Dharmasthala(listenⓘ) (earlier known as Kuduma[1]) is an Indian temple town on the banks of the Nethravathi River in the taluk of Belthangady of the Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka, India.

Here lived the Jain chieftain Birmanna Pergade and his wife Ammu Ballathi in a house called Nelliadi Beedu.

The Swamiji gladly came but refused to accept Bhiksha (food offering) because the idol of Lord Manjunatha had not been consecrated according to the Vedic rites.

Sri Manjunatheshwara Cultural and Research foundation, started by the Temple committee, is engaged in preserving ancient manuscripts and paintings.

[4] Traditional folk arts like Yakshagana and ethnic crafts like Navalgund carpets and Kasturi embroidery are revived by Dr.

[4] In 1973, a statue of Lord Bahubali was carved out of a single rock and installed at Dharmasthala on a low hill near the Manjunatha Temple.

Every one of the pilgrims who visits Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala is treated like an honored guest, irrespective of caste, creed, culture or status.

Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala, by the SDMCET Society, manages 25 educational institutions, ranging from primary schools, Gurukulas to teach yoga, Sanskrit, etc., to colleges having professional courses in engineering, medicine and dental science in Dharmasthala, Ujire, Mangalore, Udupi, Dharwad, Hassan, Mysore and a few other places in the state of Karnataka.

Over 250 students are provided free lodging and board and learn Yoga & Sanskrit, in addition to the basic school curriculum.

The mobile hospital is equipped to deal with emergencies and to provide medical treatment to the people in remote parts of the Malenadu area.

The Nature Cure Hospital, built on the banks of the Netravati River, uses a system based on the five elements of Air, Earth, Ether, Water and Light.

The present head of Dharmasthala, Padma Vibhushan Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, the 21st in succession to the Dharmadhikari Peetha, has launched several socio-economic programmes such as free mass weddings which were started in 1973.

Dharmasthala is among the few pilgrim centers in India that provides boarding and lodging to all the visiting devotees at a cheap cost.

Besides, it is also ideal for travellers coming from Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Kochi, Calicut and other major Indian destinations.