Kadri Manjunatheshwara Temple

Kadri Manjunatheshwara temple is situated 4km away from Mangalore city. It is said to be built during the 10th or 11th century. It was converted to a complete stone structure during the 14th century.

History

The temple is a neat middle sized structure with a pyramid-shaped roof. The temple, as the inscription indicates, may have been built in the 10th or 11th century, as evidenced by the installation of the Lokeshwara statue in the 968. The Balipitha in front of the temple also gives us an almost definite period going back to 10th century. Within the temple premises to the west is the temple of Goddess Durga, and to the north the temple of Lord Ganesha.

The earliest reference to it is in the epigraph dated 968 on this statue. It mentions that King Kundavarma Bupendra of the Alupas lineage, caused the Lokeshwara statue to be installed in Kadarika Vihara. Kadarika is the earliest name of the place, Buddhism took shelter at Kadri mutt till the 10th century. Hence the name Kadri. In one of the Vijayanagara epigraphs, the name Kadali can be come across. There are some stone caves on top of the hill. The idol of thri lokeshwarnath of the temple is said to be the oldest of the South Indian temples. The seven sacred ponds, Jogi Mutt and cave of Pandavas are the pilgrim attractions here.