Pics: Kishore B C Road, Ramesh Pandith, Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (DC)

Bantwal, Aug 11: Scores of devotees thronged the hill shrine of Sri Sadashiv temple, located at Narahari Parvata, on the occasion of Aati Amavasya here on Saturday, August 11.

Aati Amavasya (new moon day) is considered to be very auspicious. This time, the occasion fell on Saturday on which the temple attracted a large number of devotees from all over the taluk.

The devotees on their arrival have a holy dip in the holy tanks located high by the side of the hill shrine, by climbing nearly 400 steps from access the road, near Kalladka, on Mangaluru – Bengaluru National Highway (NH) 48. The people, in a belief passed on over generations, trust that those who bathe in the ponds of the hill shrine on Aati Amavasya day will be cleansed of all sins and lead a healthy life.

Narahari Parvata derives it is divinity from the mythological stories that say that Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna, one among the five Pandavas, had bathed in the three natural ponds located at the hilltop here and worshiped the presiding deity of the temple, Lord Sadashiv, on Aati Amavasya. Meanwhile, the new moon day of every month is considered auspicious by all the devotees, to have a holy dip in these ponds.

The newly married couples and other devotees regardless of caste, creed and religion, thronged Narahari Parvata on Saturday morning, to offer prayers and worship deity, Lord Sadashiv. They also offered the offerings plates stacked with betel leaves and areca nuts to the Lord and sought divine intercession in their difficulties and troubles. The newly married couples sought the Lord’s grace for marital-bliss on the occasion.

Karinja Temple

Mangaluru

Kundapur

Aati Amavasya was observed in other parts of the coast also.

People living in Karnataka coast believe that scraping the bark of a tree known in local parlance as 'Paale' tree (Satni Rooku in Konkani, Devil's or Spirit's Tree), and preparing a concoction by boiling the bark in water along with some additives like garlic, turns it into a magic potion that relieves one of impending diseases which might arise out of consuming different fruits, food items, vegetables etc during the rainy season, apart from sins. This juice is consumed on Aati Amavasya.