Adoor Mahalingeshwara Temple, located at Adoor in Kasargod
in Kerala, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was founded by Arjuna of
Mahabharata. The temple is associated with the Kiratha Yudham – disguised Shiva
as hunter taking on Arjuna and blessing him with arrows. This story is carved
on the valiya bali kallu in the temple premises.
Shiva is worshipped here in the form of a Shivling. The
Nandi in the temple is in standing posture. The murti of Nandi is found in the namaskara
mandapa.
The subsidiary deities worshipped in the temple are Mahavishnu,
Ganapathy, Sastha, Kinimani, Poomani, and Raktheswary.
The architecture of the temple is unique – it is a
three-tier temple and the temple resembles the backside of an elephant.
The temple is a Mahakshetra, (big temple with all
essentials) – it has a namaskara mandapa, tidappally, valiya ambalam, agrasala,
pond and flag post made of copper.
The walls of the ancient temple are adorned with colorful
paintings of Ganapati and Shasta and the roofs are exquisitely carved with the
scenes from Hindu stories.
Makar Sankranti is of great importance here. It is believed
that the Shivling was discovered on a Makar Sankranti day. Sahsra Kumbha
Abhishekam and Anandam ceremony are held on the occasion.
The annual festival in the temple is observed in March
month. It begins on the 27th day of Kumbham month as per traditional Malayalam calendar and ends on the 4th of Meenam month.
The temple is around 41 km east of Kasargod on the banks of
Payaswini River.
Related
Kiratarjuniya – Story of Kirata – Shiva as Hunter – and Arjuna