DID YOU KNOW?

Whenever a pooja is performed, the bhatmaam or priest's first few invocations include appeals to the following:

a. Kuladevata
b. Ishtadevata
c. Gramdevata
d. Our Swamis
e. Our ancestors

Of course, the first prayer will be to Lord Ganesha, whose blessings are first sought so as to remove any obstacles in the way!

We all know our Kuladevata. We may even know our Revered Swami. But do we know who our Ishtadevata and Gramdevata are?

Find out...

Shri Mahalasa Narayani Prasanna!

The Glory of Shri Mahalasa Narayani
Miracles & Oracles

Shri Mahalasa Narayani is supposed to be a very Jagruk Daivya (Receptive Deity) even in these modern times. Prayers to her, if performed from the heart, seldom go unanswered. Ever since this website was launched we have received several e-mails vouching for this fact. Some of the e-mails are really very touching.


Many of the prayers, stuthis and stotras devoted to her are not only pleasing to listen to, but also have a profound impact on the listener. These are but ways of reaching out to her.

ANYONE WHO CALLS OUT TO HER IS SURE TO RECEIVE HER ATTENTION.

Among these songs, the most interesting is the Kavacham, which means shield or armour. The Kavacham is respectfully regarded as having the powers to protect one from all evil, illnesses and a host of problems. One can recite the Kavacham or listen to it to get mental peace and satisfaction. Many recommend the Kilakam to follow the Kavacham.
Then there are those who keep printed versions of the Kavacham in their breast pocket as a virtual shield! And, rarely do these people face any major problems...


The most important days at the Mardol temple are the Jatra (festival) and Navaratri. This is a time when the temple is packed with devotees flocking from all over to receive her blessings and partake in the communities activities. The Jatra or Jatrotsav is usually during the month of Magha and Navaratri Makar Utsav. A Harikeertan is also perfomed during this period.

But, while every day is important, Sundays hold a special significance. Sunday is supposed to be Shri Mahalasa's day! And it is on this day every week, week after week, that the Palakhi Seva
is performed. Shri Mahalasa's idol is taken out in the Palakhi, or palanquin, and around the temple to with songs and bhajans.

A Palakhi seva is an affair not to be missed!

Another feature of this temple, as also in other temples in this part of the world, is the DARSHANS of the oracles. Here, a person is possessed by a benevolent deity and through whom communication is made with the devotees. The Darshana Patris (those who get these darshans) and their associated deities are as follows:

a. Shri Waman Pai (Gram Purush)
b. Shri Sunil Pai (Simha Purush)
c. Shri Vishwanath Pai (Mhal Purush)
d. Shri R.V. Shanbag (Kal Bhairav)

The Darshana Patris of Shri Mahalasa Temple during the Purnahooti on the occasion of the inauguration of the new Sabhamantap. From left to right Mhal Purush Shri Vishwanath Pai, Kal Bhairav Shri R.V. Shanbag, and Gram Purush Shri Waman Pai. Others seen are Vaidiks.

Shri Mahalasa's Kulavis and Mahajans belong to the following "four and a half" Gotras (a form of lineage that is unique to a particular family among Hindus. A boy and girl from the same Gotra cannot marry, because they are considered to be siblings.):

a. Kaunsha
b. Bharadwaj
c. Atri
d. Gargeya
e. Vatsa

While those from the Kaunsha Gotra, whenever they visit the temple, are supposed to worship Shri Mahalasa and then their Kula Purush, i.e., Simha Purush, devotees belonging to the other Gotras should first pray to Shri Santeri & Shri Laxminarayana, and then to Shri Mahalasa and their respective Kula Purush and Shri Gram Purush!

(You may note that there are five Gotras mentioned but the intro said "four and a half": Vatsa Gotris, for reasons not known, are considered to be half Gotris.)


While our full-fledged prayers and poojas are offered only after taking a bath, when we visit the temple after a long and tiring journey, we are supposed to enter these temples and give Dhool Bhet (coming in from the dust, to mention in a literal sense), thanking the Gods (in the order mentioned above) for making this journey possible and so on...

After this is done, one can go to the temple's residential rooms and take a bath and refresh oneself! Only then can the services be offered.

The Bhatmaams at the Mardol temple are:

a. Madan Bhat
b. Maruti Bhat
c. Upendra Gopinath Acharya
d. Waman Vishnu Khedekar
e. Krishna Narayana Bhat
f. Waman Sadanand Bhat

There are three families of Archakas in the Saunsthan. The family of Bhatji performing sevas on behalf of Gowda Saraswat Brahmin, the family of Khedekar performing sevas on behalf of other Brahmins and the family of Acharya performing sevas on behalf of people of other community.

Shri Mahalasa is worshipped by a large section of the Hindu society. Her Kulavis are mainly Gowda Saraswat Brahmins. There are, besides GSBs, many families from the Karhade Brahmins, who also consider Shri Mahalasa to be their family deity. Interestingly, they too are from the above-mentioned "four and a half" Gotras. Then, there are some Vaishyas (traders) Sonars (goldsmiths) and so on, who also follow Shri Mahalasa.

DID YOU KNOW?

Sunday holds a special signficance for Shri Mahalasa and her devotees...

Shri Mahalasa's Palakhi is taken out every Sunday.

On Sundays, some devotees observe a fast.

DID YOU KNOW?

You can give cash, gold, fruits and flowers as offerings to Shri Mahalasa.

But Shri Mahalasa can be pleased with a devotee with only a very simple offering of Kumkum (vermillion) via Kumkumarchana. The devotee's faith is more important than his offering.

DID YOU KNOW?

Shri Mahalasa wears a Jannuve or Yadnopavitra or
the Holy Thread?

This is rare for a Goddess!

DID YOU KNOW?

Lord Parshurama's instructions to the devotees of Shri Mahalasa is:

She is to be worshipped during the nine parts of the day, namely,

Pratahkal as Adhishakti,
Purvanha as Mahamaya,
Madhyanha as Mulaprakruti,
Aparanha as Ishwari,
Sayamkal as Gandhadhwara,
Pradosh as Duradarsha,
Ratri as Nithyapushta,
Madhya Ratri as Karishini, and,
Apar Ratri as Shri Devi respectively.

She is to be worshipped by reciting 24 names:

Durga,
Bhadrakali,
Vijaya,
Vaishnavi,
Kumuda,
Dandika,
Krishna,
Madhavi,
Kanyaka,
Maya,
Narayani,
Shanta,
Sharada,
Ambika,
Katyayani,
Baldurga,
Maha Yogini,
Adhishwari,
Yog Nidra,
Mahalaxmi,
Kalratri,
Mohini,
Sarva Deu Namaskarya
and
Bharati.

And, says Lord Parshurama: "She will fulfill all your wishes."