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andalike,
a tiny hamlet, 15 kilometres from Karkala is not unfamiliar to two kinds of
people. For those interested in literature, Nandalike is the birth place of the
legendary litterateur Nandalike Laxminarayanayya, popularly known by his pen
name ‘Muddana’. For the pious class it is the abode of Abbaga-Daraga and Kumara
on the premises of historic Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple.
The name Nandalike is said to have come
from the king Nanda, who ruled this land centuries ago. The spirits
Abbaga-Daraga and Kumara chose Nandalike as their permanent abode much before
the temple was constructed.
Consecrated by Saint Vadiraja
Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple which has a
history of 700 years is situated amidst the lush green fields in scenic
surroundings. The streams flowing on either side of the temple and a beautiful pond,
add to the beauty of the temple.
Legend has it that once Sri Vadiraja
Swamiji of Sode Math, during his sojourn at Nandalike, refused to accept bhiksha (alms) on the grounds that the
village lacked a temple. The incident greatly worried Hoovayya Heggade of Chavadi
House, who was an ardent devotee of Brahma, Kumara, Abbaga-Daraga, Bhootaraja
and Veerabhadra Swami. That very night
the twin sisters Abbaga and Daraga appeared in his dream and directed him to
install a panchaloha idol of Lord
Mahalingeshwara worshipped by sage Bhargava at Pilarkana, an adjacent village.
It was to be installed at the Jina Temple in the village as an ad-hoc
arrangement to be replaced later by a proper linga. The spirits also prescribed
the rituals to be carried out in the temple. Hoovayya Heggade followed the instructions
and found the idol at a priest’s house the next morning.
Sri Vadiraja Swamiji installed the idol
with pomp and gaiety. It was only recently that the linga of Lord
Mahalingeshwara was installed.
Annual festival
The nine-day annual festival of the temple
known popularly as Nandalike aayana
or sirijaatre falls either in the
month of March or April. Since other subsidiary deities like Sri Brahma,
Veerabhadra Swamy, Abbaga-Daraga and Annappa Swamy have also been installed on the
temple premises, the temple attains uniqueness with Dhakkebali, Annappa Swamy
darshana and Sri Brahmadarshana. Women go into mass trance of Abbaga-Daraga.
Raashi pooja is held annually to
commemorate the birth anniversary of Abbaga-Daraga. The temple accepts
offerings for the deities of Dharmasthala but it cannot be done the other way.
A Naga idol here is said to be the origin
of the colourful illustration of the Nagamandala, a popular way of propitiating
Naga, the serpent god of Tulunadu.
Chavadi
Mane (house)
The 800-year-old Chavadi Mane, situated
about half a kilometre from the temple in the west, is the residence of the
Heggades, the hereditary trustees of the temple. The palatial house with a vast
courtyard (chavadi), royal seat and sword are reminders of the prosperity and the
power wielded by the Heggades in the past. The swing on which Abbaga-Daraga
used to play is still there. The wooden carvings on the ceilings of chavadi are
exquisite and offer proofs for the dexterity and fabulous craftsmanship of the
artisans of yesteryears. By pulling a single peg, navadwaras (nine doors) could
be opened or closed. The chavadi,
which was in a dilapidated state until 1992, has been renovated. It was
featured in an award winning documentary made by Philadelphia University
several years ago.
The Legend
Siri, Satyada Kumari, had a son Kumara out
of her first marriage and she had made him vanish. Siri herself vanished after
delivering a female child born to Kodsaralva of Kotradi out of her second
marriage. Before disappearing she had directed that the child should be
entrusted to the care of Chandu Pergade of Kanabettu. The child was named
Sonne.
Sonne gets company
One day, Chandravati, a pregnant woman of
a well-off Brahmin family in Belman, sent her servant to fetch leaves to
prepare rice pudding. The servant,
however, was not allowed to pluck the leaves of the tree by the two tigers
guarding it. They demanded that the
child born to Chandravati be handed over to them, if she really wanted the
leaves of the tree. Not able to resist
her temptation to eat the pudding, Chandravati promised that she would hand
over the yet-to-be-born baby to the tigers. But she failed to keep up the
promise after the birth of a baby girl, who was named Gindi.
One fine day, three-year-old Gindi
disappeared from her house. The servants of Chandu Pergade found her in the
forest guarded by two tigers. When Chandu Pergade pleaded with the tigers that
he be allowed to take care of the child, the beasts moved away.
Sonne delivers Abbaga-Daraga
Sonne who was already in the custody of
Chandu Pergade and Gindi were brought up together. Sonne was married off to
Guru Marla of Kedinje Parari at the age of 12. Sonne was not invited for the
pubertal function of Gindi as she had not attained puberty even after several
years of marriage. Women of the village threatened to walk off if Sonne
participated in the ritual. When Sonne
did attend the function uninvited, she had to face the wrath of other women and
became a butt of ridicule. A humiliated
Sonne, got Gindi vanished. After coming back to her husband’s house, she vowed
to Brahma of several services, if she reached puberty and bore children. Later
though Sonne delivered twin daughters Abbaga-Daraga, she completely forgot her
promise to Brahma.
The parents decided the marriage of their
daughters with Rama-Lakshmana, twin sons of Chandrama Shetty of Karkala.
Brahma, disguised as a Brahmin, reminded the parents of their promise when they
were on their way to invite guests for the wedding. Even then they did not take
the warning seriously.
Game turns fatal
Brahma in disguise, at the Urkidottu
house, persuaded the twin sisters to play Chenne
Mane (A game played on a wooden plank with fourteen depressions). The older sister Abbaga suffered repeated
defeats in the game at the hands of Daraga. Angered by the humiliation, Abbaga
hit Daraga on her head with the Chenne Mane and Daraga succumbed to the
injuries. A panicky Abbaga pushed the body of Daraga into a nearby well and she
too, jumped into it. Having achieved his motive, the Brahmin disappeared.
Twin sisters turn divine spirits
During the funeral, people saw two
butterflies flying off the funeral pyre of the two girls. After their death,
the spirits of Abbaga - Daraga moved to a palace at Bola where the queen was
having her auspicious kalasha bath.
The spirits made her vanish, had the bath themselves and made Nandalike their
home with Kumara and Siri. The spirits,
it appears, then moved to Kavathar, Hiriyadka and other places later.
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