy the ancient and beautiful caves, it is worth a visit. It is situated just 10 kilometers from the famous temple town of Kateel.
The temple is believed to be built in the late 15th century. The main deity of the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is worshipped in the form of Somnatheshwara. The other deities worshiped here are the Mahaganapathi and Jabali Maharishi. As per the Tulu traditions, the temple has its set of Bhootas (Warrior Assistants of Gods). The main Bhootas of the temple is Pili-Chammundi, Rakhteshwari, Kshetrapala, and Doomavathi.
The main attraction of the temple is the cave which is situated right at the entrance of the temple. The entrance of the cave is wider but after some distance, you have to crawl inside the cave and even getting down to your tummy at some point.
Moving forward, the cave widens again and you find a huge lake in there and a natural Shiva Lingam in front of the lake. The lake is made of water dripping from the caves which look like gooseberries, hence the name Nellitheertha (Nelli means gooseberries and teertha means holy water).
Due to the beauty and lush green surroundings of the cave and the religious significance, the temple has become a popular tourist destination amongst nature lovers as well as pilgrims.
Best Time to Visit: The caves are open only for 6 months between October and April. Temple is open on all 365 days.
How to Reach:
By Air: The nearest airport is at Mangalore. You can take a private cab from the airport to Nellitheertha. It will take approximately 40 minutes from the airport.
By Rail: Mangalore is the nearest major railway station which is well connected to other cities of India. From there you can take a private taxi to reach Nellitheertha.
By Road: There are regular buses available from Mangalore Bus Stand to Nellitheertha.
11. Shri Durga Parameshwari Temple, Kateel:
Shri Durga Parameshwari Temple is located in the temple town of Kateel in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. The holy temple is located in an aisle in the middle of Nandini River surrounded with panoramic view and lush greenery.
The temple is dedicated to Goddess Adishakti who is worshipped in the form of ‘Linga’ (symbolic holy rock) and called as Shri Durga Parameshwari.
According to ancient history, Demon Arunasura was committing atrocities on sages and petrifying the Devas due to the boon he had received from Lord Brahma that no two-legged or four-legged animals can kill him. Sage Jabali prayed to Goddess Adishakti to get rid of the Earth from the Demon.
Goddess Adishakti accepted his request and took the avatar of a beautiful woman and came in front of Arunasura. When the demon came near to woman, she told him who she really was and that she has come to free the world from his atrocities and disappeared to a rock structure. Getting to know the truth, the demon got enraged and cut the rock structure with his sword. Soon a swarm of bees emerged from the rock and stung the demon till his death.
Also to get rid of the drought in the area, Sage Jabali requested Kamdhenu, the divine Cow to help him but as Kamdhenu had gone to Varunaloka he asked her daughter Nandini to go with the Sage. When Nandini repeatedly refused, the Sage got enraged and cursed her to become a river. Hence, the river now flows around the temple.
The other deities worshipped here are Lord Sashtara or Lord Ayyappa, Lord Ganesha, Lord Brahma and Chamundi Devi. The temple provides Annadhana (free meals) twice in a day to all visiting devotees. Yakshagana, a traditional folk dance of Karnataka is an important festival celebrated here.
Thousands of devotees visit this temple and seek the blessings of Goddess DurgaParameshwari.
Best Time to Visit: You can visit the temple any time of the year, but if you want to avoid the blistering heat and the rainy season, October to March is the best time to visit.
How to Reach:
By Air: The nearest airport is at Mangalore. There are direct flights from Bangalore and other major cities to Mangalore, from where one can hire a cab to Kateel.
By Rail: Mangalore is the nearest major railway station which is well connected to other cities of India. From there you can take a private taxi to reach to Kateel.
By Road: NH48 and NH17 connect the temple town of Kateel to other major towns of Karnataka. There are regular bus services from Mangalore and Udupi to Kateel.
12. Shri Shardamba Temple, Sringeri:
Sringeri is a holy town located in the Chikkamangaluru district of Karnataka on the banks of River Tunga. The word Sringeri is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘ShrungaGiri’ means Apex, Top or Peak. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati who is worshipped as ShriShardamba Devi. The ShriShardamba temple is believed to be built in 8th Century by ShriAdiShankaracharya. The idol of ShriShardamba Devi was first constructed as a sandalwood structure and later in 14th century, during the Vijayanagara rule, the idol was replaced by a sitting Gold statue.
Next to the Shardamba Temple is the VidyaShankara temple, which is a perfect illustration of architectural marvel. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is worshipped as Lord VidyaShankara. There are 12 zodiac pillars inside the temple which are called as the Rishi Stambhas of the temple.
The temple is also famous for its sacred Sringerimatha which was first established by ShriAdiShankaracharya here. Later on, he also established mathas in North India, East India, and West India.
The other important temples in Sringeri are Stambha Ganapathi, Janardhan Temple, Harihara temple, and Kalabhairava temple to the East.
You can also visit to other tourist attractions nearby such as the Sirimane falls and Hanumanagundi Falls. Sringeri is a very popular tourist and religious destination of Karnataka and millions of people visit this holy town.
Best Time to Visit: You can visit the temple any time of the year, but if you want to avoid the blistering heat and the rainy season, October to March is the best time to visit.
How to Reach:
By Air: The nearest airport is at Mangalore at a distance of 105 kilometres. There are direct flights from Bangalore and other major cities to Mangalore, from where one can hire a cab to Sringeri.
By Rail: Shimoga and Chikkamagaluru are the major railway stations which are at 95 kilometres and 86 kilometres from Sringeri respectively and well connected to other major cities of Karnataka.
By Road: Sringeri can be reached from Mangalore, Udupi or Chikkamagaluru by a well-connected road network. Many Government and Private Buses ply from Bangalore and Shimoga to Sringeri.
Click on the below link for more details on famous temples in Coastal Karnataka.
https://www.zigzagleaps.in/famous-temples-in-coastal-karnataka-part-2/