::: Hanumatta :::
Ankola One the one hand we often hear that the eternal principles and their truths are all meaningless; on the other we see actions prompted by blind belief totally distorting the Eternal Truths, Yet we still find in a few places an honest attempt being made to avoid these two extremes, by blending together the old and the new principles and Forces, so that they help all round progress in life. “Dharma protects him, Who adheres to it,” Following this golden adage, many people have achieved great success in different walks of life by trying to derive inspiration from the Lord, knowing fully well His greatness and saving attributes. Who will not be happy to see the holy places and to hear about the stories describing about their divine greatness, where many devoted souls have attained fulfillment and where many believers have made their own lives blessed and successful? We feel similarly overjoyed when we see the famous temple of Sri Lakshminarayana Mahamaya of Ankola, efficiently managed by its devotees.
Ankola is a town of mango groves, set in an enchanting natural surroundings. The beautiful Sri Lakshminarayana Mahamaya temple is situated at Hanumatta very near Ankola. As it is well known, Goa was for some time under the Portuguese rule. The Portuguese began to destroy Hindu temples and Hindu religion. Many Hindu families migrated from Goa, being unable to withstand this religious persecution. The devotees of Sri Lakshminarayana Mahamaya had also to face the same situation, but they were not willing to leave behind their family deity. It was easy for them to take with them Sri Lakshminarayana from Nagwe, but Mahamaya had self-manifested in the form of Rohini, which posed a problem to the devotees in taking her with them out of Goa. But Mahamaya assured them that she would go with them in the form of the coconut. Thus, the devotees left Goa in 1510 with the coconut and the image of Sri Lakshminarayana. Then hanumatta was a dense forest. As the devotees reached Hanumatta, it was dusk. They halted at the temple of Sri Mahishasur Mardini Sri Bhagavathi. In that place there were also temples of Sri Veerappa, Sri Honappa and Sri Hanumantha. The place was called Hanumatta because of the temple of Sri Hanumantha. Before next dawn, a surprising incident took place. The coconut was now surrounded by an ant hill. It was Sri Lakshminarayana and Sri Mahamaya had desired to stay there permanently. Hence, even to this day, while Sri Lakshminarayana is worshipped in the beautiful image, Sri Sri Mahamaya is worshippes in an ant hill only. Both of them are regarded as ‘awakened’ deities, who are fulfilling the desires of their devotees.
Among the Kulavi’s(devotees) of this temple are the famous Gowda Saraswat families like Dempo family of Goa. Pangal Nayaks Family of South Kanara, Kini’s, Paigoankars, Ghodes, Mahales, Baleri family of North Kanara and the Saraswat families like Murdeshwars, Hattangadis, Kalavaras and Padukones. There are also some Vaishya, Sonar, Nagwekar families and even some Christian families among the devotees of this temple. There are also many other deities worshipped in the temple like Iswar Parvathi Boothanath, Ravalnath, Poorva Santheri etc.
The festival of Bhangara Mahamaya (Golden Mahamaya) is a specialty of this temple. A story is narrated about the origin of this festival. Once one Nagwekar Shet of Goa vowed to Sri Mahamaya that if a child was born to him then he would offer a golden statue to the temple. As desired by him, daughter was born to him. Nagwekar, who was a himself a gold smith, prepared a beautiful golden image of Sri Mahamaya, which resembled in form of this own daughter. As soon as the image was brought to Hanumatta and offered to Sri Mahamaya his daughter died. Shet was stuned. But Sri Mahamaya blessed him that he would have a child again. She also bestowed on him all wealth. Even now, once in a 5 or 7 years, this golden image is taken out, When this is permitted by Sri Mahamaya, by obtaining her Prasad and only then people can have ‘darshan’ of this golden image. The golden image is then taken out in a grand festival to witness which, people come in largenumbers from all parts of the country.
Every festival is celebrated in this temple has its own speciality. ‘Navaratri’ is celebrated on a grand scale. ‘Hoovin Pooja’, ‘Harivava Pooja’, ‘Chowri Pooja’ etc. are conducted.On ‘Aswin Vadya Panchami’, special celebration are held in this temple. A very interesting event takes place on this day-frying ‘vades’ are taken out by bare hand from the boiling oil in a pan. On the same day ‘annadan’ is don’t on a large scale. At the time of ‘Chowri Pooja’, a large heap of cooked ricealong with large sized ‘Vades’ are placed before the deities and worship in conducted. During ‘Harivana Pooja’ and ‘Chowri Pooja’, special musical instruments called ‘Bandi Vadya’ are played, which is peculiar to this temple only. On every Magha Shuddha Panchami day, a special service is conducted by married ladies in this temple. It is beautiful sight to see these ladies, carrying lighted plates with seven wicks on their heads and offering service.
The temple is managed very efficiently by a Managing Committee consisting to seven trustees, one each from the families of Dampos, Pangal nayaks, Baleris, Mahales, Paigaonkars, Ghodes and Murdeswars. The president of the committee comes from the Dempo family and the Vice-President from the Pangal Nayaks family. The managing ‘Moktesars’ of the temple come from Baleris, Mahales and Paigaonkars families. All the members of the Managing Committee are working hard for the walfare of the temple. The Dempos take care to see that the temple has no financial problems. The Pangal Nayaka provide a clean and efficient administration of the temple affairs, Baleris, Mahales are doing their best to see that all the festivals and other celebrations in the temple are successfully held.
On 13-5-57, Akshaya Triteeya day, there golden ‘sinkhara kalashas’ was installed in the temple. Since then, every year a number of festivals are celebrated. In 1953, on Chaitra Poornima day, special festivals were conducted on a grand scale, to enhance the divine’kala’ of the deities in the temple.
In 1957, there-installation ceremony of Sri Bhagavath Poorva Shantri Devi was held by his Holiness Sri Swamiji of Sri Gokarn Parthagali Math.
In 1962, a permanent Seva Trust was created, with contribution of principal amounts of Rs. 400/- for each day to take care of the daily offerings and Nanda Deep in the temple. The credit for this successful scheme should go to Sri. V. V. Bhandarkar. In 1968, 12 self contained blocks were constructed with the name ‘Sri Mahamaya Vasathi Griha’ to provide lodging facility for the visitings guests and devotees. The year ‘Anandanama’ really turned out to be the bestowal of ananda. The Dempos arranged for the marble flooring inside the temple and constructed the tar-road, about 2 furlongs long, linking the temple to the highway. Foundation stone of the ‘Mukha-mantapa’ of the temple was also laid by H. H. Srimath Vidyadhiraja Thirtha Swamiji of Gokarna Parthagali Mutt. The formal opening of the Mukha Mantapa was performed by H. H. Srimad Sudhindra Thirtha Swamiji of Sri Samsthan Kashi Mutt of Banaras, On 28-2-75, His Holiness Srimath Vidyadhiraja Thirtha Swamiji of Gokarna Sri Parthagali Muth conducted the celebrations connected with reinstallation of Ishwara Parvathi temple and repairs to the temple tank.
Shri Laxminarayana Mahamaya Seva Trust was registered for carrying out a permanent scheme for arranging large scale feeding on Ashwija Vadya Panchami day every yaer. Sri Bhangra Mahamaya Seva Trust was registered for creating permanent fund for celebrating Bhangra Mahamaya Utsav periodically.
With its 500’ long halls, three attractive sanctum sanctorums, towers copper plated roofs and golden kalashas, the temple attracts devotees from far and wide. As the devotee enters the precincts of the temple with a heart full of devotion, he is also overjoyed to see the unique artistic carvings found everywhere in the temple. He feels greatly blessed having had of the peaceful darshan of Devi Mahamaya, Lakshminarayana and other deities. Every day there is some celebration or other observed in the temple. Devotees who seek peace and happiness in the midst of their numerous miseries and difficulties, flock to the temple in large numbers. They offer their heartfelt prayers and offerings, and return with peace and encouragement. Such is the uniqueness of this temple. In the whole of this district, there is no other temple which is so big and prosperous. There are about 42 famous families among the kulavis of this ancient temple. This is really a unique and awakened temple.