Mahabaleshwar Temple Gokarna (Timings, History, Entry Fee, Images, Pooja, Location & Phone)

Mahabaleshwar Temple Gokarna Seva List

Mahabaleshwar Temple Gokarna Shashwat Pooja Seva List

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When you travel to a place of absolute serenity, one thing you can be sure of is a town full of pleasant surprises and a land full of rich history.

Such is the beauty of the evergreen and gorgeous beach town of Gokarna. Located along the Uttara Kannada region, Gokarna exudes a sense of belonging and homeliness for those travelling looking for respite from the hubbub of the city. With a cover of dense green forests and rocky beaches, wanderlusts are in for a pleasant time with their family and friends, or even as solo travellers exploring this small town.

While the place boasts of pristine clean beaches, another beautiful tourist place of Gokarna is the Mahabaleshwar Temple.

#Trivia: The temple holds the moniker of ‘Dakshin Kashi’ because it is considered pious as Kashi or Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. With a prominent mention of the legendary Mahabharata and Ramayana mentioned all over the walls, the temple sees a considerable pilgrim footfall every year.

With the expansive Arabian sea overlooking this coastal town, Gokarna is one of the best places to visit in Karnataka for everyone.

About Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna

The Mahabaleshwar temple is an important pilgrimage temple in South India where Hindus come to worship the Aatmalinga or the Prana Linga of Lord Shiva. The temple is beautifully built in Dravidian style architecture and is strongly significant in Hindu culture.

The Mahabaleshwar temple in Gokarna is among the seven Muktishetras of the Hindus, where they come to perform the last rites. You will notice many people every time you visit the temple.

It has stood the test of time and has been a prominent place of worship since the 4th century AD. It is built with white granite stones and has beautiful Gopuras within the temple premises. The temple was built by the famous ruler of the Kadamba Dynasty, King Mayurasharma.

A 1500-year old image of Lord Shiva is well-ingrained and beautifully carved into the temple walls. The colossal Atma Lingam is enclosed within the Shaligrama Peetha of the Mahabaleshwar temple.

Legend states that while it was a gift from Lord Shiva to Ravana, history took an unexpected turn of events, and the Atma Lingam got firmly placed in the ground at Gokarna.

While Ravana tried removing the stone with all his might, he could not and thus named the stone ‘Mahabala’ (the strongest). Hence, the name Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna.

Besides this, the temple is also surrounded by other shrines such as Maha Ganapati shrine, Chandikeswara, Thamira Gowri (Goddess Parvati shrine), and Aadi Gokarneswara, Dattatreya, and Gokarnanayagi.

#Trivia: Another aspect of the boon is that Ravana wanted a wife as pretty as Goddess Uma and thus asked Lord Shiva to grant this wish (out of the two wishes). Lord Shiva gave his wife to Ravana, knowing there would be no one prettier than Goddess Uma ever. It was another reason the temple held tremendous importance amongst pilgrims from near and far.

Entry Fee and Timings of Mahabaleshwar Temple Gokarna

There is no fee to enter the Mahabaleshwar temple in Gokarna. You can visit the temple from 6 am to 12:30 pm and 5 pm to 8 pm every day. There are small Puja stalls around the temple premises where you can purchase flowers, incense sticks, and anything you may need to offer your prayers and pay your obeisance to the Gods and Goddesses.

Image Gallery of Mahabaleshwar Temple Gokarna

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Location of the Mahabaleshwar temple

Mahabaleshwar Temple is located on the Koti Teertha Road in Gokarna. It has proximity to the convergence of two prominent rivers of South India- Gangavali and Agnashini. You can admire the difference in the colour of the water and take a dip in the river if you wish.

Best time to visit the Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna

The best time to visit the Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna is October to February. Winters are not humid and have a slight coolness in the air, making it better to offer your prayers at the temple and roam around the different shopping areas, beaches, and other tourist spots.

It is advisable to stay away during peak summers and monsoons.

The maximum temperature during winters goes up to 32 degrees celsius.

How to reach the Mahabaleshwar temple in Gokarna?

Gokarna is well-connected with trains and buses from Bengaluru and Goa. If you are travelling on a bus, you can get off at the nearest bus station, around 600 metres from Mahabaleshwar Temple.

Alternatively, you can also try going on a road trip to Gokarna as the scenic beauty along the coast is breathtaking. You can soak in the green escapades that pass you and enjoy clicking excellent photographs.

The distance from Bengaluru to Gokarna is around 930 kms and will take you around 10 hrs to reach.

The distance from Goa is around 135 kms and will take you 3.5 hrs to reach.

It is around 230 kms from Mangalore and will take you around 4.5 hrs to reach.

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This architecturally beautiful temple offers inner peace and leaves you mesmerised with its aura and essence. If you are a devotee of Lord Shiva or even if you are an architecture buff, you must visit Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna at least once during your visit.

Book a Gokarna tour package from Gokarna Tourism, a division of Holidays DNA and explore the best beaches of Karnataka, temples, small local cafes, and the enthusiasm of Gokarna with your family and friends. To explore its sightseeing places, you can even book a private cab from top car rental companies in Gokarna. Please fill the Contact Us form to know more about our packages and deals.

Location Map for Mahabaleshwar Temple Gokarna