About

Panemangalore is a village in Bantwal Taluk, having a population of about 6,000. Situated on the left bank of the river Netravati, it is predominantly agricultural. The Gowda Saraswat Brahman settlement in the Village is closely spread around the Temple, and composes of 90 families with400 Members. The road in front of the Temple has rows of shops and establishments on both sides, which belong to the community. No G.S.B. household in Panemangalore is more than a kilometer away from the Temple, and hence the community life is closely associated with the Temple. About 80 devotees offer prayers at the Temple every day.

ORIGIN OF THE TEMPLE

The Origin of the Temple is traced to a challenge faced by the community in Panemangalore. As per an oral account, which is well established, in the distant past, the small community in Panemangalore was attached for all religious purposes to our Bantwal Temple, which was situated on the Right Bank of the Netravati. It was customary to go to Bantwal Temple for the annual UPAKARMA ceremony, by crossing the river by boat. One Year the party of men from Panemangalore reached Bantwal somewhat late and found to their dismay that the puja was over and the Temple doors closed and locked. What really delayed the party was the flood. In spite of it, the party had crossed the river in spate by taking great risk to their lives in order not to miss the important UPAKARMA. But the other party did not appreciate this. Having thus let down and hurt, the party returned in haste to Panemangalore. In order not to miss the most important yearly ceremony, the party went to the house of the local Vaidika, one Sri Ramachandra Bhat, broke a coconut before the deity there and got worshipped the YAJNOPAVITA. On the same day, at a meeting of the community Temple it was solemnly resolved to construct a community Temple at any cost. The challenge was met and soon a Temple was built. Vedamurthi Sri Ramachandra Bhat’s household deity Sri Venkataramana Swami with Sridevi and Bhudevi was installed as Patta Devaru. Ramachandra Bhat’s household is remembered even today as Chandu Bhattara Matha.

The above oral account regarding the circumstances under which the Temple was built seems to be acceptable, but we are not able to fix the year in which this event took place for want of evidence. A copper plate placed along with the NIDHI KALASHA in the foundation pit of the. Garbagraha at the commencement of the second renovation in 1976, states that the Temple is about 150 years old. Conceding that the copper plate is not a conclusive evidence for fixing the year of the establishment of the Temple, we may justifiably and conservatively fix the year of the Pratistha of the Temple as circa 1825 A.D.

After establishing a Temple of their own, the community expected that their dharmic work would bestow greater prosperity and well-being. But it was destined to be otherwise. The business in the place declined and there was a general feeling of unfulfilment. Probably there was some minor crisis in the community. And probably this led the elders to consult His Holiness the Swamiji of Sri Kashi Matha Samsthan. It was proposed that Sri Veera Vittala Murti which was being worshipped as household deity of the Prabhu Family of Bantwal be installed as Patta Devaru. This proposal was carried out. We have no evidence to fix the year in which Sri Veera Vittala was installed as Patta Devaru in place of the original. The original Patta Devaru was never thereafter brought out of sanctum for Utsava. But the original Utsava Murti, namely, Sri Venkataramana, is being carried in Utsava twice a year even now.

TEMPLE UPTO 1950

Up to 1950 the Income of the Temple was poor. The Temple possessed lands donated by the devotees and rent from lands was one source of income in addition to the Kanike. Generally the well-to-do families of the locality contributed toward the maintenance of the Temple. One such family of Panemangalore was the Kolkeri family, which had owned most of the landed properties in Panemangalore village. The family managed the Temple for two or three generations. Thereafter the family declined and its lands and buildings in Panemangalore were gradually passed on into the hands of the local G.S.B. community of the Pethe. An interesting relic in the Temple relating to the Kolkeri family is a large silver plate weighing 1 kg. 265 gms. Has an inscription in Kannada, which reads: “This Haravana is a gift by Bhagirathi Amma, wife of Kolkeri Narsayya Prabhu”.

The earliest records of the Temple are: Day Book of the year 1880 and Ledger of 1887. If these two are read, we may know about the men who contributed for the maintenance and growth of the Temple. There is a long spell of darkness after 1887 as far as the records are concerned. The darkness is dispelled in 1940 with the availability of permanent registers from that year. An event, which is permanently embedded in the minds of every generation of Panemangaloreans, is the Great Flood of 1923. Hence, its impact on the community must be recorded without fail.

The Great Flood that occurred on 7th August 1923 razed all mud structures of Panemangalore to the ground. Prior to 1923, there were annual floods, but the people had accepted them as inevitable. But never was there such a devastating flood as the Great Flood. On that fateful day, rains poured day and night non-stop. Without warning the merciless muddy water gushed forth into the fields, roads and compounds and then into the dwellings and submerged everything under it. There was no time available to transport even valuables and movable properties. Except one or two stone houses, all others collapsed. The community became shelter less. No support came from any quarters. Since the Temple was at a slightly elevated place and since it was a stone structure, the floodwater, though entered the sanctum, spared the Temple.

After the flood receded, many G.S.B. Families left Panemangalore once for all and settled in Mangalore, Puttur and other places. Others returned and built houses under trying circumstances. The government help, which came late, was negligible. Every Member of the G.S.B. community in the nearby Nandavar village abandoned their homes and migrated elsewhere since they were poor to rebuild their homes. The years that followed the Great Flood were years of great trial and tribulations to the members of our community, but their undaunted spirit wiped off the deep scars of the disaster within two decades.

DEITIES AND PUJAVIDHIS

Before we continue the history of the Temple since 1950, we may describe the deities and vahanas as well as Pujavidhis and Utsavas. These indeed constituted the heart of any Temple.

(I) Deities: The Patta Devaru of the Temple is VEERA VITTALA, a PANCHALOHA MURTI. The standing Murti, placed on a Lotus Pita, is 7 ½” in height with right hand in Abhaya Mudra and the left holding sankha. The Utsava Murtis are (1) Sri Ramachandra (height 6 ½”), Lakshmana (height 6”) and Sita Devi (height 6”), and (2) Sri Venkataramana (height 4.3”), Sridevi (height 3 ½”) and Bhudevi (height 3 ½”).

In Addition there are five other Panchaloha Murtis whose iconographical description has been recorded. They are: (i) Sri Venkataramana, Sridevi and Bhudevi; (ii) Kodanda Rama, (iii) Sanakadi Devaru (Hanumanta-Garuda), (iv) Balakrishna: Kalinga-Mardana), and (v) Balakrishna holding butter in Right Hand.

Among the Fourteen Salagramas in the sanctum, Vasudeva salagrama is notable. It is flat and has a diameter of 2 ½” and thickness of 1 ¼”. Vasudeva Salagrama is taken out for every utsava in a separate Sampushta. The remaining thirteen salagramas include six small Vasudeva, two Krishna, one Matsya, two Vamana and two Chakranika. The salagramas are kept in a Silver Sampustha Karadige donated by one B. H. Kamalaksha Pai on 22.11.1958. The Sampustha weighs 650 grams and costs Rs.525.

The Parivara Devaru includes standing Hanumanta (left side) and standing Garuda (Right side) – both in the small shrine outside the main shrine, and both are in stone, 12” each in height.

Jaya-Vijaya stands at the entrance of the sanctum left and right respectively, and both are in Stone.

In the outermost enclosure adjoining the road is a Naga Shrine Built in 1962. Inside the Shrine is Brahmara Stone. While the Naga Shrine is on the Left side, a gigantic ashawatha tree with a huge katte is on the right. The ashwatha dominates the area and keeps its surroundings cool and shady.

(ii) Pujavidhi: The Pujavidhi of the Temple is based on Vaishnava agama and Tantrasara. It has been a tradition of the Temple from the earliest times to follow the directions of H. H. the Swamiji of Sri Kashi Matha Samsthan in all matters relating to pujavidhi. There is Trikala Puja at 6:30 a.m. 12 noon and 8 p.m. The naivedhya for the Noon Puja comprises of 7 1/2” sers of rice, and for Morning and Evening Pujas Milk and Fruits. There are four types of special pujas conducted in the Temple: Pushpalankara, Pulakabhisheka, Pavamana and Kumkumarchane.

(iii) Utsavas: The most important Utsava is the Lakshadipotsava on Kartika Suddha

Hunnime. The ceremonies and rituals of the day include Vanavihara Vanapuja, Dhatrihoma, Silver Lalaki Utsava, Dipotsava, Kattepuja, and Gurunji Puja and of course followed by Samaradhana. For the late night utsava about seven to eight thousand people belonging to various castes congregate. Avabhrathothsava follows on the next day.

The Pratistha Divas is another important Annual Utsava of the Temple. The Divas is observed on Jyesta Suddha Trayodasi to commemorate the first Renovation of the Temple. However, the year of the first Renovation has been forgotten.

In addition to the above, there are eight other annual festivals, which make the religious life rich and colorful. The Panchaparva observed in the Temple include Chauti, Ananta-Chaturdasi, and Vara Mahalakshmi vrata, Upakarma, Mahalaya and Paschima Jagarane. There are twelve Samaradhanas during the year. The Temple follows Mangalore Panchanga on the advice of His Holiness.

(iv) Vahanas: The oldest vahanas of the Temple are Wooden Lalaki and Wooden Pallanki, both of which are not in use now. The Lalaki with a square base is 6 ½’ feet in height and has 16 Pillars. The lalaki, which is painted, has 18 wooden parrots on three sides, which is notable.

The Silver Lalaki inaugurated by H. H. Sri Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji on 9 May 1964 was got done through donations from the devotees. It weighs 39.7 kg. And cost Rs.16, 000. With Octagonal base and Eight Pillars, the Lalaki has Dasavatara Panels and the Traditional bunches of grape and vine as well a floral designs of the Silversmith. The Prabhavali has Gaja Lakshmi relief on one side and Om and Chakra-Shankha on the other.

The Silver Pallanki measures 4 ft. * 2 ½’ft. * 1 ½’ft. in length, breath and height respectively. It was inaugurated on 5 November 1995 and donated by the local youth group- the Voice of Panemangalore . There is also a small wooden octagonal lalaki (ht.5’3”) donated by P. Devaraya Kini in 1954.

In the Vasantha Mantapa is Sesha-Vahana and a Wooden Garuda. The Painted Garuda was a part of Garuda-Vahana of the olden days.

(v) The Archakas: The Archakas carry on the daily and periodical rituals and ceremonies, and hence their services are most valuable. The Temple has four qualified Archakas. The first two do the daily Puja by fortnightly rotation. This fortnightly rotation system was introduced in 1992. Prior to that there was annual rotation.

In addition to monthly salary and free quarters, the four Archakas share the Naivedhya of 7 ½ ser of rice. There is no provision to make payment towards the education of their children or the medical expenses of the members of their family. It may be noted that one of the archakas Vedamurti P. Sathish Bhat, a Science Graduate, belongs to the ancient lineage of Vedamurti Ramachandra Bhat. It may be recalled that the first original Patta Devaru of the Temple was from Chandu Bhattara Matha.

Veera Vittala Venkatesho Vijayathe

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