Dharmasthala Manjunatha Temple
Encyclopedia
Dharmasthala Manjunatha Temple(Kannada: ಧರ್ಮಸ್ಥಳ ಶ್ರೀ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ ದೇವಾಲಯ) is an 800-year-old Hindu temple
located in the temple town of Dharmasthala
situated in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka
, India
. The primary deity of the temple is Shiva
who is referred to as Manjunatha(Kannada:ಮಂಜುನಾಥ). Other deities in the temple are Shakti
referred to as Ammanavaru
and the Dharma Daivas
(Guardian Spirits of Dharma
) namely Kalarahu, Kalarkayi, Kumaraswamy
and Kanyakumari
. The temple is considered unique since it belongs to Shaivite sect of Hinduism. The priests of the temple are Shivalli Brahmins who belong to the Vaishnava sect of Hinduism and the administration is run by a Jain Bunt family called the Pergades.
of Shiva
from kadri, near Mangalore
. Subsequently, the Manjunatha temple was built around the linga.
.The partial list of previous Dharma Adhikari 's is as follows
Hindu temple
A Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism...
located in the temple town of Dharmasthala
Dharmasthala
Dharmasthala is a temple village on the banks of the Nethravathi River in the Belthangadi taluk of the Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka....
situated in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The primary deity of the temple is Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
who is referred to as Manjunatha(Kannada:ಮಂಜುನಾಥ). Other deities in the temple are Shakti
Shakti
Shakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes...
referred to as Ammanavaru
Ammavaru
Ammavaru , according to a minor Hindu belief, is an ancient goddess who laid the egg that hatched Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. In fact, "Amma" is a term meaning mother. According to other Hindus, however, Shiva is without birth or death. Similar beliefs exist for Vishnu.Annually, the women of South...
and the Dharma Daivas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
(Guardian Spirits of Dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
) namely Kalarahu, Kalarkayi, Kumaraswamy
Murugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
and Kanyakumari
Devi Kanya Kumari
Devi Kanya Kumari, known as Kumari Amman is one of the forms of Devi. She is popularly known as "Bhagavathy Amman". Bhagavathy Amman Temple is located in Kanya Kumari on the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean...
. The temple is considered unique since it belongs to Shaivite sect of Hinduism. The priests of the temple are Shivalli Brahmins who belong to the Vaishnava sect of Hinduism and the administration is run by a Jain Bunt family called the Pergades.
Legend and origin
800 Years ago, Dharmasthala was known as Kuduma in Mallarmadi, then a village in Belthangady. Here lived the Jain Bunt Chieftain Birmanna Pergade and his wife Ammu Ballalthi in a house called Nelliadi Beedu. According to the legend, the guardian angels of Dharma assumed human forms and arrived at Pergade's abode in search of a place where Dharma was being practised and could be continued and propagated. As was their habit, the Pergade couple hosted these illustrious visitors with all their wherewithal, and great respect. Pleased by their sincerity and generosity, that night the Dharma Daivas appeared in the dreams of Pergade. They explained the purpose of their visit to him and instructed him to vacate his house for the worship of the Daivas and dedicate his life to the propagation of Dharma. Asking no questions, the Pergade built himself another house and began worshipping the Daivas at Nelliadi Beedu. This worship of daivas continues.the Dharma Daivas again appeared before the Pergade to build separate shrines to consecrate the four Daivas - Kalarahu, Kalarkayi, Kumaraswamy and Kanyakumari. Also, Pergade was instructed to choose two persons of noble birth to act as the Daivas's oracles and four worthy persons to assist Pergade in his duties as the Executive Head of the Shrines. In return, the Daivas promised Pergade protection for his family, abundance of charity and renowned for the ' Kshetra '.Pergade, as desired, built the shrines and invited Brahmin priests to perform the rituals. These priests requested Pergade to also install a Shivalinga beside the native Daivas. The Daivas then sent their vassal Annappa Swamy to procure the lingamLingam
The Lingam is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples....
of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
from kadri, near Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
. Subsequently, the Manjunatha temple was built around the linga.
Pergade family
The Pergade Family is a Jain Bunt family who descend from the creator of the temple Birmanna Pergade and his wife Ammu Ballalthi and are the Hereditary Trustees of the Temple.The eldest male member assumes the position of Dharma Adhikari (Chief Administrator) and uses the Title of Heggade. The Heggade was the Feudal Lord of the Temple Town and solved civil or criminal disputes. This was a judicial function and continues even to this day whereby the Heggade sits in judgement on hundreds of civil complaints, known as hoyulu, each day. About nearly twenty generations of the Pergade family have assumed the Position of Dharma Adhikari .The present Dharma Adhikari is Veerendra HeggadeVeerendra Heggade
Dharma Adhikari Veerendra Heggade is a philanthropist and the hereditary administrator of the Dharmasthala Temple. He succeeded to the post of dharmadhikari at the age of 20, on October 24, 1968 becoming the 21st Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala Temple dedicated to the Hindu God...
.The partial list of previous Dharma Adhikari 's is as follows
| Dharmadhikari No. | |Name | From | To | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Chandayya Heggade | 1918 C.E. | |||
| 19 | Manjayya Heggade Manjayya Heggade Dharmasthala Manjayya Heggade was an Indian philanthropist, educationist and legislator who is best known for being the hereditary administrator of the Dharmasthala Manjunatha Temple from 1918 to 1955.-Early life:... |
1918 C.E. | 1955 C.E. | ||
| 20 | Ratnavarma Heggade Ratnavarma Heggade Dharmasthala Ratnavarma Heggade was an Indian philanthropist,educationist and legislator who is best known for being the hereditary administrator of the Dharmasthala Manjunatha Temple from 1955 to 1968.-Early life:... |
1955 C.E. | 1968 C.E. | ||
| 21 | Veerendra Heggade Veerendra Heggade Dharma Adhikari Veerendra Heggade is a philanthropist and the hereditary administrator of the Dharmasthala Temple. He succeeded to the post of dharmadhikari at the age of 20, on October 24, 1968 becoming the 21st Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala Temple dedicated to the Hindu God... |
1968 C.E. | Present | ||