Shree Ganesh Mandir, Rayalkeri,Honavar

For a virtual darshana, please check out this beautiful recording by Spandana Channel Location: Rayalkeri (Rayale + Keri) means a street belonging to the king. Interestingly, the official name of the place is a slight variation with the same meaning – it is called RoyalKeri.  History: The Ganesh temple in this small town is a … Read more

Shri Venkataramana Temple Kallianpur

Deities: Shri Venkatramana Temple in Kalyanpura (Kallianpura) is one of the important temples of the GSB community in Dakshina Kannada region with a strong kulavi base of local GSB families. Located on the banks of the river Suvarna, this temple has a very rich history dating back to 500 years. Sri Venkatramana placed in-between Sridevi … Read more

Shri LakshmiNarayana Temple, Hejamadi

The Shri LakshmiNarayana Temple in Hejamadi is popular as Mallyera (belonging to Mallya) Mutt. It is one of the five temples constructed by members of the Mahale family of Honavar (later changed to Mallya) who were prominent and influential traders and courtiers with the Keladi Nayak rulers. Some of the other temples they built are: … Read more

Shri Venkataramana Temple, Kapu

For online darshan check out this video by Youth of GSB and documentary by Spandana channel History and Background: Kapu (also called Kaup or Rakshanapur) is a coastal town that has several points of historical significance. The GSBs in this region flourished under the reign of the Keladi Nayakas who ruled over parts of Tulunadu after … Read more

Do you know about Nagdo Betal?

As a child, Betal for me meant the pale scary ghost hosted on the back of King Vikramaditya in the programme ‘Vikram and Betal’. One day we cousins gathered around our Ajja for a story. His stories weren’t about Gods or morals. They were more about occurrences in his life. Sitting next to my Ajja … Read more

Mahalasa Narayani Temple, Kumta

ॐ देवी महालसायै नम:।। Website: http://kumta.mahalasa.org/ Phone: +91 8386 222119 Check out this Spandana TV channel coverage of the temple here History: The year was 1565 AD (16th century), approximately 450 years ago when Devi Mahalasa’s idol reached Kumta. Her kulavis had somehow managed to escape with her idol hidden in a pot. While they … Read more

The only temple in Goa to have survived Portuguese Inquisition

  Photo Courtesy: ‘Temples of Goa’ by Kamla Mankekar The Portuguese inquisition saw the rampant destruction of the Hindu temples in Goa. Every temple that came into sight of the Portuguese authorities was grazed down and looted. Except for this one temple hidden away in the forest on the present day Goa Karnataka border – … Read more