When I was in college my friends told me about the famous Kollur Mookambiga temple. They visited this temple to seek the Goddess's blessings before writing exams. It was only then I knew that the temple is popular among students.People worship her in the form of Saraswathi, Parvathy and Lakshmi here. I too had the desire to visit this temple at that time but had to wait for a long time.
When my son was born I wanted to take him to Kollur to seek the Goddess’s blessings as I had faith that it would be good for my son. So when my son was 4 years old we made a trip to this temple. I think it was Devi Mookambiga’s blessings, my son achieved academic excellence. I have a belief also that if I pray to her fervently all my prayers will be answered. I also worship her daily by praying to her and last visit of mine to that temple was in February 2009. I would like to share what ever I know about this wonderful temple with my readers. Given a chance I would love to visit this temple again as it gives me solace and makes my mind pure.
This ancient temple is situated in the Kodajadri hills and the Sowparnika, a perennial river flows very close to the temple. This temple is dedicated to Siva -Sakthi and it exists in the form of a Jyothirlingam which is situated right in front of the Mookambiga Devi’s Panchaloha idol (A Mixture of 5 metals) which is kept on Sri Chakra. On either side of this idol we find Kali and Saraswathi. This idol was installed by Adi shankaracharya and when Goddess appeared before him he sang the famous Soundarya Lahari in praise of the goddess which people chant even today and get the blessings of the Mother Goddess.
The deity here looks beautiful adorned with jewels and silk. The Devi has a good collection of jewels as the devotees make it as an offering to the temple. This temple attracts lot of pilgrims and the Navrathri festival here is very famous. Little children are brought here for Vidyarambham. ( A cermoney conducted before the child starts his school)
The legend says that a demon who was deaf and dumb called Mookasura was creating trouble for the Gods was killed by the Goddess, hence she is known as Mookambiga. The temple looks more like a Kerala temple and it has a Dwaja sthambam and Deepa sthambam (a tall lamp post with concentric circles arranged one above the other) in the front of the main entrance of the temple. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is copper plated. Just behind this is small place where the Goddess appeared before Sankara charaya Swami.
In the outer prakaram there is Vidyaramba Mandapam and where the vidya rambam is performed during the last day of Navrathri i.e. Vijaya dashami. Devotees flock here on that day with their wards to seek Goddess’s blessing. As we circumambulate the outer prakaram we can find the shrines of other deities like Pancha mugha Ganesha, Krishna, Siva and Veerabhadrar. Devotees perform various rituals here and this temple provides Annadanam (Free meals) to all its devotees in the afternoon and night. It’s really helpful for the devotees who traverse miles to reach the temple. Serving food to thousands is not an easy task and this is very well organized and done very quickly by the temple authorities. During my last visit I too had a chance to taste this prasadam and though the menu was simple it tasted heavenly.
It is also believed that one cannot just visit Mookambiga temple unless the Goddess wishes .This belief is there among many people and I too believe in the same. I am just waiting for her next call.
Jai Mookambigai!
Mookambiga temple front view
When my son was born I wanted to take him to Kollur to seek the Goddess’s blessings as I had faith that it would be good for my son. So when my son was 4 years old we made a trip to this temple. I think it was Devi Mookambiga’s blessings, my son achieved academic excellence. I have a belief also that if I pray to her fervently all my prayers will be answered. I also worship her daily by praying to her and last visit of mine to that temple was in February 2009. I would like to share what ever I know about this wonderful temple with my readers. Given a chance I would love to visit this temple again as it gives me solace and makes my mind pure.
This ancient temple is situated in the Kodajadri hills and the Sowparnika, a perennial river flows very close to the temple. This temple is dedicated to Siva -Sakthi and it exists in the form of a Jyothirlingam which is situated right in front of the Mookambiga Devi’s Panchaloha idol (A Mixture of 5 metals) which is kept on Sri Chakra. On either side of this idol we find Kali and Saraswathi. This idol was installed by Adi shankaracharya and when Goddess appeared before him he sang the famous Soundarya Lahari in praise of the goddess which people chant even today and get the blessings of the Mother Goddess.
The deity here looks beautiful adorned with jewels and silk. The Devi has a good collection of jewels as the devotees make it as an offering to the temple. This temple attracts lot of pilgrims and the Navrathri festival here is very famous. Little children are brought here for Vidyarambham. ( A cermoney conducted before the child starts his school)
The legend says that a demon who was deaf and dumb called Mookasura was creating trouble for the Gods was killed by the Goddess, hence she is known as Mookambiga. The temple looks more like a Kerala temple and it has a Dwaja sthambam and Deepa sthambam (a tall lamp post with concentric circles arranged one above the other) in the front of the main entrance of the temple. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is copper plated. Just behind this is small place where the Goddess appeared before Sankara charaya Swami.
In the outer prakaram there is Vidyaramba Mandapam and where the vidya rambam is performed during the last day of Navrathri i.e. Vijaya dashami. Devotees flock here on that day with their wards to seek Goddess’s blessing. As we circumambulate the outer prakaram we can find the shrines of other deities like Pancha mugha Ganesha, Krishna, Siva and Veerabhadrar. Devotees perform various rituals here and this temple provides Annadanam (Free meals) to all its devotees in the afternoon and night. It’s really helpful for the devotees who traverse miles to reach the temple. Serving food to thousands is not an easy task and this is very well organized and done very quickly by the temple authorities. During my last visit I too had a chance to taste this prasadam and though the menu was simple it tasted heavenly.
It is also believed that one cannot just visit Mookambiga temple unless the Goddess wishes .This belief is there among many people and I too believe in the same. I am just waiting for her next call.
Jai Mookambigai!
Mookambiga temple front view
The Dwaja And Deepa Sthamba
Access
By Air - Mangalore, the nearest airport. Kollur is 135 Km. from this city.
By train- Nearest railway station is Udupi. But very few trains pass through this station. Mangalore is well connected with all the cities.
By road- There are plenty cabs, State transport and private buses frequently to Kollur from Mangalore as well as Udupi. The hotels also arrange taxi services for those who are interested. It’s a 3hours drive from Mangalore and one and a half from Udupi.
Accommodation- Mangalore and Udupi have good hotels.
Those who want to stay in Kollur, there are many guest houses and small hotels.
Access
By Air - Mangalore, the nearest airport. Kollur is 135 Km. from this city.
By train- Nearest railway station is Udupi. But very few trains pass through this station. Mangalore is well connected with all the cities.
By road- There are plenty cabs, State transport and private buses frequently to Kollur from Mangalore as well as Udupi. The hotels also arrange taxi services for those who are interested. It’s a 3hours drive from Mangalore and one and a half from Udupi.
Accommodation- Mangalore and Udupi have good hotels.
Hey Chitra... wow! thats some news and facts abt the temple. Am really enlighted to know these....well yu know yu made a mark by quoting all these, bcos most of the time we goto the temples without knowing its significance...i guess if we really do know the facts then we wud be more interested to visit them!!..thanks and pls inum vera ethavathu temples history iruntha post panunga...and lemme know :)! cya
ReplyDeleteHaRy
Sure Hary. keep watching i would be posting one by one. Visiting temples is a hobby for me.
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