Day-6: Left Sringeri...temples at Udupi and in its vicinity

December 29, 2023:

- Reached Sharadaamba's shrine at Sringeri Temple at 5:15 am

- From 6 am, witnessed the suprabhatam puja for Sharabaamba.

- Since we reached early, we got a seat just by the aisle so that we could see Sharadaamba all the time

- Since it was a Friday, Sharadaamba holds a Veena too (it is gold everywhere, cannot capture in words)

- After Suprabhatam, visited "Adi Shankara's shrine" and "Torana Ganapati"- both alongside Sharadaamba.

- Drove from Sringeri to Udupi

While driving from Sringeri to Udupi

- Stopped at 2 temples at the town "Someshwar" which is on the way:

   (a) Someshwar Mahaganapati temple (the priest made it amply clear by telling us- "You are now in karnataka, in Someshwara town, inside Someshwara temple!")

   (b) Venkataramanaa temple (also at Someshwar)

Udupi:

- We were grabbed by a passerby at Udupi's temple, who wouldn't leave us. This guide explained as follows:

(a) Trip to Udupi is incomplete without visiting 3 temples- Chandramouleeshwara temple, Ananteshwara temple and Sri Krishna math temple

All the 3 temples are together, in a cluster.

We visited all the 3 temples.

(b) Chandramouleeshwara is Shiva. Soma (moon) had a curse that he would wane away. Lord Shiva ensured that the moon was saved, so that he now has a waxing phase too. We know this story of Someshwara or Somanatha.

(c) Ananteshwara is a shiva linga. But within that is Parashurama, Vishnu's avatara. Hence, Ananta stands for Vishnu and Ishwara stands for Shiva making it "ananta-ishwara" temple.

(d) Outside the Chandramouleeshwara temple and facing the Ananteshwara temple is a single-rock pillar (dwajastambha). It is 1500 years old (as per our guide).

(e) Inside the Ananteshwara  temple is a painting of a king, Parashurama and a shiva linga. The king worships the linga as Shiva without realizing that it is Parashurama (in the linga). This temple painting illustrates the story mentioned above.

(f) All this Karnataka coastal region was water. Parashurama came from the North and shot an arrow (as per our guide) so that the whole region from Kanyakumari to Gokarna became a land-mass.

(g) Thus Shiva, Parashurama and this kshetra (where the king worshipped Parashurama) are all related.

What about Krishna in all this? How is he connected to Udupi? 

The guide clarified as follows:

- In Dwapara yuga, Rukmini wanted an image of Krishna. She had worshipped Krishna in a personal form, as also in a vishwarupa form. Vishwakarma crafted an idol of Krishna for Rukmini.  

- In Kali yuga, 800 years ago, a boat was sinking in the ocean.

- Madhwacharya (who lived by the coast) saved the drowning boat in the ocean (since he was vayu's avatara (read below) with the capacity to do this). The boat's inmates wanted to express their gratitude. There was a "shaalagrama" stone kept in the boat to maintain its balance.

- Madhwacharya accepted the stone. Out of that shaalagrama emerged the same Dwapara yuga idol of Krishna. That's the idol in the Sri Krishna math temple.

- In the Ananteshwara temple, there is another point connected to Madhwacharya.

- Inside a particular shrine, we have a lamp and 3 figures- one is Hanuman, the second is Bheema and third is Madhwacharya. Vayu bhagavan took avatar as all 3. 

- Madhwacharya gathered his 8 disciples at this place in the Ananteshwara temple. Thereafter, he became "adrishyam" and said, from now on, he will be seen only at Badrinath. There is an edict to this effect, at the Ananteshwara temple.

(3) Udupi Sri Krishna math temple

- Krishna can be viewed through a window with 9 holes.

- As per the guide, these 9 holes are the 9 planets- as if Krishna is beyond all the grahas, or seen through all grahas.

- The idol is very attractive in black and gold.  In the glow of the oil lamps- the whole place glitters as you peep through the window.

- Outside the main shrine, is a shrine for Subramanya, worshipped in serpent form.

Thus, if you go to Udupi, you must visit all the 3 temples. Till then, the visit to Udupi is incomplete, our guide stressed.

The following temples were covered in the post-lunch session starting just after 4:30 pm.

(4) Kadiyali Mahishamardini temple (close to Udupi)

- The highlight of this temple is a "revolving circular ceiling"- carved intricately in wood. 

- Some sections of the roof move clockwise, others move anti-clockwise.

(5) Indrani panchadurga parameshwari temple (close to Udupi)

The priest said:

- Durga has 5 overlapped forms here (in the same inage, as succeeding layers). She appears as

(1) Narayani (2) Mahalakshmi (3) Mahamaayi (4) Maheshwari (5) Mahadevi

(6) Durga Parameshwari temple (at Herga, close to Udupi)

The priest said:

- Durga is in the form of a linga here. Not one, but there are 46 lingas in the main sanctum.

- A devotee in Kashi worshipped Devi in the form of "Durga" instead of  "Annapurneshwari" (Devi's original form in Kashi).

- When Devi was pleased with his tapas, he said, She must come to his home in Herga.

- Devi accepted the request, but he must never look back while She follows him, and rely only on the sound of the anklets

- Devi travelled with him. When the sound stopped, the devotee looked back, Devi became a linga.

- Devi also had a request- in whichever form she remains, the devotee should worship her in that form.

- As the land was cleared for building a temple, it was found that there was not one, but 46 lingas in all.

- In the sanctum, you can see several shiva-lingas, some receding into the darkness.

- On the closest shiva linga, Durga's face is embossed.

(7) Shree Mahalingeshwara Mahaganapati temple (at Parkala, close to Udupi)

(8) Sri Subramanya temple (at Thangodu, close to Udupi)

- Excellent hand drawn murals in an art form called "kaavi". These are line drawings in red-pigment against a white/off-white background.

"Kaavi" art at Sri Subramanya

(9) Watched the chariot procession at the main Sri Krishna math temple at Udupi

- It is a "mela"- the gaiety cannot be described in words

- The chariot is adorned with intricate wooden carvings on the sides and pulled by devotees

- It moves fast, and in no time, one round was complete

- On the way, we had a round of fireworks, a nadaswaram troupe playing music, and band-troupe also playing at the same time, and throngs of devotees

Ratha at Udupi

Sri Krishna matha + ratha

Note:

There are 8 mukti sthalas in this region:

(1) Adi Subramanya

(2) Kukke Subramanya

(3) Udupi Sri Krishna math

(4) Anegudde Sri Vinayaka temple

(5) Kotilingeshwara temple at Koteshwar

(6) Kroda Shankaranarayana temple

(7) Mookaambika temple (Kollur)

(8) Sri Mahabaleshwara temple (Gokarna)