Kukke Sri Subramanya Temple – Karnataka

Address

Subrahmanya Post Kadaba taluk,

Karnataka 574238

Moolavar

Sri Subramanya

Introduction

Kukke Subramanya is a Murugan temple located in the village Subramanya, of Kadaba taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka, India. In this temple Murugan is worshipped as Subramanya, lord of all serpents. The epics relate that the divine serpent Vasuki and other serpents found refuge under Subramanya when threatened by the Garuda. The poojas and other daily rituals in the temple are performed as per Madhvacharya‘s Tantra Sara Sangraha.

Puranic Significance

Kukke lapped in the luxurious abundance of the beauty of the nature the village of Subramanya lies in the Kadaba Taluk in Dakshina Kannada. The temple is situated in the heart of the village. Nature reveals herself in all her unhidden beauty in the rivers, forests and mountains which the temples is surrounded by. It is about a 105 km from Mangalore and can be easily reached by train, buses or taxis. Subramanya used to be called as Kukke Pattana in the past. Mahimanipurana’ chapter of the Sahyadrikhanda comprised in the Sanatkumara Samhita of Skanda Purana. This kshetra is situated in the banks of the river ‘Dhara’ which originates in the Kumara Mountain and proceeds to the western sea. The temple is said to be more than 1500 years old.

According to one belief, after killing the demon rulers Tharaka, Shurapadmasura and their followers in a war, Lord Shanmukha reached Kumara Parvatha with his brother Ganesha and others. He was received by Indra and his followers. Indra being very happy prayed Lord Kumara Swamy to accept and marry his daughter Devasena for which the Lord readily agreed. The divine marriage took place on Margashira shudha shashti at Kumara Parvatha. Gods like Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and many other deities assembled for the marriage and coronation ceremony of Shanmukha for which waters of several holy rivers were brought. With these waters of Mahabhisheka fell down to form a river which was later known by the popular name Kumaradhara. The great Shiva Bhakta and Serpent king Vasuki was performing tapas for years in the Biladwara caves of Kukke Subrahmanya to avoid the attack of Garuda. Following Lord Shiva’s assurance Shanmuka gave darshan to Vasuki and blessed him that he would stay as his parama bhakta in this place forever. Hence the poojas offered to Vasuki or Nagaraja are nothing but the poojas to Lord Subrahmanya.

Beliefs

Sarpa Samskara / Sarpa Dosha

Sarpa Samskara/Sarpa Dosha is one of the poojas performed at Kukke Subramanya Temple by devotees to get rid of the sarpa dosha (according to belief, a person either in this birth or any of his previous births can be afflicted by the sarpa (serpent) dosha (curse) either knowingly or un-knowingly through many ways). Persons who are afflicted with this dosha are advised by the astrologers /horoscope writers to perform this pooja for their well being. Pooja can be done either by the person afflicted if he is a male and married, or through a priest. This is because the pooja involves rituals similar to the ones done in performing shrartham (death rites). Sarpa Samskara seva devotees are required to stay for two days. The seva occurs in the day time with no particular poojas in the evening. Food arrangements will be provided to the said devotees by the temple devastanam, for four persons only per seva.
Due to the wide belief in the snake god in the coastal regions of Karnataka and Kerala, this pooja is performed by people from all faiths.

Special Features

Pilgrims going to the temple have to cross the Kumaradhara River and take a holy dip in the river before entering the temple for their darshan holy viewing of the Lord.

The devotees enter the courtyard from the doorway at the back, and circumambulate the deity. Between the sanctorum and the portico entrance, there is the Garuda pillar covered with silver. Devotees circumambulate this pillar. It is believed that this pillar was enchanted and planted there to shield devotees from the poisonous flames arising from the breath of Vasuki, who resides inside. Beyond the pillar are the outer hall, the inner hall, and then the sanctorum of Sri Subrahmanya. At the centre of sanctorum is a pedestal. On the upper dais stand the deity of Sri Subrahmanya and the deity of Vasuki and, at lower level the deity of Shesha. Ritual worship is offered to these deities every day. The temple is slowly increasing in popularity, owing to its religious significance and importance.

Festivals

The Poojas in the Sri Subrahmanya Temple are conducted according to the ‘Vaikasana Agama’ system, which is very rarely found in our province. On festivals and other sacred days, special poojas are prescribed for such occasion.