Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna, Karnataka
Mahabaleshwar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord
Shiva located at Gokarna in Uttara Kannada District in Karnataka State, India.
The Temple is built in the classical Dravidian architectural style. It is a site of religious pilgrimage. Presiding Deity is called as Mahabaleshwar /
Piranalingeswarar / Aathma Lingeswarar and Mother is called as Gokarneswari /
Tamra Gowri. The temple faces Arabian
Sea in which Hindu pilgrims cleanse before visiting the temple for
worship. The temple also finds mentions in the Hindu epics of the Ramayana and
the Mahabharata. The temple is considered as holy as the Shiva Temple at Varanasi or Kashi in North
India on the banks of the Ganges
River. Hence, the Mahabaleshwar temple,
Gokarna is known as the Dakshin Kasi ("Kasi of the south").
The temple deifies the Pranalinga ("the reality of God which can be captured by
the mind") also called Atmalinga or Shiva
Linga In legend, it is said that the deity of the temple will bestow
immense blessings to devotees, even to those who only glimpse it. It is one of
the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams - Shiva Sthalams glorified in the
early medieval Thevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanar Tirugnanasambandar and Appar. This
is 267th Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and only one Sthalam in Tuluva
Nadu on the sea shore.
Gokarna is known as one of the seven important Hindu
pilgrimage centers. Gokarna is bound by water on three sides. On the west is
the Arabian Sea, and to the North and South are the rivers, the Gangavali and
Aghanashini. It was probably the shape of the land between these bodies of
water, that gave Gokarna its name – Cow’s ear. Gokarna is a small town on banks
of Arabian sea, and this coastline surrounded by natural beauty of five beaches
(Gokarna beach, Kudle beach, Om beach, Half-moon beach and Paradise beach and
hills alongside.
Recently, due to the influx of tourists, the character
of the town has changed; it is no longer just a centre of pilgrimage, though
large numbers of devotees visit to offer prayers and worship to Lord Shiva. Due
to its laid-back, unspoiled and rustic nature many younger western tourists
started visiting Gokarna about a decade ago. The beaches around Gokarna were
hardly used by the locals until these mainly western tourists started
coming. Enterprising locals started stores and restaurants, and now the
resorts also cater to wealthier tourists.
Legends
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History
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The
Temple
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Temple
Opening Time
The Temple remains open from 06.00 AM to 12.30 Pm and
05.00 PM to 08.00 PM.
Other
Attractions
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Festivals
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Religious
Practices
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Singers
It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams - Shiva Sthalams glorified in the
early medieval Thevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanar Tirugnanasambandar and Appar. This
is 267th Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and only one Sthalam in Tuluva
Nadu on the sea shore.
Prayers
Devotees flock to this temple as it is believed that the
reigning deity of the temple fulfils wishes of marriage, health and long life.
Contact
Mahabaleshwar Temple,
Post Gokarna, Kumta Taluk,
Uttara Kannada District – 581 326
Karnataka, India
Phone: +91 8386 257 956
/ 257 955
Mobile: +91 94823 31354 /
94495 95254
Connectivity
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Location
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