Subrahmanya Shashthi, the sixth day of the bright half of Margashira, is the great day of Kukke Subramanya, deep in the Western Ghats. Here Subrahmanya is worshipped as the lord of serpents: the serpent king Vasuki is said to have taken refuge with him from Garuda. The temple's chariot is drawn on this day, and people come from across the south for rites that lift the curse of serpents.
The story
Having killed the demon Taraka, Subrahmanya washed his spear in the Kumaradhara river and settled on its bank. The rites performed here, Sarpa Samskara and Ashlesha Bali, are for those who believe an ancestor harmed a snake.
Serpent worship runs through coastal Karnataka. Every old family of Tulu Nadu has a nagabana, a small grove left untouched for the snakes.
How it is kept
- Brahma RathotsavaThe great chariot is drawn at Kukke on Shashthi morning.
- Naga pujaMilk and turmeric are offered at serpent stones and anthills.
- UpavasaA fast, broken after the puja.
- Brahmachari bhojanaUnmarried boys are fed as forms of the god.
Why this date
Subrahmanya Shashthi is the Shashthi of the bright half of Margashira, on the day it is present at sunrise.
Subrahmanya Shashthi in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday | |
| 2027 | Saturday | |
| 2028 | Wednesday | |
| 2029 | Tuesday | |
| 2030 | Saturday | |
| 2031 | Friday |
More Kannada festivals
14 NovemberKartika Hunnimeಕಾರ್ತಿಕ ಹುಣ್ಣಿಮೆ
20 December 2026Vaikuntha Ekadashiವೈಕುಂಠ ಏಕಾದಶಿ
29 OctoberDeepavaliದೀಪಾವಳಿ
28 OctoberNaraka Chaturdashiನರಕ ಚತುರ್ದಶಿ
9 OctoberVijayadashamiವಿಜಯದಶಮಿ
8 OctoberMahanavami and Ayudha Pujaಮಹಾನವಮಿ · ಆಯುಧ ಪೂಜೆ
Where to see Subrahmanya Shashthi
In Karnataka
- Kukke Subramanya TempleKarnatakaThe chief seat of the god in Karnataka; the festival lasts a fortnight.
- Ghati SubramanyaKarnatakaNear Doddaballapur, with a famous cattle fair in this month.
- Kudupu, MangaluruKarnatakaThe Ananta Padmanabha temple, a centre of serpent worship.
Across India
- MopideviAndhra PradeshSubrahmanya as a serpent in the Krishna delta.
- PalaniTamil NaduThe most visited of Murugan's six abodes.
- JejuriMaharashtraThe same day is Champa Shashthi for Khandoba.