Mookambika Devi is a revered form of Adi Parashakti, the supreme mother goddess in Hinduism, embodying Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati — the divine feminine trinity. She is venerated especially in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telugu-speaking regions, and is worshipped as the source of wisdom, prosperity, and strength. Her principal shrine, the Mookambika Temple, is located in Kollur village, Kundapura taluk, Udupi district, Karnataka.
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| Kollur Mookanbika Devi, KA onmanorama.com |
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| Kollur Mookambika temple,KA //templeinkarnataka.com |
Legend
Mookambika is famed for slaying the demon Kaumasura, later called Mookasura after the goddess Saraswati robbed him of speech to prevent him from gaining a boon from Shiva. When Mookasura unleashed terror across the three worlds, the combined energy of Trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) and Tridevi (Saraswati, Lakshmi, Parvati) manifested as Devi Mookambika, who rode a lion and destroyed him.
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| Kollur Mookambika, KA tripadvisor.com |
Above image: Kollur Mookambika, in Udupi district of, Karnataka, a significant pilgrimage site is dedicated to the Mother Goddess - considered the unification of Shiva and Shakti.
The linga in the Kollur temple symbolizes both masculine and feminine divine energy. A golden line (rekha) in the linga separates the Trimurti on one side and the Tridevi on the other. Adi Shankaracharya is believed to have consecrated the Vigraha (idol) of Mookambika behind this linga, establishing the sanctum. The goddess is worshipped as Saraswati in the morning, Lakshmi at noon, and Parvati in the evening, symbolizing her triune nature.
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| Kollur Mookambika, Temple KA .mookambika.co/ |
Veneration and Pilgrimage
According to another legend, Adi Shankara attempted to bring Goddess Saraswati to Kerala. However, after breaking his vow not to look back at her, she chose to remain in Kollur, agreeing also to reside at Chottanikkara Temple in Kerala. The temple rituals there begin only after the opening of the Mookambika Temple.
The Navaratri festival, Chandika Homa, Rathotsava (Car Festival), and Vijayadashami Vidyarambham are celebrated with grandeur. Devotees, especially from Kerala, throng the temple to initiate their children into learning by writing “Om” on rice.
The Mahalakshmi Ashtakam, said to be composed by Indra, and the powerful Mookambika Mantra are regularly chanted here, making Kollur a timeless spiritual beacon.
The Sri Mookambika Temple in Kollur, Karnataka, is an ancient temple with a rich blend of mythology and history. While the exact builder and construction date of the temple are not precisely documented in inscriptions, it is widely believed to have pre-Vedic origins and was later formalized as a temple by Adi Shankaracharya around the 8th–9th century CE.
