TALES FROM THE PAST

ANEGUDDE SRI VINAYAK, UDUPI DIST. (KAR) One of the seven 'Mukti Sthalas' of Karnataka (Parashurama kshetra). Anegudde is the combination of two words - Aane means Elephant and Gudde stands for hillock. Anegudde is also popularly called Kumbashi. Once there was a severe famine in this area. So Maharshi Agastya started a yagna. A demon, Kumbhasur started harassing the Rishis. The Pandavas who were present in the region heard of this and sent Bheema to rescue the Rishis. Ganesha blessed and gave a sword to Bheema to fight Kumbhasur. Bheema killed him and Ganesha murti was installed here and worshipped. The standing murti has four arms. Two of the arms are in Varada Hasta mudra. Bhaktas believe that Ganesha fulfils all wishes without fail.

SRI SHANKARNARAYANA KSHETRAM, UDUPI DIST. (KAR) Shankaranarayana is considered one of the seven Parashurama Kshetram created by Maharshi Parashurama. This is one of the rare temples where we can see the confluence of Shiva and Sri Vishnu. It is also known as Kroda after Kroda Maharshi. Once, two demons Kharasura and Rattasura were harassing people. Maharishi meditated upon Shiva and Sri Vishnu together. Pleased with his meditation, the two came here as Shankaranarayana and killed the demons. Here, the main deity is in the form of Udbhava Linga. The swayambhu lingam of Shiva and Narayana is one feet below the ground, inside the Garbhagudi. It is not possible to see the lingam. The Shankara Lingam is on the right and Narayana Lingam on the left. While Shankara Lingam is round, Narayana Lingam is flat with foot prints of cow on it. These are believed to be that of Kamadhenu who dripped milk on the Lingam. There is water around Udbhava Linga at any time of the year. This holy water is call

SRI SIGANDHUR CHOWDESHWARI KSHETRAM, SIGANDUR (KAR) Here, Devi is also called Sigandureshwari because of the name of the place Sigandur. The murti of Devi was found 300 years ago on the banks of the holy Sharavathi River. It is said that once a person called Sheshappa went for hunting near Sigandur and got lost inside the jungles. When he was resting below a tree, Devi came in his dream and asked him to build a shrine here. He told his experience to a Brahmin Duggajja and the two built a shrine. People with land dispute and people who lose their valuables reach Sigandur for solution. It is said that more than 20,000 such cases have been solved here. People who want to safeguard their land from the thieves get a board from the shrine. The board says “Shri deviya rakshane ide (meaning the land is safeguarded by the mother) and keep this board near the land. There is also a Bhoota Sthana here. It is said that Sri Veerabhadra in this Bhootada katte is taking care of security of Sigandhur.