Mandarthi Temple

Mandarthi is located at a distance of 30 km north of Udupi. The temple dedicated to Goddess Durga Parameshwari is situated in center of the village.

Mandarthi Durga Parameshwari temple is one of the important and sacred temples of Shakti worship. Besides the stone icons of Mahishasuramardhini and Chamundeshwari, it has nine old masks, depicting the different manifestations of the goddess. Nagatheertha, a pond is found in the temple.

History

Long ago the King Shankachooda was ruling Nagaloka.He had five daughters Devarathi, Nagarathi, Charurathi, Mandarathi and Neelarathi. Once they went to Kailasa with an aspiration of marrying the Lord Subramanya Swamy, son of the Lord Shiva. These Five princesses were stopped by Nandi (Lord Shiva’s Devotee) on their way and cursed to become snakes. Instantaneously they were transformed into snakes and fell down to earth. When Vyaghrapada Maharishi who was wandering in the sahyadri Ghats saw these five snakes caught in the forest conflagration, and knew everything about them by his divine insight. He said to the five princes (now Snakes) that their cursed would be removed by a royal person in due course of time.

Meanwhile, the King of Avanthi Devavarma, who had been banished and wandering in disguise in the Sahyadri Mountains, saw these five snakes and decided to save them. He wrapped the snakes with a piece of cloth and started travelling towards the west. The snakes slid out of the cloth wrapper and reached a near by termite hill. One of the snakes called “Mandarathi” reached a part of forest, which came to be called as “Mandarthi” later.