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

Murudeshwara Temple Gokarna Darshan & Pooja Timings

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Surrounded by the Arabian sea from three sides, the Murudeshwara Temple in Gokarna, Karnataka, is popular because of the world's second-largest statue of Lord Shiva. Being close to a few other famed temples like the Mahabaleshwara Temple and Mahaganpati Temple, it has become a popular pilgrimage site and a point of attraction for many people who believe in Hinduism.

Different Poojas are performed daily, and the temple is always full of devotees of Lord Shiva.

The significance of this temple is that it houses the cloth covering the Atma Linga that was gifted to Ravana by Lord Shiva. Whoever visits the temple experiences peace and calmness as the positivity around the temple purifies their soul. The devotees must wear decent clothes while going to the temple and keep the timings and temple rituals in mind while visiting this popular tourist spot of Gokarna.

History of Murudeshwara Temple

Gokarna has several popular temples of Karnataka with a rich history and legend behind each of them. The history behind them (Mahabaleshwara Temple, Maha Ganapati Temple, and the Murudeshwara Temple) is almost the same.

According to a popular story behind these temples, once Ravana returned from Kailash with the Atma Linga Lord Shiva gave him as a gift after his penance. But, the only thing to keep in mind was that the Linga can only touch the ground once, and wherever the Linga is placed once, it will be permanently placed there.

All the gods were fearful that Ravana could misuse the powers of Atma Linga. So, they asked Lord Ganesha to do something to stop Ravana from taking the Linga to his home, back to Lanka.

Lord Ganesha was aware of Ravana's strict evening rituals. So, all the gods came in unison and created an illusion of sunset on the earth. Thus, Ravana was beckoned to complete his evening rituals as soon as possible. At the same moment, Lord Ganesha came to earth in disguise as a young boy.

Ravana saw him and asked the young boy to hold the Atma Linga until he completed his rituals, giving him strict instructions to hold the Linga and not place it on the ground at any cost. The young boy told Ravana that he did not have the strength to hold the Linga for a long time and would call out thrice to Ravana the moment his hands started to hurt. After a while, Lord Ganesha called out to Ravana and before he could come to the boy, Lord Ganesha kept the Atma Linga on the ground. Ravana tried hard to remove the Linga with all his might, but to no avail.

Soon, he realized that it was a trap of all the gods to stop him from taking Atma Linga. And the place where Atma Linga was placed became the famed Mahabaleshwara Temple. The Murudeshwara Temple is the house of the cloth that covered the Atma Linga.

Image Gallery of Murudeshwara Temple Gokarna

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Types of Rituals Performed at the Murudeshwara Temple

The Murudeshwara Temple is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in South India. People come here not only for darshan but also to attend several types of Poojas.

Some Poojas are performed daily, known as Daily Sevas, while others are performed yearly and are known as Yearly Sevas. The following are some of the most popular amongst them:

Daily Poojas

• Rudrabhishekam: As in Hinduism, Lord Shiva is also worshipped as Rudra. This particular pooja is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is believed to purify the atmosphere.
• Panchamrutha Abhishekam: Panchamrutha is believed to be a holy Amrit that is prepared with a combination of five liquids, including Milk, curd, honey, ghee, and sugar. In this particular pooja, the Shiv Linga is bathed with the Panchamrutha.
• Panchakajjaya: The Panchakajjaya is a type of Prasadam offered to Lord Shiva in this particular ritual. This Prasadam is popular in the South Indian region and is commonly made of Coconut, Sesame, Cardamom, and Ghee.
• Bilvarchana: In this pooja, the leaves of Bilva (also known as Bel Patra) are offered to Lord Shiva.
• Chandan Abhishekam: Chandan (Sandalwood paste) is often used in Hindu rituals because of its auspiciousness and cooling effect. The Lingam is bathed with Chandan in this pooja.
• Bhasmarchane: Hindus also worship lord Shiva as fire. This pooja is performed by applying Bhasm (fire ashes or vibhuti) on the Shiva Linga.
• Ekadasa Rudra: As per Hindu Puranas, Rudra (or Lord Shiva) has eleven forms, including Shiva, Maha Rudra, Eesana, Vijaya Rudra, Shankara, Neelalohita, Bhima, Devadeva, Bhavodbhava, Adityamaka Srirudra, etc.

Yearly Poojas

Apart from all the above everyday poojas, the following are the yearly rituals performed at the Murudeshwara Temple:

• Nanda Deepa Pooja: In this Seva, the temple priests light the Nanda Deepa Stambh with Diyas on behalf of all the devotees of Lord Shiva.
• Sarva Deva Pooja: In this pooja, all the shrines present in the Murudeshwara Temple are worshipped by devotees, whereas in the daily pooja, they generally worship a particular God.
• Annastarpana Seva: This is another yearly pooja that is performed for a full day for the devotees of Lord Shiva.

Other Temples Near The Murudeshwara Temple

There are around seven temples situated across the coastline of the Arabian Sea in Gokarna. Out of these temples, the following are some most popular ones:

1. Mahabaleshwara Temple: It is one of the oldest and most famed temples in Gokarna. This is where the Atma Linga brought by Ravana was placed. Devotees of Lord Shiva from all over the country visit the temple and believe that they can get their souls purified by staying in this temple for a few days.

2. Maha Ganapati Temple: Maha Ganapati Temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. It reminds us of Lord Ganesha's role in stopping Ravana from taking Atma Linga with him.

3. Shri Venkataramana Temple: Dedicated to Lord Venkataramana (Lord Vishnu), this temple is popular for being a pilgrim site for devotees of Lord Vishnu surrounded by verdant beauty and eye-catching architecture.

4. Kollur Mookambika Temple: Situated at a distance of 60 km from the Murudeshwara temple, this temple is dedicated to Goddess Mookambikai. The latter's statue is placed in front of the Shiva Linga in the temple.

#Trivia: The temple is popular for the Shiv Linga with two unequal parts.

5. Koti Theertha: It is a 350 years old temple with a man-made pool where the idols of Hindu Gods are immersed and devotees bathe here to cleanse their souls. The green coconut trees all around the temple adds to its beauty and grandeur.

Nearby Attractions

Other than several prominent temples and pilgrimage sites, Gokarna is a popular tourist place with many more attractions such as:

1. Murudeshwara Beach: One of the most pleasant tourist places near the Murudeshwara Temple, the Murudeshwara beach is behind the large statue of Lord Shiva and is most often visited by the devotees of Lord Shiva before or after visiting the temple.

2. Gokarna Beach: Situated near the Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna beach is one of the largest beaches in the country. Tourists don't only visit it to chill around the beach but also to participate in different activities and water sports available there.

3. Mirjan Fort: It is a historical place situated in Gokarna and is well known for its beautiful architecture that includes strong and high walls. The fort is very popular among photography enthusiasts as they can find various spots to take good pictures. The beautiful view of the Aghanashini river can be enjoyed from the fort.

4. Apsara Konda Falls: It is a small yet attractive waterfall near the Murudeshwara Temple. The water here falls down from a height of 10 meters. It was created by the Sharavathi river, and the river joined the Arabian Sea just after this.

5. Bhatkal Town: It is a beautiful town situated on the National Highway that runs between Mumbai and Kanyakumari. It is a beautiful place to explore the local life of the people here.

Entry Fee and Timings of Murudeshwara Temple Gokarna

There is no entry fee to visit the Murudeshwara Temple. However, there might be some charges for a particular type of pooja that you want to be done from your side at the temple. For example, for a worship 'Rudrabhisgekam,' you will have to pay a fee of Rs. 55.

The temple opens at 3 AM every day and closes at 1 PM for two hours. It again opens at 3 PM and remains open till 8 PM. Devotees can visit the temple for darshan anytime within these hours. However, the specific poojas have different timings and you will need to check at the temple premises to know the timings a little more.

• Morning Darshan - 6 AM to 1 PM
• Morning Aarti - 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM
• Rudrabhishekam - 6 AM to 12 PM
• Afternoon Aarti - 12:15 PM to 1 PM
• Evening Darshan - 3 PM to 8 PM
• Rudrabhishekam - 3 PM to 7 PM
• Evening Pooja - 7:15 PM to 8 PM

Best Time To Visit Murudeshwara Temple Gokarna

The best time to visit the Murudeshwara Temple is from October to March. Two festivals are majorly celebrated there, including Karthik Purnima and Mahashivratri. Karthik Purnima generally occurs between November to December. Mahashivratri occurs in February or March and is celebrated in all the popular temples across Gokarna.

If you want to specifically visit the temple for these festivals, you can plan your trip accordingly. However, If you wish to explore the place when it is less crowded, August to October are ideal months. April to July is not considered good as the temperature is really high in these months, and there are chances of heavy rainfall.

How To Reach Murudeshwara Temple

There are different ways to reach the Murudeshwara Temple via different types of transport.

Via Flight: The nearest airport to the Murudeshwara Temple is Mangalore International Airport, which is 165 kilometres from the temple. After reaching the airport, one can book a taxi to reach the temple.

Via Train: The nearest railway station to the temple is the Murudeshwara Railway Station, which is around 8 kilometres from the temple. You can book a taxi from top car rental companies in Gokarna to reach the temple.

Via Bus: People visiting the temple via bus can come to the nearest bus stop, the Murudeswar bus station, which is not very far from the temple.

Distance From a few Popular Cities:

• Bangalore to Murudeshwara Temple: 501 km.
• Chennai to Murudeshwara Temple: 854 km.
• Madurai to Murudeshwara Temple: 943 km.
• Mumbai to Murudeshwara Temple: 743 km.
• Goa to Murudeshwara Temple: 191 km.

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The Murudeshwara Temple is one of the most beautiful and popular temples you can visit, especially if you like to explore new places and unique pilgrimage sites. The serenity you feel being surrounded by the Arabian Sea and the blue Sky from three sides makes your visit worth your while. If you are someone who wants to experience the beauty of the Hindu religion and enjoy the peace and calm you must visit the Murudeshwara temple in Gokarna and experience the temple rituals.

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Location Map for Murudeshwara Temple Gokarna