Idagunji Ganesha Temple - Honnavar

Idagunji Ganesha Temple, hindus consider Lord Ganesh as the right person to bless for every good activity they take in their life. Though there are a lot of temples for Lord Ganesh, Idagunji is one such place with a unique Ganesh shrine. According to the legend, at the end of the Dwapara Yuga (the third Hindu era), Lord Krishna was about to leave earth. and before the onset of Kali Yuga (the present epoch or era). So, the sages along with the people requested Krishna not to leave as there won’t be any protection for the good deeds in the world then. But all their efforts were left unanswered. Sages, led by Valakhilya, started rituals in a forest area on the banks of the Sharavathi river.

During this period, they encountered many obstacles in performing the sacrifice. He, therefore, sought the advice of sage Narada, the head of all sages. Narada advised Valakhilya to seek the blessings of Ganesh. Narada selected this site to bring an end to the demons. The rites were performed and hymns recited and extolled Lord Ganesh. Pleased by their devotion, Ganesh consented to remain at the site to help them conduct the rituals, where the present Ganesh temple was built around the 4th-5th century CE. The beautifully crafted main idol of Lord Ganesh is in standing position holding a lotus in one hand and his favourite modaka in the other. This is one of the important shrines of people of the West coast.