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Sunset at Panambur Beach
Karnataka, a state in South India, has 300-km-long coastline. Here is a brief overview of some beautiful beaches in Karnataka.
This pilgrimage center enchants you with its blue seas, palm trees and golden sands. Goa International Airport, which is around 140 kilometers, is the nearest airport. Taxis are available from the airport to Gokarna. The town is well-connected by rail and road.
Various beach shacks and restaurants offer you delicious foods that are affordable. There are many opportunities for beach trekking. Some resorts offer massage services. Yoga, water sports and star gazing are other popular activities in the beaches of Gokarna.
Located around 13 kilometers from Mangaluru, this beach is famous for International Kite Festival conducted during the last week of April. Buses, cabs and auto rickshaws are available from any part of the city to the beach.
This safe and well-maintained beach (as per NDTV) has something for everyone. Jetski, swimming, boating, parasailing, horse rides, surfing, camel rides, water scooters, ATVs, star gazing and dolphin viewing are some popular activities in the beach.
Panambur Beach is heaven for seafood lovers. Carnivals are organized by the district authorities. The best time to visit this beautiful beach is between October and February, just after the rains and before the commencement of summer.
I have enjoyed early morning walks on this beach, with benign waves massaging my lower legs.
Panambur beach timings: This beach is open 24 hours.
Located in Kaup, a town in Udupi district, this beach is one among the many serene and pristine beaches in the region. This stunning beach with its white sands, with the Arabian Sea on its one side and the greenery on the other, attracts many tourists from all parts of the world.
Kaup beach is around 12 kilometers from Udupi and around 45 kilometers from Mangaluru. Mangaluru Airport is the nearest airport to the beach. Buses and cabs are available from the airport to the beach. Since it is on the national highway between Mangaluru and Udupi, it is easily accessible by road.
You will find an old 100-ft-tall black and white lighthouse, which was built in 1901, on a sprawling rock on the beach. You can enjoy beautiful views of nature from the top of the lighthouse. There are some ruins of Jain temples and a fort.
The best time to visit this beach is between October and December. If you want to enjoy cool sea breeze, if you want to relax and rejuvenate, this beach is just right for you. The sound of the sea and the sea birds works wonders on you.
Located in Uttara Kannada district near Karnataka-Goa border, this enthralling island beach is well-known for its clear blue sea, cool breeze and golden sand. It is around 8 kilometers from Karwar bus stand. The beach can be reached by the boat jetty near Kali River Bridge.
The beach has the Arabian Sea on one side and the greenery of Western Ghats on the other side. It is a paradise for nature lovers. Fishing, sailing, dolphin viewing, snorkeling, speedboat rides, banana boat rides and kayaking are popular activities here. The best time to visit the beach is between October and March. While here, do not miss fresh sea food.
This pristine beach, which is surrounded by rocky islands, is around 6 kilometers from Udupi. It is well-known for its silver sands, swaying palm trees and free Wi-Fi; it is the first beach in India to offer 24×7 Wi-Fi facility.
Malpe beach is a gem of Karnataka. Buses, cabs and auto rickshaws are available from Udupi to the beach.
Malpe beach is heaven for people with spirit of adventure. Parasailing, jet ski, banana rides, speed boat rides, bumpi rides and surfing cater to your adrenaline craving.
The best time to visit this clear, exquisite, unexplored beach is between October and January.
Also known as Koormagad Island, the Kurumgad Beach is around 1 kilometer from Devbagh Beach.
It is a tortoise shaped island in the Arabian Sea. The sight of this beach is typical of the western coastline with numerous palm trees and a unique greyish sea color.
Snorkeling, beach walk, nature walk, swimming, fishing, bonfires and barbecues, dolphin spotting, boat rides and beach volleyball are popular activities here.
Visited this island with family few years ago. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay - has both beach and cliff, can see dolphins, lovely view of the sea, ships from the resort rooms.
— PiaLocated in Uttara Kannada district, this beach is surrounded by hills and greenery. It is well-known for the 37-meter-long Shiva statue and silky sand. Goa International Airport (212 kilometers) is the nearest airport. The beach is well-connected by road.
Boating and parasailing are popular activities here.
River Suvarna pours itself into the Arabian Sea near this beautiful, clean, serene, pristine beach.
It is in the small sleepy town of Kodi Bengere. It is around 18 kilometers from Manipal University and the town of Udupi.
Tilmati beach, Majali, is a virgin black sand beach at the Karnataka - Goa border.
This secluded beach is set amidst hillocks. It offers stunning sunset views. Abundant flora and fauna near the beach makes it a rare coastal forestland in India.
A hidden treasure that is sparsely explored.
Entering the place would require some efforts as you have to go around some hills.
The black sand is amazing and gives a different sort of experience.
— Archith RevankarSurathkal beach or NITK beach (as it is near NITK on Mangalore highway) is one of the less crowded and clean beaches.
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Karnataka is a state in South India. Tourists and devotees from all parts of the world throng to various temples that are spread across the state.
Here is a brief overview of popular temples in Karnataka.
Located in Kollur in Udupi district, at the foot of Western Ghats, this ancient Hindu temple is dedicated to Mookambika, the supreme mother. The temple is believed to be created by Parashurama, an avatar of Lord Vishnu.
All the three forms of the goddess are worshipped here. She is worshipped as Maha Kali (goddess of power) in the morning, Maha Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) in the noon and Maha Saraswati (goddess of knowledge) in the evening.
In this temple Mookambika is in the form of Jyotir-Linga, which combines both Shakti and Shiva. The temple is well-known for its beauty and aesthetics. Mangaluru Airport is the nearest airport to the temple. You can reach the temple by cab or KSRTC bus.
Seva | Price (in ₹) |
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Lalki Uthsava | 500 |
Veerabhadra Alakara Pooja | 40 |
Mookambika Alankara pooja | 75 |
Located in Shravanabelagola, this temple is well-known for the 59 ft high Gommateshwara statue made of granite. Gommateshwara (who was also known as Bahubali) was the son of Adinath, the first tirthankara of Jainism.
This statue is a monolith. It was made in 10th century CE. It is on a hill named Vindhyagiri. Around 620 steps provide access to this temple from the bottom of the hill.
A marble statue of Chandra Natha Theerthankara is placed in an enclosure within the same complex of Gomateswara Temple. It is a pilgrimage centre for Jains.
Mahamastakabhisheka festival is held here once in 12 years. During the festival, the statue is anointed with milk, saffron, ghee, etc.
Shravanabelagola is in Hassan district. Kempegowda International Airport is the nearest international airport. It is well-connected by road. You can reach the town by KSRTC bus or cab.
Located in Hampi, on the southern bank of River Tungabhadra, this temple is an ornate structure.
Itis dedicated to Vittala, a form of Lord Vishnu. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is well-known for its excellent architecture.
The highlights of Vittala Temple are its pillars and the stone chariot. Actually this beautiful temple was never finished or consecrated, yet the temple’s incredible sculptural work remains the pinnacle of Vijayanagar art.
Located in Nanjangud, this temple is the largest temple in Karnataka. Located on the banks of River Kapila, this temple covers an area of around 50,000 square feet.
The Shiva Linga in the temple is believed to be installed by the sage Gauthama. Due to the presence of this temple, Nanjangud is known as Dakshina Kashi or Varanasi of South India. It is a popular pilgrimage center for Hindus.
170 kilometers.
Located in Gokarna, this temple was built in 4th century CE. It is on the shores of the Arabian Sea. This granite temple is in Dravidian architecture.
AShiva Linga known as the Atmalinga is worshipped in this Mahabaleshwar temple. This Shaiva pilgrimage centre is as important as Kashi and Rameshwara pilgrimage centers for Hindus.
Located in Rajaji Nagar, Bengaluru, this temple is actually a beautiful, well-organized, cultural complex. It houses deities of Radha and Krishna and also has five other shrines.
This temple is an excellent example of Hindu temple architecture or to be more precise neo - classical style of architecture. The 56-ft-tall gold-plated dhwaja-stambha and the 28-ft-tall gold plated kalash shikara are among the main features of the temple.
The temple is embellished with the most exquisite style of stone carvings. The Rajagopuram has splendid archways . Fountains welcome you into the temple as you enter. I cherish my visits to this temple.
The temple is around 33 kilometers from Kempegowda International Airport. It is well-connected to the rest of the city through various modes of transport, including buses, cabs, auto rickshaws and metro.
It will take less than 10 minutes to walk from Mahalakshmi metro station to the temple.
This Ganesha temple is located in Bengaluru. Dodda is a Kannada word which means big. The Ganesha idol in the sanctum sanctorum is 5.5 meters tall and 4.9 meters wide. This temple was built by Kempe Gowda I, the founder of Bengaluru.
It was a boulder like many others found in this locality. It was shaped like a Ganesha. So people started worshipping it.
— Venugopal, priestLocated on a hillock known as Devagiri in Bengaluru, this clean temple is dedicated to Lord Balaji.
The image of the diety at this magnificent temple is similar to the one at Tirumala.
The presiding deity is accompanied by Lord Ganesh to his right and Goddess Padmavathi to his left.
There are separate shrines for Navagrahas and Lord Hanuman in the temple complex.
Opening | Closing |
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6.00 am | 12.00 pm |
5.30 pm | 8.30 pm |
Manjunatheshwara, the chief deity of this temple, has taken the form of a shivalinga. It is located in Dharmasthala, the land of righteousness and piety.
The temple houses the shrine of Shiva, Manjunatha, Ammanavaru, Chandranath and the Dharma Daivas (guardian spirits of Dharma) — Kalarahu, Kalarkayi, Kumaraswamy and Kanyakumari.
The temple is considered unique because it belongs to the Shaiva sect of Hinduism; the priests are Madhwa Brahmins, who are Vaishnava; and the administration is run by a Jain Bunt family known as the Pergades.
Located in Balligavi, this temple is an excellent example of a trikuta temple in transitional Western Chalukya - Hoysala architecture.
The temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Gopuram of Meenakshi Temple in Madurai
There are around 330 million gods and goddesses in Hinduism. Hindus worship these gods and goddesses in various temples.
You will find many temples all over Tamil Nadu. Some of them are architectural beauties.
Here are some temples that attract tourists and pilgrims from all parts of the world. They are the wonders of Tamilnadu.
Located in Srirangam, this wonderful temple is dedicated to Sri Ranganatha, the reclining form of Lord Vishnu.
It is the foremost among the eight self - manifested shrines of Vishnu. It is an excellent example of Dravidian architecture.
The 73-meter-gopuram of the temple is the second tallest gopuram in India.
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple has seen rampaging attacks from the Islamic armies and European conquerors and it had to be rebuilt in the 14th century.
Viswaroopa Seva | 6.00 am to 7.15 am |
Pooja time (no Darshan) | 7.15 am to 9.00 am |
General Darshan Timings | 9.00 am to 12.00 pm |
Pooja time (no Darshan) | 12.00 pm to 13.15 pm |
Darshan timings | 13.15 pm to 18.00 pm |
Pooja time (no Darshan) | 18.00 pm to 18.45 pm |
Darshan timings | 18.45 pm to 21.00 pm |
Located in Thanjavur, this huge Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This 66-meter-high temple is more than 1000 years old. This Chola dynasty temple is built in Dravidian architecture.
The Linga is 8.7 m high, occupying two storeys of the sanctum. It is one of the largest monolithic linga sculptures in India.
The temple entered the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1987. It is a part of "Great Living Chola Temples" along with the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram.
Opening | Closing |
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6.00 am | 12.30 pm |
4.00 pm | 8.30 pm |
Located in Madurai, this historic shrine is dedicated to goddess Parvati. Spread over an area of 45 acres, this temple is famous for its 12 gopurams (towers). These towers are beautifully sculpted and painted.
Legend has it that the sacred Suyambulingam discovered by the king of Gods indira at Kadambavanam, was later enshrined by him in Madurai.
Thefact that the Lord is seen on the vehicle of Indira in this temple is said to be proof for this
All days of the week:
5.00 am - 12.30 pm
4.00 pm - 10.00 pm
Ramanathaswamy Temple is located in Rameswaram. This Jyotirlinga temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva, is in Dravidian architecture. It is one among the Char Dham pilgrimages mandated by Adi Shankracharya.
According to the Shaiva mythology, it is commonly believed that in this place Lord Rama prayed to Lord Shiva, to absolve all the sins which he might have committed during the battle against the demon king Ravana.
Located in Kanchipuram, this Dravidian style Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the supreme ascetic and god of the Hindu pantheon. This temple is on the banks of the Vedavathi River.
The temple has retained the Pallava architecture in its original stylized form with influence of the later styles developed by the Chola Dynasty and Vijayanagara Emperors.
Ramaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. This 500-year-old Hindu temple is located in Kumbakonam.
It was built by Achutha Nayaka of Thanjavur. Sculptures in the Maha Mandapam depict stories from Hindu mythology.
The sixty four pillars in the hall near the gopuram are sculpted with exquisite finesse depicting various episodes of the epic Ramayana.
Dedicated to god Shiva and goddesses Parvati, this temple is located in Thirukkadaiyur. It is one of the Asta Veeratta Sthalams.
LordShiva is believed to have saved his devotee Markandeya from Yama, the god of death, in this location.
The temple, in line with the temple architecture of the Chola dynasty, occupies a vast area of 45,000 square meters, with five courtyards, many temple towers, and large and spacious mandapas.
Tamilnadu is famous for its cave temples and these are strewn across its length and breadth. We can safely say that Tamilnadu has the largest concentration of such temples among all states of India.
The Varaha Cave Temple, Krishna Cave Temple, Panchapandava Cave Temple, and the Mahishasuramardini Mandapa are among famous cave temples in Mahabalipuram. These temples are located on the Bay of Bengal coast.
Located in Thiruvannamalai, this Shiva temple is also known as Arunachalesvara Temple. It is in Dravidian architecture.
This temple is well-known for its stately towers, high rampart walls, broad quadrangles, spacious gateways, large mantapams and fine tanks.
Also known as Chidambaram Nataraja temple, this temple has a Dravidian architecture. The complex has nine gopurams.
The temple was constructed during the 10th Century when Chidambaram used to be the capital of the Chola dynasty. The Cholas considered Lord Shiva as Nataraj as their family deity.
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