SHRI SHANKARNARAYANA TEMPLE, UDUPI. Shri Shankarnarayana Temple stands on a plot of land donated by the Mudabidri Brothers, Vankat Rao, Ananda Rao and Narasinga Rao, sons of Manjunathayya. When it was donated in 1878, during the regime of H.H. Shrimat Pandurangashram Swamiji, a Committee was formed to undertake the construction of the temple. Besides the donors, the Committee consisted of Halady Bhujanga Rao, Naimpally Ananthayya, Halady Narayana Rao, Kuber Ananthayya, Sanady Ananthayya, Naimpally Santhappayya, Hattiangady Subba Rao, Sujir Ananda Rao, Baindur Narayan Rao, Herge Rama Rao, Hurli Shama Rao, Manke Vishweshwar Rao, Ullal Babu Rao, and Ved.Kallianpur Krishna (Naga) Bhatji. At that time the construction is said to have cost Rs. 6,000. Four years later, an adjacent plot of land was donated to the temple by Naimpally Ananthayya for the Purohit to have his house constructed. The temple area at that time was sparsely inhabited. Trees grew wild in an adjoining compound called ‘Brahmasthana’. This was believed to have been infested by evil spirits, and hardly any one dared pass that area after dark. If a marriage procession passed that way, it was customary for the newly-wed to offer flowers and coconuts to propitiate the spirits. The Shiva Linga installed in this temple has an interesting history behind it. As the construction work of the temple was nearing completion, one afternoon, an old Brahmin, leading a pony with a heavy bundle across its back, was treading his way to his native village. As they approached the temple, the pony came to a stop and the owner’s beating and coaxing had no effect on the animal. It was already dusk and the road ahead was lonely. The Brahmin sought shelter at the temple site. He was worried as he was carrying a rare type of Shiva Linga and was anxious to reach home and have it installed. He spent a sleepless night and read a meaning in the pony’s adamant attitude. He could not carry the Linga himself and thought that perhaps it was God’s will that the Linga should be installed at this temple nearing completion rather than at his house. Next morning he talked to Ved.Naga Bhatji about it and offered the Linga to the temple. The Brahmin refused to accept any money when the Purohit and other members ofthe community offered to pay. The pony did not require any coaxing after that to be on his way ! The work of construction was completed in 1883 and the prathista ceremony took place on Jyesta Shuddha Dwitiya of Tarana Samvathsara(1884). The Shiva Linga was installed in the new temple in the august presence of H.H.Shrimat Pandurangashram Swamiji. The Shiva Linga has two symmetrical equal-sized natural marks, adjacent to each other, resembling round coils. Observing these marks, H.H.Shrimat Pandurangashram Swamiji bestowed it the name ‘Shankara-Narayana’ and the temple came to be called ‘Shri Shankarnarayana Temple’. One surprising thing is that soon after the installation of the Shiva Linga, the Brahmasthana was rid of the evil spirits and the local people heaved a sigh of relief. It is said that a melodious sound of ‘Omkar’ used to emanate from the Garbhagriha during the Abhisheka early in the mornings. Several devotees endowed agricultural lands to the temple yielding a sufficient quantity of rice required for the daily viniyogas, pancha-parvas and the vanabhojan in Kartik. Baindur Srinivasa Rao gifted a silver mantap weighing 400 tolas in which the utsava moorthi of Sri Vithoba has been placed in the Garbhagriha. The yield from agricultural lands is not there any more on account of the land reforms. In 1918, Kuber Ananthayya had a tank and a sabha mantap built on a plot just opposite to the temple and gifted it to the temple. The tank was named Chandrabhaga tank after his wife.