Durgaparameshwari Temple Bappanadu

Getting there

• By air

  Mangaluru International Airport at Bajpe is a key air hub for the region, about a 45-minute drive from Mulki town.

• By train

  Mulki railway station is at Karnad, on the Konkan Railway line.

• By road

  Mulki lies along NH 66 and State Highway 70. Express and private buses run between Mangaluru and Udupi, with Mulki as an intermediate stop.

Why devotees come here

The Bappanadu Sri Durga Parameshwari Temple stands near Mulki town in Dakshina Kannada, on Karnataka's western coast. Devi Durga is worshipped here in the form of a linga, and local tradition links the founding of the shrine to a Muslim trader named Bappa.

Devotees worship Devi Durga here in the form of a linga. Local tradition holds that a Muslim trader named Bappa founded the temple several centuries ago. He is believed to have found the linga under water while trading in the area.

Bappa's family has a part in the temple's processions. When the utsava murti, the festival image of the deity, is taken out in procession, the family is presented with prasada, the blessed offering from the deity. The family also customarily offers flowers and fruits to the deity.

The annual festival is the Brahmarathotsava. During it the temple chariot, called the ratha, is pulled from below by devotees while the priests sit inside it. Thousands of devotees take part, pulling with great enthusiasm.

Festivals

• Every yearBrahmarathotsava

  The temple's annual festival. Priests sit in the chariot while devotees pull it from below.

Tips for your visit

• On festival days thousands of devotees pull the chariot, so expect large crowds.
• When the chariot's top collapsed during a Brahmarathotsava, the procession went on with the Chandramandala chariot.

Questions people ask