Welcome to Shree Kshetra Bangaramakki
Where devotion meets divinity and healing begins
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Bangaramakki
Shree Kshetra Bangaramakki is one of the holy places of Karnataka, situated on the right bank of river Sharavathi near Gerasoppa, once under the direct rule of Queen Chennabhairadevi, also known as the ‘Pepper Queen’. Surrounded by the evergreen thick forests of the Western Ghats, no one could have imagined this once barren and neglected land would transform into a sacred pilgrimage attracting thousands across the country.
Samsthaapaka
The temple was founded by Late Veda Brahma Shree Ganesh Bhat with the blessings of Bhagavan Shree Shreedhar Swamiji. A profound Vedic scholar, Shree Ganesh Bhat obtained divine powers of ‘Darshana’ through intense devotional meditative rituals of Lord Veeranjaneya. This small beginning led to the birth of the temple and a host of socio-religious activities, carried forward with the same zeal, sanctity, and devotion by his successor Shree Shree Maruthi Guruji.
Shree Ganesh Bhat, born in 1947, was the son of Late Shri Venkappa Bhat, the hereditary priest of Seeme Mukhyaprana Devaru at Gerasoppa. A scholar in Veda, Sanskrit, and Jyotishya, he crossed Sharavathi at age 32 and came to Bangaramakki, following his inner calling. In 1981, he brought home a statue of Veeranjaneya under Jalaadhivaasa for 15 years from a village near Mirjan in Kumta Taluk and started worshipping at home. In 1986, the temple was built, and the statue was installed.
Shree Maruthi Guruji
In 1997, he appointed his son, Shree Maruthi Guruji, as the trustee and priest. In 2000, he also ordained him to carry forward the tradition of ‘Darshana’, dedicating himself fully to spiritual life thereafter.
Shree Maruthi Guruji, a young and ambitious spiritual leader, has since expanded the temple’s outreach through welfare programs in religion, culture, education, literature, health, environment, and traditional rural medicine.
- Shree Veeranjaneya Religious and Charitable Trust®
- Shree Veeranjaneya Educational and Charitable Trust®
- CELECT Foundation®
Vision into Action
All these efforts aim to translate his vision into action and serve humanity with discipline and continuity.
As the name of the Kshethra itself suggests, the presiding deity of the Kshethra is ‘Shri Veeranjaneya’. Shri Veeranjaneya of Bangaramakki, in a standing pose with hands joined in Namaskar Mudra, keeping the Gadha before the legs holding it upside down with the tip, touching the ground near the feet, symbolizes, at once the spirit of total surrender at the feet of his God Shri Rama and his valour, in defense of Dharma or righteousness ensuring peace and prosperity to the devotees seeking solace at his feet.
Lord Shri Veeranjaneya is facing North. It indicates the context of his return from Lanka after his successful mission of locating of Seetha at Ashoka Vana . Anjaneya is seen here with a sense of fulfilment of his vow of searching Seetha and being elated by the site of joy in the face of his Lord Shree Rama on receiving the Chudamani, the hairpin of Seetha from him. He is truly Veeranjaneya, for he had achieved what was otherwise impossible for others. Jumping across the sea, tracing Seetha and escaping from the clutches of Ravana and his musclemen by giving a heavy blow to their pride are verily his heroic deeds.