page_title: Gokarnanatheshwara Temple
section_title: Renovation
hierarchical_section_title: Gokarnanatheshwara Temple / History / Renovation
caption_attribution_description: English: Pages from a book that describes the first meeting of Bhagawan Nityananda and Adhyaksha Koragappa at Hoige Bazaar, Mangalore
context_page_description: The Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, otherwise known as Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatha Kshetra, is in the Kudroli area of Mangalore in Karnataka, India. It was consecrated by Narayana Guru. It is dedicated to Gokarnanatha, a form of Lord Shiva. This temple was built in 1912 by Adhyaksha HoigeBazar Koragappa.
  The temple is 2 km from the centre of Mangalore city. The temple has Gopuram decorated with murals of various gods and goddesses. Murals depict scenes from Hindu epics and legends.
context_section_description: Shri Somasunderam, son of Koragappa (President of Kudroli temple), and Vishwanath (BNS Hotel) (President Development committee) discussed the possibility of renovating the temple with Janardhan Poojary (Former Union Minister and Congress President). It was then decided that the temple committee would go to the people to raise funds. It was here that Janardhan Poojary earned the title "Renovation Mastermind/ Architect". Rallies were organized across the country focusing mainly on Dakshina Karnataka, Udupi and Mumbai areas. Janardhan Poojary was a part of many such rallies and in one such rally in Dakshina Karnataka, the story goes that a person wearing shorts walked up to Janardhan Poojary and gave him 5 paise as his contribution to the development work. Janardhan Poojary astonished took the money. After the speech of Janardhan Poojary people tried to search for this person but no one could trace him. Some believe that it was Lord Shiva Incarnate who blessed this collection of funds by the way of this man in shorts.It is believed that after this incident funds started pouring in. The people just came forward and contributed to their temple. It was one great movement that showed the strength of the masses. This temple started off with one man's vision - founder H Koragappa and today with the guidance of the eminent members of the community and temple committee what stands is the love, effort and sweat of the masses who contributed in their very special way to make the current Gokarnanatheshwara temple a reality.
  
  Sthapadi K. Dakshinamoorthy was the architect who designed and built the present temple in the Chola style of architecture from its original Kerala style. The new gopuram is 60 feet in height and very beautiful. The renovated Gokarnanatha Kshethra was inaugurated by the former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, shortly before his assassination during an election rally. A marble statue of Narayana Guru was erected at the entrance of the temple in 1966 and a crown studded with precious gems was given by the devotees later. It's estimated the renovation cost Rs. 1 crore, and now it has become one of the largest temples in Mangalore.
  Later in the year 2007 Bhagwaan Hanumaan Mandir was built in the Gokarnanatha Kshethra premises at the entrance. Bhagwaan Hanumaan Mandir in turn adds beauty to the Kshethra.
  The samadhis of H. Koragappa, H. Somappa along with their deceased family members lie with appropriate markers in the family plot in Gori Gudde (cemetery) in Attavar, Mangalore. The tomb of Uggappu, Shri Koragappa's original mother can still be found in Gori Gudde erected by  Shri Koragappa himself
  Adhyaksha Koragappa was also a great devotee of Bhagawan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri and Bhagawan performed several miracles at the home of Adhyaksha Koragappa on Goodshed Road in Bunder. The first meeting of Bhagawan Nityananda and Adhyaksha Koragappa is described in the book Avadhoot Bhagawan Nityananda, on page 31. The book is authored by Swami Vijayananda of Nityananda Dhyana Mandira, Bevinakoppa. It is an astonishing fact, that given the close connection that the Supreme Dattatreya Avadhoot Bhagawan Nityananda had with Adhyaksha Koragappa, the authorities of the Gokarnath Temple never installed a statue of Bhagawan Nityananda in the temple premises.
  Shri H. Somasunder, Adhyaksha Koragappa's son was the president, during whose tenure effort was put into addressing temple matters and bringing the temple to prominence. Today HS Sairam, Adhyaksha Koragappa's grandson is the president and continues this legacy and vision of Shree Adhyaksha Koragappa to help spirituality empower and enable masses. This along with Sairam's effort to enhance the grandeur of the temple, the latest addition being the Mahastamba where he personally visited Kerala and got the design crafted by able designers.
  The eminent Indian-American mathematician Sagun Chanillo is a great grandson of Adhyaksha Coragappa and the grandson of H. Somappa.
caption: Pages from a book that describes the first meeting of Bhagawan Nityananda and Adhyaksha Koragappa at Hoige Bazaar, Mangalore
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