SREE DURGAPARAMESWARI TEMPLE, KATEEL

On 02 04 22, with family, I went to Kateel after having darshan at Sringeri and Naravi.  Large number of Devotees were at the Durga Parameswari temple but still we could have darshan after a wait of 40 min in the Queue.

Naravi to Kateel by road is 40 kms and we reached in 45 min time.  Kateel is in Dakshina Karnataka district of Karnataka and on the banks of river Nandini.  It is at a distance of 347 kms from Bangalore, 29 Kms from Mangalore and around 45 Kms from Udupi.

The Durga Parameswari temple is connected with the legend of Sage Jabali requesting Nandini, daughter of Kamadhenu to overcome drought in the area and Arunasura, the demon, who was killed by Divine Mother assuming the form of a Giant Bee.  The unprecedented drought in the area in the first quarter of the 28th recurrence of the Yuga of the Vaiwasvatha Manvanthara, resulted in people suffering for food and Sage Jabali who was on a tapas in the area and woke up to the reality of the peoples' suffering and he decided to do a yagna to overcome the problem.   As he wanted materials for the same, he went to Indra  and asked for Kamadhenu's presence on earth where he contemplated to do the Yagna.  Indra said to the Sage, that Kamadhenu has gone for a sacrifice in Varuna Loga, he would send the daughter of Kamadhenu, Nandini instead.  The Sage went to Nandhini and she refused to accompany him telling that the earth is full of wrong doers and  she was not willing to be at Earth.  When Jabali tried to persuade with soothing words and requested again and again, Nandini never relented.  Jabali in his anger cursed Nandhini to flow as a River on the very same earth where drought is being experienced.  Nandhini requested Sage Jabali to tell her a way to come out of curse and the gentle Sage told that she would undertake penance in the mountainous region of Kanakachala on the Divine Mother to overcome the curse.  Thus Nandini had to come to earth to Kanakachala and do penance on Divine Mother.  Pleased with the penance of Nandhini the Divine Mother appeared and told her she would come out of the curse when the Divine Mother herself appeared in that place.  Thus Nandhini started to be River in that place.

When Demons Shumba and Nishumba were in control of the three worlds, they had a Minister called Arunasura.   When Devi killed Shumba and Nishumba for their activities, Arunasura had escaped.   By virtue of his penance, Arunasura had attained longevity given by the boon of Brahma as per which no god, no man, no woman, no animal with two or four legs, kinnaras and by any weapon could kill him.  Saraswati too who had accompanied Brahma had given the boon that no force can kill him as along as he recited Gayatri Mantra without fail.  He had made Ekaveeradri as his capital and was in control of the three worlds assisted by Chanda and Prachanda.  Having assured of no death, Arunasura got emboldened and gave problems to Deavas too.  As all complained to Brahama, he went to Lord Shiva who in turn too them to Lord Narayana.  He told all would do penance on Divine Mother and she would destroy the demon.  Divine Mother appeared to them and told as long as Gayatri Mantra is recited by him, he cannot be destroyed.  She would destroy him when he stopped reciting the Mantra.
Brahma in the guise of a Brahmin went to Arunasura and with great difficulty made him to stop reciting the Mantra.  Divine Mother appeared as a damsel and in the gardens of Ekaveeradri, and on seeing her, the two assistants of Arunasura rushed to his master and told him about the beauty of the woman in the garden.  Arunasura came and spoke to the woman to marry him and she told she had come to destroy him.   When his entire army including Chanda and Prachanda were killed by the woman, in a rage, Arunasura came to fight and the Divine Mother took the form of a big bee emerging from a rock and stung him all over his body and Arunasura was killed.

                                                Nandini River and bridge inside the temple

Sage Jabali rushed to the Divine Mother and asker to stay there itself and in a milder form.  He got tender coconut water from the Kalpakavruksha with the help of Indra and the abhisheka was performed with that to the large bee, the Divine Mother.  As initially assured, the Mother took the form a Linga splitting River Nandini in the middle thus making the water to wash her feet always and fulfilled Sage Jabali's prayer to stay in the earth.

A huge rock can be seen just before entering the bridge.   This is the Raktheshwari form of the Goddess from where she came out as a Bee to kill the demon Arunasura. The rock is worshiped  by devotees  and they offer tender coconuts to the rock.

Champaka with its great fragrance is not liked by the bee and this flower is not being used in this temple.  People offer tender coconuts to the mother as was done to reduce her ferocity.  As the mother appeared in the garden as a dancing damsel, Yakshagana is performed in the temple.

Traditional dress should be followed by female devotees.
Men should remove their shirt and Banians.  Dothi preferred.
Female devotees should not enter the temple for the first 5 days of their menstruation period.
Female devotees should not enter the temple when pregnant after six month
No one drinks Tender Coconut inside the temple premises.

Any material made of animal skin is not allowed inside the temple premises.

Temple Timings:
05.30 AM to 09.30 PM