Karnataka is a traveller's paradise. From lush green pristine hills to the untouched Kannada coast, from rich heritage sites to thriving wildlife parks - this Indian state offers it all.
This year I had the privilege to explore the coastal town of Gokarna which is located about 500km from Bangalore. It's a kind of a place where the shores meet folklores.
Legends and myths:
Gokarna was initially famous for being one the seven important Hindu pilgrimage centers. According to legends, Shiva offered 'Atmalinga' to demon king Ravana after the later's long penance in Kailasa. Lord Vishnu knew that if Ravana was successful in taking the linga to his kingdom in Lanka it will be nearly impossible to defeat him in a war that was about to take place in the future between Ram (Vishnu's Seventh Avataar) and Ravana. Hence, Vishnu and Ganesha plotted a plan.
To prevent Ravana from getting the 'Atmalinga' to Lanka, Vishnu using his Sudarshan Chakra hid the sun - giving it an illusion of dusk. By this time Ravana had reached Gokarna. Tricked to believe that the sun was about to set, Ravana was in a dilemma as he had to perform his evening rituals and he couldn't afford to keep the Atmalinga on the ground. To his surprise a Brahmin boy offered to help by holding the linga while he performed his periodical rites.
The Brahmin boy was in fact Ganesha in disguise and he put the linga on ground before Ravana could do anything about it. The linga got firmly embedded on the grounds of Gokarna.
Deeply agitated, Ravana hit Ganesha on the head and tried to uproot the 'Atmalinga' but failed as it had deeply entrenched itself. Frustrated he broke the linga and threw away the pieces in different directions.
(Read the full story here.)
The place where the 'Atmalinga' was embedded, now stands the great Mahabaleshwar Temple, originally built in the 4th Century. Deities from all over the country come here to see and offer prayers to the only 'Atmalinga' on earth.
Just beside the temple, there is Maha Ganapathi Temple. The Ganesha statue inside is unique as it is the only temple statue in India where Ganesha is in standing mudra. One can also spot a dent on the head of the statue where Ganesha was supposedly hit by Ravana for his trickery.
The little Goa :
Gokarna is a perfect amalgamation of two very different groups of crowd. While one can offer their prayers to Lord Shiva at the Gokarna Main Town, at Om Beach and Kudle Beach one relive their good old Goan days again.
Om Beach takes the shape of Hindu symbol 'Om' and hence the name. During peak seasons, there are several beach shacks available for you to choose from. You can get some relief from the harsh 1pm sun, grab some food and enjoy the best of life like we did at Nirvana Shack (it served the best food we had during the entire trip!).
If you like a little adventure do try to trek from Om Beach to Half Moon beach. Initially the trek will offer a scenic vantage point of Om Beach, then take you through a path covered with trees and then open up to a cliff offering a mesmerising view of the Arabian Sea. Half Moon Beach had no shacks for eateries when we visited but it had tiny shelters for you to take cover from heat. It's pretty secluded so you can spend some time away from the crowd here. (Also don't forget to try to spot the playful crabs on the sea boulders.)
For the day's sunset we trekked to Kudle Beach. Kudle Beach had the same vibe as Palolem Beach in Goa but smaller and slightly more crowded. I would suggest to pick up an accommodation here in Kudle Beach because you won't feel like leaving this place at the end of the day.
A trip to Gokarna can be tailored to what ever sails your boat!
One can indulge in day's long trekking activities covering all the major beaches or you can just book a beach shack and do nothing but look at the magnificent Arabian Sea. You can go around and explore the caves and waterfalls around or just tap into the legends and stories of Gokarna and muse about how different or similar things must have been here back in the 4th CE.
#Gokarna #Beaches #Karnataka
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