VEERABHADRA
Veerabhadra is worshipped as one of the important ganas or the attendant spirits of Lord Shiva in different places of northern Tulunads. In the temple complex at Mandarthi we come across a huge wooden statue of veerabhadra with four arms and garland of skulls and seated on bull. Other places like mekkekattu, manikal and mandarthi too have Veerabhadra statue displaying a ferocious pose. Hiriyadka near Udupi has a famous Veerabhadra shrine where the spirit is worshipped along with many other spirits. As per the legend a saint by the name Adkataya was doing penance and Lord Shiva came there with Veerabhadra and other attendant spirits. Veerabhadra built a shrine for the saint. Later Veerabhadra also stayed there along with other ganas and a temple complex is built. In the annual festival of Hiriyadka several hundred women get possessed by the spirits like siri, abbage, darage etc.