Anegudde Vinayaka Temple, Udupi

4075

Anegudde is a small residence located in the Udupi district, Karnataka. Anegudde means “elephant hill” in the Kannada language. The place is famous for the temple of the deity Lord Vinayaka at the top of the hill. The town also has another name called Kumbhasi.

Etymology of the name

“Kumbhasi”, another name for the place comes from the mythological story of a mythical demonic character named Kumbhasura. According to folklore, the demon Kumbhasura was killed in this village by Bhima, one of the Pandavas.

Anegudde – Mukti Sthala

Anegudde is also known as Mukti-Sthala (place of salvation). This place is blessed by Lord Vinayak. This place is famous for Ganesh devotees. Ganesh Chaturthi is a famous festival celebrated here. The temple celebration is attractive and thousands of devotees come here to worship. The Rathotsava in the lunar month of Margashirsha in December is a magnificent watch. A grand sacrament is distributed to devotees during the festival as a lunch in the temple.

Anegudde from Siddhi Vinayak Temple

The history of the famous Anegudde Siddhi Vinayak temple is centuries old. The town is known for the demon Khumbasura who was killed here. According to mythological references, the story is as follows. The sage Agastya was performing a ritual for the good of the people. The demon Khumbasura was trying to stop the yagna when Bhima, one of the Pandavas, killed the demon. Bhima killed Khumbasura with a powerful sword that was given by Lord Vinayaka. After successfully completing the ritual, the locals became prosperous. Later, people began to worship Lord Vinayaka.

Siddhi Vinayak Temple Architecture

In Anegudde, the Lord Ganesha is in the standing position with four hands in the Sanctorum. Two hands were raised, known as the “Varad Hast” (offering divine boons). The other two hands point downward, which means salvation. Ganesha’s idol has silver armor giving him a great look. The temple has many scriptures that relate to the ancient Puranas.

How to reach

Kumbhasi is located on the NH-17 ( now NH-66 ) at a distance of 96 km from Mangalore, 9 km from Kundapur, and 30 km from Udupi. Kumbhasi is located about 400 km from the state capital Bengaluru.

Frequent bus service is available from Mangalore /Udupi /Kundapur to Kumbhasi.

One can either walk from Kumbashi bus stand using the stairs or hire an auto rickshaw to reach Anegudde temple at the top of the hill.

The nearest airport is at Bajpe near Mangalore. The nearest railway station is at Barkur, near Kundapur.