MANGALADEVI and MANGALORE

  •   Tue, Nov 25 2025
  •   By Ivan Saldanha-Shet
November 25, 2025
 
The auspicious name 'Mangalore'  is born of 'Mangala-Uroo' 'Mangalapura'  and other forms referring to the ancient deity ' Mahatobar Shri MANGALADEVI'  whose temple is situated at Bolar in the Southern part of the city about three kilometers from the city center. It's  location and architecture are uniquely legendary. As the crow flies it is a short distance directly east, of the confluence 'aluve bagilu', of the two  rivers flowing around greater Mangalore - Nethravathi and Gurpura. The area hugging the banks of the rivers  from Adyar in the east and Sultan Batheri in the north and further are intrinsically full of mythology and history and made up the ancient original town of 'Mangaluru'. The  land around the Mangaladevi Temple bears testimony to several hot spots of local history down the ages,  is a mosaic most intricate and valuable - a heritage. Surrounding spots that still point to the old historicity like 'Hale Kote' ( first the abode of the local raja 'Bangaraja' and later the old Portuguese fort);  'Bathery Garden' (once the Battery housing arms and ammunition), 'Lee-well' ( a marine reference point), 'Cantonment' (British military base), 'Hoige Bazar' 'Bunder'  and  Islamic cradles and so on hold deep historic significance within their grasp.
 









Mahatobar Shri Mangaladevi Temple: 
 
 Bangaraja proved a worthy successor to Veerabahu. He ruled his kingdom on Tulu Nadu well and brought glory and fame. On a certain night while he was sleeping Goddess Mangaladevi appeared in his dream and revealed to him that at the spot where Netravati and Phalguni (Gurpura) rivers converge there is a mound under which lay the remains of a celestial shrine. Mother Goddess asked him to install the Shivashakthi Linga and the Dhara Patra in a shrine which was newly built. Then, she further indicated that arrangements should be made for the regular worship in the temple. She promised him that these services would bring him and his kingdom glory and happiness. This is the early mythology of the original temple and worship of Goddess Mangaladevi at this spot.
 
The later renovated temple is said to date back to the ninth century when Kundavarman, the famous king, was ruling Tulu Nadu. At this point in time, there were two holy men of the 'Nath cult',  Machhendranath and Gorakhnath, who it is said came from the Hymalayan kingdoms and set up camp along the Nethravathi River. They chose a place near the banks of the Netravati which was once the sacred  center of the sage Kapila. He had his hermitage (mutta) there and it was a great center of education.

Hearing about the arrival of the two holy men, King Kundavarman came to meet them,  he paid his respects and offered them patronage. Pleased with the kindness and virtues of the king, they informed him that his kingdom needed to be sanctified. They requested him to grant them land so that they could build a hermitage and make it a centre for  holiness and study under his protection and patronage. The holymen narrated the importance of the land to the King who was surprised.  He then came to know that his land was dedicated to 'Goddess Mangaladevi'. It was from these sages he understood that once upon a time there existed a temple in his kingdom dedicated to 'Goddess Mangaladevi'.  The king was aware and had heard the story of Vihasini, Andasura and Parashurama and the temple built by them. The two sages took the king to the sites where all these holy historical events had taken place. They asked the king to dig the place and retrieve the 'lingam' and the 'dharapatra' symbolising Mangaladevi and install them in a shrine along with Nagaraja as a protector.

Kundavarman followed and carried out the advice of the two sages. An impressive and worthy shrine to 'Goddess Mangaladevi' was built on the hallowed place, guided and supervised by the holy sages. The temple attained special significance since the Goddess showered special favours and blessings. Maidens who worshiped the Goddess by observing 'Mangaladharavrata'  were usually granted the  wish for a suitable husband particularly.

In the background of this story, even today the two temples of Mangaladevi and Kadri, Mangalore that came into existence at this time, have maintained their connection. The hermits of Kadri Yogirajmutt visit Mangaladevi temple on the first days of Kadri temple festival and offer prayer and silk clothes.
 
 
 
By Ivan Saldanha-Shet
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