Moodbidri is variously
called as Moodabidure, Moodubidre and Moodubidri. The North Indians calls it
Moolbidri. In ancient rock edicts it is called Bidire. Perhaps the place got
its name from bidiru (bamboos) which grew here aplenty. In Sanskrit it is
called Vamshapura, Venupura, Kshema Venupura and Prag-venupura. In Sanskrit
vamsha and venu means bamboo.
Therefore it is suggested
that both the Sanskritic and indigenous names are derived from bamboo which
grew here copiously. Since there is another Bidre on the shores of the Arabian
Sea on the west (padu), this Bidre on the east (moodu) might have been called
Moodbidre. As both these names are indigenous, the word bidre occurring in both
names suggests bamboo. Since religious people used to receive religious oath
from the Mutt here, the place was also called Vratha-pura, vratha meanining
oath or vow.
The Ahimsa Dharmapeeta
All the records relating to
religious and developmental activities in Moodbidri have reference to Swasthi
Sri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Pandithacharyavarya math established origin independently
1220 a.d at moodbidri ,moodbidri jain math branches are nalluru jain math,shrvanthapur,
byakodu harige, sagar taluk shivmogga district bilagi, (shwetapura)sangeethapur haduvalli ,kumta honnavara,bhatkal uttar kannada district Karnataka state
swamiji charukeerthi bhattaraka manageing trustee of all the 18 basadi
later 1970 16 basadi and ramani reserch centre saraswati mandir ,shastra bandaram and jain math incluse still swamiji is 18 institutes manageing trustee present swamiji successor and took position of manageing trustee 29th aug 1999
And Abhinava Charukeerthi Pandithacharyavarya
of the Jain Mutt of Moodbidri. They refer to permission granted and guidance
offered. There are statements about him having granted land for the
construction of the Thousand Pillar Basadi of Sri Chandranatha Swami and also
having given guidance on it from time to time. Studies show that the role of
Sri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka in the renaissance of the social, religious and
cultural life of Moodbidri is great. However the date of the establishment of
this mutt1220 also muni parampara begin desiya gana mool sang pattavali parshwanatha muni and shruta kevali badra bahu,acharya kund kund
2000 years before observe tapasya here by the study of records.
The first ever recorded
reference to Swasthi Sri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Pandithacharyavarya can be
seen in a rock edict of Lokanatha Devarasa of Guru Basadi at Hiriyangady,
Karkala, dating to A. D. 1334. In that
edict, Devarasa calls himself as ballaalaraayachittha chamathkaararum
manthravaadi makaradhvajarumappa sreemathu chaarukeerthi pandhitha devara
divyashreepaadapadmaaraadhaka. But this Mutt of Moodbidri must have been
established still earler. Even Dr. Gururaja Bhat says that the date of
establishment of the Mutt is hard to be determnined.
But Pandit Lokanatha
Shasthri in his book ‘The History of Moodbidri’ informs us that the Mutt came
to being in A. D. 1121. It seems to be right. As we have noted before, prior to
9th century A. D. this area was the centre of Shakthi worship. But
Jainism had come to coastal Karnataka earlier and, having won the hearts of
people, was spreading and had come to Moodbidri also. Perhaps there was a clash
between Shakti worship and the Ahimsa of Jainism. Having attracted the people
greatly, Jainism came on top. It is quite natural that Jains exerted their
attention to attract the people toward them and gain their co-operation and
thus to gain an upper hand by cultural activities at a time when Jainism was
spreading around Moodbidri and Buddhism (Kadri in Mangalore was a Buddhist
centre) was on the wane. Religious literature must have been composed and Jina
Mandirs must have been established to acquaint people of the inner strength and
superiority of Jain culture when social differences came to the fore in
Moodbidri which was home for many castes and creeds. The necessity to establish
a Mutt to safeguard the Jain interests and for guidance of people must have
been realized.
An earliest Charukeerthi
Swamy, the protector of the HOYSALA KING Ballals, comes to Nallur near Karkala
in coastal Karnataka from Shravanabelagola with his regnant elephant with a
view to promoting religiosity in society, the alleviation of diseases and
suffering and taking the Jain precept to the people. Being influenced by him,
large sections of people take to the worship of Mother DIETY Kushmandini Devi. The Mother, pleased by the
calm and hallowed surroundings, suggests Her inclination to stay there
permanently.
Listening to the plea of the
religious people of Moodbidri, Pujya Swamiji arrives here for the spread of the
Jain precept and guidance. As part of propagating Jainism he establishes a Mutt
here. In future a Brahmachari well-versed in the precepts is sent to the Sri
Mutt in Shravanabelagola. At that time it was convenient practically easy to
name this Mutt after Shravanabelgola. Therefore the Head of the Mutt here also
was designated Shrimannijaghatikasthana,
Delhi, Kanakadri, Shwetapura, Sudhapura, Sangithapura, Shreemad-belagola,
Kshema-venupura Siddhasimhasanaadheeshwara Swasti Shree Bhattaraka Charukeerthi
Pandithacharyavarya.
Because of the popularity of
Jainism and the stature of the Head of the Mutt, Moodbidri grew as a major Jain
cultural centre. The Head of the Mutt offered support and encouragement to the
achievements of the people around. For that reason he has been referred to and
eulogized reverently in many literary works. Besides the edict of Hiriyangady,
in the edict of Harihara of 1312 A. D. he has been referred to as Shree Mathu Abhinava Charukeerthi Panditha
Deva In the edicts on the walls of
the Thousand Pillar Basadi he is referred to as Nathanripamakutamanipraarchchithapadayuganakhila shaastra parinathanu
vrithathilavrithram sheelonnathanabhinava charukeerthi panditha munipam and
also as shreemadraaya raajaguru
bhoomandalaachaaryavarya mahaapaada vaadeeshvararaaya vaadipithaamaha sakala
vidvajjanachakravarthigalumappashreemadabhinava chaarukeerthi panditha devaru.
