Shankaranarayana

Shankaranarayana is a village in Kundapura taluk of Udupi district in the state of Karnataka in India.It is situated in midst of coconut and arecanut plantations along with forests adjoining western ghats. Earlier this village was called as Golikatte.

History

Before India became independent, this was an important place with Police Station, Sub Registrat Office, Primary School catering to the needs of more than fifteen surrounding villages. After surrounding villages got school, shops and mainly proper roads, Shankaranarayana lost its importance and now rests as a small village on Kundapura-Shimoga main road. The history of Shankaranayana may go back to ancient times, because the temple is said to be constructed on water ( or on a lake ) by very ancient people, or godly people. The original temple was on a hillock beside present day temple and a foot print on rock is said to be of God's own foot print which appeared when he jumped from the hill to the present day temple.

Culture

The annual fare being held every year on January 16th attracts large number of people from surrounding villages. The big chariot drawn with the help of ropes is a beautiful sight. The temple is said tobe built on water or a small lake and as such a good lake is adjascent to temple. A well inside temple is shown as proof for temple built on water. Shankara (Hara) and Narayana (Hari) are jointly worshipped here and there are five Shankaranarayana temples within a radius of about 15 kilometers. These temples are shown as proof for communal harmony amont Shivites and Vishnavites of Coastal districts.

=Modern Facilities=This small village has almost all facilities ideally required for an Indian village. Kinder Garden, Primary School, High school, College, Computer Institute are educational facilities. Government Hospital, Petrol Bunk. National Bank and Co-operative banks , clinics and dispensaries, Police Station, Sub Registrar Office office, Veterinary Hosital, Oil Mills are all there catering to the needs of Rural People. The place is well connected to Kundapura, Udupi (district centre), Shimoga (Neighboring District) and Kollur (important piligrimate centre). This village may be dubbed as Pensioners' retreat!

=Education facilities=Shankaranarayana was having a primary school since about one hundred years. Now the village is blessed with English Medium Primary school, First Grade Collage, Computer education Centre. Several renowened teachers like U.Nagappa Ithal, P.S.Karanth have served in Pre University College of this collage (Now, First Grade College).

=Business=As this is not a business centre, main business of villagers revolve around agriculture. Coconut, paddy, arecanut, pepper, cashew and recenlty rubber are main crops.

External links

* http://www.shankaranarayana.org/index.html provides more information about the temple.