Nine Kuladevatas were indentified based on the Gotras of the GSB community in Kerala, for being housed in a complex of eight temple structures in the eleven acre sylvan area. This land is adjacent to Sri Kashi Math complex of Ambalamedu consisting of Math, Balakashrama and Vriddhashrama. The temple house the following Kuladevatas:
- Sri Maha Ganapathi
- Sri Mahamaya
- Sri Damodhar
- Sri Nagesh
- Sri Ramanath Shanteri Kamakshi
- Sri Mahalasa Narayani
- Sri Mahalakshmi
- Sri Devaki Krishna Ravalnath
- Sri Katyayani Baneshwar.
More details of the complex are available in — sreekuladevatamandir.org
Thus the Kuladevata complex provides facility of worship to Gowda Saraswath Brahmins of twelve surnames belonging to eight Gotras to worship nine Kuladevatas in a single location. It is normally the custom and practice to visit one’s Kuladevata at least once a year along with family and offer worship to the deity. Special occasion in the family such as Upanayanam Weddings ect.. are also utilised to pay obesience to the deity. Every family keeps two dedicated kanika boxes at home in the Pooja room where kanikas are offered during special functions or prayers at home, one for the Kuladevata and other for Swamiji. While visiting Kuladevata it is usual practice to carry the Kuladevata box to the temple and empty the box before the deity in the temple hundi while offering worhip to the deity. This is in addition to any special sevas one conducts during the visit.
It is customary for newly wedded couples to be bought to the presence of Kuladevatas by their parents and certain rituals are followed as advised. Also where horoscope indicates a problem in the stars position, parihara karyas or expatiory rituals may be done in the presence of Kuladevata. Sathya Narayana pooja could also be organised inviting all family members to the Kuladevata complex. All such rituals help and guide us in doing parihara to overcome the problems arising from the deviation from right conduct and family kept protected.
Kuladevata complex at Ambalamedu recently celebrated its silver jubilee with the divine presence and guidance of present Matadipati HH Srimad Sayamindra Thirta Swamiji.
Over the years inevitability there has been a gradual deterioration in the stict observance of these traits and characteristic in keeping with the passing of time. At such times our Swamijis and Guru Parmpara have guided us and steered us through tough periods. It is a tribute to our Guruparampara system that Ambalamedu complex was bestowed on the Samaj by HH Srimad Sudindra Thirta Swamiji.
Kuladevatas of Saraswaths
All the Kuladevatas of Sarasawath Brahmins are in Goa. There are some Kuladevatas in other parts of the country which are also acknowledged by them. But it is the Kuladevatas in Goa which are held by them to be special and they try to visit them once a year or so, because these are the ones their ancestors originally bought from Trihotrapura
Many of these temples in Goa are of Mahadeva, some of Parvati and some of Shakti. To name a few Mangesh, Ramanath, Nagesh, Saptakoteeshwar, Hatakeshwara, Narasimha, Gajanan, Shantadurga, Ajadurga, Mahalakshmi, Mahalasa ect..
While any given Kula has one common Gotra the same cannot be said for the Kula Devata. Any given Kula Devata has as its Kulavis, descendents of multiple Gotras as (Kulavis of a Kula Devata refers to the members of a Kula owing allegiance to that Kula Devata). A further characteristic specially for Gowda Saraswath Brahmins is that depending on surnames namely Pai, Kamath, Nayak, Baliga etc.., there is variation in Kula Devatas of each surname. Eg: a Nayak of Koundinya Gotra has Ramanath Shanteri Kamakshi as Kula Devata, while a Nayak of Kaushika Gotra worships Nagesh Mahalakshmi as Kula Devata.
SOME IMPORTANT GSB KULA DEVATHAS
The following table gives the Kula Devata of Gowda Saraswath Brahmins of different surnames and gotras.
| SL. NO | SURNAME | GOTRA | KULA DEVATA |
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| 1 | Baliga |
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| 2 | Bhakta |
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| 3 | Bhat |
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| 4 | Hegde |
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| 5 | Kamath |
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| 6 | Kini |
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| 7 | Mallya |
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| 8 | Nayak |
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| 9 | Padiyar |
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| 10 | Pai |
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| 11 | Prabhu |
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| 12 | Shenoy |
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Source: https://srimad.org/?p=507
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