Other names Mahalingeshwar Temple Country India Location Puttur | Proper name Mahalingeshwar Temple State Karnataka Phone 82511230511 | |
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District Dakshina Kannada district Address Dakshina Kannada, Puttur, Karnataka 574201 Similar Polali Rajarajeshwari Temple, Kadri Manjunath Temple, Mangaladevi Temple, Nellitheertha Cave Temple, Narahari Parvatha Sri Sadas | ||
Puttur Shree Mahalingeshwara Temple is a 12th-century temple, located in Puttur, Mangalore in the Indian state of Karnataka. Lord Shiva (popularly known as Puttur Mahalingeshwara) is the main deity.
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Legend
The most common story for the creation of the temple is that in the past, three old and learned Shaiva-cult Brahmins were travelling through southern India, Worshipping a Shiva Linga that they got from the Hindu holy ‘Kshetra of Kashi’. The three were ardent devotees of Shiva. One day they arrived at a place called ‘Gayapada Kshetra’ now known as Uppinangady in Puttur Taluk, Dakshina Kannada.
At Uppinangady, one of the three decided to move towards Puttur leaving behind the other two. He reached Puttur one evening, carrying the ‘Shiva Ling’ with him. He got up early the next morning and after a holy bath went to the palace of the Banga King to collect flowers and other essential pooja materials for the worship of Shiva. That day was a Monday, which was considered auspicious for the worship of Lord Shiva. At that time the Banga King did not pay attention to the arrival of this Brahmin, as he was much worried about the labor-pain of his loving sister.
However, the minister of the Banga-King, looking at the Divine Brightness in the face of the Brahmin, made an appeal regarding the King's problem. The Brahmin worshipped the Linga and blessed the King's sister assuring him that she would safely deliver a baby boy. Later to the astonishment of all, she gave birth to a boy child. The King felt happy over the event and thanked the Brahmin and arranged for the worship of the Lord.
Later on that particular day, the Brahmin, knowingly or otherwise, kept the Shiva-Linga on the ground without a stand or seat and worshiped it. After the pooja, he lifted the Linga from the ground, in order to keep it again in the container box (samputa), but it could not be lifted from the ground. The Brahmin used all his force to lift the Linga, but all efforts were in vain. The linga remained in place.
The King's army men applied force unsuccessfully. The King's elephant was summoned to lift the linga. As the elephant struggled, the linga grew to huge size and became Mahalinga, shattering the elephant into pieces. The animals' body parts spread out in different direction. The place where its horn (Khombu) fell came to be called ‘Kombettu’, Kari fell ‘Kariyala, legs fell (kalu) ‘Karjala’, hand(Kai) fell ‘Kaipala’ tail fell ‘Beedimajalu’, head(Tale) fell ‘Taleppady’ and back (Beri) fell ‘ Beripadavu’. These place names survived in the surroundings of Puttur. And since the elephant fell dead into the temple tank, a strong belief grew that elephants cannot survive drinking the tank water.
Car Festival (Puttur Bedi)
During the month of April the car festival is celebrated for 10 days with much gaiety and fervor. More than a lakh people visit Puttur during the festival.The festival is from 10th April to 20th April.The statue of Lord Shiva is taken throughout the city for 5days and on 6th day Ullalthi and Dhandanayaka Daivas come from Balnadu to Temple to see the fair and to protect the fair.On 7th day rathostav and Darshana Bali is held Rathostav is also called and famous as 'Putour Bedi'.