Murudeshwar is a very well-known tourist spot with its beautiful beaches and temples which make it one of the most prominent beach and pilgrimage destinations in South India. We came to know more about the town and its significance when we planned our 4-day trip to Gokarna. The visit to Murudeshwar was planned on the second day of the trip and our wonderful experience at Murudeshwar allows us to say that the town is really worth a visit, both for religious devotees and those who look around for offbeat attractions.
ABOUT MURUDESHWAR
This small town located in Bhatkal Taluk of Uttara Kannada district in the Indian state of Karnataka lies on the coast of the Arabian Sea. Murudeshwar is around 490 km from Bangalore, 165 km from Mangalore, 100 km from Udupi and 80 km from Gokarna. The town also has a railway station on the Mangalore-Mumbai Konkan Railway route.
The town was earlier called Mrideshwara (meaning “break” in Sanskrit) and later got its name Murudeshwar, which is believed to be one of the forms of the great Hindu God Shiva.
HOW TO REACH MURUDESHWAR
BY AIR:
If you are traveling by air, Mangalore International Airport is the nearest airport which is about 150 km away from Murudeshwar. Flights from almost all major cities in India and a few abroad are connected to Mangalore Airport. Once you reach Mangalore, you can avail private cabs or private buses to reach Murudeshwar.
BY TRAIN:
Murudeshwar Railway Station falls in the Mangalore-Mumbai Railway route. Trains from almost all the major cities in India are connected to Mangalore. There are around 12 trains which run between Mangalore and Murudeshwar Railway Station. After reaching Murudehswar Railway Station you can avail buses or tuktuks to reach Murudeshwar town which is around 2km away.
BY ROAD:
There are many state run buses which run between Murudeshwar and Mumbai, Bangalore, Mangalore and Kochi. Private buses are also available in plenty. You can also travel by rent cab from these places. For us, it was a group travel and we rented a cab from Bangalore for the entire trip.
TOP ATTRACTIONS IN MURUDESHWAR
There are a couple of popular attractions in Murudeshwar: the Murudeshwar Temple and the famous Lord Shiva Statue.
MURUDESHWAR TEMPLE
Murudeshwar Temple is built on the Kanduka Hills and is surrounded by the Arabian Sea on three sides giving a breathtaking view of the surrounding from the temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. As we entered the temple, we were stunned to see the massive 237 feet high tower standing in front of us. The 20-storied tower, also called Gopura, is so tall that we had hard time looking at its tip from where we stood. The Gopura is adorned with carvings of beautiful statues of Hindu deities of various sizes. There are two big elephant statues guarding the tower in the entrance.
The main deity of the temple is Sri Mridesa Linga, also called Murdeshwar. The Atma Linga is nearly two feet below ground level. The devotees perform rituals of many kinds in this area. They can view the deity or the Linga by standing a little away from the sanctum as the Linga is illuminated by oil lamps held close by the priests. The inner courtyard has many small temples devoted many Hindu gods and goddesses.
The most exciting part of the temple visit was going to the top floor of the Gopura. For easy access to the top of the tower, the temple authorities have installed a lift. From the top, you can get an astonishing view of the 123-feet Shiva statue. Not only that, you can get an all-round view of the surrounding, the beaches and the plains. There is also a Shaneswara Temple right next to the Shiva statue where devotees pay visit in numbers.
Combining with the beauty of the statue and the pristine environment, the temple was creating an energetic aura.
Temple Timings: 6AM-1PM; 3PM-8:30PM
THE FAMOUS SHIVA STATUE
The Murudeshwar Temple is famous for its staggering 123-feet high Shiva statue built right next to the temple. This is the second highest Shiva statue in the world after the Kailashnath Mahadev Statue in Nepal (143 feet). The massive Murudeshwar statue of Shiva seated in a meditating posture took around two years to build. The statue was built by the famous sculptor Kashinath from Shivamogga and several other sculptors. The project was financed by the famous businessman and philanthropist Dr. R.N. Shetty at a cost of approximately 50 million INR.
The great statue looked so divine even from afar and it was so huge that everything around it appeared like tiny ants. An interesting fact about the temple is that it is built in such a way that it gets direct sunlight and thus always appears sparkling.
MURUDESHWAR BEACH
The Murudeshwar Beach is just near the Murudeshwar Temple and the Shiva Statue. This is one of the best beaches in Karnataka offering some serene and magnificent view of the Arabian Sea. From the beach, you get to see the fishing boats which bring fresh fishes to the nearby market.
Travelers can indulge in swimming, boating, fishing and sunbathing at this beach. Several water sports activities are also available in the beach. We did not spend much time in the beach though as we had plans to reach Gokarna before sunset.
BEST TIME TO VISIT MURUDESHWAR
The best time to visit Murudeshwar is between October and April as the summers typically remains hot and humid. Murudeshwar can make for a wonderful day-trip if you club it with your Gokarna trip like we did.
Let us know in the comment section below if you liked our blog on our visit to Murudeshwar. If you have already been to Murudeshwar, share your experience in the comment section below. You can also contact us if you need any information regarding the visit to Gokarna or regarding trip plan to South India.
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