The temple of goddess Marikamba in the town of Sirsi is a splendid example of syncretic evolution of tribal and so called brahminical customs and rituals, befitting Hindu ethos.

History

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According to local belief, the wooden statue of Goddess Shri Marikamba, the deity worshipped in Uttara and Dakshin Kannada, was found in a tank on the outskirts of the town. In 1611, Sadashiva Rao II, the King of Sonda, gave orders to install the wooden deity at this place. This idol is considered to be the biggest idol and site devoted to Marikamba in Karnataka.

Mar in Tamil and Kannada means change or concealing (marpadu). The goddess of hidden power (maya) became Amba (mother, Parwati, consort of Lord Shiva) to whom buffaloes, sheep, pigs, and poultry were offered as sacrifice to propitiate her. The deity slowly transformed into Mahishasuramardini (killer of buffalo demon), another epithet of Durga or Parwati.