The Sharavu Mahaganapathy Temple is one of the most
well known tourist attractions that are situated in the city of Mangalore in
Karnataka. This temple is well acclaimed as one of the most popular temples of
the southern part of India.
The name “Sharavu” is derived from “Shara” which means
arrow. About eight centuries back, the “Sthalapurana” or local legendary
depicts, a very powerful king, Maharaja Veerabahu of tuluva region, killed a
cow by sheer mistake by shooting it with an arrow. He in reality meant to shoot
the tiger which was standing besides the cow. But, his unculpable terrible sin
had to be erased, for which he did install a “Shiva Linga” as per the
suggestion of a great seer Sri Bharadhwaja.
This Shivalinga has been worshipped by the Maharaja as
Sharabeshwara. This sacred place was termed thereafter as “Sharavu” and the
newly formed temple tank as “Sharatheertha”.
This temple attracts thousands of
devotees everyday. On the special occasions like Sri Ganesh Chaturthi, annual
Car Festival or “Rathothsava” starting on Chandramana Yugadi, Deepothsava or
Festival of Lights and on Shankasti Chaturthi days, a very large number of
devotees do have the sacred “Darshana” of Lord Sharabeshwara Lord
Mahaganapathy. This temple is indeed the center of a variety of cultural
activities like Yakshagana, Dance Drama etc. and also of humanitarian as well
as social service activities.