This temple is a major Hindu pilgrimage site & temple town located in Kumta Taluk, North Kanara district. Gokarna is home to the legendary Mahabaleshwarar Temple, which houses Lord Shiva’s Atmalinga. According to legend, Ravana, king of Lanka, performed penance on Kailasa Hill. He pleased Lord Shiva and secured Atmalinga from him. provided, however, that the Atmalinga is never placed on Earth, otherwise it will be anchored there. The gods found out about this and feared that Ravana would become omnipotent. They approached Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha deceived Ravana by disguising himself as a Brahmin boy and holding onto the ground the Atmalinga which was permanently anchored here. The Mahabaleshwar temple is built very close to this place. Also nearby are the VenkatramanaTemple, the Ganapati Temple & the Koti Theertha Tank where pilgrims bathe. Another of his must-see attractions in Gokarna is the huge temple chariot that tows his main street during the Shivaratri festival in February.

This is located on the main Mangalore-Karwar he highway, located between the scenic WesternGhats & the Arabian Sea. Its main attraction is the Shiva Temple, with its impressive Shiva statue and its pristine beach, Chalukya and Kadamba carvings in the Dravidian architectural style. It is a temple on a hill overlooking the sea. The temple complex is famous for its large Shiva statue, which is the tallest Shiva statue in India at about 37 meters. The Gopura temple is his second tallest in India at 237 feet. From the other side of the beach, mammoth statues glisten against the blue sky. The lush gardens also feature a gigantic statue of Git Padesha with his chariot.

Idagunj is a small place in Honnavar on the banks of the Sharavathi River where the famous Idagunj Ganapati Temple is located. This temple is very famous and is visited by thousands of devotees every year. Ganapati here is known as his Panchakhadya Priya (meaning “five food loving Ganapati”). The Ganesha idol is in a standing position and is a ‘Dwibhuja Ganapathy’ or two-handed Ganesha unlike other Ganesha who have four hands. Ganesha holds a modaka (candy) and a padma (lotus) in his hands.

Ulavi Channabasaveshwara Temple is his one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Uttarakannada district of Karnataka, especially for Channavasavanna devotees. Surrounded by dense forest, this scenic spot is the Samadhi of Channavasavanna, one of the most revered saints of the Lingayat faith. The annual fair in Uravi attracts pilgrims from all over Karnataka.

Sahasralinga literally means ‘thousand lingas’ and derives its name from the countless lingas carved into the rocks along the banks of the River Shamarala. The lingam is an incarnation of Lord Shiva and most of the different shapes and sizes of the lingam can be clearly seen when the water level of the river is low. Most of the lingas here have a Nandi (Shiva’s vehicle) next to them. Every year on the occasion of Mahahi Shivratri, devotees from all over the country visit this place to perform pujas. Interestingly, there is a similar Sahasra linga at Seam Reap (aka Kbal Spean), which is located very close to Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat.

A highly revered temple among devotees, the Marikamba Temple in Sirsi is dedicated to Goddess Durga in the form of Marikamba. Goddess Durga, the main deity, was built in her 1688 and has a very powerful form. The eight-armed idol is about seven feet tall and rides a tiger. According to legend, the deity was found in a pond near Hanaghar in Hubali. The walls of the temple have rare murals of Kaavi He art, an art form indigenous to the Konkan region of the coastal state of Karnataka. This involves creating patterns in red color against a white background. Thousands of devotees visit this temple during his biennial Marikamba Jatre.

Durga Temple and Kasi Vishwanatha Temple on the banks of Kavadikele Lake, 5 km from the temple in Yelapura town, with 6 mosques, 3 Durga, a Roman Catholic church and the tomb of Heidel Shah. Huliyal is 50 km from Hubballi and 150 km from Karwar.

This temple town on the banks of the Barda River is known for its rice, sugar cane, betel nut, spices and the famous Banavasi he pineapple. An important poet Pampa wrote poetry here. Famous for its architecture, the Madhukeshwara Temple is named after the honey-coloured lingam found within the inner sanctuary of the temple. An imposing Nandi faces the Linga.

Sunkeri has many temples dedicated to his Venkatarama Matha. The 300-year-old masa walls are adorned with some of the finest ocher paintings. There is also the Naganata Temple, where an anthill is enshrined.

Popular for the Boppeshvaradeva Temple

The ancient capital of Jain Palegal, Bilgi is home to the temples of Virupaksha, Mahadeva and Manumantha. Nagashringa Parvata with its caves is also a nearby tourist destination.

Vardhamana Basti, home of the Chaturmukha Basti.