Murudeshwara Temple




Around 165 km from Mangalore on the National Highway, Murudeshwar Temple of Bhatkal taluk in Uttara Kannada district attracts lot of devotees and tourists to the place, especially since the place situated in the picturesque landscape between Honnavara and Bhatkal. Bounded by the Arabian Sea and the rolling hills of Western Ghats, the place is a favourite picnic spot and probably has the finest beach, temple, restaurants, guest houses, resorts & beautiful garden in coastal Karnataka.

The sea is an intrinsic part of the temple landscape at Murudeshwar. The sea on three sides surrounds the temple towering on the small hill called Kanduka Giri on three sides. Two life-size elephants in concrete stand guard at the steps leading to the temple. As one ascends the hillock, there is a shrine of Jattiga seated on a horse. There is a huge fort behind the temple, which is said to have been renovated by King Tipu Sultan of Mysore.






The main attraction of the Murudeshwar is the Shiva temple. That sacred place presents some beautiful carvings and statues, which has a history that dates back to a few centuries (Threthayuga). The temple which embodies a Shivlinga is believed to have erupted when Ravana (Demon King of Lanka) flung the cloth covering the Atmalinga at Gokarna while lifting it. Lord Shiva, following a complicated sequence of events, declared that Murudeshwara should be one of his five holy places.

Behind the Temple, there is a huge fort, the Murudeshwara Fort which is said to have been renovated last by Tipu Sultan of Mysore.

Going at any time of the year is a good idea, you could reach there by car, on trains which ply on the Mangalore-Goa-Mumbai route, and should you choose to fly down, the nearest airports are at Mangalore and Goa