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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name =
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = Karnataka
| map_caption = Location in Karnataka
| coordinates = {{coord|14|13|48.9|N|74|29|39.89|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Karnataka]]
| district = [[Uttara Kannada|Uttara kannada/North kanara]]
| locale = [[Idagunji]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Ganesha]]
| festivals= [[Ganesh Chaturthi]], [[Sankashti Chaturthi]], [[Angarki Sankashti Chaturthi|Angarika Chaturthi]]
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed = 4th-5th century CE
| creator =
| website =
}}
The '''Shree Vinayaka Devaru'''<ref>[http://www.idagunjidevaru.com/details.php Official site]</ref> (Kannada:ಗಣಪತಿ ಇಡಗುಂಜಿ) is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to the god [[Ganesha]] (Vinayaka), located on the West Coast of India in the [[Idagunji]] town in [[Uttara Kannada district]] in [[Karnataka state]], India. The temple's popularity as a religious place is recorded by about 1 million devotees visiting it annually.<ref name=Devaru>{{Cite web|url=http://www.idagunjidevaru.com/story.php|title=The Story of Mhatobar Shree Vinayaka Devaru, Idagunji|access-date=30 January 2013|publisher=Official Website of the Idagunji Devaru.com}}</ref><ref name=Ganapathi>{{Cite web|url=http://www.karnataka.com/murdeshwar/ganapathi-temple/|title=Shri Ganapathi Temple|access-date=30 June 2013|publisher=Official Website of Government of Karnataka, karnataka.com}}</ref>

It is one of the six famous Ganesha temples on the [[Western Coastal Plains|west coast of India]], which is also popularly called the "Ganesha Coast".<ref name=Hindu>{{Cite news|url=http://hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/09/17/stories/2005091703680100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102200314/http://hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/09/17/stories/2005091703680100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 November 2012|work=[[The Hindu]]|title= The one-day speedy darshan |access-date=30 January 2013}}</ref>

==Geography==
Idagunji where the temple is located is a small village on the west coast of India close to the Sharvathi River which joins the [[Arabian Sea]]. It is close to [[Manki, Honnavar|Manki]], [[Mavinakatte]] and is about 14 km from [[Honavar]], 28 km from [[Navilgaon]], 65 km from [[Gokarna, India|Gokarna]], and 7 km from a road which branches from the [[National Highway 17 (India)]], towards the west coast.<ref name=Hindu/> [[Honnavara]], the capital of the [[taluk]] in which Idagunji lies, is also the nearest railway station.<ref name=Ganapathi/>

==Legend==

The importance of the temple is attributed to a legend, occurring at the end of the [[Dvapara Yuga]] (the third Hindu epoch or era) before the onset of [[Kali Yuga]] (the present epoch or era). Every one feared the advent of Kali Yuga, as the god [[Krishna]] was about to leave earth for his divine abode at the end of Dvapara Yuga. Sages started performing austerities and prayers seeking Krishna's help to overcome all impediments of Kali Yuga. Sages led by Valakhilya started rituals in Kunjavana, a forest area on the banks of the Sharavati River in Karnataka which joins the Arabian Sea. During this period, he encountered many obstacles in performing the sacrifice and was very disturbed. He, therefore, sought the advice of the divine sage [[Narada]], seeking suitable ways to tackle the problem. Narada advised Valakhilya to seek the blessings of Ganesha - the remover of obstacles - before restarting his sacrifice.<ref name=Devaru/><ref name=Ganapathi/>

At the request of the sages, Narada selected a site for the rite on the banks of the River Sharavathi, at Kunjavana, seeking Ganesha's intervention. Even the Hindu Trinity (the gods [[Brahma]], [[Vishnu]] and [[Shiva]]) had visited this place in the past to bring an end to the demons who were involved in destroying the earth. The gods had even created the sacred lakes Chakratirtha and Brahmatirtha at that time. Narada and the other sages created a new sacred pond called Devatirtha. Narada invited the gods and requested Ganesha's mother [[Parvati]] to send Ganesha. The rites were performed and hymns recited extolled Ganesha. Pleased by their devotion, Ganesha consented to remain at the site to help them conduct the rituals without any trouble. On this occasion, one more lake was also created and named as Ganesha-tirtha to fetch water to the temple. The same location is now called the Idagunji, where the Ganesh Temple was built by the devotees around 4th-5th century CE.<ref name=Ganapathi/>

==Central icon==

The central icon of the Idagunji Temple dates to 4-5th century CE.<ref name="Martin-Dubost1997">{{cite book|author=Paul Martin-Dubost|title=Gaṇeśa, the enchanter of the three worlds|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H5DjAAAAMAAJ|year=1997|publisher=Franco-Indian Research}}</ref> The image of Ganesha in ''dvibhuja style'', similar to that of the [[Gokarna, India|Gokarna]] Ganesha temple, nearby Idagunji. He has two arms and is standing on a stone slab.<ref name="Martin-Dubost1997"/> His right hand holds a lotus bud, and he holds a [[modak]] sweet in other hand. He wears a garland across the chest in the style of a ''[[yagnopavita]]'' (sacred thread). Ganesha is adorned with a necklace of small bells. A [[rat]], the [[vahana]] or vehicle of Ganesha, always depicted alongside Ganesha, is not depicted in this image.<ref name="SivaramamurtiRao1987">{{cite book|author1=C. Sivaramamurti|author2=M. S. Nagaraja Rao|title=Kusumāñjali: New Interpretation of Indian Art & Culture : Sh. C. Sivaramamurti Commemoration Volume|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D5ItAAAAMAAJ|year=1987|publisher=Agam Kala Prakashan}}</ref> The image is {{convert|83|cm}} tall and {{convert|59|cm}} in width and is placed on stone pedestal.<ref name="Rao1993">{{cite book|author=Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao|title=Art and architecture of Indian temples|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AphNAAAAYAAJ|year=1993|publisher=Kalpatharu Research Academy}}</ref>

==Worship==

The Idagunji Temple is one of the prominent temples in South India, independently dedicated to Ganesha.<ref name="Krishan1999">{{cite book|author=Yuvraj Krishan|title=Gaṇeśa: unravelling an enigma Hinduism and Its Sources Series|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BKoyRJxj9jUC&pg=PA92|date=1 January 1999|publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan|isbn=978-81-208-1413-4|page=92}}</ref>

The Ganesha of Idagunji is the chief patron deity ([[Kuladevata]]) of the [[Havyaka Brahmin]]s, who are [[Smarta]] by sect.<ref name="The tribes and castes of Bombay">{{cite book|title=The tribes and castes of Bombay|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FoT6gPrbTp8C&pg=PA253|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0630-2|page=253}}</ref> Bandhis, a [[Dalit]] community of Karnataka, seek blessings of the deity, after conclusion of amicable marriage negotiations, for conduct of the marriage. The families of the bride and the groom visit the temple and perform the ritual of ''prasada keluvudu''. A chit is placed on each of the legs of Ganesha and worship is performed. The falling of the chit of the right leg first is taken as a sign of divine approval to the marriage, however if the left chit falls first, an adverse verdict is inferred.<ref name="Singh2006">{{cite book|author=Nagendra Kr Singh|title=Global Encyclopaedia of the South Indian Dalit's Ethnography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xcpa_T-7oVQC&pg=PA62|year=2006|publisher=Global Vision Publishing House|isbn=978-81-8220-168-2|page=62}}</ref>

Idagunji is part of a temple circuit of six Ganesha temples along India's western coast. The circuit starts with [[Kasargod]], [[Mangalore]], [[Anegudde]], [[Kundapura]], Idagunji and Gokarna. Any person visiting with his family all the six temples, within one day between sunrise and sunset will receive special blessings.<ref name=Devaru/>

The best puja offering that a devotee offers to Ganesha is garike grass(doorve) which is sold in the kiosks of the temple. Many other poojas can also be performed by the devotees.<ref name=Hindu/>

==Souvenirs==
Masks made out of [[lavancha]] (''sogade beru'' in [[Kannada language]] which is [[vetiver]]) are the souvenirs to carry as gifts from the temple. Lavancha or vetiver in the raw state gives out a pleasant scent if soaked in water and it has medicinal qualities.<ref name=Hindu/>

==See also==
*[[List of Ganesha temples]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Ganesha Temple, Idagunji}}

{{Hindu temples in Karnataka}}

[[Category:Ganesha temples]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Uttara Kannada district]]

Ganesha Temple, Idagunji - Revision history

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