Famous Temples in India

Religious Significance

Special holy powers of Shree Mahalingeshwara Mahaganapathi temple was manifest on many occasions before. During the British rule of India, a British Officer was going along the road in front of the temple on his horse. But as it crossed the temple, the horse swooned and stumbled on the ground. The whiteman guessed that the power of the temple could have caused the problem and requested the preists of the temple to do him a favour on this regard. The preists came out and sprinkled “Theertha” (Holy water) of the Lord on the the unconscious horse. The horse woke up as if nothing had happened. The British officer enquired about the special offerings given at the temple and learnt that “Pottappa Seve” given to the Lord Mahaganapathi had been a special offering which was very dear to the Lord. He donated some land as “Umbali” or Dharmasadhana in order to provide for permanent “Pottappa Seva” in the temple. This seva is still being performed.

The Linga of Shree Mahalingeshwara is said to be inducted by Sage Bhrugu himself. And the unique Lord Mahaganapathi idol carved out of Rudrakshi stone was inducted by none other than Lord Parashurama – who after annihilating unruly Kshatriyas took bath in the sea here to cleanse himself of the bloodshed. Then he worshipped Lord Mahalingeshwara and inducted the idol Mahaganapathi. One must remember that Lord Parashurama had thrown his machete like Parashu weapon at the sea and forced samudraraja, the king of the oceans to suurender and recede a few miles leaving the fertile land now called Tulunadu. Lord Parashurama donated the land thus acquired to Brahmins to build Agraharas. Likewise an Agrahara was here in Padubidri behind the Mahalingeshwara Mahaganapathi temple from the time of Lord Parashurama.