Moodabidri facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Moodubidire or Moodbidri Bedra Mooduvenupura
Town
Saavira Kambada Basadi Jain temple at Moodabidri
Nickname(s): Jain Kashi of the South, Pensioner's Paradise
Moodubidire or Moodbidri Location in Karnataka
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Dakshina Kannada
Taluk	Moodabidri
Region	Tulu Nadu
Government
• Type	Town Municipal
• Body	Municipal Council
Area
• Total	39.62 km² (15.30 sq mi)
Elevation	147 m (482 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	29,431
• Density	742.83/km² (1,923.93/sq mi)
Languages
• Spoken	Tulu, Beary
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	574227
Vehicle registration	KA 19
Distance from Mangalore city	34 kilometres (21 mi)

Moodbidri (also called Mudbidri or Bedra) is a lively town in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, India. It's about 34 kilometers (21 miles) northeast of Mangalore, a major city in the region.

The name Moodbidri comes from two words in the Tulu language: mūḍu, meaning "east," and bidiru, meaning "bamboo." This is because a long time ago, lots of bamboo grew here.

The town is located about 147 meters (482 feet) above sea level.

People and Languages

Religion in Moodbidri (2011) Hinduism (65.12%) Islam (21.73%) Christianity (9.69%) Jainism (3.37%) Sikhism (0.01%) Buddhism (0.02%) Other or Not stated (0.07%)

In 2001, Moodbidri had a population of 25,710 people. About 48% were male and 52% were female. Most people in Moodbidri can read and write, with a literacy rate of 88.57%. This means nearly 9 out of 10 people can read and write!

Moodbidri is sometimes called the "Jaina Kashi of the South." This is because it's a very important place for the Jain religion.

Getting to Moodbidri

Moodbidri is located on National Highway 169. You can easily reach it by road from Mangalore city, which is 34 kilometers away.

If you're flying, Mangalore International Airport is only 23 kilometers from Moodbidri. The town is also close to other places like Udupi (54 km) and Karkala (18 km).

Exploring Moodbidri's History

Moodbidri was once ruled by the Jain Chowta dynasty. They moved their capital here in 1603. Even after losing power, they continued to perform important rituals.

This town became a major center for the Jain religion, art, and building between the 14th and 16th centuries. During this time, 18 Jain temples, called Basadis, were built.

Moodbidri is known for having 18 lakes, 18 Jain Basadis, 18 temples, and 18 roads connecting different villages.

Famous Temples and Basadis

National-Archaeological-Monument-Jain-Tomb-Monument-Moodbidri

Jain Bhattaraka Samadhis

Guru basadi is the oldest Jain monument in Moodbidri. It has a large stone statue of Parshwanatha, about 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) tall. This Basadi also keeps very old Jain palm leaf writings from the 12th century, known as the 'Dhavala texts'.

Saavira Kambada Basadi is the biggest and most beautiful Jain temple in the area. People also call it the "Thousand Pillar Temple" or "Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani." It's a huge temple made of granite, built in 1430 AD. Inside, there's a 2.5-meter (8.2 feet) tall bronze statue of Lord Chandranatha Swami. This three-story temple was built with help from rulers, Jain leaders, merchants, and local people. It has a hall with many different kinds of fancy pillars, decorated with carvings typical of the Vijayanagara style. A tall, single stone pillar called a manastambha stands in front of the temple.

Gowri Temple in the center of the city is believed to have been built in the seventh century.

Hanuman Temple is also very famous. People from different religions come here to pray. On Saturdays, thousands of tender coconuts are offered to Lord Hanuman.

Shri Venkataramana Temple is a temple built with rocks. It is famous for festivals like Karthika Deepotsava and Sharada Mahotsava. It has carved statues of Dashavatar (ten forms of Vishnu).

Churches in Moodbidri

Many people in Moodbidri practice Roman Catholicism. There are about 14 churches in the area. One of them is the Hospet Church, which was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century.

Fun Festivals and Traditions

Moodbidri is a place rich in culture and traditions. Many festivals are celebrated here throughout the year.

Guru basadi, built in 714 AD

Typical Thenkuthittu Yakshagana artist

Hulivesha (Tiger Dance)

Hulivesha is a special folk dance from this region. Dancers dress up as tigers! This dance is performed during the Dussera festival, as the tiger is seen as the carrier of Goddess Sharada. It's also performed during other festivals like Krishna Janmasthami and Ganesh Chathurthi. Moodbidri is especially known for Hulivesha during Ganesh Chathurthi.

Navaraatri

During Navaraatri, an idol of Sharada Maathe is kept at Shri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Temple. It is celebrated grandly for two or three days.

Maari Pooja

There are five Maari Gudi Temples in Moodbidri. These temples are important for the Maari Pooja or Rashi Pooja celebrations.

Bhoota Kola (Spirit Worship)

Bhoota Kola, or spirit worship, is a traditional practice here. It usually happens at night. Many temples hold Bhoota Kola during their yearly festivals.

Kambala (Buffalo Race)

Kambala is a unique buffalo race held in muddy paddy fields. The Rani Abbakka Kambala Stadium was built for this event. Every year, a two-day Kambala race is organized here.

Korikatta (Cockfight)

Korikatta, or cockfight, is a traditional sport for village people during temple festivals. For its supporters, it's an ancient ritual linked to the local culture and temples.

Nagaradhane (Snake Worship)

Nagaradhane, or snake worship, is practiced here. People believe that the Naga Devatha (snake god) lives underground and protects all living things.

Dindu / Karthik Poornima

The Konkani-speaking Goud Saraswat Brahmins celebrate Lakshadeepotsava, also called Dindu. This is a five-day festival that attracts many people to the temple.

Muslim Festivals

Muslims in Moodbidri celebrate important festivals like Eid-al-Fitr (marking the end of Ramadan), Eid-al-Adha, Day of Ashura / Muharram, and Milad un Nabi. They also celebrate Uroos in the Dargas every year.

Education and Learning

Alva's Education Foundation is a well-known institution in Moodbidri. It hosts big events like Alvas Virasath (a college festival) and Alvas Nudisiri (an event to celebrate the Kannada language). These events attract participants from all over Karnataka.

Sports and Fun

Moodbidri has yearly and monthly sports events at Swaraj Maidhan and SMC ground. State and national level sports competitions are held here, including cricket, volleyball, and badminton. Alva's Education Foundation has hosted many of these big sports meets.

Entertainment

A popular form of entertainment is watching Yakshagana. This is a special type of drama unique to this district. It's like a play based on ancient stories, and it lasts all night, from 9:30 PM until 6 AM the next day! It's usually performed once a week during certain months of the year.

Sometimes, local Tulu drama companies also perform comedy plays between November and June.

Industries

Moodbidri has many small-scale industries, especially cashew industries, which provide jobs for many people. The Kadale Kere industrial area is home to several of these businesses.

Getting Around

You can travel long distances or locally using buses. Buses run very often to nearby cities like Mangalore, Udupi, and Karkala. There are also government buses to farther places like Bangalore and Mysore. Private buses can take you to places like Bombay and Goa.