Madiwaleshwara Matha, Garag

Garag, something between a big village and small town, is 20 km from Dharwad on Dharwad-Gokak road. The place is known mainly for 'Madivaleshwara Mata.

Madivaleshwara, the spiritual leader of XIX Century, contemporary of Shishunala Sharif Saheb and Siddarooda Swami, came here from Kittur and established the Matha. Pilgrims come to this temple to offer prayers and perform 'pooja' to his 'Samadhi'. Here are few pictures from Garagad Madiwaleshwara Jatre the annual fair usually held in the months of February or March.

chariot being pulled by devotees

crowds watching the chariot

people having fun at the fair

Food for visitors- Shira, Sajjaka, rice and saru, prepared by the Matha staff & pilgrims at the open kitchen with a dozen mud stoves fueled by wood. These are two massive tubs used for boiling sugarcane juice which have been borrowed to prepare Shira, a sweet made of broken wheat, jaggery and water. Rice too is prepared in such tubs.

huge pans holding sweet dish, either Shira or Sajjaka

a heap of cooked rice ready to be served

Saru being prepared in large vessels

Besides Madiwaleshwara Matha, Garag is known its Khadi Kendra where Khadi fabric for the Indian National Flag is manufactured using handlooms. The other important aspect of Garag is the ancient Jain Basti.
.........