Shree Katyayani Baneshwar Temple, Aversa, Karnataka

Shri Katyayani Baneshwar Temple is in the coastal town of Aversa near Ankola, in the North Canara district of Karnataka. It is around 130 km from Panjim, Goa, 500 km from Bangalore and 142 km from Hubli.

The taluka headquarters at Ankola is at 10 km away and district headquarters in Karwar is at a distance of 30 km from the temple. Nearest railway station is of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited at Harwada at distance of 2 km. Main railway station at Karwar is at a distance of 28 km. Nearest port is at Karwar. The Dabolim Airport of Goa is the nearest airport to the temple at a distance of 120 km. The airport at Mangalore is at a distance of about 250 km from the temple.




This is the only temple from Goa, to be relocated with all the original idols of the main deities of Shree Katyayani, Shree Baneshwar and various other accompanying deities of our Kuladevi.

According to the customs of this temple, Pooja’s are performed first to Shree Katyayani and then to Shree Baneshwar and then to Shree Ganapathi. This is the speciality of the pooja rituals here.
The other deities worshipped are Sri Grama Purusha, Sri Rama Purusha, Sri Nirakara, Sri Kalabhairava and Sri Dada. The idol of Sri Ganapathi is at the entrance of the shrine of Sri Baneshwar.

Shree Baneshwar

Shree Katyayani

Shree Ganapati

Important Festivals : Navaratri, Dasara and Magha Shuddha Poornima.

Shree Rampurush

Shree Rampurush

Shree Grampurush

Shree Grampurush

Shree Nirakar

Shree Nirakar

Shree Kalbhairav

Shree Kalbhairav

Shree Daad

Shree Daad

The history of the Temple
Having arrived in Gomantaka, the Saraswat and Goud Saraswat Brahmins chose Sashasti provinces (present Madgaon) for their settlement. They prospered and by nature being religious, turned their minds to their Kuladevata. This resulted in building a beautiful temple at Banavli where they worshipped Shri Katyayani and Shri Baneshwar and accompanying deities (Parivar Devathe) with customary rituals and traditions and all faith and devotion.

Eventually Gomantaka came under Portuguese invasion in the 16th century and brought along the missionaries. The fear of conversion forced Goud Saraswat and Saraswat Brahmins to migrate elsewhere.

Around the 15th/16th centuries the inhabitancts of Belekeri used frequent Goa for trade. The sad plight of the Saraswats under the Portuguese regime brought them to extend their support. Some Kulavee Mahajans along with temple priests and the idols of Gods, their ornaments and other artefacts of the temple, were transported by boat to Belekeri near Aversa by the Kharvi tribe. With the consent of BHUDEVI (Grama Devatha) and on a plot given by her, the Saraswats and Goud Saraswat Brahmins built a small temple at Aversa and continued their devotion.

Vijay Rath

The demon King Mahishasura after intense penance (Tapas) of years received indomitable powers from Lord Shiva. Power intoxicated him and with great arrogance he started distrurbing the Rishis in their holy rituals and attacking the Gods. His impudence led him to defeat INDRA and conquer his capital Amaravathi. Fearing his might and insolence, the Rishis and Gods approached Brahmma, Rudra and Lord Narayana and narrated their predicament. As Lord Maha Vishnu heard the details of Mahishasura’s misdeeds his clam face turned fierce and an intense cosmic ray of light (Divya Jyothi) emanated from his face. Similar cosmic rays of light emanated from the faces of Brahmma and Rudra. These rays of celestial/ cosmic lights merged and in its brilliance the divine form of Shree Devi Goddess was seen.


The Gods each then in turn offered a part of THEIR might (Shakthi) to HER. Rudra gave his Trishula, Vishnu his Chakra, Varuna his Conch and Vayu his Bow and Arrow. Agni gave his Shastayudha, Yama the Kaladanda, Indra his Vajrayudha & Airavatha, Jaldipathi hands his pasha, Brahmma the lotus flower, Ksheerasagara gives a white garland, white dress, Chudamani, ear rings, the crescent moon necklace and anklets. The sea God offers a garland of lotus flowers and the Himalayas transform into a lion (Vahana) to SRI DEVI.

Vijay Rath

This phenomenon was witnessed by a sage called Katyayana. He was a worshipper of SRI DEVI and cherished the desire of her being born as his daughter. Witnessing the incarnation made him change his desire of having HER as his daughter. His devotion intensified and he became one with HER. The Puranas reveal that the divine Goddess highly pleased with this devotion named herself after him as Katyayani.

Shree Katyayani’s various names are Lokajanani, Shree Bhoodurga, Shree Durga, Mahamaye etc.

Canteen

Rooms

Rooms

Office

Office

Tulasi

At the temple Entrance

Lord Ganapati at the entrance

Entrance Door Carving

Devasthan Office-
Shree Katyayani Baneshwar Temple,
Aversa, Ankola Taluka,
Uttara Kannada District,
Karnataka – 581 316
Phone: 08388 - 248249
E-Mail : aversa@shreekatyayani.org

Website-http://www.shreekatyayani.org/

Me with my family at the temple

LET SHREE KATYAYANI & SHREE BANESHWAR SHOWER THEIR BLESSINGS ON ONE AND ALL.