Sri Venkatramana Temple (Padutirupathi) – Karkala

Karkala Sri Venkataramana Temple (Padutirupathi) is an ancient temple belonging to Gowda Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community and it is also the main attraction of Karkala. They built a temple and installed the idol of Lord Sri Venkataramana and started worshipping him in the year 1450 A.D. The temple has four granite pillars with beautiful, artistic and intricate carvings.

Legend has it that the idol of Lord Sri Venkataramana was brought to Karkala by Soma Sharma who is a ‘Vasista Gothreeya’ Gauda Saraswath Brahmin while migrating from Goa along with him. Once a year in a grand and ceremonious procession Lord Shri Srinivasa is taken out in Golden Mantapa and Lord Shri Venkatramana in the Golden palanquins for Vanabhojana which literally means an outing to the forest in a magnificent Hagalu Utsav,to the eastern part of Karkala. Since Tirupati is in the east. The presiding deity over here Lord Srinivasa is called the Lord of Tirupati by the devotees, as the daily poojas here are almost like the ones offered at Tirupati. Therefore Karkala is also known as “Padu Tirupati” (Western Tirupati). The annual festival of the temple is a five day event. The rites and the rituals performed at this temple are similar to those of ‘Tirumala’.

In the month of April-May is Vaishakh Shuddha Panchami, Famous Karkala Laksha Deepotsava when one lakh clay tray oil lamps glow all over Karkala. Kartik Bahula Panchami in the month October – November and on the same day, during day time and Vanabhojana-symbolic annual Tirupati Yatra, a day time festival when both the presiding deities will go in a grand procession.