Kukke Subramanya Tours

Kukke Subramanya is a Hindu temple located in the village of Subramanya in the Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada District near Mangalore, Karnataka, India. The temple is one of the pristine pilgrimage locations in India. Here Lord Subrahmanya is worshipped as the lord of all serpents. The epics relate that the divine serpent Vasuki and other serpents found refuge under Lord Subrahmanya when threatened by Garuda. The Kukke Subramanya Temple is located in the beautiful Western Ghats range of Karnataka.

Overlooking the temple is the famous mountain of Kumara Parvatha, a popular hiking destination for trekkers from across South India. Kumara Parvatha forms a picture-perfect backdrop to the temple entrance and the Shesha Parvatha (a mountain shaped like a six-headed mythological serpent, adjacent to Kumara Parvatha) looks like a cobra with its open hood, as if protecting the temple shrine of Lord Subramanya. The temple is situated on the western slopes of the Ghats and is covered with dense evergreen forests.

Temple:

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 is the outer hall, the inner hall, and then the sanctorum of Sri Subrahmanya. At the center of sanctorum is a pedestal. On the upper dais stands the deity of Sri Subrahmanya and the deity of Vasuki and, at a somewhat lower level, the deity of Shesha. Ritual worship is offered to these deities every day.The remple is slowly increasing in popularity, owing to its religious significance and importance.

Puja Activities:

Ashlesha Bali Pooja & Sarpa Samskara are two important Sarpa Dosha Poojas are done at Kukke Subramanya Temple.

Ashlesha Bali:

Ashlesha Bali Puja or Aslesha Bali pooja is one of the important Kaalasarpa dosha pujas performed at Kukke Subramanya temple near Mangalore in Karnataka. Lord Subramanya is known as the protector from Kaalasarpa dosha and Kuja dosha. Kukke Sri Kshetra temple is the most popular for Sarpadosha puja. Aslesha Bali puja is performed on Aslesha nakshatra in each month. It is believed that if this puja is performed on other days it has no power.

Aslesha Bali puja in Kukke Subramaya temple will be performed in two shifts - 7:00 am and 9.15 am. Those who want to perform this puja need to report for sankalpa with Purohita inside the temple either at 7:00 am or 9.15 am. After the completion of Homa Poornahuthi Puja, devotees will get prasadam. Devotees believe Shravana masa, Karthika masa, and Margashira masa are the most auspicious months to perform Aslesha bali puja at Kukke temple.

Sarpa Samskara/Sarpa Dosha:

Sarpa Samskara/Sarpa Dosha is one of the poojas performed by devotees at this temple to get rid of the sarpa dosha (according to belief, a person, either in this birth or in any of his previous births, could be afflicted by the sarpa (serpent) dosha (curse) either knowingly or unknowingly, through many ways). Persons who are afflicted with this dosha are advised by astrologers/horoscope writers to perform this pooja for their own wellbeing. Pooja can be done either by the afflicted person himself if he is male and married, or through a priest. This is because the pooja involves rituals similar to those done while performing shrartham (funeral rites).

Sarpa Samskara seva devotees are required to be present for two days. The seva is performed during the daytime, with no particular poojas in the evening. Food arrangements will be made for these devotees by the temple devasthanam, for up to four persons per seva. Due to the widespread belief in the snake god in Tulunad region of Karnataka and Kerala, this pooja is performed by people of all faiths.

Transportation:

Kukke Subrahmanya can be reached by road from Mangalore and from Bangalore. KSRTC operates buses on a daily basis from these two places. The nearest airport is the Mangalore International Airport (Bajpe Airport), at a distance of 115 km. The nearest railway station is Subrahmanya Road (SBHR) Railway Station on Mangalore-Bangalore railway route, which is 7 km from Kukke Subrahmanya. There is a daily passenger train service from Mangalore, which leaves Mangalore at 10:30 a.m. and reaches Subrahmanya Road Railway Station by 1:00 p.m. One can then catch local transport from the station for a 15-minute trip to the temple. Train services have been introduced between Bangalore and Mangalore that pass through Kukke Subrahmanya.