Draft:Sri Venkataramana Temple, Carstreet

Sri Venkataramana Temple is situated in Carstreet, Mangalore, is a revered Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Venkataramana, a form of Lord Vishnu.

History and origin
The Shree Venkataramana Temple in Mangalore has been around for more than 200 years. It started as a small shrine in 1736 with bronze images of Lord Venkataramana. In 1804, a wandering monk brought a beautiful image of Veera Venkatesha to Mangalore, which ended up in the temple. Another story says the monk left the idol at a shop, and when opened, it was Lord Venkataramana inside. With approval from a respected Swamiji, the idol was placed in the temple in 1804. Over time, more structures like subshrines for Mukhyaprana, Garuda, Ganapathi, and Laxmi were added. Today, the temple has grown into a cohesive complex with various structures integrated into it.

Rites and rituals
The Venkataramana Temple located in Carstreet is a hub of religious activities and traditions. Every day, devotees flock to the temple to offer prayers and present offerings to Lord Veera Venkatesha Swamy, the presiding deity. During the auspicious period of Chathurmasa Vratha, the temple organizes a series of religious events and ceremonies. However, the highlight of the temple's calendar is the Annual Car Festival, a grand occasion celebrated with fervor and enthusiasm. This festival, occurring once a year, features a majestic procession with a chariot, symbolizing the divine presence of the deity among the devotees. The festivities commence with the solemn Flag Hoisting ceremony, known as Dhwajarohana, where a flag is raised to invoke blessings for the forthcoming festival.

Festival
The Sri Venkataramana temple holds a 5 day car festival in the month of February every year. It was a grand programme inclusive of religious programmes/ chariot pulling by devotees/ distribution of Prasad & food to community members (Gowd Saraswat Brahmins). The event was attended by thousands of devotees of all age groups. The programme culminated with the pulling of a chariot.