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After a four-hour journey from Mangalore, the bus entered Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary. One of the most popular pilgrim centres in India is covered in thick forest. Mookambika temple in Kollur is equally inspiring for the religious and the atheist, laymen and artists. The temple and the surrounding green hills offer divinity and beauty.

The temple owes its mythological origin to Shankaracharya, the ninth-century pioneer of Hindu revivalism. The scholar-sage prayed the goddess of Sringeri, where he had founded one of his four mutts in India, to come with him to his homeland in Kerala. The goddess accepted to be led by him if he did not dare to look back at her.

Scholar’s seat and goddess’ pact

Don Sebastian
2006-09-30 12:01:19

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After a four-hour journey from Mangalore, the bus entered Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary. One of the most popular pilgrim centres in India is covered in thick forest. Mookambika temple in Kollur is equally inspiring for the religious and the atheist, laymen and artists. The temple and the surrounding green hills offer divinity and beauty.

The temple owes its mythological origin to Shankaracharya, the ninth-century pioneer of Hindu revivalism. The scholar-sage prayed the goddess of Sringeri, where he had founded one of his four mutts in India, to come with him to his homeland in Kerala. The goddess accepted to be led by him if he did not dare to look back at her.

Shankara took the goddess to Kerala. He could hear the divine anklets chiming behind him. When the strange convoy reached Kollur, the sound stopped. The confused Shankara turned back. The goddess was still there but she refused to follow the sage who broke the condition. Thus Kollur became home to the powerful goddess and her devotees.

About 40 km (22 if you are adventurous: 12 km on a winding Ghat road followed by a 10-km five-hour trek through the forest) from the temple, is the Kodajadri peak, which houses Sarvajnapeetham, the scholar’s seat, commemorating Shankara’s invincible debate near Srinagar in Himalayan valley. Kollur’s benefactor has a tribute on Kodajadri.

Shaji’s jeep climbs the rocky road to Kodajadri. The drive is impossible. But for Shaji and his colleagues, it has been a daily routine for years. Eight passengers will get him Rs 1200. The forest through which we pass houses every animal but lion and elephant, he says. On rainy months this is a different forest with different hues, he adds.

The jeep goes till a small shrine dedicated to Mookambika. A huge pole sticks out of the roof of the shrine. Adiga, the priest says it is the tip of the trident with which the goddess pinned Mookasura, a demon, to the ground. In the next house live the Adiga and his family. One of the many streams has formed into a pond on the way to Sarvajnapeetham.

The green hill blends into the clouds above. We trek through the narrow forest path. Many of our fellow-travellers abandon the steep hikes. As we come out of the forest cover to the rocky expases on the cliff, the red sun is about to go behind a screen of mist. We stand on the shore of a sea of clouds.

On the peak is the granite portico, which stands testimony to Shankara’s scholasticism. Inside, there is a tiny idol of the sage. People who climb the hill no longer look for enlightenment. Groups of youngsters make merry round the monument. Some of them collect twigs to light up a campfire in the night. The height is a favourite campsite for the students in the area.

It’s getting darker. We can’t wait any longer. It would be dangerous to negotiate the tough terrain once mist falls. Shaji starts the journey downhill. The jeep sways like a yacht caught in high wind. Dust and mist cover us all. We are in time for the bus back to Kerala. The trip has been exciting and disappointing.

Exciting for the adventure and beauty the hills offer. Disappointing for all the places we skipped for want of time and planning. We vow to return for the Mookambika temple and the Souparnika river. As Anil and I get in the bus, Naveen, Sijo and John stay back to join Srikanth and Pramesh.

We came here in three groups. While we were trekking, Pramesh and Srikanth were experiencing their piece of adventure in some other part of the sanctuary. The whirlwind trip comes to an end as our bus winds down the hilly road.

(Pictures shot by Srikanth TV)