Sri Annapoorneshwari Temple Mulladka

Annapoorna (Anna means food, Poorna means complete or filled with) Annapoorna is considered the goddess of food. Most people take the food with the literal meaning and think that Annapoorna is the goddess who nourished the world. There is no doubt about the same, but in the meantime, Sages like Adishankara have considered Lordess. Annapoorna is the one who nourishes the hunger of knowledge. She is also considered the complete form of knowledge.

According to legend, Annapoorna is the incarnation of Parvathi. The world is made of Prakruti (female form or motherly form divinity represented by Parvathi) and Purush (Male form of deity represented by Shiva). Once there was an argument between Shiva and Parvathi as to who was superior. Shiva comments that Parvathi is the form of Maya (Illusion) who takes the people away from knowledge, and Purush is more superior who takes them towards the knowledge.

Parvathi is enraged by this and leaves Kailash and goes and resides in Kashi. The disappearance of Parvathi leads to the great famine, and the Ganas of Shiva become weak due to hunger. They ask Shiva to feed them. Shiva searched for food but could not find food in any part of the world.

When Shiva reaches Kashi, he sees people flocking toward a kitchen for food. Shiva comes to the place with a begging bowl, and he is surprised to find a divine lady with a bowl of food in one hand and a serving spoon in another hand serving food to people. He realises that it is none other than Parvathi in the form of Annapoorna. She serves food to Shiva and makes him realise Purush is incomplete without Prakriti. (Prakrathi is also the form of knowledge that takes the Purush towards self-realisation)

According to another legend, once Brahma and Shiva had a heated argument, and in rage, Shiva cut one head of Brahma (Brahma initially had five heads). The beheaded skull of Brahma sticks to the hand of Shiva and curses him that until the skull is filled with grains, it will not get detached. Shiva asks for help from Vishnu. He suggests Shiva beg using the skull as a begging bowl, and when he is cleared of the sin of cutting the head of Brahma, it will detach. whereas Shiva went begging every were, but despite adding huge grain, the skull was not getting filled. In the end, Shiva reaches Kashi, where Parvathi( in the form of Annapoorna ) fills the skull with grains, the skull of Brahma gets detached, and  Shiva is cleared of the sin.

It is said that this is the oldest abode of Annapoorna in Undivided South Canara. It is said to be more than  800 years old. But unfortunately, it was in a dilapidated state and was forgotten. In 1975 the local devotees joined hands and built a humble sanctum.

The temple is a humble structure but exudes positive energy. If you travel by these roads do visit.