Shrī Kārlā Durgā Parameshwarī Temple with a majestic Gopuram was built in the year 1991. It was the Divine Saṅkalpa of Guru Swāmī H.H. Shrīmat Parijñānāshram Swāmījī III to have a Dhyāna Mandira and to consecrate Devī Durgā Parameshwarī’s vigraha as the Presiding Deity at the temple. The vigraha of Devī Durgā Parameshwarī was brought in a grand procession from the foot of the sacred hill of Ekavīrā Devī and consecrated in the temple sanctum with a Shata Chaṇḍī-homa. The ceremonial and auspicious Prāṇa-Pratis͟ht͟hā was performed in February 1993. The Kārlā Durgā Parameshwarī Temple and Religious Trust (KDPT Trust) was established on 10th November 1993 to manage the temple and its religious activities.
The holy temple comprises a spacious hall called the Dhyāna Mandira which has the Devī Durgā Parameshwarī’s shrine at the centre, with stone idols of As͟hṭalaks͟hmī and Lord Naṭarāja placed above the large windows. The Gopuram was designed as per the Āgama Shāstra by Stapati Karuppiah Āchārya of Pudupaṭṭinam, Tamil Nāḍu.
The Holy Sañjīvanī Mahāsamādhi of H.H. Shrīmat Parijñānāshram Swāmījī III is on the southern side of the Dhyāna Mandira. Guru Swāmī had chosen the exact spot where the Samādhi should be consecrated and also given instructions about the exact manner of construction. Guru Swāmī took Mahāsamādhi in BeṅgaĪūru on 29th August, 1991 and soon thereafter, the Divine Mahāsamādhi was consecrated with all appropriate rites and rituals at Kārlā. In 1993, during the Prāṇa-Pratis͟ht͟hā of Devī Durgā Parameshwarī’s vigraha, when the Samādhi was exhumed for formal consecration of the Shivaliṅga over it, devotees were wonderstruck as an overpowering fragrance of sandalwood filled the air! Also, two roses, bilwa leaves and tulasī placed upon Guru Swāmī’s Mastaka, inside a mālā of 108 small rudrāks͟ha beads, were all intact! There was absolutely no evidence of any degeneration or decay! Even the vastra that had been placed around the flowers and leaves was still damp with the water sprinkled upon them. The overwhelmed devotees who were present during this sacred event had Divine Darshana of Guru Mahimā and the Liṅga Pratis͟ht͟hā was accomplished at the Sañjīvanī Samādhi with religious fervour. This divine shrine is now a perennial source of spiritual energy and peace. To the north of the Dhyāna Mandira is Guru Swāmī’s Āshrama – Jñānānand, which was His Abode at Kārlā. Even to this date, Guru Swāmī’s Vibrant Presence can be sensed here. Every morning daily newspapers are placed here and tea, bhiks͟hā and phalāhāra are offered reverentially at Guru Swāmī’s Lotus Feet. The clock in the room where Guru Swāmī resided stopped working at the exact moment when He took Samādhi in BeṅgaĪūru and it has been preserved just so till date!
A Nāgālaya was consecrated in 2007 adjacent to the Temple; a dedicated Yajñashālā with a Homa-kuṇḍa renovated in 2010, is located between the Nāgālaya and Jñānānand Āshrama, which enable vaidika-s and participating devotees to perform various homa-s comfortably; the dining hall (Bhojanashālā) where devotees are served prasāda at breakfast, lunch and dinner-time; ‘Parijñāna Sahavāsa’ - a compact guest house complex of 30 self- contained rooms; and at the north-west end and at far ends are well-maintained washrooms for visitors to the temple.
During the week from Monday to Saturday the temple remains open to visitors and devotees from 6.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and again from 3.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. It stays open all day on Sundays and special festive and religious occasions. Devotees can book sevā-s till 10.30 a.m. every day at the sevā-counter in the Dhyāna Mandira.
The daily routine of the temple comprises Suprabhātam at 6.00 a.m., Āratī at the Sañjīvanī Mahāsamādhi and then at the Devī’s shrine at 11.20 a.m. and 6.00 p.m., Dīpanamaskāra at 7.00 p.m. and As͟hṭāvadhāna sevā at 7.20 p.m. The schedule during festivals or camps of H.H. Shrīmat Sadyojāt Shaṅkarāshram Swāmījī is announced well in advance.
Some of the ongoing activities at the temple wherein devotees from different Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h Local Sabhā-s from all over the country and abroad participate as under:
Some of the ongoing activities at the temple wherein devotees from different Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h Local Sabhā-s from all over the country and abroad participate as under:
- Sevā-Saptāha - 7-10 persons from a designated Local Sabhā spend a week (from one Sunday to the next) offering different kinds of spiritual sevā in the main temple, kitchen, Jñānānand Āshrama, reception and sevā counters.
- Sannikars͟͟ha Sevā – Devotees from a designated sabhā come on a Sunday to perform Sannikars͟͟ha. This weekly sevā includes chanting of Navarātri Nityapāt͟ha, performing Shrī Devī Anus͟ht͟hānam, and chanting of Shrī Lalitasahasranāma Stotra, Shrīmadbhagavadgīta - chapters 12 and 15, and Shiva Mānasa Pūja Stotra
- Kumārikā Pūjana - During Navarātri Utsava at Kārlā in October 2023, about 80 girls from a local orphanage being managed by a Trust named "SAMPARC" (SOCIAL ACTION FOR MANPOWER CREATION) participated in the GRĀMABHOJANA and were fortunate to be Blessed by H.H. Swāmījī.
H.H. Swāmījī expressed a desire that a few volunteers from our Mat͟h could provide value - based education to these children aged 5-18 years by making them aware of our rich culture and heritage. This would be KUMĀRIKĀ PŪJANA in the true sense. Accordingly, the Trustees of SHREE TRUST and SAMPARC decided on the following:
(i) On every SHUKLA NAVAMĪ beginning November 2023, about 80-100 girls accompanied by 8-10 caretakers would be invited for prasāda bhojana at Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h, Kārlā.
(ii) After prasāda bhojana, a team of Mat͟h volunteers would conduct interactive sessions for about 60-75 minutes on stotra-s, bhajana-s, stories, learning the Sanskrit language, Brain Gym exercises/games, social skills, etc. which would benefit the children.
Twelve such monthly sessions were conducted during the SHIVASĀYUJYAM year up to October 2024.
Soon after the S͟HAS͟HṬYABDAPŪRTI UTSAVA in November 2024, at the invitation of the Trustees of MAHARS͟HI KARVE STREE SHIKS͟HAṆ SAUNSTHĀ, H.H. Swāmījī visited the school for ādivāsī children being managed by the Trust at Kāmshet and Blessed them with an Āshīrvachana. From December 2024 onwards, children from this institution are being invited for KUMĀRIKĀ PŪJANA to Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h, Kārlā during which our volunteers conduct the interactive sessions followed by prasāda bhojana.
Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h, Shirālī (SCM) oversees and manages the Divine Samādhi SthaĪa-s of three previous Guru-s at its Shākhā (branch) Mat͟h-s in Gokarṇa, MaṅgaĪūru, and Mallāpur. However, SCM has neither supervised, controlled, nor managed the daily rituals, viniyoga-s, or the worship of the Sañjīvanī Mahāsamādhi of H.H. Shrīmat Parijñānāshram Swāmījī III and other deities at the temple. After careful consideration and feedback from devotees and senior community members, KDPT Trustees recognized Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h's authority and suitability to oversee the daily rituals and viniyoga-s at the ‘Sañjīvanī Mahāsamādhi’ and other deities at Kārlā Mat͟h, thereby ensuring consistency and uniformity in rituals, aligning them with the religious practices followed at SCM and the Samādhi SthaĪa-s of previous Guru-s at Gokarṇa, MaṅgaĪūru, and Mallāpur. This transition verily fulfilled the Divine Saṅkalpa of H.H. Guru Swāmījī regarding performance of daily viniyoga-s at the Holy Samādhi SthaĪa and various shrines at Shrī Kārlā Durgā Parameshwarī Temple. Accordingly, effective 1st August 2024, all Sevā-s performed by devotees / laity at Kārlā Mat͟h are being booked in the name of ‘Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h – Kārlā’.