This Temple is also known as Shri Manjunatha Kshethra and it is located in Dharmasthala which is very close to Manipal in Karnataka.  It is believed to be a 800 year old Temple and Shree Manjunatha Swami is an incarnation of Lord Shiva.  His Consort here is Ammanavaru or Sakthi who is Goddess Parvathy.  The Temple is very unique in the following way.  Despite being a Shiva Temple following Saivaite the Priests or Purohits who perform the religious duties are mostly Madhwa Brahmins who are Vaishnava in their tradition and to cap it all this Shiva Temple is wonderfully managed and the Administration is run by a Jain Bunt family called Pergades.  800 years back today's Dharmasthala was known as Kuduma a small village in Belthangady.  It is believed that the first Jain couple built a house here called Nelliadi Beedu and wanted to practice Dharma and Pray for everyone.  Then in a dream they were requested to vacant the house and transform it into a Temple for Manjunatha Swamy and this they did without any hesitation.  The Pergade family is a Jain Bunt family but they have sacrificied everything for Manjunatha Swami.  There are Sub Shrines for Maha Ganapathi, Dharma Deivas, Ammannavaru or Sakthi, Kalahaaru, Kalarkayi, Kumaraswami and Kanyakumari.  The Temple has a huge Welcome Arch through which the Devotees have to reach the Main building.  There are two types of Darshan viz. Free and Paid.  The authorities advice us to go for a Paid Darshan so that it could be done at a lesser time.  In reality the number of people thronging for Paid Darshan is more than that of Free Darshan.  Mobile Phone and Photography are not encouraged for the commoners.  There are rows of Temple counters for facilities like Thulabaaram, Head Tonsuring, Sevas, Sangalpam, Special Darshan, Prasadam and Devasthanam Cottage Booking etc.  In some places of the Temple the security staff out number the Devotees.  There are huge car parking areas to park the vehicles but the distance between the parking area and the Temple is too distant for the sick and elderly. Likewise irrespective of the timing the Devotees coming to the Sanctum Sanctorum are necked out in a trice.  There are huge Dining Halls where Annadhanam is supposed to be done for all Devotees.  River Nethravathi which flows in this region makes the place a little bit cooler and some Devotees coming here for a Darshan and stay back to trek the adjoining hills sorrounding this area.  A Manjusha Museum is thrown open to the public to know more about the Pilgrim center.  There is a Temple Park close to Temple with an Idol of Lord Dhakshinamoorthy with Peococks on either side.  There is a Temple Car made out of a Silver and this is safely enclosed.  Opposite to the Temple and very close to the car parking is an area where Temple Cars from other Temples like Shri Malleswara Swamy Temple, Bellary District, Melakal Thirupathi Venkatraman Swamy, Hassan Distict, Kothandaramaswamy Temple, Hiramangalur in Chickmagalur District.  Ganesha Festivals, Navarathri, Deepavali are celebrated in a grand manner.

Temple Phone Number: 08256 266666, 08256 266655

Temple Timing: 6 .30 AM to 2 PM and 4 PM to 8 PM

Distance from Kollur to Dharmasthala is 171 Kms

Distance from Mangalore to Dharmasthala is 74 Kms

Distance from Horanadu to Dharmasthala is 89 Kms

Distance from Sringeri to Dharmasthala  is 106 Kms

Distance from Udupi to Dharmasthala is 107 Kms

Distance from Murudeshwar to Dharmasthala is 200 Kms

Distance form Kukke Subramanya to Dharmasthala  is 54 Kms

Distance from Bangalore to Dharmasthala  is  297 Kms

Distance from Chennai to Dharmasthala  is 650 Kms

Nearest Railway Station is Mangalore Jn.

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