Site Map of Temple area is as follows:
1.
Shri Manjunatheshwara Temple
2. Residence of Shri Veerendra Heggade-Dharmadhikari
3. Temple offices
4. Annapoorna Bhojana shala
5. Pushpa vatika
6. Manjusha-a museum
7. Cultural Hall - Vasantha Mahal
8. 'Netravathi'-Guest House
9. 'Vaishali'- Guest House
10. 'Sharavathi' - Guest House
11. 'Gangothri' - Guest House
12. Vintage cars museum
13. Nelyadi beedu
14. Main Store house
15. Shri Chandranatha Basadi
16. 'Gayathri' - Guest House
17. Dharma Shala - Ganga, Kaveri, Narmada
18. Bus Stop
19. Rathnagiri Hill - Bahubali Statue
20. Annappa Betta
21. Main entrance of Dharmasthala
Shri Dharmasthala, which is one of the sacred places in
South India, is well known to all pious people. It is situated
in the village of Dharmasthala, in Belthangady Taluk of
South Kanara District in Karnataka State. On the Mangalore-Charmady Road 40 miles from Mangalore and 20 miles from
Charmady lies a place called Ujire. From Ujire a road branches
off to Shree Dharmasthala 5 miles away. Pilgrims from Mysore
could reach this place by one of four roadways, through
Moodigere down the Charmady ghat road, or from Kundapur
along Udupi - Karkala Road or from Sakaleshpur down the
Shiradi ghat road via Uppinangady to Ujire. From Coorg the
access is via Puttur and Uppinangady. Four and half miles
from Ujire flows the Nethravathi River, being born on the
crest of Kudremukh hill of Western ghat range flows through
Uppinangady and Panemangalore to join the sea at Mangalore.
Pilgrims to Shree Dharmasthala bath at this river on the
way before proceeding to this sacred place because its water
is used for 'thirtha' (holy water) at Shree Dharmasthala.
The sacred place is one and half miles distant south of
this river and is girt by similar rivulets on its other
three sides. The population of this village is nearly 6,000
according to the recent census figures. The percentage of
literacy is more than 55. The climate of this place is hot
in summer and pleasantly warm during the rainy season. The
sacred place has picturesque fringe of hills, fields and
areca and coconut gardens and not far away there is enchanting
woodland scenery. Hills like Jayakeerti Betta or Shivarathri
Betta and Badinede Betta lie very near the temple itself.
Places
to visit in Dharmasthala :
Main
Temple
Dharmasthala as a holy Kshetra attracts Jains, Hindus, Christians
and Muslims too, who come there for amelioration of their
ailments in some form or other. The main deity of the temple
is Lord Shri Manjunatha Swamy (another form of Lord Shiva).
Dharmasthala has a legendary relationship with Kadri Manjunatha
temple of Mangalore. About 5 centuries ago the guardian
angels of Dharmasthala were said to have blessed a Jain
family. They built shrines and installed images of Dharma
Daivas. Tradition says that Dharma Daivas sent a vassal
Annappa for the purpose of bringing the Linga (idol) from
Kadri. The Annappa Shrine faces the Linga of Manjunatha
in Dharmasthala. Lord Manjunatha symbolizes the close inter
relationship of mythology, religion and scholarship in India.
The Annual festival of 'Deepotsava' is held in November
or December. The important feature of which is lighting
of innumerable lights in the large space around the temple.
Dharmasthala is also famous for its Chair of Justice. The
Judge is called Dharmadhikari.
There
are also other shrines belonging to four Dharma Daivas -
Kalarahu, Kalarkai, Kumaraswamy and Kannyakumari nearby
main temple. Goddess Ammanavaru and Lord Mahaganapathi shrines
lies in inner circle of the main sanctum.
Badinede
Betta
This hill is also called as Annappa Betta. His Shrine and
dwelling place of four Dharma Daivas situated on this hill.
Kuduma - Nelyadi Beedu- Shri Chandranatha Basadi.
What they call Dharmasthala was known as 'Kuduma' before
in Mallarmadi village, Kodu-ma the place where Charity is
predominant. About five centuries ago there lived a Jain
family of Ammudevi Ballalthi with her husband Birmanna Pergade
in the residence called Nelyadi Beedu. They were very charitable.
Nearby there was Shri Chandranatha Swamy Basadi, which is
still there, that was founded and worshipped by Nelyadi
family. Here, in this place only the four Dharma Daivas
visited Jain family.
Rathnagiri
Betta - Bhaghavan Bahubali Statue
A Monolithic statue of Bhagavan Bahubali situated on the
hill called Rathnagiri Betta. This is a monolithic statue
weighing almost 200 tons and measuring 52 feet long and
14 feet wide.
History
of installation of Bahubali Statue:
Under the guidelines of Shri Rathnavarma Heggade, famous
sculpture Shri Renjala Gopala Shenoy of Karkala started
to sculpt the statue in 1967 and finished in 1970 in Karkala.
But the question arises of transportation of this huge statue
from Karkala to Dharmasthala and installation on hilltop.
Mangatram brothers, transport contractors of Bombay, constructed
a special trolley with 64 wheels for this purpose. Engines
of more than250 H.P. were used to haul the trolley. Temporary
bridges were constructed with the help of the Railway Department
over the rivers on the way. The trolley with the statue
started from Karkala on 27-2-1973 and reached Dharmasthala
on 19-3-1973. People celebrated the events as a great cultural
show and moved with trolley in thousands. Later, Hindustan
Construction Company of Bombay after preliminary preparation
of almost a month installed the statue on its pedestal on
25-12-1975. With the help of steel pillars and cribs, after
packing the statue in a case, it was lifted slowly from
side of the head and finally kept on the pedestal where
it stands now.
Manjusha
- a museum:
Commencement of Manjusha - a museum in Dharmasthala is another
landmark in protection of culture. Here in this museum lie
great ancient works of arts, beautifully crafted stone,
metallic statues, paintings etc.
