Gokarna, The Land of Shiva's Origins

To obtain peace of mind and cleanse the soul, Gokarna is the ideal stop-over for the devout. Apart from it being a pilgrimage center, Gokarna also boasts of secluded and pristine beaches that offers the most scenic by its beach.Gokarna is a temple town located at a distance of 60 km from Karwar in Uttara Kannada district. Gokarna is a Hindu pilgrimage centre as well as an important tourist destination.

Gokarna Temple:The temple here is dedicated to Lord Mahabaleshwar, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Gokarna is situated on the banks of Arabian Sea, and this coastline is surrounded by natural beauty with five beaches and hills along side, the traveler can choose his favorite for himself.The meaning of Gokarna is "Cow's Ear". This sacred place is located between the Gangavali and Agnashini river mouth and it is named for the ear-shaped meeting of two rivers. It is also believed that Gokarna gets its name from the legend in which Lord Shiva emerged from the ear of a cow.Shivaratri festival is celebrated at Gokarna with great enthusiasm. Every year a team constructs up two great temple chariots that are used during the Shivaratri festival. The two great temple chariots lead a procession through the town's narrow streets, while priests and pilgrims chant hymns in praise of Lord Shiva.The hill station is important for its natural beauty and climate along with its renowned historical background. There are many tourist attractions in Mahabaleshwar like forts, temples, lakes, etc and many more.


Om Beach in Gokarna:
Om beach is located at a distance of approximately 8 km from the town of Gokarna. Two semi-crescent shapes that join together resembling the Hindu religious symbol ‘OM’ is the reason behind the name of the beach.There are four of them called Kudle Beach, Om Beach, Halfmoon Beach, and Paradise Beach. Each has its own appeal. Om Beach is the most happening beach, and is the only one that's reachable by car or rickshaw. The others are around a 20 minute hike away from each other through the hills and over rocks, or a short boat ride away

Nearest Airport: Goa

Nearest Railhead: The railway station is 10 km away from the town. The nearest railhead is at Kumta.

Road: Gokarna is well-connected by road to Bangalore, Mangalore and Karwar. Regular buses ply from Kumata, Karwar, Goa and Mangalore.