Om Sri Tours and Travels takes you to the Gokarna is a village in the Uttara Kannada district of the Karnataka state, India. It is a Hindu pilgrimage centre as well as a tourist destination in India. Gokarna is a temple town and is referred to in a number of Hindu historical literature pieces. The main deity is Lord Mahabhaleshwara, a form of Hindu god Shiva. Around the town lie a number of beaches and these serve as a major attraction for travellers.
Gokarna is also famous for its beautiful beaches and landscapes. The main beaches in Gokarna are the Gokarna beach, Kudle Beach, Om Beach, Half moon Beach and Paradise Beach (also known as Full moon). The Gokarna beach forms the coast of the town while the other four beaches lie to the south of Gokarna. Kudle and Om are around 6 km from Gokarna town along a muddy hill; they are accessible by rickshaw or foot. Half moon and Paradise are beyond Om beach and are accessible only by foot or boat. Om beach is named so because it is shaped like the auspicious symbol. Om beach is the only naturally Om shaped beach. Two other beaches - Paradise and Half Moon - are smaller and remote beaches.
Places to See also.
1)Murudeshwara 85 km from Gokarna 2)Idagunji 65 km from Gokanra. 3)Yana 55 km away from Gokarna and 32 km from Kumta. 4) Bhookailas (1958 film).
About Gokarna Tourism.
Go-karna, means 'cow's ears' in Sanskrit. According to legends, Lord Shiva emerged from a cow's ear and so the name. It is located at the meeting point of the two rivers Gangavali and Agnashini, which is shaped like an ear. Gokarna is a town of paradox - a holy center contrasted by it being a popular beach destination. A place said to have been the center for India's ancient Ganja culture, it is known today, for being a holy city, housing the famous Shiva temple where you can find the Aatma Lingam enshrined. Gokarna is one of the seven muktisalas or pilgrimage centers of Karnataka, and has been venerated even by the Nayanmar saints in their Tamil hymns.
Sightseeing around Gokarna.
On the religious exploration, visit the Mahabaleshvara Temple, nestled in the Western Ghats and housing the 1500-year-old deity. The temple's west end has the Mahabaleshwar enshrined, from where you could have a look at the shivalingam which is 6 feet tall, viewable only once in 40 years during the performance of a ceremony. Otherwise you are allowed only a glimpse of the top of the lingam.
Gokarna is situated on the west coast on India, south of Goa. Go-karna literally means "cow's ear" in Hindi and Sanskrit. This name is believed to have been derived from mythological legend, in which Lord Shiva emerges from an ear of a cow. This village is formed in between two rivers, which flow together and form a landmass shaped like a cow's ear.
It is very rich in olden culture and tribal area with full of nature love.
This place is famous for religious Hindu rituals, as well as it's wonderful (and not so secluded anymore) beaches. These beaches are separated by cliffs. There are four main beaches Kudle beach, Om beach, Halfmoon beach, and Paradise beach.
A small town on banks of Arabian sea, Gokarna, literally meaning Cow’s Ear, is a temple town in the Uttara Kannada district of the Karnataka. As per Hindu mythology, Cow has a special religious place as Mother Earth. It is believed that Lord Rudra (another name for Shiva) was sent to Patalaloka by Brahma (the creator) to undergo penance. He eventually emerged from the ear of a cow named Prithvi synonym for the Mother Earth and hence the name of Gokarna. Thus this place served Rudra as a womb and so, this place is also known as Rudra Yoni and Adi Gokarna. Gokarna is placed at the ear-shaped confluence of two rivers Gangavali and Aghanashini, a natural picturesque scene anybody can never forget.
Gokarna is town of contrasts as it is a temple town and also a holiday destination. Gokarana is a famous pilgrimage centre as well as a tourist attraction for those who want to explore the cultural heritage and beauty of India. Gokarna finds its reference in a number of Hindu historical literature.
Gokarna is acclaimed as Mukti Stala, the place where Hindus come to perform their obsequies, after the death of a close relative. Gokarna is also mentioned in the Shrimad Bhagawat Purana as being the home of the two brothers Gokarna and Dhundhakari.
Around the town lie a number of beaches sefving as a major attraction for travelers. This coastline is surrounded by natural beauty of five beaches (Gokarna beach, Kudle beach, Om beach, Half moon beach and Paradise beach) and hills alongside, the traveler can choose his favorites for himself. This is not a place to hurry. One should just drift up the coast, enjoying the scenic beauty of this coastal area and marvelous cultural heritage of India.
Gokarna is full of coconut and palm trees, blue seas and clean sands. It is an attractive town with two main streets with shops and traditional tile roofed brick houses.
Om Sri Tours and Travels takes you to the Kundapura is a city in Udupi district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of the Kundapura taluk and is about 36 km (22 mi) from Udupi. Kundapura is noted for its 95,000 solar lighting installations by Selco Solar, a Bangalore-based social enterprise.
The name Kundapura can be traced to the Kundeshvara temple built by Kundavarma in the vicinity of the Panchagangavalli river. Kundapura is also described as the 'town of the sun'. The name may be derived from Kunda, meaning jasmine, owing to the abundance of jasmine-trees in the area. According to others, Kunda means 'pillar' in Kannada,[3] and here refers to the traditional method of constructing houses. Kunda has another meaning, indicating a high place. Until the 18th century, nearby Basrur was an important town and Kundapura was built later, particularly during the British period. Kundapura is surrounded by water from three sides. To the north lies the Panchagangavali river. To the east lies the Kalaghar river. To the west lie the Kodi back waters and the Arabian Sea), leaving the south side as the main connecting land mass.
1) Kundeswara temple can be seen within the town. Kundapura is surrounded on three sides by water / back water - and as such one can find good scenes of water and coconut trees all around. The boat point to Gangolli is one such beautiful place, with a vast area of the back waters of Haladi River, which joins the Arabian Sea nearby. From this point, the range of Western Ghats at a distance of 20 km (12 mi), including highest peak Kodachadri, is a beautiful sight. The three-sides- water- town concept of Kundapura is not exploited to develop the tourism industry in this area. There are a good number of lodges in this town which is well connected by highway to Karwar, Goa and Mumbai. It has the potential of becoming an exceptional tourist attraction. 2) Sri Vinayaka (Ganesh) Temple at Anegudde, between Kota, Udupi and Koteshwar towns. The temple is located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from Kundapura. Among the several temples in Kumbhashi Anegudde, Sri Vinayaka Temple is the oldest, and it is also the most popular in this region. This Ganesh temple is on a small hillock, giving the name Anegudde, "Ane" meaning elephant and "Gudde" meaning a hillock. 3) Mekekattu Nadhikeshwara temple is an historical place. Located about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Kundapura, it falls within the limits of Udupi Taluk, but is culturally connected to Kundapura. It is nearer to Barkuru in the Shiriyara village. Legend says it is a creation of sage Parashurama as applicable to all places of Coastal Karnataka. With the passage of time the area where the temple is situated has been called by different names. It attracts several visitors every year, particularly during annual festival, hasara, and sedi. Striking feature of Mekkekattu temple include a large collection of coloured, wooden idols, some of which measure up to 10 feet in height. Most of the wooden statues are in warrior dress, giving an impression that this entire row of wooden statues are made to remember an incidence of war that would have taken place here during 1600-1700 AD (no historic evidence for this war is found yet, but can be linked to Mogul / Bahamani Invasion). Some of the statues are like Muslim soldires, some like maratha soldiers. Some even hold a replica of an old gun or swords, posed as if ready for war. All wooden statues are given local mythological names. Yettinahatti, very near to Mekke kattu, is an interesting place where bulls are worshiped, and may have some historical links with Mekke Kattu. There is one more small place called Karuvina Hatti about 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Udupi via Brahmavara – Barkur,Shiriyara 4) Guddattu Vinayaka temple This particular temple, situated in the border area of Kundapur and Udupi taluks, has to been seen to be believed. Guddattu is a place of natural beauty. The History of Guddattu Sri Vinayaka Temple runs back for about 1700 years. The natural rock formation similar to Ganesh Idol is inside a small cave and the natural formation of cave is such that, around thousand Koda of water collects naturally and submerges the Ganesh Idol. It is said that the three foot idol of Lord Vinayaka was emerged by itself, attaching to a big rock. The black and grey stone structure of Lord Ganapathi is in a sitting position. His trunk is towards the right, eyes and legs clearly visible. The pooja of Ayarkoda is performed by devotees with much faith and devotion. The new rock Temple is constructed here, adjacent to a huge granite rock, which looks like a sleeping elephant. This temple is about 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Udupi via Brahmavara – Barkur, Shiriyara, about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Kundapur via Koteshwara – Hunsemakhi -Guddeangady. 5)In Kundapur, Padukone is a coastal village located approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) north of the taluk center. Part of the village is surrounded by the Souparnika River and one has to cross this river in an old wooden boat from Maraswami. Padukone is a beautiful village surrounded by coconut trees, water, and kudru. 6) Basrur - Many temples are located here on the southern banks of the Varahi River. Historically, Basrur is the main and center place of Kundapura Taluk. This area has many historical structures. Traders from foreign countries used to bring their boats and ships to Basrur, which is a natural harbour, and trade their goods for pepper and good quality rice. During 19th and 20th centuries, this place was famous for a singing and dancing lady community and such ladies devoted their lives to singing, entertainment and mainly attending the fancy and needs of rich gentlemen of the area. 7) Uppinakudru - Uppinakudru, or salt island, is located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north of Kundapura which is a taluk headquarters in Udupi District. 8) Hoovinakere - It is the birthplace of the philosopher Vadiraja, who preached Dvaita philosophy after Madhvacharya. 9) In Kundapur, Koteshwara - The Koteshwara temple is an historical and religious centre. Here the lake adjacent to the temple is larger than the main temple. One of the many legends about this lake is that there is an underground tunnel to Vandaru Kambala Gadde which is at a distance of 20 kilometres (12 mi). The Pattabhiramachandra temple, Mariyamma Temple, and the Kodandarama Temple are located in the same place.10) In Kundapur, Hattiangadi has another well-known temple of Lord Ganapathi, and many other ancient temples besides. 11)In Kundapur, Kirimanjeshwara - Located about 22 kilometres (14 mi) from Kundapur, it has the Kirimanjeshwara temple amidst beautiful surroundings. There is another old temple called the Agastyeshwara temple, named after Sage Agastya. 12) In Kundapur, Shankaranarayana - Located about 32 kilometres (20 mi) to the east of Kundapur, it is traditionally called Krodha Kshetra and is one of the seven places of pilgrimage in the region mentioned in the Skanda Purana. 13) Trasi - Located about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to the North of Kundapur, Trasi has a beautiful 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) long beach with Turtle Bay and Beach Resort.14) In Kundapur, Maravanthe One of Karnataka's most beautiful beaches. It is about 55 kilometres (34 mi) from Udupi. NH-17 runs right next to the beach and the Suparnika River flows on the other side of the road, creating a spectacular scenery and considered only one of its kind in India. The river Souparnika, which almost touches Arabian Sea here, makes a U turn and goes eastward to join the Sea only after a journey of more than 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), which is a geological wonder. 15) Ottinene - This is a sunset point on the seashore, near Byndoor village on the national highway. The Kshitija Nature Resort, a beach and sunset point, are favorite spots with travelers here. Byndoor is a village near the sea.