Murudeshwara Temple in Gokarna | Tallest Shiva Statue

Murudeshwar Shiva Temple
Murudeshwar Shiva Temple

Murdeshwar is a town in Bhatkal Taluk of Uttara Kannada district in the state of Karnataka, India. The town is located 13 km from the taluk headquarters of Bhatkal. Murdeshwar is famous for the world’s second tallest Shiva statue, the town lies on the coast of the Arabian Sea and is also famous for the Murdeshwar Temple.

History of Murudeshwar Temple

Ravana (yes, the same character from Ramayana) was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and so was his mother. Every day his mother does a Shiva Linga from the sand near the beach in Lanka and she offers her prayers. However, the sea washes it every day and she would have to make one again.. Logically, She shouldn’t have done it near the shore or Ravana could have made one of Stone and given it to her. But she is from an era of greatness, and Ravana decides his mom the idol that Shiva Himself worships, Atma Linga. Atma Lingam is the lingam created by Shiva himself, who lives in his heart than any other deity and deity prays and this is how he achieved immortality. So Ravana decided to bring her mother to Attam Lingam and began to pray to Lord Shiva a lot. As such, against fire and flood, enters into a deep meditation that the rocks cross Kailash and Lord Shiva decides to bless him. Ravana asked for the Atman Linga and Shiva took it from his heart and gave it to him. Shiva gave Arta Linga on the condition that Ravana sit wherever he placed the idol. The sage Narada and other devas fear that if Ravana achieves immortality it will create havoc on earth and needs to be stopped. Narada approaches Lord Vishnu and he decides to help.

When Ravana walked towards Lanka on the banks of Gokarna, Vishnu blew the sun with his Sudarshan Chakra. Ravana thinking that the afternoon is late, is worried because he has to offer his prayers to Lord Shiva and cannot leave the idol. According to Hindu customs, they pray three times a day in the morning, afternoon and evening. Lord Ganesha disguised himself as a small Brahmin boy and offered to place the Ravana idol there. But he says that if he finds it too heavy, he will call Ravana three times and place him on the ground. Ravana goes to the sea to wash and pray. At the right time, Lord Ganesha called him three times and placed Atma Lingam in the sand on the beach. Angry Ravana tries hard to pull it out, but Lingam is firmly fixed firmly. He twists and turns and removes parts of it and throws it with force. The lingam’s shield falls somewhere, a piece falls somewhere, and the shape of the lingam falls to the ground … This is the lingam you see in Gokarna … A cloth is thrown covering the Atma lingam and in Murudeshwar Falls, be precise on Kanduka Hill. So there are a total of five temples where parts of Atma Lingam fell, which are Gokarna, Murudeshwar, Gunuvanteshwar, Sajeshwar and Dareshwar. And this is what Murudeshwar is famous for.

Places near Murudeshwar

  • Mirjan Fort
  • Netrani Island
  • Statue Park
  • Murudeshwar Beach
  • Apsara Konda Falls
  • Murudeshwar Market
  • Murudeshwar Fort
  • Jali Beach
  • Basavaraja Durga Fort
  • Kollur Mookambika Temple
  • Idagunji Ganapathi Temple
  • Gokarna
  • Maravanthe Beach
  • Kudumari / Chaktikal Waterfalls
  • Bhatkal: An Ancient Port Town
  • Baindur / Byndoor: Historical Vibes
  • Koosalli Waterfalls
  • Kodachadri: A Perfect Hilltop

How to Reach Murudeshwar

BY BUS

Murudeshwara is well connected to other major cities of the country via regular buses. Bus Station(s): murudeshwar

BY TRAIN

There are regular trains from other major cities of the country to Murudeshwara. Railway Station(s): murdeshwar (MRDW)

BY AIR

The nearest airport is the Mangalore International Airport which is at a distance of 165 km from the Murudeshwar Temple

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