The Gokarnanatheshwara Temple

The Gokarnanatheshwara Temple

The Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, otherwise known as Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatha Kshetra, is in the Kudroli area of Mangalore in Karnataka, India. It was consecrated by Narayana Guru. It is dedicated to Gokarnanatha, a Hindu deity also known as Shiva. Compared to the other temples in and around Mangalore this temple was built recently. The Billava community was traditionally suppressed by the upper caste treating them as untouchables. Narayana Guru has been regarded as the up lifter of the downtrodden and a visionary social servant.

Learning about the work undertaken by Narayana Guru in establishing social equality through his temples in Kerala , a prominent Billava leader from the community Sahukar Koragappa visited the Guru along with the leaders of the community in 1908. The delegation appraised Narayana Guru about the problems faced by the Billav’s.

Narayana Guru visited Mangalore on invitation from this delegation and ascertained for himself the exactness of the prevailing situation. After visiting, Narayana Guru selected the place in Kudroli and advised the community elders about a suitable location to build their temple; work began under his direction. Elders such as Sahukar Koragappa, B.R.Karkera took the initiative in ensuring smooth progress in the temple's construction.

Narayana Guru formally consecrated the temple in February 1912 with the establishment of sacred Shiva Linga, which was brought by him. He named this place as Gokarnanatha Kshethra. Narayana Guru advocated that all God's creation had the right to worship the Almighty and preached that people irrespective of the caste, creed or religion must worship one divine force, known by different names.

The temple was renovated in 1989 under the leadership of B. Janardhan Poojary and under the guidance of Somasunderam, son of Koragappa. Sthapadi K. Dakshinamoorthy was the architect who designed and built the present temple in the Cholas style of architecture from its original Kerala style. The new gopuram is 60 feet in height and very beautiful. The renovated Gokarnanatha Kshethra was inaugurated by the prime minister of India

Some of the festivals are celebrated in this temple Maha shivaratra , Navarat ,Ganesh chathurti , Deepavali etc. In addition to this idols of Sharada Matha ,Maha Ganapati , idols of nava durga’s are worshipped in the premises during Dasara. The dasara festival is celebrated with much grandeur. The dasara celebrations of this temple is popularly called Mangalore Dasara.