 Originally this temple was sanctified by Moroja family who are Sthanika Tulu brahmins.Sthanika tulu brahmins stronghold was kukke Subrahmanya, They were the chief priests and tantris of the temple till 1845 after bashful murder of their Guru, the spiritual leader Padma Theertha a disciple of the Sringeri Jagadguru Peetam.The Madhvas (shivallis) built a mutt adjacent to the temple.