Annapoorneshwari Temple in Horanadu - Sri Kshetram (Fulfiller of Food)

Annapoorneshwari Temple, located on the banks of the river Bhadra among the dense valleys of the Western Ghats, this temple is one of the important Devi (Parvati) temples in Karnataka. Formally, Adhishakthyathmaka Sri Annapoorneshwari Ammanavara temple, the word Annapoorneshwari implies ‘fulfiller of food’. According to the legend, once Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva were playing the game of dice. Lord Shiva staked his trident and everything else but it turned against his way. So, he sought help from Lord Vishnu. After some time, the dice favoured Shiva, and Parvati sensed that something was wrong. She realised that Lord Vishnu was assisting him and that deception angered Parvati. Lord Vishnu referred to the trick as an illusion (Maya), and Lord Shiva made things worse by referring to everything materialistic, including food.

Parvati decided to disappear by the comment of Lord Shiva. Soon after she went missing, the Earth became arid. Everyone including the divine and demon souls started pleading to her to return. Being a mother, she could not see people die of starvation, and hence she returned to shower them with food. The temple was believed to be built by sage Agasthya and arranged one family to do the rituals. The outlook of the temple was given by that family in 1973 clearing the dense vegetation around. The small temple tower inside the complex adorns beautiful sculptures of Hindu Gods. The ceilings have intricate and mesmerizing carvings. The temple follows the practise of providing free food for the devotees everyday.