Mangalore: The Port Town of Mangalore is literally a Gate Way to many importnant places to Goa and Gokarna on one side and several Tirtha Places to Dharma Sthala, Subramanya, Mookambika, Shringeri, Bangalore and Mysore as also various Places in Kerala’s Guruvayur and further down to the west coast right up to Rameshwaram. More significantly this is the erstwhile Mangal pur the abode of Mangala Devi and this Mandir has a claim to be one of the Siddhi Peethas.
Kasargod which is the nearest Railway Station on this side towards Kerala is the residing Place of Pandaripura Vithoba’s reputed Sants like Samartha Ramadas , Purandara Das etc.More importantly Kasaragod is famed for Swayanbhu Maha Ganapati Pratima of over three feet height which was suddenly tumbled by a Harijan woman labourer while clearing an over growth of waste forest land cutting bushes! This indeed was the incident of some 800 years! Thi illustrious Ganesha Temple worshipped by thousand Yatris apart, Kasargod is known of other ancient temples of Lakshmi Venkateshwara, Mallikarjuna, Katyayani- all popular and worshipped attracting crowds with great faith and devotion.
Dharmasthala: Situated on the banks of River Netravali originating from the Western Ghats and merging into the Arabian Sea is the Dharmam Kshetra the abode of Manjunatheswara which is some 45 km from Mangalore. Adi Shankaracharya installed Manju natheshwara Shiva Linga originally but subsequently an ardent disciple of Udipi’s Madhvacharya who shifted from Udipi infuenced the methodology of Dwaita Dharma in the various rituals and eversince the Worship procedure got transformed. In connection with the festival on Kartika Krishna Dashami through Amavasya, a LakshaDeepa danotsava is celebrated attracting Shiva Baktas in the Dwaita Siddhanta in thousands as also a Sarva Dharma Sammelan is organised too. Coinciding with Mesha Sankramana day festivities, Manjunatha Ratha Yatra is celebrated.
Subrahmanya Kshetra: Within the State of Karnataka in South Kanara District is the renowned Koumara Kshetra where Parashu Rama established a Mukti Kshetra like Mookambika, Udipi, Gokarna etc. Mangalore is the nearest Railway Station from where Sibrahmanya is some 40 km although the roads are through forests and dusty and rather difficult to reach in rainy season but recommended from November till May. Main Mandir is of Lord Subrahmanya as seated on a Mayuraasana or on a Peacock. On the platform up at the Temple He is a Shadaanana Murti or of Six Heads, with a Pratima of Sarparaja Vasuki in the middle and at the bottom is Sesha Bhagavan and facing theTemple is a Garuda Dwhaja stated to offset the impact of poisonous flames emitted by the Sarpas. There is a Bhairava Mandir to the South, a Mandir for Uma Maheshwara in the northern side, a VedaVyasa Samputa Nrisimha Mandir in the Southern side of the Main Mandir, besides a Parashurama Mandir again in South.
