Sooda is renowned for the power of Sashti pooja and people flock to Sooda in Udupi district to perform puja on Sashti, Panchami and Sankranthi.  Not much is documented about this temple of Lord Subramanya also fondly called Skanda or Karthikeya by the local population.  

​

In ancient Tulu Nadu history, it is believed that this small village of Sooda was known for trading of all agricultural produce and tools especially those  made out of metals like brass, copper and iron.  Traders would assemble from all nearby towns and villages in the open land in front of the temple for a month between Sashti and Kiru Sashti to buy and sell goods.  The open land is termed as the ‘bakhemar’.  The paddanas refer to how the ringing of the Lord’s bells would be heard in distant villages and all these villages where the bells of the Lord could be heard belonged to the Kshetra of Lord Subramanya.  

In Tulu Nadu, there are seven places of worship of Lord Subramanya:  Manjeshwara, Sooda, Koodelu, Kudupu, Aribailu, Kukke and Kadandale. These places were all part of the Dakshina Kannada earlier.  Sooda was always called 'Chooda' and the main deity of the place and temple is Sri Vasuki Subramanya. Tulu Nadu is known for the worship of the snake god and Nagas are worshipped and revered in this region. The snake god is prayed to for progeny, to cure skin ailments, to cure various 'doshas', which are evil eyes cast by people who have animosity against you, for wealth, prosperity and to guard our lands and protect the people apart form blessings for a happy married life.  

 

Naga banas are where the Nagas are worshipped as a ritual, Ashlesha  bali, Dakke bali, Sarpa Samskara, Naga Darshana and Naga Mandalas are considered and believed to be the most favoured ways of pleasing Lord Subramanya.  Tulu Nadu observes and worships Nagas as gods and they are worshipped in various forms of Nagas like Naga Brahma, Naga Vishnu, Naga Ishwara, Naga Yakshi, Naga Durge and out of all these Naga Subramanya is considered the most popular form of worship.  

People have experienced miracles in this place and the place is known for its historical and spiritual history.

​

The first king who initiated the worship of Lord Subramanya in Sooda hailed from Nandalike and was called Hoovayya Hegde.  Hoovayya Hegde belonged to Shirva Kodu house and was said to have performed the Sooda Sashti with grandeur .  To this day, Sooda, Kodu and Nandalike homes are administrators of the temple for generations.  These are popular Bunt homes in this district and follow the matrilineal system.  Lord Vasuki Subramanya is the chief deity of the families of Shirva Kodu and Nandalike.  Hoovayya Hegde established the practice of Sashti pooja in the temple in the 14th century and from then on Sashti pooja has been observed in this temple with great religious fervour.  The Tulu folklore and paddannas speak about the history of the temple. 

The Alupas who worshipped the Lord of Sooda were Bunts.  The Siri padannas refer to one Sooda Shankara Alva who was nephew to Majala Beedu Bermer Alva and was responsible for collecting the taxes of the gramas of the coastal villages as per the instruction of the then ruling kings.  Bermer Alva constructed the Basrur palace and handed over to Shankar Alva and appointed him as the heir to his kingdom .  Chandu Pergade from Nandalike was also related to Bermer Alva.  Thus the 'gurkaras' of Nandalike to Sooda to Basrur to Satyanapura guthu homes represented by Chandu Pergade, Bermer Alva, Shankar Alva and Hoovayya Hegde were all related to each other .  Udyavara which was then ruled by the Alupas was also related to these homes. In 1068 , Alupa king, Kunda Varma who renovated Kadri Manjunatha temple, is believed to have promoted the ‘Natha Pantha’ and had approved the establishment of a mutt in Sooda.  To this day the mutt is there in Sooda. Hence it is said that Bunts started the Kundaranna Bari.  Sri Vadiraja Theertha of Sri Soude Mutt of Udupi had visited Sooda in 1400.

​

Karkala was then under the reign of the Khalsa and Keladi rulers and was ruled by Samantha Baira Arasu. Tulu paddanas talk about how he invaded Sooda and had to face the wrath of Kalayya and Kullayya.  That Baira Arasu ruled Karkala is evidenced by the engravings on the Gomateshwara statue present in Karkala in history. Based on this evidence goes the dating of Hoovayya Hegde having established the temple at Sooda.