South India · Karnataka
Kollur, Karnataka
Before you go
A Shakti shrine at the foot of the Western Ghats, especially revered in Kerala; Navratri is the peak.
About Kollur
- Forest
- Hills
Where it is
Kollur is a temple village in the Byndoor taluk of Udupi district in coastal Karnataka, on the Souparnika river at the foot of Kodachadri hill in the forested Western Ghats, inland from Kundapur.
History
The Mookambika temple has long been one of the great goddess shrines of the Karnataka coast, and tradition holds that Adi Shankaracharya installed its four-armed image of the goddess after meditating on Kodachadri, where his Sarvajna Peetha stands. It draws many pilgrims from Kerala, where Mookambika is especially revered as a goddess of learning.
People
Kollur's villagers speak Kannada and live from farming and the pilgrim trade, and so many visitors come from Kerala that Malayalam is widely heard. On Vijayadashami families bring small children to the temple for Vidyarambham, their first lesson in writing.
Known for
- The Sri Mookambika Temple
- Kodachadri hill and the Sarvajna Peetha
- The Souparnika river
- Navaratri and Vidyarambham
- Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary
Did you know?
The temple's main linga, seen by devotees as the union of Shiva and Shakti, is divided by a thin golden line.
Shrines and sites
- Sri Mookambika Temple
- Kodachadri hill
- Souparnika river
Traditions
- Hindu
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.