Gokarna, India 1

Gokarna, IndiaFor other uses, see Gokarna, Nepal.

Gokarnaಗೋಕರ್ಣ

village

Mahabaleshwara Temple

Location in Karnataka, India

Coordinates: 14.55°N 74.31667°E [1]Coordinates: 14.55°N 74.31667°E [1]

Country  India

State Karnataka

District Uttara Kannada

Area

 • Total 10.9 km2 (4.2 sq mi)

Elevation 586 m (1,923 ft)

Population (2001)

 • Total 25,851

 • Density 2,400/km2 (6,100/sq mi)

Languages

 • Official Kannada

Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)

Vehicle registration KA-47

Gokarna (Kannada: ಗೋಕರ್ಣ) is a small temple town located on the western coast of India in the Uttara Kannada

district of the Indian state of Karnataka. Tain temple and deity is Lord Shiva, who is also known as

Gokarna, India 2

Mahabhaleshwara. This temple houses what is believed to be original image of Lord Shiva's lingam. There are manyother temples all over this small town. Ankola and Kumta on Highway 17 are the main towns near Gokarna.Gokarna is historically known as one of the seven important Hindu pilgrimage centers and is located on what wasonce unspoiled beach near the estuary of river Aghanashini with its palm trees, other colorful tropical fruit andflower trees. Of late due to the numbers of tourists the character of this town has changed. This town is no longer justa center of pilgrimage though massive numbers of devotees still visit the town for the purposes of offering prayersand worship to Lord Shiva.Due to its laid back unspoiled and rustic nature, many younger western tourists started visiting Gokarna about adecade ago. The beaches around Gokarna were hardly used by the locals until these mainly Western tourists startedcoming to undeveloped beaches around Gokarna. Many enterprising locals started stores restaurants and now fullyfledged resorts cater even to the well heeled tourists.

EtymologyGokarna means Cow's Ear. It is believed that Lord Shiva emerged from the ear of a cow (Prithvi, the Mother Earth)here. It is also located at the ear-shaped confluence of two rivers Gangavali and Aghanashini.

The beautiful and serene coast of Gokarna

Mythology

Legends in the Sahyadri Khand of the Puranas indicate that the State ofKerala was reclaimed from the sea by the Warrior-Sage Parashuramawho came from the North (of the Vindhya ranges) after hiswanderings, in which he killed the Kshatriyas 21 times and threw hisaxe, the weapon by which he annihilated the Kshatriyas, into the sea, toprevent the erosion of the land stretching from Gokarna to thesouthernmost tip of India.

View of Kodalu beach from Gokarna

Gokarna is also mentioned in the Shrimad Bhagavata Purana as beingthe home of the two brothers Gokarna and Dhundhakari and theBhagawat also gives details of the differences in their temperament,nature and exploits.

The sthalapuranam of gokarna then available in Tamil as it was a partof Tamil Kingdoms during sangam times, has the following account.Inorder that Brahma who out arrogance arising out of his power tocreate the universe, sat penancing to redeem himself from curse ofshivan, lord shiva appeared in front of him from the ears of a cow. Sothe place came to be known as gokarnam or ear of the cow. Thesangam period writings refer to a class of chieftains going by nameskocar and kilans, in charge of the region between gokarnam and present day Mumbai. Even though the Tamil saintshave revered this temple, their composed hymns on the same are not available to us as of today.[citations needed].

Gokarna, India 3

History

Ancient Indian (Bharata)cities and Places(Title and

location names are inEnglish.)

The earliest history of the city is not known. Tamil saints like the Nayanmars Appar andSambanthar from the 6th century CE praised the deity of Tulu Nadu in their hymn canonTevaram. It is an established fact that Mayurvarma of the Kadamba kings broughtBrahmins from Ahicchatra. A sect of Brahmins fled from the Gomantak to escapeforcible conversions by the Portuguese and British and settled in and around Gokarna inthe 15th century. It was part of the Sodhe and Vijayanagar kingdoms. Later, when theKonkan region - including Goa - was occupied by the Portuguese, it became part of theirrule. A few temples were destroyed by the Portuguese in 1714 and then rebuilt later inthe 18th century and also under the supervision of Guru H. H. Shrimat AnandashramSwamiji in 1928.

CultureGokarna is a town of contrasts, as it is a temple town and also a holiday destination. Gokarna is full of coconut,banana and other trees, blue seas and relatively clean sands. It is a laid back town with two main streets lined withshops and traditional tile-roofed brick houses. The beaches near Gokarna have shacks (huts) for rent. Kannada is themain language spoken here, however Konkani as well as Indian version of English are spoken here.

Religious attractions

Gokarna Beach.

Gokarna is also an important centre of Sanskrit learningand houses Bhandikeri Math and Toggu Math. It is aplace where Sanskrit knowledge is passed down fromgenerations in Brahmin families. Many Hindus alsoperform the last rites of a person here.• Mahabaleshwar Temple (Maha: great, bal: strength)

is a famous Shiva Temple and it houses the'Atmalinga'. Named so after Ravana referred to thelinga's great strength.

It is situated at the western end of the main street. Inthe sanctuary is 'Athmalinga' in between the SaligramaPeethaa. The idol of Lord Mahabaleshwara is calledNagabharana. It is so named because of the Lord rests

under the head of Naga (serpent). The floor of the hall in front has an intricate engraving of a giant tortoise.•• Maha Ganapathi Temple built in honour of the boy Ganapathi, who deceived the demon Ravana. The deity here is

two-armed, standing and at least 1500 years old.•• Uma Maheshwara Temple•• Bhadrakali Temple•• Tamra Gauri Temple•• Venkataramana Temple•• Kotitheertha is a man-made tank that is used for immersion of idols and ritual bathing. It is surrounded by

temples.

Gokarna, India 4

• Shivaratri festival is celebrated here with great enthusiasm. The temple has two chariots - named locally as'Dodda Ratha' (Dodda for Big in Kannada) and 'Sanna Ratha' (sanna for small in Kannada). Dodda Ratha is quitehuge. While 'Sanna Ratha' is out in the open during winter and summer, the 'Dodda Ratha' is brought out andmade ready only during Maha Shivaratri. On the last day of Maha Shivaratri festival the Lord Mahabaleshwaraidol is carried in 'Dodda Ratha' in a procession through the town's big Car Street, while priests and pilgrims chanthymns in praise of Shiva. More than a hundred people are needed to pull the chariots with thick ropes whilepriests conduct religious ceremonies inside. During the nine-day Maha Shivaratri festival, the small town ofGokarna is visited by up to 20,000 pilgrims.

Community festivals•• Mahashivaratri•• Kartika mahotsava

BeachesThe drive up the winding path that leads to Gokarna is scenic, with the rocky mountains and Western Ghats on oneside and the Arabian Sea on the other.

Panorama of Om Beach at Gokarna in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India, showing its distinctive shape.

Gokarna is also known for its beautiful beaches and landscapes. The main beaches in Gokarna are the Gokarna beach(also known as Indian Beach), Main Beach, Kuddle Beach, Om Beach, Half moon Beach, Paradise Beach (alsoknown as Full moon)and Nirvana beach (3 km long with fine white sand). The Gokarna beach forms the coast of thetown and is followed by Main beach in northern direction while the other four beaches lie to the south of Gokarna.Gokarna Beach is mainly used by Indian pilgrims. Main Beach is a long open beach, also known for surfing. Kuddleand Om are around 6 km from Gokarna town along a muddy hill; they are accessible by rickshaw or foot. Half moonand Paradise are beyond Om beach and are accessible only by foot or boat, Nirvana beach is accessible by boat androad from Kumta town. Om beach is named so because it is shaped like the auspicious ॐ [Om] symbol. Om beach isthe only naturally Om shaped beach. Three other beaches - Paradise, Half Moon and Nirvana beach.

Location

Gokarna, India 5

Boating services seen in Om beach, 5km fromGokarna.

A tourist sun bathing in Om beach.

Gokarna beach near Mahabaleshwara temple.

Gokarna is about 583 km from Bangalore, 238 km north of Mangaloreand about 59 km from Karwar. It is between the Gangavali andAgnashini rivers and situated along the Karwar coast by the ArabianSea. It is 200 km north from the college towns of Suratkal.

Gokarna can be reached by buses and maxicabs from Kumta (30 km),Ankola (26 km) and Karwar (59 km) on National Highway 17( NH-17). Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) also runslong-journey buses from many cities like Panaji, Bangalore andMangalore. Private buses (Vijayanand Roadlines - VRL, Sugama, SeaBird, etc.) operate night journeys from the capital city of Bangalore toGokarna daily. It can be reached by train Konkan Railway on theMumbai to Mangalore route. The railway station ( called GokarnaRoad ) is 6 km away from the town. The station also has a retiringroom at a nominal price. Many important trains like MatsyagandhaExpress have a halt here. The nearest airports are Dabolim at Goa andMangalore International Airport at Bajpe.

Neighboring villages•• Bankikodla-Hanehalli•• Sanikatta•• Tadadi•• Torke•• Madangere•• Maskeri•• Adigone•• Nelaguni•• Bijjur

References[1] http:/ / tools. wmflabs. org/ geohack/ geohack.

php?pagename=Gokarna%2C_India& params=14. 55_N_74.31667_E_type:city(25851)_region:IN-KA

Source: Karnataka State Gazetteer 1983

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gokarna.

• http:/ / en. wikivoyage. org/ wiki/ Gokarna• Beautiful Gokarna Images (http:/ / indiaouting. com/ karnataka/ gokarna/ )• Gokarna Travel Guide (http:/ / www. visitsirsi. com/ gokarna. html)• The Curse of Gokarna (http:/ / www. oldworldwandering. com/ 2011/ 06/ 06/ the-curse-of-gokarna-india/ ): The

history, present and uncertain future of an Indian village• Gokarna Spiritual guide (http:/ / www. vegetarian-restaurants. net/ India-Guide/ IndianStates/ Karnataka/

Gokarna. htm)

Gokarna, India 6

• Gokarn Math (http:/ / www. chitrapurmath. net/ our_maths/ gokarn. asp)• Roots of Havyaka Brahmins (http:/ / www. niu. edu/ hosmane/ aboutme/ roots. shtml)• Great Guru of Gokarna (http:/ / www. kamat. com/ jyotsna/ blog/ blog. php?BlogID=417)• Karwar eNews (http:/ / www. karwarenews. com/ )• Official Website of Gokarna Temple (http:/ / www. srigokarna. org/ )

Article Sources and Contributors 7

Article Sources and ContributorsGokarna, India  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=616201821  Contributors: Abhshk Kmr, Ajaykarat, Amarrg, Anand.Hegde, Apparition11, Arjuncm3, Armarkande, At-par,Axis of eran, BD2412, Baiji, Bay of Bengal, Bharathiya, Bogdan Nagachop, Brkrao, Canadianshoper, Chandan Guha, Chris the speller, Colonies Chris, Crusoe8181, Crypticmyth, Cunningham,Dewritech, Dolly3157, Donotask-donottell, E.mahesha, Editorofthewiki, Firsfron, Friedclyde, Fullpaua24haua, Gaius Cornelius, Gamesmasterg9, Gautamgoa1984, Gene Nygaard, Gopalsgayatri,Happyshopper, Harryboyles, Helpsome, Hoo man, Hu12, Imc, Infoayan, IrishJew, JRN08, JaGa, Jacob.abraham, Jijithnr, John of Reading, Jugularbean, KNM, Kanikasleepymaggie, Karthik.veti,Kishisykes, Krishnamoorthy Nayak, Lam Kin Keung, LeoFrank, Lifebonzza, Lying often bad, MNdude11, Manne marak, Mark Arsten, Martarius, Mattisse, Mayasandra, Mcaggs, Mindprincerohit, Mlpkr, Nagarajgouda, Narayana.raghavendra, Naveengouda, NayakDeepti, Nityanandnaik, OrionRightOn, Parishan, Philg88, Pinoakcourt, Plmplm999, Priyanath, Quicksilvr, R'n'B,RL0919, Raj2004, Rajaramraok, Rajasekhar1961, Ram.n.pai, Ravi s menon, Raviaital, Rayabhari, Rickard Vogelberg, Rjwilmsi, Robth, Roland zh, Rrevanuri, Sardanaphalus, Shantanubhadoria,Shyamsunder, Sisyph, Socialservice, Somas123, Sriram shol, Stephanie rohrbach, Stephenjh, Syedzohaibullah, Tabletop, Tangi-tamma, TerriersFan, Thaejas, TheParanoidOne, Tommaisey,Touch third not, Travelgeekinfo, Utcursch, Vasanthakumarep, Vedamurthy.j, Venkasub, Vishicastle, Welsh, Woodthought, Woohookitty, Yunshui, आशीष भटनागर, 130 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Mahabaleshwara Temple.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mahabaleshwara_Temple.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors:Vedamurthy.jFile:India Karnataka location map.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:India_Karnataka_location_map.svg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Karnataka_locator_map.svg: by User:Planemad derivative work: User:NayvikFile:Flag of India.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_India.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Anomie, MifterFile:Gokarna beachline.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Gokarna_beachline.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors:User:VenkasubFile:Kodalu beach at Gokarna.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Kodalu_beach_at_Gokarna.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: User:InfoayanFile:EpicIndiaCities.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:EpicIndiaCities.jpg  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors: Jijithnr at en.wikipediaFile:India Karnataka Gokarna Beach.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:India_Karnataka_Gokarna_Beach.jpg  License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Dharmadhyaksha, Magog the OgreFile:Om beach at Gokarna.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Om_beach_at_Gokarna.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: TommaiseyFile:Om beach Gokarna.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Om_beach_Gokarna.JPG  License: Creative Commons Zero  Contributors: Axis of eranFile:om beach gokarna sun bathing.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Om_beach_gokarna_sun_bathing.JPG  License: Creative Commons Zero  Contributors: Axis oferanFile:Gokarna temple beach.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Gokarna_temple_beach.JPG  License: Creative Commons Zero  Contributors: Axis of eranImage:Commons-logo.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Commons-logo.svg  License: logo  Contributors: Anomie

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