The Sarpa Samskara puja in Kukke Subrahmanya Kshetra

                                 The Sarpa samskara puja performed in Kukke subrahmanya Kshetra of Karnataka is believed to be very powerful and as per my knowledge, this is the only temple where this kind of puja is performed. I'll try to explain in detail about the process and background of this puja as I understood from the explanation of the pujari.
                      Generally it is believed that a person gets sarpa dosha in his life due to 3 main reasons:
 1) Anyone of our family members killed a snake.(As per sastras, if snake, monkey and cat are killed or died, one has to perform Dahana samskaras to relive the soul)
 2) A snake might have died in the land or plot where we are living or having cultivation, which didn't have funeral rites.
3) A snake might have died under the wheels of our vehicle unknowingly.

                               The result of the sarpa dosha in a person's life is seen in many ways like delayed marriage, delayed issue, skin diseases, financial growth obstructed and some other diseases. So this puja is meant for all such problems which is addressed to calm down the effect of Rahu, Ketu and Kuja Grahas at a time.
This puja can be performed only by those who are performing pitru karma because here as a part of the puja one has to do dahana samskara and pinda pradanam to idol of the snake just in a similar way performed for human beings. If you are a brahmin and did pitru karma, you can perform this puja on your own as per the instructions given in the mike by the main pujari. If you are a non-brahmin, a priest is appointed to perform the puja on your behalf and you have to book for this in advance by sending the DD and the appointment is fixed depending on the dates available.
                      On the destined day of the puja, one has to wake up early in the morning (preferably 5 AM) and take a dip in the Kumara Dhara river (located in the entrance of the Kukke) and make yourself ready to stand in the queue for the ticket by 7 AM. There will be given a seat no on the ticket. Go to the Adi Subrahmanya temple and be present there at your seat no. by 9AM on the same day. Everyone will be given a Deeksha vastra which must be preserved and worn during the 2 day puja session.
     As far as i understood, the puja process follows like this.
              Two idols of snakes are made out of flour, one male and the other female.(The female can be made out with two or three eggs on its side). With the mantra chanting the soul of the unrelieved snake is transferred to the male idol (Aavahana) and with systematic puja, that idol is put into fire so as to perform the Dahana samskara. The female snake idol, again with proper mantra chanting, is left in the presence of the male snake Vasuki, referring that we wish to see our family too grow in the same manner as the snake family grows by bringing together the male and female. After this, all the persons of the family are asked to take dip in the pool there as it is common when we do such rituals to humans.
                          This finishes the first session of the puja and in the afternoon, lunch is provided in the same Adisubrahmanya temple complex. One is instructed not to go inside the temple for darshan till the puja is totally finished. The dinner too is provided by the temple itself and it is must that one should not eat outside food for these 2 days. Dinner is provided a bit early in the night.
           The day 2 puja consists of pinda pradana and tarpana for 64 times which is meant to relieve the soul completely and send it to pious lokas. Don't forget to bring the deeksha vastra given to you the previous day. Be there on time as prescribed, as the late comers may have to wait for one more day to finish the puja. The puja consists of Brahmachari puja as well as Gopuja (worshiping a cow). The 2nd day breakfast is also provided by the temple authorities. By the afternoon of the 2nd day, you are done with the total procedure of the puja which ends with Naga pratishta in the main temple of Subrahmanya. Even Sankalpam(with one's Gotra and nama) is done in the main temple before Naga pratishta. The nagapratishta prasadam is distributed from 12 in the afternoon. This finishes the puja.
             Generally it is believed that it is better to directly go home after this puja (without visiting any other place) and it is preferable not to take cooked food out side for these 2 days. Fruits, juices, coffee, tea, milk like things are fine.

Points to be noted:

Price of the ticket Rs 2500/-
Dont eat outside food for those 2 days
Non-brahmins should book for the puja in advance.
Person performnig pitrukarma is only eligible to perform the puja.
Don't go for darshanin the main temple till the puja is finished.
Don't forget to bring the Deeksha vastra on the 2nd day too.
Be on time for the 2nd day puja.
Directly go home after finishing the puja.