Kunjaru Giri

Kunjaru giri is the abode of Shri Durga Parmaeshwari near Pajaka Kshetra founded by shri Madhvacharya of Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt. It is around 10kms east of Katapadi on NH66 and is also called as Vimanagiri.

Legend: 

Parashurama, one of the ten famous incarnations of lord Vishnu, He went on dandayatra (military expedition) 21 times to eradicate adharma and establish values on earth by killing almost all the kshatriya kings who have become un-pious and despotic a la Karthikeya. Then gave away all his winnings to Brahmins and ordered them to use the land by engaging in cultivation and such good means. Not willing to stay on a donated away land to meditate, he asks the ocean god to give up some land on earth. He throws his axe standing on the western ghats (Sahyadri hill ranges) and the ocean recedes till the place where his axe fell.  He choses this hill-top for the meditation and on the hillock to its east, establishes his sister Durga in his previous incarnation as Krishna. Thus the entire region is called Parashurama Kshetra and the hill on which he meditated is called Parashurama Betta and Durga betta is where Durga Parameshwari is situated.

It is believed that before meditation Pareashurama threw his weapons (Axe, Bow, Arrow and Mace) around here on this rocky terrain and wherever they fell, they created imprint on the rocks. They being sacred, they are called Parashu Theertha, Dhanus Theertha, Bana Theertha and Gada Theertha. Another remarkable fact is that the water in these ponds never dries, even though they are perched on small hillocks and there is no other water source nearby. 

Steps leading to Kunjaru Giri

Kunjarugiri seen from Parashurama Betta

Sunset into the Arabian sea - seen from the temple

The Parashurama Betta seen from Kunjaru Betta

The Arabian sea which is 6Kms away can be seen from Durga Temple

Sri Parashurama Temple

The Gadha Thirtha at the base of Parashurama Hill, it is in the shape of a mace. As a retainer wall is built near the shape of its handle, I could not get the view in the photo below. Focus is on the head of the mace.

A Nagabana (Snake park) near the hill

The Parashu Theertha, in the shape of a axe, is around 2Kms east to Kunjarugiri. What looks like handle of axe is to your left and the face of it is to the right. There is a small Gopalakrishna Temple nearby.

Sunset view from Kunjarugiri