Sri MOOKAMBIKA Temple

SRI MOOKAMBIKA TEMPLE

Location :- KOLLUR - Karnataka, India

The Kollur Mookambika Temple is located at Kollur, Udupi District in the state of Karnataka in India.  It is a Hindu temple dedicated to mother Durga devi or Saraswati known as Mookambika Devi.  Goddess Mookambika is Shakthi devi, the supreme mother goddess in Hinduism. She is worshipped in three different forms such as Maha Kali (goddess of power) in the morning, Maha Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) in the noon and Maha Saraswati (goddess of knowledge) in the evening.

Mookambika temple is among the most important shrines for Hindus in India. Mookambika Temple is also one of the most legendary temples. Mookambika Kollur is a small village of about 6 sq. kms in area at the foot of Western Ghats. Kollur Temple itself is generally known as 'Mookambi' or 'Moogambigai' in Kerala and Tamil Nadu respectively. Though the Kollur Mookambika Temple is in Karnataka most of the devotees visiting the Mookambika temple are either from Kerala or from Tamil Nadu.

Sri Mookambika is unique among the other Hindu gods and goddesses as she embodies the powers of Mahalaxmi, Mahasaraswathi and Mahakali combined into one as Adiparashakthi - Mookambika. Udbhava Linga (self manifested phallus) of Mookambika Temple represents both Purusha (male) and Shakthi (female).

Mythology holds that at the Kollur Mookambika Temple – there was a demon named Kaumasura, who unleashed terror upon the gods by the special powers he obtained from Lord Shiva. While the gods were trying their best to stay away from him, good news came that the demon would face death. Learning of his impending doom, Kaumasura undertook severe penance. Lord Shiva appeared, asking the demon what boon he would like to be granted. Sensing that grave danger would come of the demon if his boon was granted, Saraswati, the goddess of speech took away his ability to speak.

Kaumasura came to be known as Mookasura or the mute demon. Thereafter, the supreme mother Durga devi, the goddess of power, mobilized all the powers of the gods and killed the demon, and hence she came to be known as Mookambika. The place where Mookambika killed the demon came to be known as Marana Katte.

The establishment of the Mookambika temple is attributed to the Supreme, Lord Parameshwara; rather than to an individual person. Historically, the temple is estimated to be at least 1200 years old and is mentioned in conjunction with king Halugallu Veera Sangayya who installed an idol there.

As a legend goes, Adi Shankara, the much revered spiritual leader from Kerala, once offered intense worship to Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and learning. The goddess appeared before Shankara in response to his prayers. Shankara told her of his wish to have her come along with him to Kerala, where no temple was dedicated to her as yet. Goddess Saraswati agreed to go with him on the condition that Shankara must lead the way for her to follow, without doubting her and not looking back even once to check if she was with him. Should he break the condition, she would stop and stay right where she was at the time. Shankara agreed to the condition.

So they started walking down the Kutajadhri hills, with Shankara leading the way and goddess’ anklets tinkling and letting him know that she was with him. After walking some distance, the tinkling stopped all of a sudden. Shankara waited a few moments and stole a quick look backwards to find the goddess still with him, watching him with reproach. In keeping with the condition, the goddess stopped right there. Shankara, however, was not one to give up. He apologized profusely for breaking the condition and repeatedly begged and pleaded with the goddess to go with him to Kerala. Impressed by his determination, the goddess finally agreed to be present at the Chottanikkara Temple in Kerala in the mornings and return to the Mookambika temple by mid-day.

Mookambika as Saraswathi is patron Goddess of education and fine arts. She can be propitiated for progress in education and accomplishment in fine arts. Great artists like Ravi Varma , Swathi Thirunal etc were devotees of Sri Mookambika.  M.G.Ramachandran, Late Guru Gopinath, Jesudas, Ilayaraja etc are great contemporary artists who were/are ardent devotees of Kollur Mookambika Temple. Mookambika as Mahalakshmi is the Goddess of wealth. So She can be worshipped for progress in business and profession. Mookambika as Kali or Durga will be helpful to secure health, extinguish ailments and eliminate enemies.

Devotees can also visit the Souparnika river, and it would be ideal for an early morning dip in the pure and holy water flowing down the sanctified undulations of Kutajadhri.

The port city of Mangalore on national highway 17 (N.H 17) is the nearest big city connected to all important places by road, rail and air routes. People coming from southern parts of India have to travel via Mangalore to reach Kollur Mookambika to visit the Mookambika Temple. People coming from eastern and northern parts can access Kollur Mookambika Temple via Shimoga.

Travelers on Konkan route have to alight at Bhatkal or Kundapur to go to Kollur. Stage carriage buses ply frequently between Mangalore and Sree Mookambika Temple. There also plenty of buses travelling from Udupi to Kollur and also through the Kollur to Sringeri route. Mangalore, Udupi, Kundapur, Hemmadi, Vandse route is the shortest and convenient route to Kollur Sri Mookambika.