Murudeshwar temple is located in the Kanduka Giri Hill and is one of the main attractions of Murudeshwar, Karnataka. The temple is surrounded by the gigantic Arabian Sea from all the three sides. According to legends, the temple is built on the exact spot where Lord Ganesha put down the Atma Ligna that he was bringing for Ravana.
This temple is devoted to the supreme Lord Shiva. There is a Shiva statue in this temple which is 123 ft height. If you are visiting Murudeshwar, then you should check out this huge statue. You can also see various other sculptures in this temple that are made from concrete. There is also a 20-storied Rajagopura in this temple. You will find two elephants at the entrance of this temple. The whole temple complex has been renovated but the main Sanctum is still in its old form.
Importance of the Murudeshwara Temple
This temple is very important for Hindus as it holds the sacred Atma Linga of Lord Shiva. According to Hindu legends, every God attained invincibility by worshiping this Linga. This Atma Linga was originally present in the Lord Shiva heart. However, Lord Shiva decided to give Atma Linga to Ravana as a gift for his penance. Murudeshwar temple is one of the Pancha kshetras of Lord Shiva.
The most unique thing about this temple is probably the statue of Lord Shiva. It is currently the second-largest Shiva statue in the world. The tallest Lord Shiva statue is in Nepal and it is known as the Kailashnath Mahadev. The design of this statue is very special because the first sun rays always illuminate the Lord Shiva statue first.
There is also a 237 feet Gopuram in the front of this temple. It is currently the second-largest Gopuram in India. The best thing about this Gopuram is that you can enter this Gopuram and go to the top floor for enjoying the panoramic view.
Views from Murudeshwar temple gopuram
You can perform various rituals like Abhishekam in this temple. There is a special deepam or lamp which is kept inside the main shrine and it is burning since the temple was initially built. Devotees believe that you can get blessed with luck by pouring oil into this deepam.
How to reach Murudeshwar Temple?
Murudeshwar temple is located in the Murudeshwar town and is just 56 km from Gokarna. It is well-connected by road and rail to the rest of Karnataka and the country. Here is how to reach Murudeshwar:
By Air
Mangalore international airport is the nearest about 153 km away to the south. Mangalore is a very big city and is connected to all the major cities. You can find direct taxis from Mangalore international airport to Murudeshwar temple.
By Train
Murudeshwar railway station is connected to Mangalore and Mumbai. Murudeshwar railway station is just over 2 km east of the town and can be reached by buses and auto-rickshaws.
By Road
Private and state run buses connect Murudeshwar to Mumbai, Kochi and Bengaluru. Situated on the NH17 which connects Mumbai to Kochi, regular buses ply regularly between the two cities and pass through Mangalore. Bengaluru is connected to many other important cities in the region.
History of Murudeshwar Temple
According to Hindu legends, Kaikesi was the mother of Ravana. She was also a very great devotee of Lord Shiva. Kaikesi used to make Lingas from the beach sand and used to pray daily. However, the sea always washed her Linga in the night. Ravana promised her mother that he will go to Mount Kailash and bring back the Lord Shiva Atma Linga for her.
Ravana was also a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He went to Mount Kailash and performed various penance for Lord Shiva. Ravana sang the Shiva Tandava Stotram for Lord Shiva. He also chopped one of his heads for Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva was very impressed by Ravana’s devotion and gave his Atma Linga to Ravana. However, Lord Shiva told Ravana that he should not keep this Atma Linga down until he has reached his destination. The Atma Linga is very heavy and will become affixed to the ground if he keeps it down. Ravana agreed and started moving towards his kingdom. Other gods thought that the Ravana will misuse this Atma Linga for gaining invincibility.
Narada requested Lord Ganesha to interrupt the Ravana journey. Lord Ganesha already knew about Ravana’s daily routine. He knew that Ravana will take a bath during the evening. Thus, Lord Ganesha asked Lord Vishna to block the sun rays. Lord Ganesha turned himself into a small kid and went to Ravana. Ravana wanted to take a bath as he thought that it is evening and he asked Lord Ganesha to hold the idol for him. Lord Ganesha placed the linga on the ground before Ravana returned from his evening bath. Lord Vishnu finally unblocked the sun and the place where the linga was kept is now known as Gokarna.
Ravana was very angry with this act and he tried to lift the Atma linga. But, he couldn’t move the Atma Linga. Ravana threw the case that was covering the Atma Linga in anger. The lid of the idol fell in Gunavanthe and the string that was covering the Atma Linga fell at Dhareshwara. The cloth that was covering the Atma Linga fell in the Murudeshwar. Lord Shiva visited all these places and worshipped the Atma linga. He declared these places as Pancha Kshetras and people can remove their sins by worshipping at these places.
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Places around Murudeshwar Temple
- Murudeshwar Beach
Murudeshwar Beach is surrounded by the amazing Arabian Sea. According to the Hindu Legends, Ravana has thrown a piece of Pranalinga in this ocean. Thus, the water of Murudeshwar Beach is considered to be holy. There is also a beautiful Murudeshwar shrine on this beach. You will find many beautiful carving and statues in the temple. Thus, it attracts a lot of tourists and devotees every year. If you want to witness some traditional rituals, then you should definitely check out this place. You can also watch the support of buffalo race or Kambala in this place. Devotees can also see the tall Shiva statue that is placed in the Murudeshwar temple from this beach. You can enjoy various water activities like swimming, boat ride, and swimming. This beach is a perfect place for those people that love taking sunbaths. If you have extra time, then you should check out this amazing beach.
Bhatkal beach which is just 15 KM from Murudeshwar is one of the most beautiful beaches around this place with many temples that have historical significance surrounding this place.
- Statue of Lord Shiva
Murudeshwar Shiva Statue is one of the tallest idols in the world. The height of this Lord Shiva statue is 123 feet. This project was financed by R.N. Shetty who is a very famous businessman. The statue was carved by Shivamogaa Kashinath and his sons. It took them more than 2 years to construct this amazing Lord Shiva statue. R.N. Shetty has invested more than Rs. 50 million in the construction of this statue.
123 feet Murudeshwar Shiva Statue is the second biggest statue of Lord Shiva in the world after the statue in Nepal.
The statue is designed in such a way that the sun rays directly fall on this statue. This sunlight creates an amazing sparkling appearance. The Lord Shiva statue initially had four hands and was painted using gold paint. However, the paint has got dissolved due to heavy rains and one of the arms also blew off due to heavy wind gusts. Still, it is one of the best Lord Shiva statues in the world.
Popular festivals celebrated at Murudeshwar Temple
- Maha Shivratri
Maha Shivratri occurs in the month of February or March. This festival is very special as it signifies the marriage of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. According to Hindu legends, Lord Shiva also consumed the poison during the Maha Shivratri. It is considered as the most important festival for Lord Shiva devotees.
Every year millions of devotees visit this temple during the Maha Shivratri festival. Devotees will keep fast during the Maha Shivratri and they will also sing bhajans during this festival. If you are a Lord Shiva devotee, then this is the best time to visit this temple.
- Karthik Purnima
This festival is celebrated in the Karthik month which mostly falls in November-December. According to Hindu legends, Lord Shiva destroyed three different demon cities on Karthik Purnima. Also, many people believe that it is the birthday of Lord Karthikeya who is the son of Lord Shiva.
Best Time to Visit Murudeshwar Temple
Murudeshwar city experiences a very hot summer during April-June. The temperature can go up to 40 º C in these months. Thus, you should avoid the summers. The winter here starts in October and continues till March. Weather is very cool and pleasant during this time period as it mostly stays between 15 º to 25 º C.
Also, the Maha Shivratri falls in the month of February or March. If you want to have an amazing experience, then you should visit this temple during the Maha Shivratri. Millions of Lord Shiva devotees will visit the temple during this time.
However, if you only want to enjoy scuba diving in Murudeshwar, then you should visit this city from November-January. The city receives heavy rainfall in June-September. Thus, you must avoid the rainy season also.
Conclusion
Murudeshwar town is famous due to the Murudeshwar temple. The huge temple is surrounded by the Arabian Sea from the three sides. You can check out one of the largest Lord Shiva statues in this temple. Also, you can check out the second largest gopuram in the world.
If you are visiting Murudeshwar temple, then you should also visit the Murudeshwar beach. You can enjoy scuba diving and other amazing things on this beach. However, make sure that you are visiting this temple in the winter season.
