Moodabidri


Moodabidri , is a town and taluk in Dakshina Kannada district. It lies 34 km northeast of the district headquarters, Mangalore, in Karnataka, India.
Because of widely grown bamboo in ancient days, this place was named as Moodabidri. Moodabidri comes from two Kannada words, mūḍu "east" and bidiru "bamboo".
Its average elevation is.

Demographics

India census, Moodabidri had a population of 25,710. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Moodabidri has an average literacy rate of 88.57%, Male literacy is 93.13%, and female literacy is 84.13%.
Moodabidri basically contains two villages: Pranthya and Marnad. Moodabidri is also called as "Jaina Kashi of the South".

Location

Moodabidri is on National Highway 169. It is accessible from Mangalore city by road. Mangalore International Airport is 23 km away from Moodabidri.
It is 54 km from Udupi and 18 km from Karkala. Other nearby places are Venur, Belthangady, Kudremukh, Agumbe, Puttur and Mijar

Languages

spoken by majority of the population, followed by Kannada and Konkani. Muslims speak Urdu and a small Muslim population speaks Beary.

Hospitals and nursing home

Moodabidri has a state-run health centre. The hospital has improved in the last few years. Medicine supply to the hospital is stable and medicines are available for all common ailments. Well qualified doctors, including dentists, are available and PG interns practice. The hospital has an X-ray machine, dental chair, and an ambulance facility.
Private hospital services are available. A few of the hospitals are Alva's nursing home, Prabhu Hospital, G.V. Pai hospital, dental clinics like Dr Parveen's Modern Dental Clinic, Dr Hegde's Dental Speciality Clinic, and Dr.Shinaj's dental clinic. Alva's Health Centre is a holistic centre for comforting patients. There is an ayurvedic wing with all the rare ayurvedic plants in Shobhavana, near Mijar, outskirts of Moodbidre. In 2014, Ever Care Clinic opened, focusing on management and care of chronic illnesses.
The town also has a reasonably well maintained veterinary hospital with a veterinary doctor and a veterinary inspector.

Religion and culture

was and still is strongly practised in Moodabidri. The Thousand Pillars Temple is a holy shrine for Jains across the country. It also has Guru Basadi which houses the treasured Dhavala text. There are other Basadis: Ammanvara Basadi and Leppada Basadi. There are several Jain temples in Moodbidri.
There are a number of Hindu temples in Moodbidri as well. Hanuman temple of Moodbidri is one of the area's Hanuman temples. Here the devotees offer tender coconut as offering to the God. On Saturdays an average of about four to five thousand tender coconuts are offered to Lord Hanuman.
Shri Venkataramana temple is a rock built temple and is known for the celebration of Karthika Deepotsava, holy Keredeepotsava, Sharada Mahotsava, and other functions. There are carved Dashavatar statues in the other veranda.
A sizable number practice Roman Catholicism in Moodbidri. There are around 14 churches in and around Moodbidri Varado. Among them, is the 16th century old Portuguese-built church Igreja da Santa Cruz Hospet or Hospet Church.

Tradition and festivals

Hulivesha

is a unique form of folk dance in Dakshina Kannada. Since tiger is considered as the favored carrier of Goddess Sharada, this dance is performed during the Dussera celebration. It is also performed during other festivals like Krishna Janmasthami and Ganesh Chathurthi. Moodbidri is famous for Hulivesha performed on Ganesha Chathurthi just as Mangalore is famous for Dashera Hulivesha and Udupi for Janmashtami Hulivesha.

Navaraatri

During Navaraatri, the idol of Sharada Maathe is kept at Shri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Temple, Ponnechari, Moodabidri, by Saarvajanika Samithi and celebrated for two days very grandly. The Sharada Maathe idol is kept at the Venkataramana Temple Moodabidri and here it is celebrated for three days.

Maari Pooja or Rashi Pooja

There are five Maari Gudi Temples in Moodbidri. Old Maari Gudi at Swaraj Maidan, Maari Gudi at Swaraj Maidan, Maari Gudi at Mahaveera College,Maari Gudi at Kotabagilu and maari Gudi at kallabettu.

Bhoota Kola

or spirit worship is practised here. Bhoota Kola is usually done at night. Most of the temples have Bhoota Kola on their annual festival.

Kambala

or buffalo race is conducted in water-filled paddy fields. The Rani Abbakka Kambala Stadium is constructed at Kadala Kere Nisarga Dhama. Every year Kambla is organised here for two days.
Mijar Jodu Kambla is another happening event, to see.

Korikatta

Korikatta is another favourite sport for village people on the annual festival of the temples.
To its supporters, cockfight, an ancient sport involving a fight between specially reared fowls held at the temples precincts in northern parts of Kasaragod, is not a blood sport but a feature of the rich cultural heritage of Tulunadu and an ancient ritual associated with the ‘daivasthanams’ here.

Nagaradhane

or snake worship is practised according to the popular belief of the Naga Devatha to go underground and guard the species which lived on top.

Dindu / Karthik Poornima (Lakshadeepotsava)

Konkani-speaking GSBs have their own tradition of celebrating Lakshadeepotsava five-day festival starting from Uthana Dwadashi. Out of five days last three days being Keredeepotsava Lakshyadeepotsava and last day Okali attract many people to the temple.

Muslims Eid-al-Fitr

Eid-al-Fitr
Eid-al-Adha,
Day of Ashura / Muharram,
Milad un Nabi
Muslims celebrate Uroos in the Dargas every year.

Rathotsava

have their Jain Milans yearly. All Jaina Basadi celebrated Ratotsava very grandly. Each goes for seven days.

Santhmari

It is the annual festival Celebrated by Christians at all the churches honouring and thanking the patrians of the particular church.

Education

Moodabidri has elementary, higher elementary, high schools, junior colleges and first grade colleges.
Among the various high schools in the city, Babu Rajendra Prasad High School is one of the oldest high schools, which celebrated its golden jubilee in the year 2016-2017. It has been administered by Mahaveera Vidyvrdhaka Sanga,Regd. Moodbidri. It is a Kannada medium high school having 300 students.Excellent pu college,
Sri Dhavala College & Jain PU College sponsored by DJVV Sanga, Sri Mahaveera College & S N M Polytehcnic, headed by Manipal Academy. It has 22 primary and higher elementary schools, five high schools. There are also C.B.S.E school's such as Little Stars Indian School etc.
Alva's Education Foundation has become one among the leading education institutes in Karnataka, it education facilities starting from high schools to Post graduation education. Alva's has slowly changed this sleeping Jain Temple town to a thriving education town. It has graduation courses in the field of Education, Medical, Para Medical & Engineering.
Alva's Education Foundation is also known to hold events which attracts participants from all-over Karnataka, it has held annual fest in the form of Alvas Virasath & Alvas Nudisiri.

Engineering colleges

Moodabidri has three engineering colleges:
  1. Mangalore Institute of Technology And Engineering
  2. Alvas Institute of Engineering & Technology
  3. Yenepoya Institute of Technology
  4. Putthige institute of technology

    History

Moodabidri was ruled by the Jain Chowta dynasty 1603, who moved their capital to Moodabidri in 1603. They lost power when the region was taken over by Tipu Sultan They continued symbolic rituals after the British defeated Tipu Sultan. The last coronation at Moodabidri was done in 1865 according to a pattavali.
There are 18 lakes, 18 Jaina Basadis, 18 temples, and 18 roads connecting various villages in Moodbidri.
During 14th–16th centuries this town emerged as a center of Jain religion, culture, art and architecture. 18 Jain temples, known as Basadis, were constructed during this period. The Jain Math at Moodabidri is headed by a Bhattaraka belonging to the Mula Sangh order.
The most famous among them are Guru basadi, Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani Basadi and Ammanavara Basadi.
Moodabidri was the seat of the Chowtas, a Jain ruling family, who were originally located at Puthige, about 5 km from here. They moved their capital to Moodabidri in the 17th century. The remains of the 17th century Chowta Palace is known for its carved wooden pillars and ceilings.
Yearly and monthly sports activities are held Swaraj Maidhan and SMC ground. State level and national sports meets are held here. Cricket, volleyball, badminton and different types of matches are played. Many flood light cricket and volleyball matches are held here. Alva's Education Foundation has hosted many state and national level sports meets here.

Industries

Small-scale industries employ many people. Many cashew industries are here. Kadale Kere is the industrial area where many small-scale industries are situated.

Transport facilities

Long distance travel and local transport

The local and long distance transport includes the buses which ply regularly. Shuttle and express buses to Mangalore, Udupi, Karkala, Hebri, Shimoga, Kudremukh, Sringeri, Dharmastala, Bantwal, Belthangady, Naravi, Kinnigoli and Mulki run every 5–10 minutes.
There are government buses to distant places like Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli, Dharwad, Subramanya, Chickmagalur and all the important places of Karnataka. Private buses from Moodabidri are also available to Bombay, Goa and Bangalore by established travels like Navami, Nishmitha, Sugama, Vishal, Ideal and Anand.

Entertainment

Other entertainment is watching Yakshagana, unique to this district. This includes a drama like play on epics, which lasts a whole night, starting at 9:30 pm and ending at 6 am next day. This is played normally once a week, and only in few months a year.
Some private Tulu drama companies play comedy drama at regular intervals between November and June.

Climate

Photo gallery