Shree Gopalakrishna Temple to offer Koti Namarchane

Shree Gopalakrishna Temple to offer Koti Namarchane

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, April 13, 2012 : The Shree Gopalakrishna Temple at Shaktinagar will organize the Koti Namarchane, an offering of 1 crore tulsi leaves, as part of its 5th annual prathistaa ceremony on April 20 – 29.

Addressing a press conference held at the temple on April 13 Friday, VHP Chief M. B. Puranik said that more than 108 priests under the leadership of Brahmashree Veda Murthy Arikkadi Narayana Devapoojithaya will recite the Vishnu Saharsranama from 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Besides, 10 lakh tulasi leaves will be offered to the deity daily.

The event will be inaugurated on April 19 by Shri Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji of Shri Ramachandrapura Mutt and CM D. V. Sadananda Gowda will participate in the valedictory ceremony, which will be held on April 29, he said.

 

 

 

 

Further, he said that the tulasi leaves will be brought from various places in a hasiru vani horekanike and that the temple management will welcome it in 10 different ways. 

The first tulasi horekanike will be brought from Shri Vaidhyanatha Daivasthana in Shaktinagar at 8:00 p.m. on April 19, after which Shri Narendranath Swamiji of Marakada Adi Parashakti Kshethra will perform the Ugrana Muhurat. 

In preparation of the Koti Namarchane, the temple will conduct religious rites from April 17 and devotees are free to personally offer tulasi leaves and climb the 108 steps of the temple. 

Speaking on the occasion, K. V. Raman, the cultural committee in charge, said that cultural events will be held on all days from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and celebrities such as national and international movie stars, TV artistes, local leaders, budding artistes, child artistes, and others will participate. Besides, local and interstate troupes will also present cultural events. 

Prasadam will be distributed among devotees from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., a facility that will continue even after the 11-day event.

K. C. Naik, a Mangalore-based entrepreneur, said that he was searching for land to start a business back in 1973, but was unable to find any suitable land. He discussed the issue with banker K. K. Pai, who advised him to purchase the bank’s land, which cost around Rs. 1 lakh and 5 thousand per acre. Mr. Pai also said that he would not get any profit from the land for several years, but that it was the right time to purchase the land.

Accordingly, K. C. Naik purchased 19 acres of land in 1973 at the rate of Rs. 1.05 lakh per acre. The next year, he launched a rubber unit, which had a turnover of Rs. 5 crore. Although it seemed to be a lucrative business to outsiders, only Mr. Naik was aware of the hardship and loss the company went through during the initial days. He discussed his problems with Arikkadi Narayana Devapoojittaya Swamiji, who said that someone had vowed to construct a temple on the spot and had not kept the vow. According to the Swamiji, God wanted Mr. Naik to keep the promise and build a temple after which all his problems will disappear.

The construction work began in 2003 and, in 2007, the temple was ready. The brahmakalashotsava of the temple was held in 2007, and every year, devotees offer 1 lakh tulsi leaves to the deity, a practice that was continued for 4 years. Now that the temple is 5 years old, the devotees plan to offer 1 crore tulsi leaves.

Mr. Naik told reporters that he has met religious leaders from all temples and has discussed the Koti Namarchane with them, adding that the ritual will be performed for the good of society and not for personal gain.

The temple is built along the lines of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu architectural styles. The architect is Badekkila Shymasundar Bhat, a well known architect of Mysore, who has to his credit the carving of the four-armed Shri Gopalakrishna, believed to be an incarnation of Shri Mahavishnu, and Shri Mahaganapathi.

Further, Mr. Naik told reporters that he has a 3-phased plan for the temple—first, the construction of the temple, which is already complete; second, the Koti Namarchane, which will be a 10-day celebration, during which devotees will be welcomed in a traditional manner and a huge ceremonial procession to the temple will be held; and third, the building of a school, a Goshaale, an Annachhatra, and a library.

Revealing further details, he said that 130 purohits from various temples will participate in the celebration, and every day 10 – 13 lakh tulsi leaves will be offered at the feet of Lord Krishna. The celebrations will be inaugurated on April 19, 2012 and devotees from Mangalore City Corporation (MCC), including Classic Signature Owners’ Association, Mahabaleshwar Builders, Shri Vaidhyanatha Temoke, Havyaka Sangha, Parivara Bantara Sangha, and others will participate.

The tulsi leaves will be brought by devotees from Uppala, Kasargod, Udupi, Kollur, Kundapura, Ullal, Talapady, Vittala, and other places. These leaves will be taken in a procession to the temple.

Krishna Kumar, the administrative officer; Leelaksha Karkera, the member of the media committee; along with trustees Saguna C. Naik, Dr. K. V. Devadiga, and A. V. Shetty, were also present.

About Shree Gopalakrishna Temple

The construction of the 5-tiered Shree Gopalakrishna Temple has been directed by renowned Vaasthu Shilpi Muniyangala Krishna Prasad. Mr. K. C. Naik had the support of temple trustees Dr. A. V. Shetty, Suguna C. Naik, Dr. K. V. Devadiga, and Sanjith Naik while constructing the temple.

A total of 108 steps, symbolic of the 108 names of Lord Krishna chanted during the Shri Krishna Ashtottar, lead from the basement to the Garbha Graha. Renowned Mysore-based sculptor Shyam Sunder Badekkila carved the sacred image of Chathurbhuja Mahavishnu, the original form of Vishnu, from black granite. The temple also has an idol of Lord Ganesha, who is reverently worshipped there.

The temple features beautiful carvings, auditoriums, gopurams, a well-polished granite sanctum sanctorum, decorative wall motifs, car park, well-maintained approach roads, and others. The place has every signs of becoming a top pilgrim centre soon.

Many are of the opinion that just climbing the 108 steps can free them of their sins and sorrows.