Kukke Subramanya Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Mangaluru International Airport is the nearest, about 115 km from the temple. Hire a taxi or take a bus for the rest of the way.

• By train

  Subramanya Road is the nearest station, about 12 km from the temple. You will need a bus or taxi to reach the town.

• By road

  Subramanya is about 105 km from Mangaluru and 280 to 300 km from Bengaluru. Bus services are limited, so check schedules before you go.

Elderly visitors

• The state portal lists battery cars and an information centre among the temple facilities. Ask there about help for elderly visitors.
• The portal also lists footwear stands, drinking water, toilets, bathing facilities and vehicle parking at Kukke Subrahmanya.

Book and check

Official pages only. We do not sell darshan passes or tours.

• Darshan and seva booking on the state portalitms.kar.nic.in
• Temple page on the Karnataka endowment portalitms.kar.nic.in

Rules to know

• Men are asked to take off their shirts and vests before darshan.
• Dress modestly inside the temple premises.
• Rituals such as Ashlesha Bali and Sarpa Samskara can be booked on the state temple portal, ahead of your visit.

Why devotees come here

Kukke Subramanya is a temple on the Kumaradhara river in Dakshina Kannada, about 105 km from Mangaluru. Subramanya is worshipped here in the form of a serpent, together with the serpent king Vasuki. Devotees come mainly for the Sarpa Samskara and Ashlesha Bali rituals.

Kukke Subramanya is the shrine of Subramanya, the son of Shiva, who is worshipped here as the king of serpents. It stands at the foot of the Kumara Parvatha hills on the Kumaradhara river. The Karnataka endowment department counts it among seven pilgrim sites said to have been created by Parashurama.

The legend says Subramanya defeated the demon Tarakasura, and Indra gave his daughter Devasena to him in marriage at the Kumaradhara teertha, on Margashira Shuddha Shashthi. The serpent king Vasuki prayed here, and Subramanya promised to stay with him. This is why the deity is worshipped in the form of a naga.

Devotees come for Sarpa Samskara, Ashlesha Bali and Naga Pratishte, rituals linked to naga dosha. The prasada is sacred soil from an ant hill. No exact date is known for the temple. The state portal cites the Skanda Purana and a 9th century inscription that names the place Kukke, and the sanctum was renovated in 2005.

Festivals

• November or December, around Margashira Shuddha ShashthiChampa Shashti Mahotsava

  Marks the marriage of Subramanya and Devasena; ant-hill soil prasada is given out at dawn on the Ekadashi before the flag is hoisted.

Tips for your visit

• Crowds are especially large on Ashlesha Bali puja days, so plan extra time.
• Plan around the afternoon break, as the temple is not open for darshan between 1:30 and 3:30 PM.
• The portal lists accommodation among the temple facilities; check it and book ahead for festival weeks.
• Dharmasthala is about 55 km away and Madikeri about 75 km.
• The Kumara Parvatha trek starts near the temple. It needs forest department permission, and a guide is advised.

Questions people ask