Kukke Subramanaya

Location: Subramanaya is located at around 280 kms from Bangalore.
Importance: It is the abode of lord Subramanya and Vasuki. Importance of this place is mentioned in Skanda Purana. When Garuda attacked Vasuki (king of serpents), he came and took shelter in this place along with his family. In Satya Yuga, Lord Subramanaya was the senapathi for the Gods against demons; battle was fought on the banks of Kumaradhara. After he killed Tarakasura, he washed his spear in the river of Kumaradhara. Lord liked the place so much that he decided to make his abode. In Tretha Yuga Parashurama bathed in the river to absolve his sins of killing kshtriyas.In dwapara yuga, Samaba son of Sri Krishna bathed in the river to get rid of leprosy.

Temple complex has Samputa Narashima and Uma Mahaeshwara too. At a little distance away is Adi subrmanaya and Bhilwadhwara.

Travel: From Bangalore this place can be reached by train or road. By road it takes around 7 hours and 9 hours by train. If you can drive, you can enjoy the luscious green forests, little water falls and pollution free air.

We took the train at 9 pm from Bangalore city station. We reached Subramanaya road at around 5:40 am. Train waits there just for 5 minutes. Once out of the station there were hoards of jeeps and autos ready to ferry us to the town. We jumped into a jeep, which charged us 40 Rs per head. We reached the town in 20 minutes.

Stay: we had tried booking a room two days in advance, but everything was running full. We thought we will go and try our luck; if not there is the temple lodges to manage for half day; because, by noon most of the lodges are vacated. We got a room in Suraksha lodge, the room was a nightmare. It was tiny, about 4 feet by six feet. The window was covered with a plastic sheet, walls looked like they would fall off any moment and there was nothing called bathroom. There was a big toilet which was supposed to be both bathroom and toilet. We paid 300 Rs for it and stayed, hoping to get a nice room by noon.

We were tired after the journey and we went into immediate sleep, woke up by 11 am, freshened up, had breakfast and started hunting for rooms. We got one almost immediately at Kenchamba Lodge. This room was so very refreshing. Lodge was new, room was neat and furnished.

Some lodge numbers are:
1. Anugraha Lodge, Ph: 08257-281283. This is very close to the temple.
2. Shanmukha Lodge, Ph: 08257 281232, 9448548572
3. Mayura Residency, Ph: 08257-281336
4. Sheshanag Ashraya, Ph: 08257-281215,281219,281279
5. Shreenikethana Lodge, Ph: 08257-281261, 281221
6. Suraksha Lodge, Ph: 08257-281306,281782
7. Vailankani Sadana Lodge Ph: 08257-281291,281801
8. Kenchamba lodge Ph: 08257 318914/M 94805733298.
9. Forest Resort and IB, Gundya, (20KM from Temple)
For Booking contact DFO Mangalore, Ph: 0824 2423913, Fax: 0824 2411242

Room rents range between 200 to 1600 per day.

Food: There are two restaurants Neo Mysore Cafe and Kumara Krupa hotels on the temple road. Free lunch at the temple starts at 11:30 am and free dinner which starts at 7:45 pm. The queues will be very long, but even if you are at the end of the queue you will reach the dinning hall within 20 minutes. Food service in the hall is fast and food is extremely tasty, you will want more.

Getting around: Just jump into any auto. They charge minimum of 15 Rs from any point to any point.

Temple timings:
Subramanya temple is from 6 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 9 pm.
Adi subramanaya temple is from 6 am to 6 pm.

Pujas:
If you want Abhisheka / Ashlesha bali or Naga prathista done then be in the temple before 9 am and get the tickets for the same.

The main reason for people to visit this place is for Sarpa Dosha. Each astrologer suggests different methods.

To get rid of this my astrologer suggested the below steps:
1. Get the date and time to enter the temple of Adi Subramanaya from your astrologer.
2. Bathe in the Kumara Dara River and get dressed in new white clothes.
3. Enter the temple at given time.
4. Get any puja done for the lord
5. Perform 9 Pradakshinas.
6. Collect the prasadam and the miritka (mud of the ant hill).
7. Go back to Kumara Dara rive, throw the white clothes into the river.
8. Return to the lodge and make sure you don't go anywhere but straight home.

Return: Trains start at 10:30 pm and KSRTC buses start from 2 pm.
We planned our return by bus. We took the 2:30 pm bus and reached Bangalore by 9:30 pm.

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