Monday, January 20, 2014

Kateel Durga Paramaheswari Temple

We dropped our cousin at the Mangalore Airport and were returning to Mulki vide Kateel route.  In between we got down and visited the famed Kateel temple.  Normally there is a huge rush in the temple but during the noon we found that the temple was empty virtually except a few priests and devotees liesurely praying and moving around.  This type of visit is really satisfying because one is not pushed away due to rush secondly one gets to see the diety in all its glory.  I somehow feel that this goddess helps one to ward off evil many a times.   We had to cancel ours too.

Location :  It is 29 kms from Mangalore on the Airport route proceeding towards Kinni Goli.  If one approaches this temple from Udupi one has to take a deviation from Mulki towards Kateel on the state highway proceeding towards Moodabidri.  It is roughly 18 kms from Mulki bus stand.  Another route is from Dharmastala via Moodabidri towards Airport.


 
The temple is supposed to be located in a small island in the midst of river Nandini, but the signs of isle maybe visible from the sky, but one does encounter a bridge with the river flowing in its majestic towards the aiport.  Now with the rapid urbanisation the traces of greenary is slowly vanishing roads are getting widened towards the airport. 

Legends :  Once there was a heavy drought, forcing the Brahmins to consume meat too in this region.  The Brahmins initially consumed fish that is how some of them remained fish brahmins even today, they were on the verge of giving up totally their principle, when the saint Jabali found out through his inner gyaan that a demon Arunasura was preventing people from performing yagna.  This caused the scanty rainfall in the region.

Jabali decided to perform Yagna to rid people of the sufferings.  He planned to take Kamadenu to perform the yagna, but the Lord requested him to take Nandini instead who was daughter of  Kamadenu who refused to accompany the saint.  He cursed her to take the form of a river Nandini on earth.  Nandini was grief stricken but sage Jabali said she would be freed with the help of the goddess Durga.  Later Durga goddess helped Nandini to take rebirth in midst of the river.  Thus Nandini was redeemed.

Arunasura fled elsewhere and acquired a boon that he will not be killed by any human being or animal.  He started harassing the people of the area once again.  This time around goddess Durga took the form of a beautiful lady to attract attention of Arunasura, than later transformed herself into bees, which stung him to death.  The wild bees to this date are not supposed to be disturbed, they can sting one very badly.  We had experienced this in Byalkuppa, the tibetian monastery.  Luckily we were spared but the watchmen and the buddhist monk were very badly chased and bitten.  I had applied mosquito lotion and was carrying zorrik anti rust spray. 

The power of the goddess Durga who eliminates evil doers is still very strong in this temple.  Some do pray here to get rid of their enemies.  The goddess does help in getting rid of black magic effects too.  I do believe in this fable sincerely.    Lord Durga do bless us and guard us.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

the blog is awesome..keep post then and visit us

Rajasthan tour

Siddhartha Joshi said...

This is cool...and I also like the relaxed temple hours when you can sit within the temple and contemplate...

Unknown said...

Amazing blog about Incredible India.

avinash

avinash
cannons ready to fire

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