According to M. Govinda Pai this temple was known as Kadri Manjunatha where is Manjunatha relates to Shiva and Kadri is derived from Kadri Vihara which was Buddhist monastery of Vajrayana cult. King Kundavarma of the Alupa dynasty left an inscription on the base of the Avalokiteśvara image stating he was devotee of Shiva. This image was not of Buddha, but of Bodhisattva, who was being worshiped as integrated form of Shiva. Further M. Govinda Pai has concluded this was center of Bodhisattva Manjusri's cult. And later on this Bodhisattavs were identified as Saivite deities. Shiv linga and Bodhisattva were worshiped together for centuries at this place until it was converted completely to a Saivite temple. Knadarika Vihara provides firm inscriptional evidence for this transformation. In front of the temple, at a height there are a number of water ponds. There's a garden surrounding the ponds. When one walks down from there in front of the temple is a huge lightpole. During karthika maasa, deepothsava is held here. There are statues of Machendranath, Gorakanath, Shringinath, Lokeshwara, Manjushri, and Buddha in the temple. Description Now, the chief deity of this temple is Manjunatha, which incorporates a Shiva linga. The statue of Lokeshwara in the seated position with three faces and six arms is tipped to be the best bronze statue in India. It is about 1.5 meter tall. Gomukha and water tanks There is a natural spring at an elevated location at the back of the temple. It is called Gomukha. It is believed that the water flows from Bhageerathi river, in Kashi and thereby it gets its name as Kashi Bhageerathi theertha. The water from this spring is let into nine ponds of different sizes adjacent to it. Visitors wash themselves in these ponds before entering the main temple. Annual festival Annual Jathra Mahothsava is held during the month of January. Nine days of festival starts on the day of Makara Sankranthi. Bhandara of Malaraya Daiva is paraded from Kadri Kambala Ganada Kottige house ( G.K House kadri kambla, initiative led by DK Ashok) hasiru hore kanikey (requirements of mass feedings) is pompously carried forward. Theertha snana is held at morning, followed by dwajasthambha arohana, lighting of kanchi sthambha, and bali uthsava on the same day. Savari Bali Uthsava bali is held for four days, where lord Manjunatha consecutively visits four kattas in the four directions. Bikarnakatte savari Mallikatte savari