Mookambika temple has a history going back to more than 1,200 years. Mookambika embodies the powers of Parvathy, Saraswathi and Mahalakshmi. She has three eyes and four arms, with the divine chakram and conch in her hands and is seated on a lion.
Deities in Mookambika Temple
The main deity is a jyotirlingam. A golden line cuts it in half. The left half embodies the Tridevis while the right half stands for the Trimurtis. The belief is that Mookambika Devi has merged with this lingam. However devotees mostly see the panchaloha idol of Goddess Mookambika inside the sanctum sanctorum. The jyotirlingam is placed exactly in front of the idol of Goddess Mookambika. A golden shield usually covers the jyotirlingam.
Dashabhuja Ganapathi is on the southern side of the sanctum. The Naga Prathistha is on the south-west portion of the pradakshinavattam. There are also separate shrines for Hanuman, Veerabhadreshwarar, Subrahmanya and Shivalingas.
The Saraswathi Mandapam is on the southern side of the outer circle. Vidyarambham ceremonies are conducted here. This is a Hindu tradition where children are formally introduced to learning. The ritual is ususally conducted on Vijayadashami day.
Festivals
Navaratri is the main festival at Mookambika temple. Navratri celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura, the buffalo-headed demon. She fought for nine days and nine nights before rising victorious on the tenth day.
Navaratri devotes three days each towards worship of the three divine forms of Devi: Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The tenth day is Vijayadashami, the day of victory.
Saraswati Pooja falls on the days of Ashtami, Navami and Vijayadashami. During this period, students worship books and learning material. The ninth day is also the day for Ayudha Pooja when you worship the tools of one’s livelihood.
Thousands of children write their first alphabets in front of Mookambikasannidhi in the morning of Vijayadashami. Devotees from all districts of Kerala come to Mookambikasannidhi. Navratri celebrations end with Vijayatra that evening.
Poojas and Sevas
The below-mentioned are among the poojas take place every day at Kollur Mookambika Temple.
- Mookambika Alankara Pooja: Mokkambika is adorned with all her jewels and worshipped reverently.
- Chandika Homam: The Chandika Homam requires the presence of 7 priests. They chant the 700 verses and hymns from the Devi Mahatmayam. Offerings of the Payasam (sweet pudding ) is made to Agni during the chantings. The devotee must arrive a day before the Homam. The Homam begins at 8 AM in the morning and ends at 11:30 AM.
- Naamkaranam: The naming ceremony of the infants takes place with the blessings of the Goddess.
- Vidyarambam Pooja: Children along with their parents can perform this pooja dedicating it to Goddess Saraswati to initiate the educational career of their offsprings. The pooja takes place between 6:45 AM to 1 PM daily for children above the age of 3.
Sauparnika River
Sauparnika is a sacred river that originates from the Kudajadri mountains. It flows by the temple. Many believe that the waters of Souparnika river can cure many diseases as it courses through numerous medicinal plants. But the river has become polluted in recent times. Originating from the Kudajadri mountains, the river runs for more than 100km and empties into the Arabian Sea at Kundapura.
Getting There
The nearest railway station is Mookambika Road. It is 29 km (39 min) from Kollur. An auto ride will set you back by ₹400. A taxi will cost ₹600. Alternatively, you could hire an auto to Baindur bus station and then board a bus to Kollur. The route winds through dense jungles. At night many wild animals turn up on the road.
The temple town of Udupi is 73km (1h35m) by road from Kollur. It is possible to visit Udupi and Mookambika temples on the same day with careful planning.
A Scania luxury bus, operated by Kerala State RTC, departs Kollur at 2:00 pm and reaches Trivandrum in 17h35m. The fare is ₹1,291. The Kollur-Kannur segment costs ₹521 and takes 6h45m. For online booking, click here.
History of Mookambika Temple
Sage Parashuraman, according to beliefs, created Mookambika temple as it lies in the land between Gokarna and Kanyakumari. The temple finds a place in the 108 Durga temples of ancient Kerala. It is also one among the 108 Shiva temples in Kerala since Lord Shiva has a presence in Mookambika.
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