Temple History
Kollapurada Sri Mahalakshmi Temple has been located at Kelagote in the Fort City Chitradurga and it has over 200 history years.At first ,in 1800s, the people of Bhovi community worshiped Kollapurada Sri Mahalakshmi in a coconut leafy thatched hut .Though they were the poor their devoted mind was rich. Thus Mahalakshmi of Kollapur has been become the chief deity of all Bhovi community.
Yallappa, Poojari Kollabhovi, K.Y.Thammanna and Y. Hanumanthappa of the Bhovi society built Kadapa stone slabs roofed temple in 24/12 dymension for their chef deity and installed the worshiping holy idol of the Kollapurada Sri Mahalakshmi Goddess. After Poojary T. Chandrappa and others, the fifth generation-T. Veerash and H. Thippeswamy, took full responsibility of the temple in 1989 .They ran small chit fund schemes with the cooperation of other neighboring communities .They stood steadily for the development of the temple step by step. Finally ,The temple was renovated in 2015.
To build a spacious temple ,a temporary adjecent cement sheet roofed hall was built to accommodate the temple. The temple cement sheet roof was removed and replaced by nine feet wide, 12 feet long by RCC top in 1996. Then a new five KG (Belli) silver goddess idole was installed in the temple in 1997. The sanctum of the temple was leaked due to the heavy rain fell in 2009 . The members of the temple committee did not hesitate to decidefor rebuilding the temple. Accordingly, T. Veerash, H. Thippeswamy, H. Venkatesh, R. Srinivas, T. Chandrappa, T. Manjanna and others were officially started to instauration of the temple building on 5-9-2009.Once, it was decided not to go for collecting money or subscription then all devotees came forward and offered their offerings and got their receipts.
It took six years of hard work to build the Mahalaxmi Temple and Rupees 84 lakh which was donated by devotees,was spent for the construction of the temple .
The idol of Mother Goddess Mahalakshmi was installed and the celebration of the temple shrine ascension was done in the Brahmi Muhurta on 06-02-2015 . The style of temple architecture is the mixture of the South and North Indian architecture and It is built in the shape of a chariot.
The horses on the left and right sides of the temple wall are welcoming devotees. There is a special place in the temple to perform Ganga(Ganges Worship) worship and the worship of Holy sandal of the Goddess Mahalakshmi . There is a beautiful statues of the Goddess servents- Sri Jaya and Sri Vijaya are installed in the left and right sides of the Sri Mahaganapathi Temple,which is situated at the center of the top of main door of the temple. The beautiful idol of Lord Mahavishnu's Kurmavatara is enshrined. Then, the attractive statue of Lord Mahalakshmi is enshrined. Lakshmi Mahavishnu on the right side of the doorway of the hall and Parvati Parameswara on the left. Goddess Mahalakshmi sits in the center as the symbol of these four Godly powers.
The temple tower has a unique style and design of the North and South Indian architectures . The sanctum sanctorum (Garbha Gudi) of the temple has been built as the head of the goddess. The area of Lord Vishnu's Koormavatara has been built as the breast part of the Goddess. The central area of the temple has been built as stomach part of the Goddess, the sandal part of the temple has been built as the sandals of the Goddess. Totally the temple has been built in the resting posture of the Mothers goddess
Sri Goddess Mahalakshmi is worshiped in flowers and Vermilion(kunkum) rituals in the temple during every morning and evening hours . The Panchamruta will be anointed on Monday and Thursday evenings from 6-30 pm to 8-30pm. The Goddess is worshiped in flowers ,Vermilion mass celebration, flowering, and mass lighting will be followed by mass banquet at 6-45pm on every full moon and new moon Fridays .
It is a customary rutine to celebrate the Navratri Festival with a mass Ganga Abhishaka(anointing with Ganges water) by women every year, especially on the first day of the Dussehra festival, Shailaputhri decoration, Bhrahmacharini decoration, Chandraghanta Mata decoration, Kushmanda Mata decoration, Skanda Mata decoration, Kathyaini Mata decoration, Mahasaraswati Mata decoration, Kalimata decoration, Dhanalakshmi Mata decoration, Mahalaxmi Mata decoration.From dawn to dusk, hundreds of devotees receive the darshan of Mahalakshmi.On Vijayadashami, Mahalakshmi will be taken to the Ambi at the Venkataramanaswamy Temple, decorated with various kinds of flowers and garlands.The festival of Laxmi is celebrated with great fervor on Diwali, Laxmi Puja, Dipotsava, Shivaratri, Yugadi and Ramanavami.
Sri Mahalakshmi protects all of us as a light of consciousness time to time from some unscientific practices, and the destruction of superstitions. The vote of Infinite thanks is said to the devotees, patrons or Donors, volunteers, members of the Trust, and the general public on behalf of the Kollapurada Sri Mahalaxmi Temple Service Trust-Chitradurga .
With greetings.
T.Viresh
Dharmadarsi.
