BHATKAL, SHRI GERSAPPA LAXMINARAYAN TEMPLE
Established about : 500 years ago by a member from Mankikar Family.
Presiding Deity : Shri Laxminarayan Dev.
Important Festivals : Vanabhojana on Kartik Bahul Shasti (November).
Nearby Interesting Places : Six temples in the same town and Sea Beach in Mrudeshwar. Temples like Parashuram Kamakshi, Sunkadkatte Ganapati, Kashi Math, Datta-Umamaheshwar, Wader Math (Vithoba temple), Hanuman Temple etc.
Managing & Sole Trustee : Shri B. N. Koppikar, Shanta Nivas, Veera Vithal Road, Bhatkal - 581320.
HISTORY OF SHRI GERSAPPA LAXMINARAYAN TEMPLE :
There was family in the village of Manki called Mankikars at the time of Jains' reign in Nagar Sansthana around 1400 - 1500 AD.
At the time of Ganesh Chathurthi, these annoyed tenants took the revenge. They brought a Rasabale Banana bunch, put poison in, by a needle and gave to the landlord on the day of Ganesh Chathurthi. The landlord prepared Rasayana of the Bananas and worshipped Ganesh. Then the family ate the Rasayana and all died. Fortunately, one of the daughters of Gersappa family, given in marriage to the Mankikar family, who had gone to Honavar for her first delivery, was saved.
The widow with the new born male child pulled on. When the child grew up he took up the matter with the King and the culprits were given capital punishment. Though initially he was happy, later on he felt very sorry for this act of revenge, which he thought was a great sin. One day he saw in a dream an old man who told him that he should empty the tank in the place nearby in which he would get two Idols viz. Janardhan & Laxminarayana. Out of these Idols, Janardhana should be installed at Manki and Shri Laxminarayana should be installed at Bhatkal - then his sin would go. Accordingly, this temple was constructed.
Shri Gersappa Laxminarayan Temple, Trustee B. N. Koppikar, Shanta Nivas,
V. V. Road , Bhatkal, Uttar Kannada Dist. - 581320.
