Sri Aane Gudde Vinayaka temple (more than 2000 years old)

Lord Aane Gudde vinayaka is 12 feet tall in the very elephant form itself against the traditional Vinayaka form in Tamilnadu. People call Him Swayambu Vinayaka. The tilak is in upward Vaishanava Nama style – not with sacred ash.

The temple celebrates special pujas in Karthikai month-December-January to wake up the birds and to protect them and the cattle from attack of diseases. This is called Pakshi Sankara Puja. He (Sankara) appears with four hands including two Abhaya Hastha to protect those surrendering at His feet and granting boons. He appears with silver covering alankara. It is believed that the Vinayaka idol is growing big. The Kailash darshan of Lord Shiva with Mother Parvathi is beautifully depicted at the entrance.

Students pray for good education, job opportunities. Devotees also seek wedding, child and profit boons in business.

Realizing their wishes, on any day convenient to them, devotees do alankara to Lord Ganapathi with 400 kgs of rice, 1008 or a minimum of 125 coconuts. They call it Moodu Ganapathi puja and Arisi (rice) Ganapathi puja.

Greatness Of Temple: The deity of 12 feet tall Aane Gudde Vinayaka in the very elephant form itself is made of a single stone. He is praised as Swayambu vinayaka with a Vaishnava style tilak on the forehead. Devotees praise Him as Vishnu Roopa Ganapathi and Vishnu Roppa Paramatma. Ranga Puja is conducted on Fridays for the welfare of all in the world – Loka Kshema. Devotees joining the puja light lamps. Lighting lamps in the temple is followed by devotees during the months Aipasi, Karthikai, Margazhi and Thai covering October-November to January-February. During the Sankatahara Chaturthi, devotees offer Tulabaram to Lord – offering things equal to one’s weight. This is a very important commitment by the devotees. Lord Vinayaka also graces as Deepa Ganapati reforming those addicted to liquor and other bad habits.

Temple History: Mangalore – now Mangaluru on the shores of the Arabian Sea was a desert earlier. Drought enveloped the region. Sages performed penance and people who were helpful to them suffered from starvation. They sought the help of sage Agasthya. He began penance on Varuna the God of rain. A demon, Kumbasura by name caused troubles to the penance of the sage. Bheema one of the Pandava brother only had the power to destroy the demon. Lord Vinayaka took the elephant form carrying a weapon. Seeing Bheema coming to have the weapon, the elephant dropped the weapon and fled away. Bheema killed the demon with the weapon.

As the demon was destroyed with the weapon of Lord Vinayaka, while dying, he realized wisdom and died a pure soul. The place became fertile with good rains. Sages begged Lord Vinayaka that He should stay at the place where their grievances came to an end. Lord obliged. As Kumbasura was reformed in this place, it came to be known as Kumbasi. The temple is in the Aane Gudde part of the place. Aane Gudde means a hill, the home of Lord Vinayaka. —