The Hindu Business Line : Mangalored!

Ensconced between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, on the estuary of the Netravati and Gurpur rivers, this maritime city of Mangalore makes a pleasant and convenient stop between Goa and Kerala. This was the starting point of our coastal sojourn in Karnataka. We discovered that there is more to Mangalore than narrow, winding streets, beautiful beaches, old temples, a profusion of steepled churches, and quaint houses with terracotta-tiled roofs.

Once a major seaport and shipbuilding centre in Hyder Ali's time, Mangalore today is a bustling commercial centre. It is Karnataka's major port for the export of coffee, cashew, spices and granite, and is equally famed for its beedis and tiles.

The first stop in our itinerary was Sultan's Battery, a remnant of Tipu Sultan's fort, which once guarded his naval station. This monument has pretty turrets built in laterite stone. Equally impressive is the Government Museum with its splendid collection of objets d'art, archaeology, ethnology, porcelain, and wooden carvings.

Religious sites

Proceeding southeast, we reached the 11th-century Kadri Manjunath Temple enshrining the exquisite bronze images of Lokeshwara of 968 AD, cobra statues — the seven-headed Adiseshan being the most majestic. And on the bronze base of the dwajasthamba were intricately carved images, delicate and dramatic. Nine water tanks with reputedly therapeutic waters adjoin the temple.

Prominent among the temples in Mangalore is the 10th-century Mangala Devi Temple, with three silver doorways framing the image in the sanctum. The city derives its name from Mangala Devi, a Malabar princess who became a follower of the Nath Sadhu Matseyendranath. She followed her guru till they came to this spot where she fell ill and died. A temple was constructed in her memory and she began to be regarded as a manifestation of Goddess Durga.

Nestling at the foot of a hill, the Kudroli Gokarnath temple has an air of sanctity, and sculptural serenity with its Chola-style gopuram, marble floors, and beautiful silver or silver-gilt images of Shiva, Ganapati, Subramaniam and Annapoorneswari Devi and a huge Nandi outside.

The innumerable churches are a reminder of Mangalore's strong Christian association and influence, which can be traced back to the arrival of St Thomas farther south. It is not surprising to find family names like Albuquerque, Moraes, Da Cunha etc on the name-boards of the tiled-roof bungalows on the hillsides.

The most impressive church is the Rozario Cathedral, the dome of which was supposedly modelled on St Peter's Basilica in Rome. Equally interesting are the Church of the Most Holy Rosary, the Milagres Church and the Shanthi Cathedral of the Basel Mission. Built in 1885, the St Aloysius College Chapel has a profusion of magnificent Biblical frescoes, tempera and oil murals adorning its walls and ceilings. The college's private museum called Aloyseum is worth a stop. It has on display a priceless collection of antiques, art, artefacts, zoological collection, and rare exhibits such as an ivory cross, a statue of Mother Mary predating Tipu Sultan, volumes of the Imperial Gazetteer of India, and the vintage De Dion, the price-exhibit of the museum.

A trip to Ullal

Someshwar Beach near Mangalore.

Two days are sufficient to see all the sights in and around Mangalore. If you have had your fill of the city sights, head out to Ullal (8 km away) for a stroll on its secluded beach backed by the sensuous sway of casuarinas.

Situated on the south bank of the Netravati river, Ullal is also known for the Durgah of Syed Mohammed Shareeful Madani, who reportedly came to Ullal from Madina 400 years ago and floated across the sea on a handkerchief.

The 19th-century building with onion-shaped domes houses the saint's tomb.

The other remarkable mosques are the Jumma Masjid in Bunder, built centuries ago by the Arabs, and the Idgah Mosque at Lighthouse Hill whose construction is attributed to Tipu Sultan at the end of the 18th century. Someshwar beach with the Shiva Temple overlooking a rocky promontory is just 2 km away. You can include Bendre Theertha, a natural hot-water spring with curative powers, in your itinerary. Taking a bath in the tank is very refreshing.

Karavali's excellent cuisine, which includes kori rotis and spicy chicken curry, and fish delicacies, rice cakes and a wide variety of fruits, is a treat not to be missed. Don't miss the patrode, (a special dish prepared by steaming stuffed colocasia leaves) and the gadbad from Ideal Ice Cream Parlour and the halwas from Kanti Sweets.

PICTURES BY THE AUTHOR

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