The Kukke Subramanya Temple is a popular Hindu Temple in Karnataka which is found in the Subramanya village.This temple is almost 5000 years old and is located between beautiful hills. It is also one of the seven holy places which is believed to be created by Saint Parashurama.The temple is also known as the Home of the Nagas. Lord Subramanya is the main deity of this temple. There are many tales associated with this temple. One of them is the death of the demon rulers Tharaka and Shura Padmasurya by Lord Kumaraswamy and Lord Ganesha at Kumara Parvatha which is near the temple. The other tale states that Lord Subramanya was the one who helped the divine serpent Vasuki by giving him refuge against Garuda who was the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. Thus Lord Subramanya is worshipped as a snake and it is believed that if any one prays to him they are freed of Naga Doshas. The two popular pujas offered here are Ashlesha Bali and also Sarp dosha parihara in order to be free from Naga Doshas. In this temple there is also a ritual dance performed which is called as Nagamandala.
TRANSPORTATION AND BEST TIME TO VISIT THE PLACE
The nearest airport to this place is the Mangalore Airport. From there one can take either a bus or a taxi or even drive by car to reach the Kukke Subramanya Temple.Subrahmanya Road railway station is the closest railway station to this place. From there one can take a bus or a taxi to reach the temple. There are many buses available that one can take to reach the temple. If not a bus, one can also travel by auto rickshaws and taxis to reach the temple. The months of September to March is considered to be the best time to visit the place.
ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD
There are many places where one can stay around the temple. The prices too are affordable. Some of the names of the places are Vyasa Mandir,Hotel Akshaya Dhara, Shri Krishna Residency, Bhramari Nest, RNS One, etc. There are also many places where one can eat food at. Some of the names of the restaurants are Neo Mysore Cafe,Hotel Akshayadhara Veg Restaurant, The Nariyal Cafe, Big Cup Cafe, Udupi Hotel Agree, etc.
PLACES TO VISIT
Kumara Parvatha is the sixth highest peak in Karnataka. It is situated at an elevation of 4000 feet above sea level. This is basically a group of three peaks which are Shesha Parvatha, Siddha Parvatha and Kumara Parvatha and each of these peaks are important in Hindu mythology. One has to trek in order to reach the peak. During the trek one passes through the Shola Forest where a variety of beautiful flora and fauna are found. One also gets to see many waterfalls and greenery on the trek. At the end of the trek one gets to see a beautiful view of the Western Ghats.
Biladwara Cave is another place which can be visited on the way to Kukke Subramanya Temple. It is believed that Vasuki who was a divine serpent came to this cave in order to escape Garuda and punish himself. This place is surrounded by a beautiful garden. Many people come here to take blessings from Vasuki.
Adi Subramanya Temple is another temple which one can visit. The deities worshipped here are Adisesha and Vasuki in the form of anthills. There is a popular tale associated with this temple. According to it Lord Brahma who is considered to be the cosmic creator took permission from Lord Subramanya to build his house here at this site. Lord Subramanya granted him permission and thus the site became the house of Lord Brahma. However later Lord Yams cursed this site and the importance of this site became less. This place is surrounded by beautiful streams and forests. The pilgrims who come here are given anthills mrittika which is nothing but earth to have as prasad and it is believed that this prasad helps to cure skin diseases.
Omkareshwara Temple is another interesting place to visit. This temple was built in the 18th century by King Linga Rajendra II. There is a popular tale associated with this according to which it is believed that Linga Rajendra II built this temple as an act of penance. King Ling Rajendra II had become extremely greedy with regards to political gains and because of this he ended up killing a Brahmin who noticed what wrong he was doing. After the death of the Brahmin the king was not at peace and ended up having many nightmares. He was very troubled by all of this and took help from the Brahmins as he wanted to put an end to all of this. Thus the Brahmins advised the King to build a temple and dedicate it to Lord Shiva and that will put an end to his problems. Then this temple was made and the Shiva Lingam which was named as Omkareshwara was bought from Kashi and placed in this temple. Thus this is how the temple got its name. The temple is a perfect combination of Islamic as well as Gothic architectural styles. The temple has a huge dome and four minarets which are at its four corners. There is also a water tank in the temple that has freshwater fish which many people like to see.
The Bandaje Falls are another scenic place to visit. The waterfall is situated at a height of approximately 700 metres above sea level. One has to trek in order to reach this waterfall. This waterfall is located deep within the forest and is known for the breathtaking views from here especially during sunset.
The Matsya Tirtha and the Panchami Tirtha are important pilgrimage sites. These tirthas are considered to be very holy. These two tirthas are located at River Kumaradhara. It is believed that the sins of the devotees who take a bath here are absolved. Thus this is why this place is religiously important.
Thus the Kukke Subramanya Temple is truly a very good place to visit.
