As per Hindu mythology, the head of the snake is known as Rahu and the tail of snake is known as Ketu. Rahu and Ketu are placed in opposite direction at 180 degree and can never meet each other. The Rahu and Ketu are shadow planets and they cannot be seen through naked eyes. When all the seven planets are placed in between Rahu and Ketu it is called Kalasarpa Yoga. There are 12 different types of Kalsarpa Dosha that exist. The dosha originates by harming or killing a snake and also by hurting Lord Subramanya.

Kalasarpa Dosha can cause several difficulties in one’s life. These is unhappiness in the family, loss in business, miserable married life, having no children, health problems in eyes, skin, ears, throat etc. There are several other difficulties that one can face in life such as delay in marriage, improper organ development in the body, litigation and loss amongst others. These people try hard to do well in their life but are always unsuccessful. Those who have built houses in the place where snake pits have been demolished, continuously face ill health as long as they are residing in that house.

There are several types of pujas that can be performed to overcome the Kalsarpa Dosha, such as Nagaprasthistha, Nagabali, Nagathambula, Naga Puthalika Vidhi, Navagraha Shanthi and Kalsarpa Shanthi. The type of puja chosen will depend on the type of dosha.

The puja for the Kalsarpa Dosha has to be performed by those who are well versed in performing such offerings.

The Kukke Subramanya temple in Karnataka, Sri Kalahasti Temple in Andhra Pradesh, Tirunageshwaran Kovil Temple in Tamil Nadu are the known places where these pujas or Shanthis could be performed. The ‘Kanda Shasti Kavacham’ and performing the pujas of the idols of Naga (five or seven headed) would reduce the sufferings of the person considerably.

A person who kills a serpent gets the Kalsarpa Dosha on him or herself and often sees cobras in their dreams or in reality. The effects of the Kalsarpa Dosha are very gruesome. The remedy for this dosha is to arrange for the ‘Sarpa Samaskara’, which is quite similar to the ceremonies or samaskara that are done after the death of a person. The most sacred place for performing the ‘Sarpa Samskara’ and other Shanthi pujas is the Kukke Subramanyaswami Sannidhi near Managalore in Karnakta. When these pujas are performed properly, the person is free from the doshas and can have a better and peaceful life.