Featuring virgin beaches and breathtaking landscapes, the small town of Gokarna is about 450 km from Bangalore. A celebrated Shaivaite pilgrimage centre, Gokarna ranks as high as Varanasi and Rameshwar (Tamil Nadu) as a consecrated Shaivaite destination.
Gokarna is probably only place where both pious and the hedonistic have something to look forward to. The Mahabaleshwara Temple in the town is one of the holiest in South India and is frequented by pilgrims. And there are many beaches, some well isolated, which beckons backpackers.
Legend says that the Atmalinga acquired by Ravana from Lord Shiva was transported here. The 1,500-year-old Mahabaleshwara temple, the most visited location in town, enshrines a finely carved stone image of Lord Shiva in standing position.
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Featuring virgin beaches and breathtaking landscapes, the small town of Gokarna is about 450 km from Bangalore. A celebrated Shaivaite pilgrimage centre, Gokarna ranks as high as Varanasi and Rameshwar (Tamil Nadu) as a consecrated Shaivaite destination.
Gokarna is probably only place where both pious and the hedonistic have something to look forward to. The Mahabaleshwara Temple in the town is one of the holiest in South India and is frequented by pilgrims. And there are many beaches, some well isolated, which beckons backpackers.
Legend says that the Atmalinga acquired by Ravana from Lord Shiva was transported here. The 1,500-year-old Mahabaleshwara temple, the most visited location in town, enshrines a finely carved stone image of Lord Shiva in standing position.
Sited at the confluence of two rivers, Gokarna is more famous as a pilgrim centre, but with endless rows of coconut palms, blue seas and clean beaches, it is emerging as an idyllic location for a quiet seaside holiday.
Gokarna's beaches are slowly gathering popularity to the tune of beaches of Goa. Number of incoming tourists is increasing every year, and with more and more foreign backpackers arriving here trying to escape crowded Goa, Gokarna is getting crowded too.
Primarily a pilgrimage centre, the accommodation options are rudimentary. Several budget hotels, guesthouses and beach huts are available for anything between Rs.50-600 per night. The local KSTDC Hotel offers rooms for Rs.105-700 per day. However the most upscale is the Om Beach Resort promoted as a joint venture between Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd, a government of Karnataka undertaking and the Kairali Group.
Gokarna is just south of Goa, which is how its beaches got discovered. Five beaches, each less than a thirty minute walk from its neighbour, all of them separated by hills, make the picturesque place that Gokarna is.
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