Courtesy: Deccan Herald

• The Venkatramana temple of Karkala is popular with the local people, many find it irresistible to visit the temple daily and receive the Lord's blessings, writes Amrita Nayak in 'Deccan Herald'. 

Karkala, Apr 18: Each year, thousands flock Lord Venkatramana temple in Karkala with the firm belief in the deity's power to grant wishes. About 50 kms from Mangalore, Karkala is a tranquil town more popular for the Jain Basadi and the monolithic statue of Bahubali that stands majestically in the heart of the City.

Better known as 'Padu Tirupati', Lord Venkatramana temple is considered the main deity of Gowda Saraswat Brahmins. Legend has it that a family of Gowda Saraswat Brahmins brought Lord Venkatramana's statue along with them while migrating from Goa. As they decided to settle down in Karkala, the family built a temple for the Lord and started worshipping him here.

When the rulers of Mangalore attacked the temple, the priests saved the main idol and other valuables by throwing them down a well in Mulki. As things cooled down, they could retrieve the belongings of the temple except for the main deity. However, a person in Mulki found the statue in the well, which was taken as an indication that the Lord wanted to stay there, instead of in Karkala.

It's said that the Lord appeared in people’s dreams and asked them to leave his statue with residents of Mulki. He seemed to have reassured them that a hermit would present them his statue in which he resides.

As told by him, a hermit, who was a staunch devotee of Lord Venkatramana from Tirupati, came to Karkala and presented the Lord's statue with the condition that the proceeds of the temple be given to Tirupathi. Heeding to the condition, people of Karkala undertake a pilgrimage to Tirupati each year to present the temple's proceeds.

Since the rites and rituals at the Karkala temple are similar to that of Tirupati, it is regarded as Tirupati in the West (while the original shrine is located in the east). So, it's called Padu (or West) Tirupathi. A ritual called Vanabhojan is conducted each year, when the deity is taken to Lake Ramasamudra and is kept facing Tirupathi.

This is done as the deity can't be taken to Tirupati itself, to comply with the hermit's condition. Presenting the offerings to Tirupati at Karkala itself had been an old custom. In the past, these proceeds were also given to Tirupati once in 12 years. Although this is no longer in practice, it is said that people still present their offerings to Tirupati here. In front of Lord Venkatramana's shrine lies a Hanuman temple, whose statue towers over 15 feet.

It's said that this statue was found under the grounds of Anekere (near Karkala), when it was dug. Tippu Sultan was among the ardent devotees of this Hanuman; the silver ornament he had offered to the Lord is still seen around his neck.

Several legends illustrate Lord Venkatramana's power to grant wishes. One of them happened in 1912, when the British government at Madras decided to make Moodbidri instead of Karkala the taluk head quarters, which disappointed people here. They prayed to the deity. When a British officer was on his way to Karkala for re-inspection of the place, as he crossed Moodbidri, all of a sudden his horse collapsed and died on the spot. Somehow he managed to reach Karkala.

On reaching there, he paid a visit to Lord Venkatramana’s temple. After the visit, the British officer dropped the idea of making Moodbidri the taluk headquarters and decided on Karkala. Such are the miracles of the Lord. Right outside the sanctum-sanctorum (garba-griha) of the temple, there are four massive stone pillars decorated with exquisite carvings.

The Lord Venkatramana Temple Trust owns and manages many educational institutions, apart from conducting cultural activities.