About Sri Kadri Manjunatha in Kadri, Mangalore

Shri Manjunatha Temple, Kadri
The Kadri Manjunatha Temple located in Mangalore in the state of Karnataka, India, dates back to approximately 1068 The square temple built with nine water tanks, nestles at the foot of the highest hill at Kadri in Mangalore. The chief deity of this temple is Manjunatha. There is a shiv ling on him. There is also a ( Thri-Lokeshwara statue made of bronze. This statue of Lokeshwara in the seated position with three faces and six arms is tipped to be the best bronze statue in India. It is about 1.6m tall.

The temple is a neat middle sized structure with a pyramid-shaped roof. The temple, as the inscription indicates, may have been built in the 10th or 11th century, as evidenced by the installation of the Lokeshwara statue in the 968. The Balipitha in front of the temple also gives us an almost definite period going back to 10th century. Within the temple premises to the west is the temple of Goddess Durga, and to the north the temple of Lord Ganesha.

History
The earliest reference to it is in the epigraph dated 968 on this statue. It mentions that King Kundavarma Bupendra of the Alupas lineage, caused the Lokeshwara statue to be installed in Kadarika Vihara. Kadarika is the earliest name of the place, Buddhism took shelter at Kadri mutt till the 10th century. Hence the name Kadri. In one of the Vijayanagara epigraphs, the name Kadali can be come across. There are some stone caves on top of the hill. The idol of thri lokeshwarnath of the temple is said to be the oldest of the South Indian temples. The seven sacred ponds, Jogi Mutt and cave of Pandavas are the pilgrim attractions here.

Gomukha and water tanks
There is a natural spring at an elevated location at the back of the temple. It is called Gomukha. The water from this spring is let into 9 ponds of different sizes adjacent to it. People visiting the temple wash themselves in these ponds before entering the main temple.

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