Dharmasthala Temple

Dharmasthala Temple is a 800-year-old religious organization in the temple town of Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India. The gods of the temple are Shiva, who is alluded to as Manjunatha, Ammanavaru, the tirthankara Chandraprabha and the defensive divine forces of Jainism, Kalarahu, Kalarkayi, Kumarasvami and Kanyakumari. The temple is considered unique since it has a place with the Shaiva faction of Hinduism. The clerics are Shivalli Brahmins, who are Vaishnava, and the organization is controlled by a Jain Bunt family called the Pergades.

The Pergade family is a Jain Bunt family who slide from the maker of the temple. Birmanna Pergade and his better half Ammu Ballalthi and are the innate trustees of the temple. The oldest male part takes on the situation of Dharma Adhikari boss head and uses the title Heggade. The Heggade was the primitive master of the temple town and tackled common or criminal question. This was a legal capacity and proceeds even right up till the present time. The Heggade sits in judgment on many common grievances, known as hoyulu, each day. About almost 20 ages of the Pergade family have taken on the situation of Dharma Adhikari. The present Dharma Adhikari is Veerendra Heggade.