Maha Shivaratri will be observed at Male Malleshwara Temple in Malambi village. A special puja will be offered to the presiding deity.
The Malambi hills on which the Male Malleshwara Temple is situated is the third highest hill on Elusavira Seeme hill range in Kodagu district and is the second-highest hill in Somwarpet, after Pushpagiri hill.
The Male Malleshwara Temple is at a distance of 12 km from Shanivarasanthe town.
Malambi hill, with a height of 5,494 feet is also famous as a tourism spot and is a favourite destination of trekkers. The picturesque view from the top of the hill is mesmerizing. The temple of Male Malleshwara is like a crown on the hill.
Prayers are being offered to Male Malleshwara since 1830. The rulers of Kodagu who belonged to the Veerashaiva religion revered the deity.
Legend has it that when there was a drought in the district, the deity which was originally consecrated in Arkalgud of Hassan district, was brought to Kodagu.
As the deity is known for bringing rains, it came to be known as ‘Male Malleshwara’.
Various pujas, mass meals and cultural programmes are organised every year on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri. More than 15,000 devotees from Kodagu and the surrounding districts climb the hill in the early morning to offer prayers to the lord.
The temple was renovated at a cost of Rs 10 lakh in 1999, by donors and coffee planters.
Male Maleshwara was included in the list of interesting places, by the department of tourism in 2006. The hill was developed by the department at a cost of Rs 65 lakh, in 2012-13.
An auditorium has also being constructed for staging cultural programmes. Steps have been built for the convenience of the devotees.
On March 11, prayers will be held from 7 am to 2.30 pm. Mahamangalarathi will be held at 12.30 pm. Prasadam meals will be served to the devotees later.