Devi Temple Kateel Durga Parameswari Temple
Santhipriya
(This is an upgraded version of my original story that appeared in the November ’06 issue of Babaji Siddar Aanmeega Alayam, a Tamil monthly published from Chennai)
Saint Jabali in Tapas Kateel Durga devi Statue of Durga (Courtesy: British Museum)
How to reach the Temple: One can directly go by bus or taxi from either Mangalore (30-35 KM to temple) or from Udipi (30-40 KM to temple) or from Dharmasthala ( appro 75 KM to temple town )
Temple
Karnataka one of the Southern States in India has many historical temples. One such is Durga Parameswari temple in a place called Kateel in southern part of Karnataka. One can go to the place from Mangalore or Udipi two well known cities in the same region. Every day more than twenty times or so some puja or Homa takes place in the temple. The temple opens early at 04.00 hrs in the morning. Only after dressing up the deity, called alankar, the public worship commences from 06.00 hrs.
At the end of the day the temple is closed at 22.00 hrs in the night.
Story of Durga Parameswari
Long ago there was an asura called Arunasura who acquired a boon from
Lord Brahma that he would not suffer death from any two legged humans and or four legged animals, nor by any weapon as long as he kept chanting of Gayathri Mantra, a holy chant. Brahma powered him with
Gayathri Mantra and told him to recite it continuously. After acquiring the boon, Arunasura went to the heaven and drove away devas and conquered it. Varuna, the rain God was also one amongst those driven out of deva loga. As a result, Varuna stopped raining. For many years there was no rain. It resulted in total draught and scarcity of water and food grains on the earth. Famine broke out as the rivers, tanks and lakes dried up and there was no water to even drink. Thirsty people in thousands died thus turning earth into to a cemetery. The continuous chanting of the Gayathri Mantra made the asura acquire power and indomitable strength. Afraid of the asura the devas and other Gods went to Lord Shiva and prayed for his help. He promised to help them.
In the meanwhile moved by the pathetic conditions of the people who died in thousands, Maharshi Jabali, the great sage decided to perform a
Yagna to appease the Devas and to relieve people of their suffering. But the big task was to get water and other material needed for performing the Yagna. In the midst of famine from where could he fetch water and other material for the Yagna? Therefore he approached Devendra and requested him to send Kamadhenu (a sacred cow) with him to help him perform the Yagna. Since Kamadhenu was away to participate in another yagna performed for the sake of some other cause, Devendra permitted the sage to take Nandini, the daughter of Kamadhenu, who was also equally as powerful as Kamadhenu. When Saint Jabali went to Nandini and put forth his request, Nandini refused to go with him to the earth where she felt that evil forces were prominent.
When persuasion failed, saint Jabali, in his anger, cursed that she be born as a river on earth. Nandini realized her mistake and pleaded for mercy. Since a curse given by a holy saint is final, and effect reduced only by other means, Jabali advised that she has to flow as a river as a result of the curse, and Goddess Durga who was to manifest for some cause shall purify her from the curse. Satisfied by this assurance
Nandini emerged as a river from Kanakagiri and made the earth green once again. Jabali successfully performed his yagna and people on earth were relieved of their suffering.
Trimurties Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva realized that Arunasura will not remain silent once he saw the prosperity on earth and therefore went to
Sakthi seeking her help to eliminate him. She suggested them to send
Brihaspathi to make him get rid of Gayathri recitation so that she would be able to kill him. Brihaspathi approached Arunasura and successfully earned his confidence by flattering him severally and by ear poisoning that every one in the triloka accepted Arunasura as the supreme God of the Universe. With such a high degree of flattery Arunasura lost his mental balance and felt that since he was more than God himself why waste the time chanting Gayathri Mantra? He stopped chanting the mantra.
Durga was waiting for such a thing to happen. Once he diverted from chanting Gayathri mantra, the Goddess took the shape of a charming woman and began to wander in the garden of Arunasura. When Arunasura saw her beauty he fell in love with her at once and wanted to marry her.
As he tried to approach her, she ran away he started chasing her. When he tried to take her by storm, she disappeared inside a rock cave and mingled with the forest bee in the form of a big, furious bee. Arunasura who chased her, attempted to pull her out from the cave and in the act disturbed the mood of the vast swarm of forest bees inside. On getting disturbed the furious bees emerged from the cave, attacked and stung him angrily all over the body. Devi who was in the form of a big, furious bee too came out and stung him repeatedly till he died. He could not escape from the wrath of the bees.
The birth of the temple
Even after causing death to the asura, the Devi continued to angrily swim in the area. Now that the asura has been eliminated the Devas and the sages led by Jabali performed Abhishekham (holy bath) to Devi’s idol with tender coconut and requested her to cool down and bless every one. Acceding to their request she cooled down and when she emerged in the form of 'Linga' in the middle of the river Nandini , the curse on
Nandini too was purified and she got back her original form though the river continued to flow there. A temple came up in the same place where the Devi emerged as a Linga, and worshipped as Durga Parameswari.
Since Katee means waist portion and La means earth, the name of the place where Devi emerged exposing only half her body in the form of a
Linga (When the Linga emerged from the river half of it was submerged in the water i.e up to waist portion) became to be called Kateela and with passage of time the temple came up to be known as Kateel. Durga Parameswari is here for the good of the universe and fulfills the desires of those who come to worship her.
End note: The contents of this article are the expressed views of the Pundits (Pujaries) and other devotees. Photos have been gathered from different sources. In case some one gets further information in this temple I shall be glad and thankful if they mail me the story in [email protected] to enable me update the article in future.