Padubidri: The renovated Sri Mahalingeshwara Mahaganapathi Temple in Padubidri, completed within 11 months, has emerged with notable wooden and sculptural craftsmanship.

Speaking at the religious gathering held as part of the temple renovation and Brahmakalashotsava, Sri Kalahastendra Saraswati Mahaswamiji of the Jagadguru Anegundi Mahasansthana, Katapady Padukuthyaru, expressed hope that the temple would also serve as a centre for imparting cultural education to children.

The event was held on Thursday, where the seer inaugurated the ceremony and delivered his blessings.

Sri Rajashekarananda Swamiji of Gurupura Vajradehi Mutt, in his address, said that devotion to God is the greatest wealth and stressed the need for continuous worship at the temple.

Shatavadhani Dr Ramanath Acharya from Udupi delivered a religious discourse on the occasion.

Among those present were MLA Gurme Suresh Shetty, former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, former MLA Lalaji R. Mendon, Coastal Development Board Chairman M.A. Gaffoor, temple priest Vedic scholar Kambalakkatta Radhakrishna Upadhyaya, hereditary moktesar Ratnakarraj Arasu Kinyakka Ballal, Petemane Bhavani Shankar Hegde, Kornaya Sripathi Rao, renovation committee general secretary Raghavendra Navada, Vanadurga Trust secretary Y.N. Ramachandra Rao, Jagadabhirama Swami of Padubidri Udayadri Kshetra, Sri Lakshmi Venkataramana Temple moktesar Prashanth Shenoy, Padubettu Sri Subrahmanya Temple administrative moktesar Jitendra Shetty, District Religious Council member Shashidhar Shetty Ellur, Padubidri Bunts Association president Dr Deviprasad Shetty, reception committee president Naveenchandra J. Shetty, Durga Devi Bhajana Mandir president Sampath Acharya, Billava Seva Sangha president Y. Sudheer Kumar, Nadipatna Mogaveera Sabha president Harish Puthran, Padubidri Kadipatna Mahasabha president Ashok Salian, Devadiga Sangha president Bharat Devadiga, Bhandari community president Vinay D. Bhandari, Sri Veerabhadra Temple moktesar Sundar Shettigar, Koraga community president Somashekar, Daivaraja Kordabbu Elumagane Mundala community president Sadananda Boggorilachil, Brahmamugerkala community president Vittal Kotian, Moolya community president Annu Moolya, Panara community leader Ramesh, Udupi district Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, senior general manager of Padubidri Suzlon SEZ Ashok Kumar Shetty, finance committee member Santosh Shetty Pune, and religious thinker Damodar Sharma Bakkur.

Renovation committee president Dr K. Prakash Shetty presented the introductory note and welcomed the gathering. Dr Raghavendra Rao and Sridhar Acharya compered the programme, while Brahmakalashotsava committee general secretary Muralinath Shetty delivered the vote of thanks.