History of Shree Ghati Subrahmanya Kshetra

Ghati Subrahmanya Swami

       Shree Subrahmanya Swami kshetra is famous as "Middle Subrahmanya" and is situated in the doddaballapura district, 60 km far from Bangalore. Before knowing about Ghati Subrahmanya, we must know about Aadi Kukke Subrahmanya.

Entrance of the Ghati Subrahmanya Temple

 Born of Shree Subrahmanya Swami:

         Once Lord Shiva killed Tripurasura. After that his son's Tarakasura, Simhavakra, Gajasya and Shurapadma started troubling the mankind. Un-bearing the troubles by these Rakshasa's(demons) all went to Lord Brahma Deva for protection. All prayed Shree Hari for help then Shree Hari suggested, "Lord Shiva has to Marry Parvati and their child will kill these demons" as a solution. 

Lord Shree Hari Suggesting a Solution

          Lord Shiva was in meditation by the separation of Dakshayani in "Daksha Yagna". Lords sent Manmata to make Lord Shiva to have love with Parvati. Manmata breaked Shiva's meditation by experimenting Panchabana on Shiva. Then Shiva married Parvati.

Manmata Experimenting Panchabana on Shiva

Shiva Parvati marriage

         Once when Shiva Parvati were in lonely place, as per the Lords direction Lord Agni went there. At that time a brilliant radiance came out of Shiva and fallowed Lord Agni. Agni feared, went and hided in Ganga. As radiance also followed Agni, it became cool in water and divided into six parts. Those six parts changed as six children, then converted as one child with six heads by Parvati and became Shanmukha.

Six Children in Ganga And Agni Deva

Shanmukha Swami with Parvati

     Shree Subrahmanya Swami as a Shanmukha killed Tarakasura, Simhavakra, Gajasya and Shurapadma.

         Once Subrahmanya Swami kept Lord Brahma in imprison for telling the meaning of "Omkara". Lord Shiva advised Subrahmanya Swami and released Brahma from imprison. Then Subrahmanya swami cursed himself to become as a Ghata Sarpa (Serpent) by the Guiltiness and came to Bhoo Loka(Earth) then settled in Kukke as Lord of all serpents, Dakshina Karnataka. Once Divine serpents Vasuki and Takshaka prayed Kukke Subrahmanya Swami to protect them from Gharuda. Shree Subrahmanya Swami prayed Shree Hari for help then Shree Hari as a Lakshmi Narasimha Swami stayed together with Subrahmanya Swami for guarding serpents from Gharuda.

Shanmukha Swami Killing Demons

Shree Lakshmi Narasimha Swami Guarding Serpents from Gharuda

          Once upon time in Ghati Kshetra there was a demon by name Ghatikasura and was troubling mankind. Sages of Ghati Gargeya, Markandeya and some more prayed Subrahmanya Swami for protection. Subrahmanya Swami came to Ghati and killed that demon and as per the sages prayer Swami stayed in Ghati then that place became as "Middle Subrahmanya".

Shree Subrahmanya Swami Killing Ghatikasura

          Shree Ghati Subrahmanya Swami come to know to the people by, some 600 hundred years ago. There was a merchant in a village near to Ghati and that merchant always used to go for other villages passing Ghati. When coming back to his village he used to sleep on a stone under a tree. All the time when he sleeping on that stone there was a sound coming out as "Why you are sleeping on this stone? get up", merchant neglected it. Once Subrahmanya Swami came into merchant's dream and told to show the place of Swami to Gorpade Maharaja of Sondur who is the devotee of Swami, to construct the temple for Subrahmanya Swami. Then merchant went to Sondur and told all thing to Gorpade Maharaja. 

        In the next day itself Maharaja Gorpade came to Ghati kshetra and wondered by seeing that all the stones there were in the form of serpent. Maharaja come to know the place of Swami and constructed the temple there.

Merchant sleeping on the Swami idol

Temple Constructed by Gorpade Maharaja

          Now Shree Ghati Subrahmanya Swami Kshetra is a popular pilgrim center. Uniqueness of Subrahmanya Swami here is "Seven headed cobra (Subrahmanya) facing east and Lakshmi Narasimha Swami facing west in a single idol. To see the both deities at the same time there is a huge mirror placed in the rear.   

Shree Subrahmanya Swami and Shree Lakshmi Narasimha Swami