For further details, please contact
sharavu@hotmail.com
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Mangalore is known as a pilgrim center and boasts
of many sacred temples like Sharavu, Kadri, Mangaladevi, Kudroli etc. Out
of these Sri Sharavu Sharabeshwara - Sri Mahaganapathy
Kshetra is an outstanding, pious center of great illustrious
history of marathon 800 years.
Since the temple is located in the heart of the city, locating
and reaching the temple is very easy. It is at a walking distance from
Hampankatta and also can comfortably reached by autorickhaws.
The name "Sharavu" is derived from "Shara" which means arrow. About
eight centuries back, the "Sthalapurana"
or local legendary depicts, a very powerful king, Maharaja Veerabahu of
tuluva region, killed a cow by sheer mistake by shooting it with an arrow.
He in reality meant to shoot the tiger which was standing besides the cow.
But, his unculpable terrible sin had to be erased, for which he did install
a "Shiva Linga" as per the suggestion of a great seer Sri Bharadhwaja.
This Shivalinga has been worshipped by the Maharaja as Sharabeshwara.
This sacred place was termed thereafter as "Sharavu" and the newly formed
temple tank as "Sharatheertha".
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Shri Sharavu Mahaganapathi Temple
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Later, the most revered divine image of "Sri Dhashabhuja Mahaganapathy"
along with "Siddilaxmi" appeared on the southern wall of this sacred Sharabeshwara
temple. Lord Laxmiganapathy has been worshipped by a pious archaic named
Yeshiva of Ganapathya cult. After a course of time, he had to endow this
noble responsibility of worshipping Lord Ganesh to an old Brahmin, named
Ganesha Kekunnaya as per the divine command of Lord Ganesha. |
Thereafter, it is Sri Ganesha Kekunnaya's family which has the sacred responsibility
of performing "Pooja" to Lord Sharabeshwara and Lord Laxmiganapathy, and
also looking after the management of the temple affairs.
It is a thrilling story, having a wide currency
that once the muslim ruler of Srirangapattana Tippu Sultan had a strong
desire to plunder this famous temple during his military march over Mangalore.
But, on the very previous night, he had a horrible dream in which an angered
elephant was crushing him beneath its feet. He woke up suddenly and inquired
thoroughly about this ghastly dream. He has been explained that the mysterious
divine power of Lord Ganapathy of Sharavu Kshetra was cautioning him not
to resume any misadventure of plundering this famous temple. Consequently,
Tippu Sultan gave up his ill conceived adventure and offered "Tastik" of
4 varahas (gold currency) per year with atmost awe and reverence towards
this temple.
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The family of Sri Ganesha Kekunnaya has acquired much reputation with vast
learning, high scholarship and total devotion to Lord Mahaganapathy. One
Ganapathy Bhatta of this family has been honored by Maharaja of Mysore,
profusely even with "Raja Mudra" gold ring and a title "Shastry" which
means a "Learned Scholar" in the year 1836. From that time onwards, the
surname of this "Archak" family has been known as "Shastry" and the same
family is having the perpetual right of hereditary Trustee or "shile shile
Mokthesara" of the Temple.
| Sri Sharavu Kshetra has been renovated in a grand scale recently by
Late Sharavu Ramakrishna Shastry. His Children Sri Raghavendra Shastry
and Sri Dr. Sudesh Shastry are continuing this illustrious tradition with
maximum devotion and sincerity. This temple attracts thousands of devotees
everyday. On the special occasions like Sri Ganesh Chaturthi, annual Car
Festival or "Rathothsava" starting on Chandramana Yugadi, Deepothsava or
Festival of Lights and on Shankasti Chaturthi days, a very large number
of devotees do have the sacred "Darshana" of Lord Sharabeshwara Lord Mahaganapathy.
This temple is indeed the center of a variety of cultural activities like
Yakshagana, Dance Drama etc. and also of humanitarian as well as social
service activities |
For further details, please contact sharavu@hotmail.com
or visit http://members/delphi.com/sharavu
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