Silvester D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapura (MS)

Kundapura, Aug 20: Two idols of Lord Mylara (Khandoba) deity were found at Basrur.

The worshipping of Lord Mylara deity is quite rare in the coastal region. Now as these idols have been found it has been proved that Lord Mylara was worshipped in parts of coastal region too long ago. Earlier, a similar idol was found in Jeppu Bappal of Mangaluru.

In Maharashtra, Lord Mylara is addressed as Khandoba. In the Mylara idol a soldier is seen riding on a horse with a sword in his hand. There is a protective shield worn on his chest as well. These idols dates back to 15^th or 16^th century AD. The idols were recovered when silt was removed from the pond belonging to Devananda Shetty Halnadu.

In present times we can see the shrine of Lord Mylara on Chikkammana Saalu road of the taluk and Linganamudre pillar by the side of it.

Pradeep Kumar Basrur, district convenor of Indian historical editing committee and Abijna, history lecturer of SDM College Ujire helped in affirming that the idol indeed belonged to 15^th or 16^th century and that it is of Lord Mylara.

Mahesh Kini, treasurer of Indian historical editing committee Udupi, Halnadu Devananda Shetty and Jayalaxmi Bhat, daughter of late Venkatramana Upadhya helped in finding the idol.