Udupi: Sri Mahalakshmi Temple at Uchila, a prominent shrine dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi in coastal Karnataka, will unveil a 31-foot bronze statue of Sri Madhava Mangala Pujarya, the ninth and last hereditary Kulaguru of the coastal Karnataka Mogaveera community.Jaya C Kotian, president of the Dakshina Kannada Mogaveera Mahajana Sangha, said that the Mogaveera community has an ancient lineage of gurus. Sri Madhava Mangala Pujarya ascended the sacred seat in 1905 and served as Kulaguru for nearly six decades until his death in 1966. The position has remained vacant since then, he said.“During the Ashtamangala Prashne, it was found that the presence of the guru should be established at the temple. To introduce the next generation to the significance and ideology of the Kulaguru, the temple administration decided to install a statue of Sri Madhava Mangala Pujarya,” Kotian said.The decision was taken under the guidance of temple patron and G Shankar Family Trust founder G Shankar. The statue is being sculpted and cast on the temple premises by Govardhan Metal House. The project is estimated to cost Rs 2.5 crore.“Once unveiled, it will be the tallest statue of the Kulaguru,” Kotian said.The statue will be inaugurated on Oct 11, the first day of the Dasara festival, as part of the Guru Pada Kaanike programme. Nearly 10 tonnes of bronze will be used to complete the 31 ft-tall statue.The work began around three months ago and includes transporting the bronze to the site, melting it and fabricating the statue on the temple premises.The Sri Mahalakshmi Temple was built in 1957 to serve the Mogaveera community residing in Mangaluru and Udupi. The land for the temple was donated by the late Sadiya Sawookar of Udyavara.The temple is also known for its architecture and intricately carved wooden idols, which were created by sculptor Harish Acharya Kalamundkur, Kotian said.
