Kateel Durgaparameshwari Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Mangalore International Airport is about 16 km away, the nearest airport.

• By train

  Mangalore railway station is about 18.8 km away, the nearest station.

• By road

  Regular buses run from Mangaluru to Kateel. Kateel is 25 km from Mangaluru and 370 km from Bengaluru.

Why devotees come here

Kateel Durgaparameshwari Temple stands on an islet in the Nandini river, east of Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka. Kateel is considered one of the holiest Hindu temple towns in India. The deity is worshipped as a naturally formed murti.

Thousands of devotees visit Kateel every day to seek blessings from Devi Durgaparameshwari. The temple is in the form of a naturally formed murti, and its pillars carry beautiful sculptures. Kateel is very famous for tenkutittu Yakshagana, a form of performance that is attached to the traditional importance of this holy place.

Legend says the demon Arunasura had a boon from Brahma that no two- or four-legged creature could kill him. When he chased her, Devi turned herself into a rock. The temple sits on an islet in the middle of the sacred river Nandini, amid panoramic scenes and fascinating greenery.

The temple runs five institutions, from a higher primary school to a centre for post graduate studies and research in Sanskrit. The temple says about ten lakh devotees are fed here each year. Kateel is about 25 km from Mangaluru and 370 km from Bengaluru.

Festivals

• January-FebruaryBrahmakalashotsava

  The annual festival of the temple.

Tips for your visit

• Kateel town has basic accommodation, so for more choice, stay in Mangaluru, about 25 km away.
• The temple serves food to devotees twice a day.
• Udupi Sri Krishna Temple is about 40 km away from Kateel.

Questions people ask