Gokarna, a significant religious town home to multiple medieval temples

Gokarna is a small religious village in the state of Karnataka. It has long been a significant site for worshipping and finding religious peace. However, the image of the town is changing because of the increasing popularity of the town's beaches and nature rich lush landscapes. Simply visit the town for a fun relaxed holiday and for accommodation choose from the best hotels in Gokarna.

There are quite a few destinations in the country and even in the world where exist two different aspects in a perfect harmony, and Gokarna is one of such destinations. Located in the district of the Uttara Kannada in the Karnataka state, Gokarna is a small town with religion as its prime aspect. The town has been attracting devotees and pilgrims from decades because of its huge religious significance. It is conceived as one of the seven most sacred places in India, and is basically a town of Lord Shiva. The Lord is the prime deity in the town; worshipped and followed by locals the most. In fact, the name of the city has been derived from the religious belief that it is the site where Lord Shiva emerged from the ear of a cow. Thus, giving the name to the town. Gokarna means the ear of the cow.

Additionally, Gokarna has also been mentioned in one of the most sacred Hindu epic, called Shrimad Bhagavata Purana. The town has been mentioned as the place where two brothers, Gokarna and Dhundhari lived. Another popular concept on how the town got the name is that the town is situated at the conflux two mighty rivers Aghanashini and Gangavali, and the location's shape resembles the ear of the cow. Nonetheless, religion has always been significant in the town, and the existence of multiple ancient temples in the town and neighbouring regions is the testimony of the fact. It is believed that the first inhabitants of the town were the Brahmins who came to the town seeking  refuge from the Portuguese and the British who were forcefully making the locals covert their religion. Meanwhile, there are many temples in the town that were destroyed by the Portuguese and the British during their reign, which were later rebuilt by the locals and state government after the independence of India. Today, these temples are the must visits of the town, and are the fine exhibits of the classical Indian architecture.

On contrary to the religious significance of Gokarna, the beaches of the town are rapidly turning into the popular destinations for leisure replete holiday. The town and its neighbouring regions are still untouched by modernization, which makes them the perfect destination to spend time relishing the best of nature. The laid back, rustic nature pulls large counts of visitors towards the town. Today, there exist full-fledged resort, guesthouses, and hotels in Gokarna, which consolidates the increasing popularity of the town as a tourist destination.

Note that, the temperature in Gokarna remains ideal for most of the months in a year. Except for peak summer season the town is good for tourism. Cotton cloths will do for most of the months. However, one may require woolen cloths in December. Meanwhile, the nearest airport to the town is in Goa, which is about 140 km away. The most popular places to visit in Gokarna include: Om Beach, Mahabaleshwar Temple, Kudle Beach, Maha Ganapati Temple, Paradise Beach, Gokarna Beach, Yaana, Half Moon Beach, Sathodi Falls, Bhadrakali Temple, Jog Falls, and Cocopelli Surf School, etc.