We planned the trip of 1 night from Bangalore to Karwar. It was all train journey as it is always much more comfortable than car.
Bangalore (6.50 PM) to Murdeshwar (6.00 AM) – Panchganga Exp
Day 1 : Stay at Murdeshwar (1 Night) – Stayed in RNS Highway Hotel
Day 2 : Murdeshwar (09.22 AM) to Karwar (11.15 AM) -MAQ MAO SPL exp
Day 2, 3, 4 : Stay at Karwar for 3 Nights at Sterling resort.
Day 5 : Karwar (6 PM) to Bangalore (7.15 AM) – Panchganga Exp
6 AM we reached at Murdeshwar and auto was available at just exit of railway station. It is a very small station.
The hotel is hardly one KM from station and auto took reasonable Rs.50 fixed. Murdeshwar seems to be a very calm and neat place. Hotel was very big with big lawn in about an acre and highway in front. There was no trace of garbage around hotel. I recommend to stay here.
We took very refreshing morning tea at hotel and shifted to room. Room was big but bathroom was a bit unmaintained.
We talked to hotel reception and fixed an auto for Rs. 150 to take us t main Murdeshwar temple which is about 4 KM from hotel. Murdeshwar temple was magnificent with second large idol of Lord Shiva which was commissioned in 2008 by a businessman RN Shetty. There were rains in between.
I think we should visit the West coast in rainy season. Of course sometimes you will get wet but getting drench, stading under some shade to save ourselves, cool and water bearing winds inside auto is a wonderful experience rather that going in summer season or cold season.
Where we get wet in our life in modern world of AC trains and cars. Our Karwar experience was the same.
The status is in Kanduka Hill just behind the 20 story Raja gopura.
First we had darshan of Atma-linga. There was medium crowd as it was not season these days. The two elephant statues welcome us to enter the Atma-linga. There are a few temples like of Lord Ganesha, Parwati, Hanumanji, a chariot around the temple of Atma-linga. Then we came to know that there is a lift in Rajagopuram to reach 20th story.
Going into the lift is a must for us as it gives a great view of 123 feet high Lord Shiva and surroundings from the top floor. The lift timings are 7 AM – 12.45 PM and 3.00 PM to 7.00 PM. So plan accordingly.
There are good provisions of different types of Poojas which can be performed by priests on your behalf with FIXED rates.
Annasantharpana – Rs.5001
One day Annasantharpana – Rs.750
If anyone contributes Rs.750 any one day in a year Annasantharpana Seva will be done and
prasadam will be sent to their address. Dining hall opens at 12 PM
Sarva Deva Pooja – Rs.400
Panchamrita Abhishek – Rs.150
Shiva Sahasranama – Rs.140
Rudrabhishek – Rs.100
Mangalarthi Prasad – Rs.50
Shani Japa – Rs.100
Tilarchane – Rs.50
Abhishek – Rs.30
Shani Kaat – Rs.700
After darshan we took photos of the surroundings which is Arabian sea and Murdeshwara town in front. Then we moved towards the Kanduka hill which is just about 500 meters away. There are about 50 easy stairs to reach the grand and great statue. There is a small temple below the statue and a Shani temple on right side.
The temple has very good paintings depicting the story of the sanctity of Murdeshwara.
The story goes like this.
Devtas got the boon of immortality and invincibility by worshiping “atma-linga”. Ravana also desired the same and started worshiping Lord Shiva and when He was pleased and before Ravana asked his immortality boon Lord Vishnu changed Ravana’s mind. And due to this Ravana asked for Parwati. Shiva accepted and on return of Ravana Narada showed Kaali and told that this is not real Parwati but actual parwati is in Paataal Lok.
So Ravana went to Paataal and and thinking Mandodari as Parwati he married her.
When Ravana returned to Lank his mother asked about Atma-linga. Then Ravana realized that he has beed tricked by Lord Shiva. He again started harder worship. Shiva appeared and gave him Atma-linga but on condition that it should not be kept on earth on way.
Narada was worried and requested Lord Ganesha to stop this calamity. Ganesh appeared as a a Brahmin and Vishny blotted Sun as if it is evening. Seeing this Ravana wanted to do evening prayer and offered to keep it in hand of Lord Ganesha as brahmin. Ganesha agreed but told Ravana that he will keep the atma linga on ground if Ravana did not return after his three calls.
Meanwhile Ravana could not return and boon of immortality was defiled when brahmin kept the Atma Linga on ground. Ravana was very angry and tried to uproot linga. But it broke and its pieces scattered at five places are Surathkal, Sajjeshwara, Guneshwara, Dhareshwara and Murudeshwara.
After completing this darshan we called same auto guy and fixed the local tour of some scenic points around Murdeshwara in vicinity of 25 KMs. These places I recommend to see as it will refresh the trip with beauty of nature. These places are very well maintained by Murdeshwar adminstration.
These are all on the side of Arabian sea and worth visiting if your stay is for a day only.
Lot of wedding shoots and few film shootings take place here. The day we visited a wedding shooting was in progress.
Echoe beach park is good and kept very clean and natural. There were no unnecessary herd of kiosks etc here. The park adjacent to it also very very good. Mangrove forest is just a KM away on opposite side of Echoe beach. They have made a wooden trail to go go inside the forest. It was raining lightly which increased our pleasure of visit to this forest.
Epilogue
One day is not enough for Murdeshwara. We need to plan about minimum 3 days. There are great and famous attractions very near to Murdeshwar like Gokarna, Karwar, Madgaon, Mirjan fort, Udipi and Dandeli. These are all in radius of 100 KM. Taxi guys seem to be reasonable and it is almost fixed prices. Since we had planned only a day we missed An Ancient Port Town of Bhatkal, Koosalli Waterfalls, Murudeshwar Fort, Jali beach, Chaktikal Waterfalls, Maravanthe Beach and Basavaraja Durga Fort in local of Murdeshwar.
I recommend this extended tour from Murdeshwar
Murdeshwar- Jog Falls (95 KM) – Stay a night at Jog Falls, Come back to Murdeshwar. Take train from Murdeshwar and get down at Mirjan railway station -one hour journey. Have a visit to fort and catch evening train to Gokarna another one hour journey. Total distance is 80 Km one way and you can higher taxi as well from Murdeshwar.
Murdeshwar-Jog Falls(stay 1 day) – Murdeshwar-Mirjan fort-Gokarna (stay 2 days).
Visits: 68