Madhava Sarovara
Behind the shrine is a tank known as Madhva Saroovara. Sri Raghavendra Tirtha of Sri Puttige Mutt renovated it with stone slabs in the sixteenth century A.D.
The Swamijis have to bathe in this tank before they commence the worship at the shrine. If we go round the tank on the northern side bhoojana sale is visible, where hundreds of poor people are fed every day. Special arrangements are made in the first floor of this building for feeding the students and guests.
In the Northeast corner we can notice a chariot-shaped heaps pf logs of wood. The firewood needed for two years Paryaya term is stored artistically in the shapes of a ratha .Here again the credit goes to Sri Vadiraja Swamiji for starting this tradition. This is an example to show how one can produce a piece of art with the piece of wood. Like the chariots of Udupi, this firewood chariot is also an object of attraction to the pilgrims.
When we go round the tank we come across a small shrine in the South West corner. There is a beautiful idol of Bhagirathi seated on crocodile. The 29th pontiff of Sri Adamar Mutt by name Vibudhapriya Tirtha installed the idol.
There is a legends behind this. It is believed to have happened during the period of Sri Madhvacharya. The Acharya was still a boy. He wanted to undertake a tour of Badari. His preceptor Achuta Prajna did not want to be separated from his disciple. He heard a divine voice starting that the Acharya need come to the North in search of the Ganges. The sacred river itself will come towards the South in search of the Acharya Accordingly the people witnessed a column of white stream springing up in the South West corner of the tank. All people took bath in the sacred waters along with the Acharya. Madhva Vijaya records that once in every twelve years the sacred Ganges flows into this tank.
This continues even now. The white waters of the Ganges sprang up during the Paryaya of Sri Vibudhapriya Swamiji and a small shrine was constructed to commemorate the event. The Swamiji who come to the tank for oblation worship this idol.
There is a beautiful mantapa in the middle of the tank. The ritual of pouring milk on Tulasi ksiiraabdhi takes place here on the twelfth day of the white fortnight of Kartika month.
The beauty of this tank must be witnessed during the teppootsava, the boat festival. With thousand of lamps around the mantapa and their reflection in the water it is a delightful sight providing a fantasy of Lord Varuna waving Aarti to the great god.
The tank was originally know as ananta tirtha. After the Ganges descended into this tank for the sake of Madhvacharya it came to be designated as Madhva Saroovara.
To regulate the movements of the pilgrims during festival seasons there is a separate exit passage to come out of the temple. This overbridge path passes through the Western side of the tank and joins the Car Street. The Swamiji of Admar Mutt built this new passage during his Paryaya (1972-73 A.D.)
