Anegudde Sri Vinayaka Temple, Kumbhashi: Timings, Sevas, History & Travel Guide

Anegudde means “elephant hill” in Kannada (aane is elephant, gudde is hillock). It is the hillock at Kumbhashi, one kilometre east of National Highway 66 between Udupi and Kundapura, and the Ganesha temple on top draws devotees from all over Karnataka. Kumbhashi is counted among the seven Mukti Sthalas (Sapta Kshetras) of Parashurama Srishti, the sacred coastal belt that the sage Parashurama is believed to have created.

The presiding deity is worshipped in the Naga-chala form: Lord Ganapathi as a naturally formed, elephant-shaped rock. According to the temple’s own history, daily worship is offered to the face and trunk portion only, while the rest of the form is enclosed within the temple walls. A gold faceplate (svarnamukha) was added in 2003, a silver chariot in 2007 and a 14 kg gold palanquin in 2011, and these are used in festival processions.

Temple records date the discovery of the deity to 1793 CE (Shaka 1715), when Vishweshwara Upadhyaya of Korgi village was guided by a dream to an image hidden in the forest near an elephant-shaped stone about eight feet wide. A thatched shrine came first, then a copper-roofed sanctum, and the major renovations of 1985–2000 created today’s temple complex, dining hall and guest houses. The Mahalingeshwara temple at the foot of the hill and the ashram of Sage Gautama are closely tied to the story of the kshetra. Devotees know the Lord here as Siddhi Vinayaka, the granter of wishes.

The temple is open every day from 6:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and the seva counter works the same hours. Some travel websites list slightly different timings, so before a long drive on a festival day it is worth confirming with the seva counter on +91 94802 72221.

These are the seva rates published on the temple’s official website (checked October 2026). Buy seva tokens at the counters or the self-service kiosk near the entrance. Rates can be revised by the temple, so confirm at the counter.

These sevas must be booked beforehand with the priest on +91 94802 72221:

• 1008, 108 and 48-coconut Ganahoma, and Sahasravartana Upanishat Homa
• Satyanarayana Pooja (held on Sundays, Tuesdays, Fridays and full-moon days only)
• Sankashtahara Chaturthi Udyapane and Atharvashirsha Ganapathi Homa
• Mooduganapathi offerings (48, 108, 125 or 1,000 coconuts), Tulabhara, Aksharabhyasa, Appa Seve and Mudi Akki Kadubu offering

Apart from the sevas, the temple does not perform personal rituals such as weddings or upanayana. If you send a seva payment or donation from outside, use only the bank accounts or QR code on the temple’s official seva page and never a personal mobile number.

Anna Santarpane (Annadana) is served after the Maha Pooja at around 1:00 PM. Per the temple’s visitor guidelines, devotees collect a token at the photo counter any time after 12:30 PM, take teertha prasada and then go to the dining hall. About 1,000–1,500 devotees are fed on ordinary days, 3,000–4,000 on special days and 5,000–10,000 on festival days.

The scale is easiest to see on Ganesh Chaturthi: the temple reported around 60,000 devotees at darshan and more than 10,000 receiving annaprasada on Maha Chowthi 2026.

• Wash your steel plate and tumbler after the meal and leave them in the space provided.
• Take only what you can finish; wasting food is discouraged.
• Liquor and non-vegetarian food are banned in temple lodges and premises.

As the temple’s history tells it, a severe drought struck the region and Sage Gautama performed penance and yajnas to please Varuna, the rain god. (Some traditions name Sage Agastya instead.) A demon called Kumbha, strengthened by boons from Lord Shiva, began to disturb the sages.

The Pandavas were on pilgrimage nearby, and at Yudhishthira’s instruction Bhima fought the demon. A divine voice declared that Kumbha could be killed only with a sword granted by Ganapathi. The Lord appeared in the form of an elephant, gave Bhima the sword (asi), and Bhima slew the demon. From Kumbha and asi the place came to be called Kumbhasi, today’s Kumbhashi. The kshetra is also mentioned in the Tirtha Prabandha of Sri Vadiraja Tirtha.

The temple’s history also records a different name for the place in each yuga:

• Krita Yuga: Harihara Kshetra
• Treta Yuga: Madhukanana Kshetra
• Dvapara Yuga: Gautama Kshetra
• Kali Yuga: Kumbhasi (Kumbhashi)

The temple runs two guest houses next to the complex. Rooms depend on availability, and devotees who have booked sevas get first preference. If the guest houses are full, Udupi homestays are another option, and you can plan the rest of your trip with our guide to Udupi temples, including Kollur Mookambika Temple and Sri Krishna Matha.

How to book: call the administrative office on +91 74060 93533 between 10:30 AM and 6:30 PM, or the guest house line on +91 97406 73533. Book early for Ganesh Chaturthi and other festivals. A valid ID proof is required at check-in, pets are not allowed, and liquor and non-vegetarian food are banned. If the guest houses are full, Udupi-area homestays and the hotels in nearby Kundapura are the next option.