Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple is situated in a small village called Kudupu near Kulashekara, which is just 10 km away from Mangalore City, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka. The presiding deity is Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy faced towards the west, an avatar id Sri Maha Vishnu and famous for serpent worship. Naga Bana (hundreds of serpent idols) is situated on the eastern side of the temple. The temple also houses a holy pond ‘Bhadra Saraswathi Thirtha’ which is situated on the left side of the temple. Goddess Sri Devi, Lord Ganapathi, Lord Subramanya, Jaya and Vijaya are the main sub-deities of the temple.
The annual festival Shashti is a famous religious ceremony that falls in December. Also Nagarapanchami, the worship of sacrificing the milk to Lord Naga is celebrated with great devotion.
Kudupu Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple Timings:
Morning: 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Evening: 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Ashlesha Bali Pooja Timings: From 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
During Ashlesha Nakshatra day Seva will continue up to 11:00 PM.
Kudupu Temple Story from Purana:
Once there was a Brahmin Vedic scholar called ‘Kedar’ who was a very orthodox, kind and religious follower. But he was extremely worried about not having a child. Thinking that the blessing of a Saint is the ultimate resort for having a child he wandered everywhere searching for one such saint. Finally, his search fructified when he came contacted with one such holy Saint called ‘Shringa Muni’ near a small river ‘Bhadra Saraswathi Thirtha’ in midst of a big forest. He prostrated before a saint and placed his reason for worry. Hearing this a saint told him to stay there and start penance regarding Lord Subramanya who would fulfill his wishes. Saint also detailed to him about the holiness of that place and the river.
Kedar accepted the advice of the saint and stood there and started a rigorous penance regarding Lord Subramanya with great concentration of mind and devotion. In penance, he forgot all about his surroundings and himself. It continued for many years. As his penance became so intense it created a sort of immense heat in the surroundings and it spread everywhere even up to heaven. Devatas, humans, and animals found it very hard to sustain. Everybody began to worry about the future if it continues like this. Worried about his penance Devatas went to Satyaloka to see Lord Brahma and told him the situation. Thinking that Lord Mahavishnu only could redress the problem Lord Brahma accompanied by Devatas met him and detailed to him all about the situation. Hearing this Lord Mahavishnu said that Kedar is meditating regarding Lord Subramanya and only he could give remedy to this problem. Lord Mahavishnu promised Brahma and Devatas that he will meet Subramanya and accordingly he met him and told that Kedar is meditating upon him with a single desire of having a child that could be fulfilled by him only. He also asked Lord Subramanya to appear before Kedar and bless him with a child. But Lord Subramanya told that there is no child in the fate of Kedar and he is eligible only for salvation. But at the request of Lord Mahavishnu, Subramanya appeared before Kedar and blessed him with children. Kedar is so happy and expecting a child he settled near the Bhadra Thirtha River itself duly meditating and worshiping Lord Subramanya.
After someday wife of Kedar saw a serpent laying eggs and thought even snakes have the good fortune of having children and worried too much about her fate compared to that serpent. A year passed and Kedar’s wife became pregnant and the couple becomes very happy expecting a child. But after nine months, to their and everybody’s surprise, Kedar’s wife delivered three eggs that were more looking like serpent eggs. Devatas thought these eggs are nothing but an incarnation of Lord Maha Vishnu, Lord Mahashesha and Lord Subramanya and became very happy.
But Kedar was not happy. Even after rigorous penance if God blessed him with these eggs as children it is nothing but fate and a result of past action. That time he heard a divine voice coming from ether saying that these eggs are nothing but an incarnation of Lord Maha Vishnu, Lord Mahashesha and Lord Subramanya for the sake of the betterment of the world. It also realized him that he does not have further children and advised him to erect the eggs secretly at the place where he did penance upon Lord Subramanya. It blessed a place and River as a holy spot and whoever takes bath in the river will be blessed with children and freed from all sickness and sin. A divine voice also advised him to stay in that holy place worshiping Lord Anantha Padmanabha (another name of Lord Mahavishnu) and blessed him with salvation at the end of his life.
Hearing this voice Kedar became so happy and he kept those eggs in a basket weaved with forest creeps called Kudupu in the local language and kept secretly in the place where he meditated upon Lord Subramanya. He spent the rest of his life meditating upon Lord Anantha Padmanabha and attained salvation at the end of his life. Now in that place, an anthill was grown and the place is well known as Shree Kshetra Kudupu. A small river called Bhadra Saraswathi Thirtha resides near the temple itself.
The legend about the construction of the Temple:
Once a King named Shurasena did some wrong action and the sin caused by the act humiliated him very much and he lost his peace of mind. He asked different Vedic scholars, priests for the remedy of how to come out of this sin. But Brahmin Vedic scholars told him to cut down his hands himself, as the very cause of the sin was his hands only and advised him to worship upon Lord Mahavishnu. King accepted the advice and did accordingly. He made two golden arms and adorned them in place of his lost hands. But even though of his atonement he was very much worried about his lost hands.
One day while he was hunting animals in wild along with his army men he reached the holy and peaceful spot of Bhadra Saraswathi Thirtha. He was very much impressed by the peaceful atmosphere surrounding the Bhadra Thirtha. He was surprised by seeing the relics of pooja done near Thirtha. Meantime he remembered the advice given by Brahmin Vedic Scholars about the worship to be made to Lord Mahavishnu. Then he settled there and started to worship Lord Mahavishnu. As he intensely worshipped, Lord Mahavishnu appeared before him and inquired about his wants. King requested for restoration of his lost arms. By hearing this Lord Mahavishnu told him to build one time within a day itself and his arms will be replaced as soon as the construction of the temple completes.
King Shurasena became very happy and become ready to construct a temple within a day. All the sculptors and architects got into construction work. The work even continued at night and the dawn was nearing while the temple was almost all in the finishing stage except the ornamental top portion of the sanctum. Early morning an ethereal divine voice came from the sky advising us to stop the construction work as and where it is. King looked at his shoulder and alas!! his arms became, as it was earlier to the complete restoration. King settled there and spent the rest of his life ardently worshipping Lord Mahavishnu. Even today the temple does not have ‘Muguli’ (ornamental top portion on the sanctum).
Ananthapadmanabha Temple Special Poojas/Festivals:
- Ashada Hunnime (full moon day in Ashada Masa)
- Shravana Shuddha Nagara Panchami
- Gokulashtami (Birthday of Sri Krishna)
- Gouri Tritiya Dina Navnana (Podwar)
- Vinayaka Chowthi
- Soura Righupakarma
- Anantha Chaturdashi
- Navarathri
- Deepavali (Setting out of Bali)
- Tulasi pooja till Karthika Masa Uttana Dwadhashi and Ksheerabdhi on Dwadashi day.
- Kartika Hunnime Deepotsava
- Maha Shivarathri Deepotsava
- Sri Vishu Sankramana
- Vrishabha Masa Hunnime (Setting in Bali)
- Annual Festival from Margashira Shuddha Padya to Margashira Shuddha Shashti.
- Kiru Shashti on the 6th day of Pushya Shuddha
- Four-day festival from Dhanurmasa Shuddha Chathurdhashi.
Click Here to Check Sevas and Price details
Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Temple Address:
Kudupu AnanthaPadmanabha Temple,
Kudpu,
Kulashekara,
Mangaluru,
Karnataka – 575028.
Phone: 91-824-2262587
Mobile: +91-80883 22157 (Office Time: 9AM – 1PM, 5PM – 8PM)
Fax: 0824-2262682
Email: kuduputemple@gmail.com