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By legend he is the foster son of the Dharma Daivas. By the sheer scope and size of his charitable and social deeds, he is the most loved man in his state. Officially, Rajashri D Veerendra Heggade is the
guardian of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, Mangalore, Karnataka,
TEXT STANLEY G PINTO
harmasthala in Karnataka is the perfect embodiment of the word dharma. Dharmasthala
represents religious tolerance, for here, the caste, creed and faith of the pilgrims are of no consequence. For here, the Jain Tirthankara is worshipped on the same consecrated grounds along with the native Daivas and Lord Manjunatha (Shiva). The priests are Vaishnavite Brahmins and the guardian of the temple,
Heggade, is a Jain by faith. Together, they form an enviable confluence of faiths.
For those who come for justice, Heggade dispenses justice, acting in the tradition of his ancestral role as the representative of the presiding deities.
The Heggade in question is Rajashri D Veerendra Heggade, Vharmadhikari of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, Mangalore, Karnataka.
The present Heggade, son of
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