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| sri Anantha Padmanabha swamy,Perdoor,Karnataka. rcmysore-portal.kar.nic.in |
The village Perdoor located 20 Km from Udupi and 32 Km from Hebri in the state of Karnataka is famous for its `1000 year old ancient temple Shree Anantha Padmanabha swamy - lord Vishnu.
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| sri Anantha Padmanabha swamy,Perdoor, temple sofkarnataka.com |
According to Sthala Purana, the temple was built by a Brahmin named Krishnasharma of Kotikunja province during the reign of a ruler by the name of Raja Shankara. The temple is believed to have been built in the 6-7th century. The consecration of the main deity took place in the same period according to some records as mentioned by Col. Kalis Mekenji around 200 years ago (1754-1821) and one Sri Krishna Hebbar of Perdur Magane had consecrated the main idol. The then ruler Raja Vijayappa Wadeyar donated Banampalli village as Umbali to the Temple .
Sri Anantha Padmanabha swamy idol, in standing posture, is two feet high and has Shanku (conch) and Chakra (disc) in his hands , just like other forms of Vishnu. The hood of the serpent - Aadhisesha is over the head and a Padma on the navel. The stone inscriptions point out two different names for the almighty here. According to the stone inscription of 1458 earlier the presiding deity was known as Janardhana Deva and later Ananta Deva at the end. However another inscription of 1520 mentioned the name of the lord as Sri Anantha Padmanabha.
An interesting attraction here is the presence of a Rudralinga in the sanctum. There is a Ganapati idol on a pillar at Theertha Mantapa and the tradition has been that only after offering pujas to Ganapati here, the presiding deity is worshiped . The place where the temple stands now was once a wooded area. A Gramadevata Mariyamma temple is nearby. During Rathotsava period the lord Sri Anantha Padmanabha utsavamurti is being worshiped in Kunjadakatte.
A Padma Sarovara with stone steps is on the northern side of the temple Lord Padmanabha is said to be fond of bananas - Kadalipriya and the devotees offer Kadaliseva to the lord very often. The temple is popular for the offering of 1001 (savirada ondu) bananas, to the main deity, by devotees
upon fulfillment of their wishes (Harike seva). It is during Kumbha Masa for a period of 5 days - (Boatikotsava) the Rathotsava of Lord Sri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy will be held with pomp and splendor. The Perdoor festival is a major attraction and chariots are drawn around the temple premises by the ardent devotees as part of their prayer. Large number of devotees, particularly from Dakshina Kannada District, Uttara Kannada District and Chikmagalur, attend the temple festival with great devotion.
