Dharmasthala: Where a Jain Family Has Run a Shiva Temple for 800 Years
A Jain trust, Vaishnava priests, a Shaiva deity, and thousands fed for free every single day — genuinely one of Karnataka's most distinctive pilgrimage stories, not just its most visited.
Dharmasthala
About This Pilgrimage
Dharmasthala is one of Karnataka's most visited pilgrimage destinations, and genuinely one of its most unusual — a Jain family has administered this Shaiva temple for over 800 years, while Vaishnava priests conduct its daily rituals. Set on the banks of the Nethravathi River, it's equally known for Nitya Annadana, the free meal served to every pilgrim, every single day, regardless of background.
The Legend & the Temple
According to tradition, around 800 years ago, four divine guardian spirits — the Dharma Daivas, known as Kalarahu, Kalarkayi, Kumaraswamy, and Kanyakumari — visited the Jain chieftain Birmanna Pergade and his wife Ammu Ballalthi, disguised as ordinary travellers. Known for their charity, the couple welcomed them without hesitation, an act that set in motion the founding of what became Dharmasthala. In the 16th century, Devaraja Heggade invited the saint Vadiraja Swami of Udupi to properly consecrate the temple's Shiva Linga — and it was Vadiraja Swami who named the place Dharmasthala, "the abode of dharma."
21 Generations of Heggades
The Pergade family, later known as Heggades, have served as hereditary Dharmadhikaris for over eight centuries. The current Dharmadhikari, Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, has held the role since 1968 and is a recipient of both the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.
A 13-Acre, Three-Style Complex
The temple grounds blend Dravidian, Hoysala, and Vijayanagara architectural traditions, housing Lord Shiva as Manjunatha, Goddess Ammanavaru, and Jain deities together.
Sevas, Timings & Official Booking
General darshan is free and doesn't require booking — you simply join the queue during open hours, roughly 6:30 AM to 2:30 PM and 5 PM to 8:30 PM daily. Only guest house rooms and Tulabhara seva can be booked online through the temple's own portal; darshan itself cannot be pre-booked.
Nitya Annadana
The temple's tradition of serving free meals to every pilgrim, every day, regardless of caste, religion, or background — genuinely thousands of people daily, not a token gesture.
Tulabhara Seva
Offered at 8:00 AM and 1:00 PM daily, bookable online in advance — a devotee is weighed against an offering of equivalent value.
Sites Within the Same Visit
Two genuinely worthwhile stops sit right in town, both an easy addition to your temple visit.
Where to Stay
There are quite a good number of private hotels here, ranging from 3-star to 4-star, several within easy reach of the temple.
Do you need assistance in booking these hotels? Do let us know.
Prefer a Guided Tour?
If you're short on time, don't speak Kannada, are travelling with senior citizens, want a guide who can explain the temple's history and traditions as you go, or simply want to cover several sacred sites in one organised trip, a KSTDC coach tour is a genuinely practical option — Dharmasthala is covered on two of them.
South Karnataka Temple Tour
5 days, departing Wed & Thu from Bengaluru. Dharmasthala is visited on Day 4, immediately before Kukke Subramanya.
South Canara · Gokarna Temple Tour
6 days, departing every Wednesday. Dharmasthala is visited on Day 5, also immediately before Kukke Subramanya, alongside Gokarna earlier in the itinerary.
View These Tours
Continue the Pilgrimage Circuit
Dharmasthala sits directly on the well-established South Karnataka pilgrim circuit, typically visited alongside Kukke Subramanya, Udupi, Kollur, and Horanadu.