Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (HB/SP)

Karkala, Nov 19: A stone form of serpent god was found six feet below the hall of a house belonging to Gangadhar Shetty at Barsa, Mudradi, Hebri in Udupi district. The stone form belongs to the era of Jain kings, it is said.

Gangadhar Shetty, who owns Om Sai Motors, is a Mumbai-based entrepreneur. He had built a bungalow as family residence at Mudradi. However, after this house was constructed, Shetty and his family members lost their peace of mind. He says that his business at Mumbai suffered heavy losses. Deeply worried and overwhelmed by the turn of events, he explained about his predicament to his friends. At the advice of his friends, He met Nagaraja Bhat, resident of Araga Agrahara, Thirthalli, a scholar in religious scriptures and divine queries. Bhat, who tried to find the root cause for Shetty's woes through the method of divine query got the indication that the actual reason for the problems was that the house was built over a stone form of serpent god and earning wrath of the divine. Bhat also pinpointed the location of the stone form as the land below the hall of the house. He asked Shetty extricate the form and perform puja to the deity.

Bhat thereafter visited the house, pointed to a spot in the hall of the house and asked the people to dig there. During the digging, it was found that a stone form of the serpent god was buried six feet below the surface. This surprised everyone including the family members.

Nagaraja Bhat says that the area was ruled by Jain rulers in the past and there were a number of temples in the locality. He said that the temples have been destroyed and several have built houses over the relics of these temples.

The recovery of the stone image belonging to the bygone era has come as a surprise and emotional moment for the entire family of Shetty.