Mandarti Durga Parameshwari, Mandarthi, Udupi district , Karnataka

Mandarthi Durga Parameshwari  is the Goddess of this temple situated in Mandarthi village in Udupi district of Karnataka.

The Goddess here is very powerful and is very famous among the locals and nearby villages.

Navarathri festival is celebrated for 9 days with great  religious  fervor.

Annual festival is celebrated in February.

The Yakshagana worship here is very famous. Stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata are enacted and it is offered as a worship to Goddess here  by devotees  for fulfillment of their wishes.

The temple remains open form 5.30 am to 8pm which becomes very convenient for the long distant travellers. More details here.

Kodandarama temple and Yantrodharaka Hanuman temple - Hampi, Karnataka

 Kodandarama temple is situated on a small hillock just about 2Kms from the Virupaksha temple.  One has to climb a small rocky path  which is on the banks of river Tungabhadra. The sparkling water of  the river meandering through the rocky hills, gliding coracles, and the long distance view of the Anjanadri hill* is enjoyable.  This hillock is the Kishkinda where King Sugriva  lived. Lord Rama had visited this place and here we find a small temple of Kothanda Rama , Seeta and  Lakshmana. We find Sugriva's idol  in a separate  niche near the pedestal where Rama's idol is worshipped. There is a priest to carry out the daily rituals. The river flowing in front of this holy place is known as chakrateertha.

*Anjanadri hill is  the birth place of Lord Anjaneya.

Yantrodharaka Hanuman - A few more steps  up the hill  from Kothanda Rama temple would lead one to Yantrodharaka Hanuman. As the name suggests here one would find Hanuman sitting inside a Sudarshana Chakra in meditation. This is carved out of a single rock and  Lord Hanuman here is considered to be very powerful. Many devotees visit here with the sole purpose of performing special poojas to the Lord in the belief that Lord would protect and grant all their wishes.

Check a few pictures 

                               

                                  View of Kodanda Rama temple

                                                         Kodanda Rama , Sita, Lakshmana 

                                                         Yantrodharaka Hanuman

                                                                       Tungabhadra 

Anjanadri hill in the background

                                                               Sugreeva inside the temple

                                                       View of river from temple

                                        Yantordhara Hanuman. 

           

Sri Chamundeshwari temple- Mysore, Karnataka

This ancient  temple is situated on  a small hill known as Chamundi  hills about 13 kilometers  from the city of Mysore.
The goddess here is Chamundeshawari ,a reincarnation of  Goddess Parvati, consort of Shiva who fought  a fierce battle and slayed demons Chanda, Munda and  Mahishasura saving the world from their  evil clutches. She is also known as Mahishasura Mardini ,the one who  killed the Mahishasura.

The image of goddess here is believed to be powerful and is seen seated in the sanctum in richly decorated finery. Dussehra festival is celebrated on a grand scale at this temple.

The temple architecture is very simple  but the temple tower is magnificent; it is a beauty to behold.

Just outside the main temple there is a small niche for Aanjaneya and a few feet away from temple one can see a colorful  image of Mahishasura . One can have a panoramic view of Mysore city from the hills here, and also there is a huge Nandi , mount of Shiva  around 16  feet which attracts lot of tourists  here.

There temple timings are

7.30 am to 2 pm
3.30 pm to 6 pm
7.30 pm to 9 pm