This pandemic has been a real spoiler to all of my travel plans from last year. But since the situation is getting better and I had to accompany my sister to Udupi to help her move back home after finishing her studies, I took this chance to get a break from the routine. We planned for Karkala which was around 40 km from Udupi. It was raining heavily and we were not sure whether we will be able to make it. But we all were determined to travel and after a wait of 15 min, we got into the bus to Karkala Bus Stand from Manipal at 9.15. We reached Karkala at around 10.15 am. We took an auto to go to Chaturmukha Basadi, which is around 10 minutes from the bus stand.
Chaturmukha Basadi was built by the ruler Bhairavendra - II in 1586 AD and whose main feature is the identical-looking four different entrances in four directions. History reports that it took around 30 years to build this temple of 108 pillars all of which tells a unique story. The view of this architecture is amazing to see from the above. We could admire that from the hilltop of the next structure we visited during this journey.
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Next to this ancient structure, around the walkable distance of 5 minutes, there is another famous place of Karkala- Gommateswara Statue. The rock which leads to this statue has been carved to create steps for visitors. There is one more way also wherein you can take your vehicle uphill. But we preferred to climb up. As we were climbing the steps, the view was getting more and more magnificent. As I told you earlier, we could spot the Chaturmukha Basadi amidst the fog. Before entering the main temple premises you will find a pillar called Manastambha which has an image of Yaksha sitting which faces the statue. This Gomateswara Statue is known to be the second largest after Shravanabelagola. It is a monolithic statue of 42 feet built by Raja Veerapandya Bhairava in his honour where after every 12 years Maha Masthakaabhisheka takes place. We can also see few sculptures of Jain Thirtankaras displayed behind the statue. This is a must-visit place when visiting Karkala.
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By the time we saw both these places, we felt hungry and we took a halt at the Mallya Cold House the entrance of the statue. We ordered a plate of Gobi Manchurian. And I swear it was damn tasty. The perfect combo of sweet, spicy, and crispy. We ordered one more and it wouldn't be wrong to say we never ever tasted Manchurian this much tastier. Do let me know how did you find this place in case y ever happened to visit Karkala.
We decided to visit St. Lawrence Shrine Minor Basilica which was on the outskirts of Karkala Town. Auto driver took 150 to go to the church, wait back and drop us at the Arekere Lake later. You won't find buses on this route so make sure you make arrangements to go back too. This church is a place known for many miracles. The beauty of the architecture with different designs made from glass is just so beautiful one cannot take off the eyes from the site.
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We asked the auto to drop us at the Anekere lake where we wanted to visit the small temple built right in the middle but it was under construction but the place was still beautiful. This site is a perfect location for photography. There is also a small park near the lake one can visit and relax for a while.
There is a rickshaw as well as a bus stand near the lake itself. We took an auto-rickshaw and visited Sri Venkataramana temple which is also known as Padutirupathi. It is one of the important devotional places for the people of Karkala as well as to the other devotees around.
We finished visiting all these places in half a day. There were still more places to visit nearby but since it was raining we had to go back home early. But yes you can cover all the important tourist places in Karkala in a day and definitely, Karkala should be on your bucket list for your next trip especially if you are visiting Udupi.