Kukke Subrahmanya Temple of Dakshina Kannada District is one place almost every Hindu devotee in the Southern part of India would be familiar with. And not just being familiar, many would either have visited or would have planned to visit the temple at least once in a lifetime for the powers Lord Subramanya here is known to possess and bless a devotee with.
The Temple is dedicated to Lord Subramanya, Son of Lord Shiva. According to legends, Lord Subrahmanya is considered the Deva Senapathi – the commander of the army of the lords and is worshipped as the lord of snakes.
The temple Kukke Subrahmanya is located in the Subramanya town of Sullia Taluk in the Dakshina Kannada District. Easily accessible by rail and road, this small town is located about 105 km from Mangaluru while the temple is situated amidst a scenic location that’s relatively unexplored and neat in comparison to a lot of other pilgrimage venues
While one can find the Kumaradhara river run in the temple surroundings, the place is embraced by a beautiful mountain from the background.
Lord Subramanya reached this place after defeating the asura or evil forces and killing their chiefs Tharakasura and Soorapadhma. He cleansed his Shakti weapon in the river present at the place while Indra – the king of all lords, requested Lord Subramanya to accept his daughter Devasena as his wife and their marriage took place at the very same venue.
Waters from all the holy rivers were brought here for the ceremony and the same waters are believed to have flown down to become the river Kumaradhara.
There is yet another mythological story that would interest the devotees. An ardent Shiva Bhakta Vasuki who was also the serpent king is said to have been meditating for many years in the Biladwara caves of Subramanya, to avoid being attacked by the holy eagle Garuda.
As per Lord Siva’s instructions, Shanmuka or Subramanya is known to have appeared before Vasuki, blessing and permitting him to stay at Subramanya for eternity, as Vasuki was an ardent devotee of Lord Subramanya. Hence, it is also believed that any Puja offered to Vasuki is equivalent to a puja having been offered to Lord Subramanya himself.
It is from then on that this place is known to have become important for people wanting to perform Sarpadosha Puja.
Also, in Shankara Vijaya, a traditional biography by the Advaitha philosopher Sri Adi Shankaracharya, he scribes that he camped at Kukke Subrahmanya for a short while and he himself refers to this place in his ‘Subrahmanya Bhujangaprayata Stotram’ as ‘Bhaje Kukke Lingam’.
Dharmasthala, Kadumane estate, and Southadka Ganapathi Temple are nearby places one can visit during the Subramanya trip. The Subramya Temple can be visited throughout the year.
