Gokarna Temple | History, Timings, Accommodation and Address

The Mahabaleshwar temple is in Gokarna, a coastal town in Karnataka state. The Mahabaleshwar temple is important in many Puranas like Bhagavata Purana, Sthala Purana, Guru Purana, and Skanda Purana. The Hindu saint Sri Adi Shankaracharya established the Ramachandrapura Mutt in Gokarna. This Ramachandrapur Mutt looks after the administration of the Gokarna Temple.

Lord Shiva is the main deity in this Mahabaleshwar temple. This Temple is between a confluence of the rivers Gangavali and Agnashini.

The Temple is also famous for Dakshina Kasi and Bhookailasa. On this page, we are giving detailed information about the Mahabaleshwar temple. So, read this page to learn about the Temple’s timings, history, and more.

Mahabaleshwar Temple

History of Gokarna Temple:

According to history, the Mahabaleshwar temple was constructed from 345-365 AD. The Vijayanagara king, Sri Krishnadevaraya, visited the Temple during his period. The great ruler Shivaji also prayed at this Temple.

As per one legend, Lord Shiva cursed Lord Brahma that nobody would worship him because of his lie about finding the end of the endless beam of light emanating from Lord Shiva.

So, Lord Brahma Cursed him back, stating that Lord Shiva would go to hell. After going to the underworld, Lord Shiva appeared out through the cow’s ear on earth. So, the people call this place Gokarna.

According to another legend, Ravana performs a severe penance to impress Lord Shiva and gets Atmalinga as a grant.

But Lord Shiva says not to place the Atmalinga on the ground until he reaches the destination. But as a boy, Lord Ganesh meets Ravana and places the Atmalinga on the ground when Ravana goes for a bath. So, Atmalinga.

Significance of Mahabaleshwar Temple:

The significance of Mahabaleshwar Temple is the Atmalinga present in the Temple. The Atmalinga of Lord Shiva at the Mahabaleshwar temple is as sacred as the Jyotirlinga at Kasi temple.

Mahabaleshwar is one of Lord Shiva’s Pancha kshetras in Karnataka. The temple architecture follows the Dravidian style.

The Atmalinga is inside the sanctum in a square Saligrama Peetha with a small hole on the top. You can see the top of Atmalinga from the hole.

Atmalinga is visible only once in 40 years during the Ashtabandana Kumbhabhishekam. The image of Lord Shiva in the Temple is 1500 years old.

Gokarna Temple Timings:

The following table mentions the Temple’s timings. So, refer to the table below.

TimingsPooja details
6:00 AMPooja, Sparsha Darshan Starts.

Mangala Aarti, Udyana Bali

12:30 PMPooja, Sparsha Darshan ends
12:30 PM – 12:50 PMMahaPojoa Preparation
12:50 PM – 2:00 PMMaha Naivedya, Maha Pooja, Bali PoojaThe devotees are allowed up to Nandi Mantap for Darshan
2:00 PM – 5:00 PMTemple remains closed
5:00 PMTemple reopens
5:00 PM – 8:00 PMPooja, Sparsha Darshan
8:30 PMNityotsava, Maha Pooja, Bali

These are the detailed timings of the Mahabaleshwar temple.

Temple Darshan Timings:

Morning: 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM Sparsha Darshan

Afternoon: 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM Normal Darshan.

Evening: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM Sparsha Darshan.

These are the times for Darshan to be at the Mahabaleshwar temple. Hence, refer to these timings for a successful plan.

The Devotees must have the Sparsha Darshan for a good devotional experience. So, try to visit the Temple within the Sparsha darshan time slots.

Temple Dress Code:

Devotees should wear traditional outfits when visiting the Temple. Boys and men should wear only traditional bottoms like Pancha. So, do not visit the Temple with beachwear, skirts and all.

What are the different festivals celebrated in the Temple:

The major festivals celebrated in the Mahabaleshwar Temple are as follows.

  1. Maha Shivaratri
  2. Ratha Sapthami
  3. Tripurakhya Deepostava
  4. Vijayadashami
  5. Kadiru Haranotsava

Hence, there will be more rush to the Temple during these festivals.

How to reach the Temple:

By Air:

The nearest airport to the Temple is Panaji, 150 km from The Temple.

By Rail: 

The nearest railway station is Gokarna Road, 6 km from the Temple.

By Road:

Many facilities are available in Gokarna from nearby cities like Bangalore, Mangalore, etc.

So, You need not worry much about the way to the Temple. The Temple is located 200km from Om Beach in Karnataka. Hence, this is a more attractive place.

Contact Details:

There is no official website for the Mahabaleshwar temple. So, there is also no contact number for the Temple.

FAQS:

1. Where to stay near Gokarna temple?

Within 300 m of the Temple, many hotels are available for rent to stay for a short period. So, do not worry about staying in Gokarna.

2. What are the other places to visit near Gokarna temple?

Murudeshwar Temple is just 55km from Gokarna. So, you can visit both places at once.

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