The village of Kukke Subrahmanya is located in the state of Karnataka in Sulia Taluk The village is known for its many temples, the main one being the Kukke Subrahmanya Temple set against the hills of Kumara Parvatha Other than being a pilgrimage centre, Kukke Subrahmanya is known for access to nature and for the scenic beauty of the hills and valleys and treks through the luxuriant forests.
There are many interesting stories on how the village got its name. The village used to be earlier known as Kukke Pattana. According to one legend, the mythical Vasuki and other snakes took refuge from Garuda under Lord Subrahmanya in the village caves. Vasuki installed the linga of Lord Siva in a cave or kukke and hence it came to be known as Kukke Linga and the place as Kukkepura.
!n the local language “kukke” means “basket” and the worship of linga in a basket led to the place acquiring its name. Lord Kumara i’a‹›other name for Lord Subrahmanya) came to the river after
:•‹l!ing the demon ruler Taraka and washed his weapon, the Shakti 4y iidha, in this river. From then onwards, the river came to be «r•‹›wn as Kumaradhara.