Mahabaleshwar Temple Gokarna

Gokarna is a Hindu pilgrim center of South India. It is one of the most worshiped and celebrated pilgrimage in the coast of Karnataka. The Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna is one of the famous places of Gokarna visited by a large number of devotees every year.

The Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna of Karnataka is regarded as one of the seven Muktisthala temples of Karnataka. This temple is resided by a huge Shivlinga which is called the Atmalinga. According to the Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha brought this linga here and it got rooted when he kept it on the ground. This linga was supposed to be given to Ravana by Lord Shiva which would make him very powerful. The other Gods were horrified thinking the result of it. Thus they begged before Lord Ganesha to help them. Then Ganesha took away the linga from the reach of Ravana and then fixed it on the ground so that nobody can pull it out.

One can have a glimpse of this 6 feet tall linga of the Mahabaleshwar Temple of Gokarna during the occasion Ashtabandhana Kumbhabhishekam that too once in 40 years. As the Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna holds the legacy and heroic deed of Lord Ganesha so there is a Ganesha temple located nearby the main shrine. Other than these two Gods, the Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna is also a shrine for Gods like Chandikeswara, Aadi Gokarneswara, Gokarnanayagi and Dattatreya.

The devotees always bath in the sea before entering into the temple, as according to the Hindu mythology it is said that one should purify his body and mind before making any prayer to God. There is also a shivlinga made of sand which the devotees worship.

The Mahashivratri is the most significant occasion of the Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna.