All Roads Lead to Nandalike Siri Jathre-Just Follow the Unique Milestones?
Mangaluru: You may be wondering why are these hundreds of artificial milestones placed on the road medians around the City at various locations- nearly 4000 such milestones are not only seen in Mangaluru, but also in Shivamogga, Chikmagaluru, Madikeri, Charmadi and other areas, just to remind the devotees of Nandalike Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple’s Siru Jathre, which commences from tomorrow, 11 April and ends on 22 April 2017.
One of the temple committee members speaking to Team Mangalorean said, ” The temple managing committee’s unique idea of creating these milestones to lure devotees to the Siri Jathre event starting tomorrow has already paid dividends. Each of environment-friendly milestones is not so expensive, they are Rs 140 a piece and were not much of a burden for the temple, and they are much cheaper than advertising in newspapers, or printing brochures/pamphlets/banners and other publicity materials. These eye-catching milestones have spread the word of the Siri Jathre, and the response from the devotees has been tremendous. “
” In the past the temple managing committee had come up with various advertising and marketing strategies pertaining to the Siri Jathre like printing postcards, advertise through umbrellas, jute bags etc to remind devotees about the event. With the tremendous success of these milestones launched this year, the committee has decided to continue using such milestones in future too. So time year you see such milestones in your city or on the highways, it’s just a reminder to the devotees to attend the famous Nandalike Siri Jatre” added the committee member.
The Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple in Nandalike has a history of over a thousand years.The festival is famous for a unique custom meant to rid the women who happen to be in a trance after allegedly having been possessed by ‘Siri’, by driving the external power out of their bodies by the ‘Patri’ possessed by Kumara. Thousands throng the temple during the period of the festival, where weeks-long festivities like Ambodi Utsava, Bali Utsava, Abbaga-Daraga Chennemane, Deepotsava, are held for the appeasement of Lord Shiva and other deities like Siri, Naga, Kumara, Abbaga and Daraga. The event is marked by ‘Sridarshana’, ‘Kardideepotsava’, ‘Karadeepa Kattepuja’, ‘Sri Kumara Abbuga-Daraga Darshana Vesha’ and ‘Ayanotsava Bali’, which will go on till early morning.
The religious ceremonies begin early in the morning with various poojas and last till the next day. In the afternoons, the devotees are offered meals, in practice traditionally called ‘Annasantarpane’. In the night ayannotsava bali, darshana through the night until sunrise ‘Nandalike siri jatre’ will be performed as per the ancient traditions. The Nandlike Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple was established by the great Dvaita Saint Sri Vadiraja Swamy of the Sode Matha. It is built in typical Tulu Nadu style and has “Gudis” for Mahalingeshwara, Mahaganapati and the Daivas. The temple has been renovated and is very well maintained.
The Mahalingeshwara (Lord Shiva) worshiped here along with Sathya Devatha (Goddess of Truth) called Siri, Uri-Brahma, Veerabhadra, Nandigona, Kumara, Abbaga-Daaraga, Khadgeshwari, Rakteshwari, Annappa, Kshetrapala, Bhutaraja and Gajamalla. This place is also called Alade and Moolastana to lakhs of devotees. Near the temple is the house of the local rulers, the Heggades and the Pergades. This is known as the “Chavadi Aramane”. The descendants of this family reside here even to this day and oversee the smooth functioning of the temple and festivals.
Nandalike is a village in Karkala Taluk of Udupi District. It is approximately 16 km east of Padubidri and about 15 km from Karkala town. This village is the Birth place of Great Poet Muddana (Nandalike Lakshmi Narayanappa).