Dharmasthala is a temple town on the banks of the river Nethravathi in Belthangady Taluk, Karnataka. It represents religious tolerance wherein caste, creed and faith of pilgrims are no bars. For here, the Jain Theerthankara is worshipped on the same consecrated grounds as the native Daivas and Lord Manjunatha (Lord Shiva).

Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala, the land of righteousness and piety, is one of south India’s most renowned religious landmarks with a history as old as 800 years. Manjunatheshwara, the chief deity of the spiritual abode, has taken the form of a shivalinga and made immaculate, the temple town of Dharmasthala since and forever. Lord Manjunatheshwara, is being worshipped in a very unusual yet exceptionally inordinate manner in Shree kshetra dharmasthala, as this Shaiva temple is beseeched by Vaishnava priests and administered by Jain descendants.

“Dharmasthala”, the abode of dharma, is the quintessence of humanity and faith. As the name suggests, the word dharma in its truest sense means righteousness, it is the embodiment of the world’s most divine emotions in spite of one’s cast, creed or religion.

The town is known for its centuries old Dharmasthala Temple devoted to the Hindu god Manjunatha. There are other temples and shrines that are dedicated to Ammanavaru, Chandranath and the Dharma Daivas (guardian spirits of Dharma) – Kalarahu, Kalarkayi, Kumaraswamy and Kanyakumari.

Social Service by the Temple Administration

• Rural Development
• Mass Marriages
• Anna dana (ಅನ್ನದಾನ)
• Vidya dana (ವಿದ್ಯಾ ದಾನ)

Places to Visit in Dharmasthala

• Shrine of Lord Manjunatha Swamy
• Shrine of Shri Ammanavaru
• Shrine of Shri Annappa Swamy
• Shrine of Shri Ganapathi
• Shri Chandranatha Swamy Basadi
• Shri Manjunatheshwara Cultural Research Foundation
• Nelyadi Beedu
• Lord Shri Bahubali statue
• Annapoorna Dining Hall
• Lalitodyan
• Manjusha Museum
• Manjusha Car Museum

How to Reach?

By Road: Dharmasthala is well connected by road. State-owned KSRTC & also private companies provide bus service from several centers of Karnataka.

By Train: Mangalore Railway Station is the nearest railway junction to Dharmasthala, situated at a distance of about 74 km.

By Road: Mangalore Airport serves as the nearest domestic and international airport for tourists heading to Dharmasthala. Earlier known as the Bajpe Airport, it is situated at a distance of about 65 km from Dharmasthala.

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Sri Kapileswara Swamy Temple (Lord Shiva), Tirumala Tirupati

Kapila Theertham or Sri Kapileswara Swamy Temple is a famous Saivite Temple and Theertham, located at Tirupati (Seshachalam Hills Tirumala), Andhra Pradesh. The Shiva idol is believed to be installed by Kapila Muni and hence Lord Siva here is referred to as Kapileswara.

The temple stands at the entrance to a mountain cave in one of the steep and vertical faces at the foot of the Tirumala hills which are part of Seshachalam Hills, where the waters of the mountain stream fall directly into Temple Pushkarini known as “Kapila Theertham”.

A good ways off of 4 km from Tirupati Railway Station and 25 km from Tirumala Tirupati Temple of Lord Venkateswara, Kapila Theertham is a celebrated cascade arranged inside Kapileswara Swamy Temple at the foot of Sheshadri Hills in Tirupati. This is an extraordinary cascade where the water of mountain streams drop from a tallness of more than 100 feet into a huge lake in the sanctuary premises. It is one of the should visit traveler puts in Tirupati and a significant journey site around there.

Kapila Theertham sanctuary is the solitary Shiva sanctuary nearby Tirupati. It is additionally supposed to be one of the 108 consecrated teerthas (springs) on Tirumala slopes. The Siva lingam here is made of metal. An enormous stone sculpture of a situated bull Nandhi, welcomes aficionados at the passage to the sanctuary.

As indicated by legend, Saint Kapila Maharishi was said to have lived here, loved and pondered in the collapse front of the icon of Lord Shiva, thus the put is named after the holy person as Kapila Theertham. Master Shiva is said to have favored Sage Kapila with a dream of himself and his partner. This sanctuary got generally excellent help from the Kings of Vijayanagara somewhere in the range of thirteenth and sixteenth hundreds of years, particularly from Krishna Devaraya.

As you enter the sanctum of the sanctuary you will be awestruck to see the gigantic stone representation of Nandi-Lord Shiva’s bull. Kapila Theertham is visited by an enormous number of devotees on extraordinary events like Annabhishekam, Maha Shivaratri, Vinayaga Chaturthi and Brahmotsavam. Among these celebrations Kapileswara Swamy Brahmotsavam is the main one which is praised all through the range of February.

Best an ideal opportunity to visit: During the blustery season between November-February.

Distance: This Temple is located nearly 3 KM’s from Tirupati bus Stand and 2.5 KM’s from Alipiri (Alipiri Steps and Toll Gate)

Timings: Timings of visit are from 5 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. ordinary.

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