Mangaladevi Temple - Mangaluru

Mythologically, the name of the town Mangaluru is derived from the shrine of this temple. The history of this temple goes back to the 10th century, when Kundavarma, the most famous king of the Alupa dynasty was ruling with Mangalore as his capital. During this period, there were two holy saints of the Nath cult, Machhendranath and Gorakhnath, chose a place near the banks of the river Netravati to do a penance. That place was once the centre of activities of the sage Kapila. Hearing about their arrival, the king paid his respects and offered them patronage. On their request, the king offered them a piece of land so that they could build a hermitage and make it a centre for their religious activities under his protection and patronage. It was from these saints he came to know that once upon a time there existed a temple in his land for Goddess Parvati, built by Parashurama himself.

The two saints took the king to the sites where all these historical events happened. Kundavarma listened to their advice and ordered to build a grand shrine for the Goddess in the name Mangaladevi. Mangaladevi Temple is constructed in a typical Kerala architecture. This is enclosed by a prakara with a mahadwara in the South. In the South, the prakara is provided with an outer verandah on either side of the entrance. Similarly, an inner verandah is provided on either side of the passage landing into the central courtyard. Except the sanctum, the rest of the structured units have an austere elevation. The superstructure of the sanctum is typical of the coastal region where the rainfall is heavy. The massive tiled eaves are supported by heavy wooden beams. It has a special significance for unmarried girls as it is believed that those who worship here and perform special rituals will have their wish of finding a suitable groom fulfilled.