What an surreal experience it was to be at the foot of Bhagwan Shiva and convey my gratitude. Words fall short of every time I visit Shiva temple anywhere in India and this one is no different. Nestled on the Konkan railway route, the temple is situated atop Kanduka Hill in the coastal town of Murudeshwar / Murudeshwara and it is surrounded by mighty Arabian sea on three sides. The temple is seemingly dating back to time of Ramayana and has significant importance on how the temple came to existence. The story behind Murudeshwar is also one which makes you feel how even god's tricked there adversaries to make sure evil doesn't take over the good. The story can be searched online if anyone is interested
How did we think of the trip, so as usual this was a last moment plan to traverse towards Karnataka (the whole road is just blue printed in my head), original plan was to head towards Somnath and then Dwarkadish and this is how we started on 26th Jan from our home, but due to heavy traffic on Godbunder road (exit from Thane / Navi Mumbai) we decided to cut our losses and headed towards Karnataka with no clear destination. We took approx. 5.5 hours just to cross Pune, post that it was a breeze to reach Karnataka. Roads after Khed Shivpur toll (50km outside Pune) are in good condition. At a cruising speed we were able to reach Belgavi by around 22:45 at night and somehow managed to keep KFC open for us till 23:35 ;)
The trip from Belagavi to Murudeshwar is worth taking especially when you traverse through the forest area of Yellapur. Started early from Belagavi which helped us to avoid any sort of traffic
NH48 is anyway a breeze till Bengaluru, however we had to take a right turn near Kittur which can be easily missed, as one has to take a U-turn from an underpass and then take a left turn at Kittur Junction. From Kittur till NH166 or NH66 the road is approx. 160km off which around 120km is through forest area. The roads however are well tar and you can breeze through. Please keep a note of fuel stations and try to fuel up on the highway before you start the road from Kittur (to make sure you have good fuel in car)
Avoid BPCL fuel station in Yellapur which looks really shady and only takes in cash. No card or UPI payments which is weird for a fuel station. Eateries will be found only at small towns through the route and not everywhere. You can find good restaurants in Yellapur on the route towards Murudeshwar and munch on. Greenery on both side of the road. There is a diversion point, just in case you change your mind and head towards Sirsi forest reserve :)
The view is mesmerizing when you reach Murudeshwar and walk towards the temple. 20 storey Gopuram welcomes you with two life size elephants, and your first step inside gives you glimpse of Bhagwan Shiva :) sitting in lotus position and meditating.
Raja Gopuram is one of its kind and the detailing on the Gopuram makes you realize the kind of architecture genius we had in our ancestors and how much civilized and advanced our ancestors were. Climbing up the stairs is a mammoth task, but generally the staff doesn't allow you to walk but insists on using the lift facility. The view from top of the Gopuram (viewing deck) is simply breath taking and you can see on all four sides. Best view is of Bhagwan Shiva and Arabian sea, followed by the town view. If you are at the right time, you can actually click the shadow of Bhagwan Shiva falling on the town
Once you are done at the temple complex, you can stroll on the beach and also munch on local delicacies
Another blog from me in rainy season, if you wish to travel by train https://www.tripoto.com/karnataka/trips/murudeshwar-spiritually-connect-to-scenic-beauty-5791dcec16f2d
Started early morning from Murudeshwar and headed towards Panvel. Had an option of going via shivamoga and then NH48 and back home, but we took the same route till Kittur and via Belgavi back home via NH48
The essence of Murudeshwar will remain with you and it will just pull you back to itself. The second tallest Shiva statue is indeed worth the visit
Road Condition:
Mumbai to Khed Shivpur - Typical Pune bypass road with lot of traffic and uneven surfaces at lot of places NH-48
Khed Shivpur to Satara - Good wide road, no major diversion or potholes observed NH-48
Satara to Kolhapur - Amazing road as usual (thx for kagal satara highway project)
Kolhapur to Belgavi - Good wide roads, however small patch near sankeshwar is having potholes (troublesome while driving at night) NH-48
Belgavi to kittur - good road NH-48
Kittur to Yellapur - good state highway road no tolls
Yellapur to Gokarna junction - good forest road no tolls
Gokarna junction to Murudeshwar - good road NH-66
Food:
Amazing coastal food your taste buds will encounter can be found here. Local cuisine is really good. Don't fancy a high end restaurant
Local travel:
Rickshaws and small buses run near Murudeshwar to Gokarna town and also within murudeshwar
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