Temples of India – Subramanya

In this simple blog post, I want to post a few pics of our recent temple tour in India. Temples in India are divine. They have not only been the centers of worship, they are also sources of energy. Especially the old temples hold a lot of mysteries in their womb. The temples have been a seat of Indian culture, be it dance, music or other art forms. It is sometimes sad to see that a lot of temples today have become focussed on profits, and a lot of devotees have become focussed on blind beliefs rather than understanding the true meaning of temples and what they represent.

View my fun blog on temples here -> Click Here.

View below a journey through pics of some of the hidden gems of South Indian temples. The first temple I want to talk about here is Kukke Subramanya. Since many of my friends are curious about this temple, here is a brief about the temple. Kukke Subramanya is a temple of Lord Karthikeya, the lord with 6 heads. The temple is very popular among devotees. It is located in beautiful and heavenly Western Ghats mountain range of Karnataka. The mountain Kumara Parvata is close to it, and the beautiful river Kumara Dhara flows right beside the temple. While the temple focuses on providing reliefs and remedies to its devotees, music and art is seen throughout the temple. Some glimpses are shown below.

When we visited the temple, we also took a holy dip in the river Kumara Dhara. My experience was so sublime! I am not really a water person nor a morning person, so taking a dip in the cold water early morning at 5.30 AM was a challenge. I got into the water, with the sole intent of getting it done at the earliest. I took a dip and when I came out, the magnificent Kumara Parvat was in front of me, with a bit of mist and clouds around it. Never in my life did I feel so alive and aware of the divinity that surrounded me!

Of the devotees who visit the temple, most people come with specific prayers. The three important “Sevas” that happen here are “Sarpa Samskara”, “Naaga Prathishte” and “Ashlesha Bali”. All of the above are for Lord Subramanya who represents the snakes. Snakes are worshipped here like Gods, and it is forbidden to harm any. You will find snakes everywhere in the region. It is believed that if the devotee or his/her ancestors have killed or harmed a snake or its family, then they can get relief here by doing specific “sevas”. Typically this is remedial in nature.

Some tips for the traveller in you:

1. If you are coming as a leisure traveller not keen on any Sevas, afternoon or evening times are the best to avoid long lines and crowds.
2. If you are coming with a specific intent of worship or Seva, then morning is best, however be prepared for heavy crowds on certain days and long darshan lines.
3. Several accommodations are available around the temple based on budget. Pre-booking is better.
4. Several restaurants are available around the temple offering north indian and south indian foods.
5. There are several shops around the temple where you can buy knick knacks, spcies and herbs, different kinds of oils , toys etc.
6. From the main Subramanya temple devotees usually visit the Adi Subramanya temple by walk or vehicle which is about 1.5 km away. Along this path you will find several shops.
7. The temple serves lunch every day for hundreds of devotees free of cost!

And sharing some pics of the art forms I captured-