Jeppu Kudupady Sri Vishnumoorthy temple is located at Jeppu Kudupadi near Jeppinamogaru in Mangalore district, Karnataka. The shrine is dedicated to Vishnumoorthi. The annual theyyam thira kaliyattam festival at Sri Vishnumoorthy Adi Kshethra Jeppu Kovil Kudupady temple is held from March 3 to March 7 annually.
The shrine is dedicated to Vishnumoorthi (Narasimha) Avatar
of Bhagavan Vishnu. This is a small but ancient shrine with a long history. The
shrine is believed to have the presence of Narasimha Moorthi.
The story of the temple is associated with Palanthai Kannan,
a great devotee of Bhagavan Vishnu. Palanthai Kannan, a native of Nileshwar in
his boyhood, tried to pick mangoes from a mango tree owned by Kuruvat Nair.
Without considering his age or the thirst for food, Kuruvat Nair and his
bodyguards beat him and drove away from Nileshwar.
After that incident, Palanthai Kannan went to Mangalore and took shelter in a Vishnu temple there. When there, he obtained the blessings of Bhagavan Vishnu and years later, he returned to his homeland, Nileshwar.
On the way, Palanthai Kannan stayed one day in Moolapally in
the house of a black smith [now near the railway line] and rested in the
Kanakkappalli Anikkil Tharavadu [situated near the Nileshwar bus stand, on the
Koroth – N.H. Road, and once up on a time famous as a center of martial arts
and education]. Then he proceeded to Kundon Kadavu and leaving his Olakkuda
[umbrella] and Churika [shield], went to Kadalikulam [a pond near Nileshwar
Market junction] for taking bath.
Within a short time the news of the arrival of Palanthai
Kannan spread in the all across Nileshwar. Hearing the news, Kuruvat Nair and
his men came to the Kadalikulam and killed Palanthai Kannan.
Bhagavan Vishnu who accompanied his ardent devotee Palanthai
Kannan was provoked and destroyed the Kuruvat tharavad. The ferocious murti was
referred to as Vishnumoorthi by devotees and resided at Vaikundeswara Temple,
Kottappuram, Nileshwar.
The important theyyams that can be witnessed at Jeppu Kudupady
Sri Vishnumoorthy temple are Gulikan theyyam, Kallurutti theyyam, Vishnumoorthi
theyyam and Panjuruli theyyam.
പാലന്തായി
കണ്ണന്റെ ചരിത്രകഥയുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട മംഗളൂരു ജപ്പുകുടുപാടി വിഷ്ണുമൂര്‍ത്തി ആദിക്ഷേത്ര പുനഃപ്രതിഷ്ഠാ കലശോത്സവവും ഒറ്റക്കോലവും March മൂന്നു മുതല്‍ ഏഴുവരെ നടക്കും. March 3 രാവിലെ എട്ടിന് നാഗപ്രതിഷ്ഠ, 10.30ന് വിഷ്ണുമൂര്‍ത്തിയുടെയും പരിവാരങ്ങളുടെയും പ്രതിഷ്ഠ,
വൈകീട്ട് ആറിന് പുത്തിരികൊടുക്കല്‍, രാത്രി ഒമ്പതിന് മേലേരിക്ക് അഗ്നിപകരല്‍, 12ന് കുളിച്ചേറ്റം, കനല്‍സേവ. March 4 വൈകീട്ട് ആറിന് മറുപുത്തരി, രാത്രി 11ന് അണ്ണപ്പ പഞ്ചുരുളി
തെയ്യക്കോലം. March 5 പുലര്‍ച്ചെ രണ്ടിന് കല്ലുരുട്ടി, കല്‍ക്കുട തെയ്യങ്ങള്‍, അഞ്ചിന് പുഞ്ചുരുളി, ഗുളികന്‍ തെയ്യങ്ങള്‍.