Kollur's Mookambika: The only temple dedicated to goddess Parvathi

New Delhi: Mookambika Temple Kollur is one of the most prominent shrines in India. Located at a distance of 147 km from Mangalore in the picturesque surroundings presented by the banks of the river Sauparnika and the lush green Kodachadri hill, the temple attracts millions of pilgrims every year.It is the only temple that is dedicated to goddess Parvathi, the goddess Parvathi is called in Tamil as Thai Mookambika.This temple is believed to be created by Parashurama.This temple has a long history for its origin. It is said goddess Parvathi killed the Kamsasuran who lived here and who attempted to become powerful through his penance. Devi along with the help of Veerabadra, Ganapathi and Shiva initially made him dumb and he came to be called Mookasuran, mooka means to be dumb. Later the goddess killed him with her Chakra on the midnight of Shukla Astami. From then on Devi came to be called as Kollur Devi Mookambika. Then her divine energy became one with the lingam worshipped by Kola Maharishi. At the Sri Mookambika temple the Lingam is the main deity and is known as Jyothirlingam. Devi Mookambika has three eyes and four arms, with the divine disc and conch in her handsThe temple stands at the bottom of the Kodachadri peak. It is believed that the original place of the goddess is on top of Kodachadri Peak (3880') and as it was very difficult for ordinary people to trek all the way to Kodachadri, Shankaracharya reestablished the temple at Kollur.There is an exquisite sculpture of Panchamukha Ganesha here.Kollur is regarded as one of the Seven Muktisthala pilgrimage sites, of Parashurama Kshetra, in Karnataka which are (Kollur), Udupi, Subrahmanya, Kumbashi, Koteshwara, Shankaranarayana and Gokarna.