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Shri Gersappa Lakshminarayan Temple
- Bhatkal,Karnataka
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Overview
The Shri Gersappa Lakshminarayan Temple is a God Lakshminarayan temple located at Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada District. It was constructed around 500 years back by Mankikar family. The Temple is located at Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada District. Bhatkal is located 135 km from Karwar in Karnataka.A celebration, called Vanabhojana is celebrated every year on Kartik Bahul Shashti (in November).
About the Deity
Here the presiding deity is Shri Lakshminarayan Dev.
Legend and stories
The family of Manki called Mankikars lived between 1400 - 1500 AD, during the time of Jains' reign in Nagar Sansthana The Mankikars family had a large scape of area in Manki and also at Susgadi town of Bhatkal Taluka. They had several inhabitants in their area. Once a quarrel took place amongst the inhabitants, due to which occupants in Manki Village were irritated.
At the time of Ganesh Chathurthi, these irritated inhabitants took the reprisal. They brought a pack of Bananas, which was to be used as an offering during the Pooja, and injected poison with a needle and gave it to the person who was supposed to do the pooja on the day of Ganesh Chathurthi. The landowner prepared Rasayana of the Bananas and adored Ganesh. On completion of the Pooja, the family consumed Rasayana, and died because of the poison injected into the bananas. Fortunately, one of the girls of Gersappa family, married to the Mankikar family, was saved, since she had gone to Honavar for her first delivery.
The widow with the new born survived and brought him up. Once when the youngster grew up, he brought the matter to the attention of the King, who inturn punished the accused by giving death penalty. Even though the youngster was happy initially on hearing about the death penalty, he slowly started feeling sad for his attitude of revenge later, which he believed was a sin. One day he had a dream in which an old man told him that he would be digging the tank in a spot adjacent from where he would get two Idols viz. Janardhan and Laxminarayana. Out of which, Janardhana ought to be introduced as Manki and Shri Laxminarayana ought to be introduced as Bhatkal. Then his guilt would go. This is how the temple came to be built.
Festivals
Vanabhojana is celebrated annually on Kartik Bahul Shashti (in November).
Nearby Places to Visit
Parashuram Kamakshi Temple
Sunkadkatte Ganapati Temple
Kashi Math
Datta-Umamaheshwar Temple
Wader Math (Vithoba temple)
Hanuman Temple
Accessibility
Airport
The nearest airport is Mangaluru International Airport.
Railways
The town of Bhatkal lies on NH-66 running between Mumbai and Kochi. It is one of the major railway stations along the Konkan Railway line running between Mumbai and Mangaluru.
Road
Bhatkal is located 135 km from Karwar in Karnataka.
Temple Address
Shri Gersappa Laxminarayan Temple, Shanta Nivas,
V. V. Road , Bhatkal, Uttar Kannada Dist.
Karnataka, Pincode - 581320.
Significance
Devotees visit this temple to seek fulfillment of the following:-
- Fame
- Freedom from diseases
- Wealth
- Courage
- Relief from adverse effects from bad planetary aspects
- Relief from bondage
Shlokas
Achutham Keyshavam Rama Narayanam Krishna Damodaram Vasudevam Harim Shridharam Madhavam Gopika Vallabham Janaki Nayakam Ramachandram Bhajey
Meaning -Oh Lord who cannot be perished, who also has names like Keshava, Rama, Damodara, Narayana, Sridhara, Madhava, Krishna, Ramachandra the beloved of Janaki, let me say your name regularly.
Vasudeva Sutham Devam Kamsa Chanoora Mardhanam Devaki Paramanandham Krishnam Vande Jagathgurum
Meaning -I bow to you O Krishna, the ultimate guru, Devaki and Vasudeva's son, and the destroyer of Kamsa and Chanur.
Adharam Madhuram Vadanam Madhuram Nayanam Madhuram Hasitam Madhuram Hridayam Madhuram Gamanam Madhuram Mathuraa Dhipate Rakhilam Madhuram
Meaning -Meaning - Sweet are Your lips, sweet is Your face, sweet are Your eyes, sweet is Your smile, sweet is Your heart, sweet is Your gait, O Lord of Mathura, everything about You is sweet.
Alokya Mathur Mukha Madarena Sthanyam Pibantham Saraseeruhaksham Sachinmayam Devam Anantha Roopam Balam Mukundam Manasa Smarami
Meaning -I think of this Balamukundan as the one who looks lovingly at his mother's face while taking milk from her, who has eyes similar to the red lotus, who is the embodiment of truth and intelligence and other forms.