Stories
Mangaluru Rathabeedi Sharada Mata Festival Has a 104-Year History
N
News18•16-10-2026, 16:37
Mangaluru Rathabeedi Sharada Mata Festival Has a 104-Year History
- •The Sharada Mata festival at the Acharya Math of Sri Venkataramana Temple in Rathabeedi boasts a rich 104-year history.
- •A clay idol of Sharada Mata is installed in the Vasantha Mantapa during Navaratri, drawing devotees from various communities.
- •The festival is famous for its unique daily adornments of a single idol, including the rare Kali alankara and elaborate floral decorations.
- •Demonstrating religious harmony, a gold-zari saree woven by Muslim weavers of Varanasi was offered to the Goddess during the centenary celebrations.
- •During his visit to Mangaluru, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar visited Rathabeedi and participated by carrying the palanquin of Sharada Mata.
Key Questions Answered
The public Sharada Mahotsava at the Acharya Math of the Sri Venkataramana Temple in Rathabeedi began around 1922–23, boasting a 104-year history initiated by Goud Saraswat Brahmin community elders.
The festival features a single clay idol adorned with various forms like Vaishnavi and Garuda Vahini alankara, alongside golden jewelry, attractive sarees, and rare decorations like Goddess Kali and heaps of jasmine flowers.
The festival brings together people from diverse communities through art, labor, and devotion. A notable highlight occurred during the 2022 centenary celebrations when a gold-zari saree woven by Muslim weavers of Varanasi was offered to the Goddess.
