Our visit to Sri Brahmi Durgaparameshwari Temple in Kamalashile happens by chance. As we drive from Udupi to Kollur, our planned destination, we make an impulsive digression upon seeing a board indicating the Kamalashile Temple. We drive through a dense forest area for over 15 km before coming upon the serene and tranquil
environs of Kamalashile.
At the entrance courtyard of the temple is a 75-feet-tall dhwaja sthamba (flag staff) crafted from the wood of a single kiral bhogi tree. About 200 kg of silver has been used to cover the sacred pole, which is embellished with carvings of deities. The temple was destroyed in the floods of 1968, but was rebuilt using the wood of jackfruit and kiral bhogi trees.
The origins
The origins of the temple date back to Tretha Yuga, according to the temple priest Guru Prasad. The presiding deity is Sri Brahmi Durgaparameshwari, who is believed to be a divine combination of goddesses Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati and is worshipped in the form of a linga. However, legend has it that the goddess appeared as Kamalashile Linga when Brahma created the world. In fact, Kamalashile was worshipped as Brahma Lingeshwara initially.
Chandramana Ugadi and Brahma Rathotsava or jatre are the important temple celebrations here. The temple's six-wheeled chariot has stunning carvings of episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Thousands of devotees gather here from various regions of Karnataka during the performance of the annual Chandika Shanti, Chandika Parayana, and Durga Shanti homas.
"Navarathri is celebrated in a grand manner here, when the deity is adorned on all nine days in different ways. Over 3,000 people are fed on each of the nine days. Every day, the place registers almost 10,000 visitors from Karnataka and
nearby states," says Guru Prasad. A unique aspect associated with the shrine is that a special puja called Salaam Puja is performed as a tribute to Hyder Ali and his son Tippu Sultan, who patronised the temple.
Twice every month on the day of ekadashi, the linga is adorned with fresh mruthika or clay. The old clay is offered to devotees as moola prasada, which may be mixed with water and taken as theertha or gandha. This is an elixir, a panacea for all ills and problems, say the devotees routinely visiting the temple.
The Suparshwa Cave situated close to the temple was once inhabited by King Suparshwa, after whom it is named. With the blessings of Lord Shiva, the king performed severe austerities and penance in the cave, which was guarded by Bhairava. Subsequently, several seers and kings sought the cave for meditation.
Of serpents in silver
Flowing between rocks near the cave is the naga theertha, which merges with River Kubja near the temple. The shrine dedicated to Naga is particularly attractive with a stunning creation of entwined serpents in silver. Legend has it that the serpents, fearing attack by Garuda, their arch enemy, sought refuge in Goddess Durgaparameshwari. At her behest, the serpents coiled themselves to become a seat and bed for Lord Vishnu to rest upon, thus defying death at the hands of Garuda.
The vehicle of goddess Durga, a tiger, is believed to have visited the cave every evening. A fire would be lit at the cave entrance to enable the animal to keep itself warm. Many at the temple say that a tiger still comes to the cave and the ritualistic lighting of a fire takes place even today.
But that's not the only historical tale associated with this cave. According to folklore, a beautiful woman named Pingala was a court dancer in Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati. One day, she refused to perform before the divine couple.
Angered by her arrogance, Parvati cursed her to be born as an ugly woman (kubja) on earth.
When a repentant Pingala pleaded mercy, Parvati directed her to Suparshwa Cave for doing penance. She told Pingala that she would be coming down to earth to vanquish demon Khararatasura, who was harassing earthly beings. Parvati also informed her that she would take the form of a linga called Kamalashile, in front of Rishi Raikwa's ashram in the Sahyadri forests after destroying the demon.
Parvati further told Pingala that the river which originated from the Sahyadri forest would be named Kubja after her and that it would flood every year and clean her linga form. Pingala meditated near Suparshwa Cave on the banks of the said river.
Pleased by her penance, Parvati then asked her to head to Mathura to meet Lord Krishna and told her that his touch would cure her of her sins.
And as the legend goes, on any random day every year, the temple gets inundated with water. But how and from where it comes, and where it recedes to, still remains a mystery, according to the temple staff. As soon as the news of water gushing in spreads, there is a human deluge that comes to have a dip in it. The believers flock to the temple to pray for domestic harmony and to have their wishes fulfilled as they believe the water has curative and healing powers. Another interesting feature related to this phenomenon is that the water which enters the temple comes as far as the steps of the sanctum sanctorum, but does not get inside!
Fact File
*Kamalashile is located at a distance of 35 km from Kundapura in Udupi district.
*Temple timings: 6am to 8pm daily.
*Air: Mangaluru (125 km)
*Rail: Kundapura is the nearest railway station.
*Road: Kamalashile is well connected by state-run public buses.
environs of Kamalashile.
At the entrance courtyard of the temple is a 75-feet-tall dhwaja sthamba (flag staff) crafted from the wood of a single kiral bhogi tree. About 200 kg of silver has been used to cover the sacred pole, which is embellished with carvings of deities. The temple was destroyed in the floods of 1968, but was rebuilt using the wood of jackfruit and kiral bhogi trees.
The origins
The origins of the temple date back to Tretha Yuga, according to the temple priest Guru Prasad. The presiding deity is Sri Brahmi Durgaparameshwari, who is believed to be a divine combination of goddesses Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati and is worshipped in the form of a linga. However, legend has it that the goddess appeared as Kamalashile Linga when Brahma created the world. In fact, Kamalashile was worshipped as Brahma Lingeshwara initially.
Chandramana Ugadi and Brahma Rathotsava or jatre are the important temple celebrations here. The temple's six-wheeled chariot has stunning carvings of episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Thousands of devotees gather here from various regions of Karnataka during the performance of the annual Chandika Shanti, Chandika Parayana, and Durga Shanti homas.
"Navarathri is celebrated in a grand manner here, when the deity is adorned on all nine days in different ways. Over 3,000 people are fed on each of the nine days. Every day, the place registers almost 10,000 visitors from Karnataka and
nearby states," says Guru Prasad. A unique aspect associated with the shrine is that a special puja called Salaam Puja is performed as a tribute to Hyder Ali and his son Tippu Sultan, who patronised the temple.
Twice every month on the day of ekadashi, the linga is adorned with fresh mruthika or clay. The old clay is offered to devotees as moola prasada, which may be mixed with water and taken as theertha or gandha. This is an elixir, a panacea for all ills and problems, say the devotees routinely visiting the temple.
The Suparshwa Cave situated close to the temple was once inhabited by King Suparshwa, after whom it is named. With the blessings of Lord Shiva, the king performed severe austerities and penance in the cave, which was guarded by Bhairava. Subsequently, several seers and kings sought the cave for meditation.
Of serpents in silver
Flowing between rocks near the cave is the naga theertha, which merges with River Kubja near the temple. The shrine dedicated to Naga is particularly attractive with a stunning creation of entwined serpents in silver. Legend has it that the serpents, fearing attack by Garuda, their arch enemy, sought refuge in Goddess Durgaparameshwari. At her behest, the serpents coiled themselves to become a seat and bed for Lord Vishnu to rest upon, thus defying death at the hands of Garuda.
The vehicle of goddess Durga, a tiger, is believed to have visited the cave every evening. A fire would be lit at the cave entrance to enable the animal to keep itself warm. Many at the temple say that a tiger still comes to the cave and the ritualistic lighting of a fire takes place even today.
But that's not the only historical tale associated with this cave. According to folklore, a beautiful woman named Pingala was a court dancer in Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati. One day, she refused to perform before the divine couple.
Angered by her arrogance, Parvati cursed her to be born as an ugly woman (kubja) on earth.
When a repentant Pingala pleaded mercy, Parvati directed her to Suparshwa Cave for doing penance. She told Pingala that she would be coming down to earth to vanquish demon Khararatasura, who was harassing earthly beings. Parvati also informed her that she would take the form of a linga called Kamalashile, in front of Rishi Raikwa's ashram in the Sahyadri forests after destroying the demon.
Parvati further told Pingala that the river which originated from the Sahyadri forest would be named Kubja after her and that it would flood every year and clean her linga form. Pingala meditated near Suparshwa Cave on the banks of the said river.
Pleased by her penance, Parvati then asked her to head to Mathura to meet Lord Krishna and told her that his touch would cure her of her sins.
And as the legend goes, on any random day every year, the temple gets inundated with water. But how and from where it comes, and where it recedes to, still remains a mystery, according to the temple staff. As soon as the news of water gushing in spreads, there is a human deluge that comes to have a dip in it. The believers flock to the temple to pray for domestic harmony and to have their wishes fulfilled as they believe the water has curative and healing powers. Another interesting feature related to this phenomenon is that the water which enters the temple comes as far as the steps of the sanctum sanctorum, but does not get inside!
Fact File
*Kamalashile is located at a distance of 35 km from Kundapura in Udupi district.
*Temple timings: 6am to 8pm daily.
*Air: Mangaluru (125 km)
*Rail: Kundapura is the nearest railway station.
*Road: Kamalashile is well connected by state-run public buses.