Murdeshwar

Murdeshwar is a town in Uttara Kannada region in southern India. The name "Murdeshwar" means Shiva or Eeshwara.

Shiva statue at Murdeshwar

Understand

"Murdeshwar" is another name of the Hindu god Shiva. Famous for the world's tallest Shiva statue, this beach town lies on the coast of the Arabian Sea and is also famous for the Murdeshwar Temple.

Get in

By bus

Now sleeper/sitting non-AC buses are available from Bangalore. They take just over 12 hours to reach and costs vary from ₹600-750 depending on the operator and the seating chosen. From Mumbai, a private Volvo bus is available for Mangalore which stops at Murdeshwar bypass road opposite to the main gate of the temple and adjacent to the gate is a rickshaw stand which will charge ₹30 (April 2017) for a ride till Main temple.

By road

The Surya idol at Murdeshwar beach

Murdeshwar being along the south western coast of India is connected to the National Highway 66, (NH-66)

Drive down from Goa towards Mangalore, take the right turn after Konkan Railway station at Murdeshwar and drive down to the beach to visit the tallest Shiva Idol in the world and a towering Gopuram located on the beach.

By rail

Murdeshwar station lies on the Konkan Railway. Some trains from Mumbai and Mangalore stop here. Some other prominent trains that stop at Murdeshwar are the Nethravat Express and the Matsyagandha Express. Further details at the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited site.

By air

Nearest airport is Mangalore International Airport, 165 km away. Hubli and Panaji airports are other alternatives.

See

Murdeshwar Gopuram

• Murdeshwar is a land mass projected into the Arabian Sea in the shape of a Shiva Linga. There are beaches on all the three sides of the land mass. The beaches are hard sand and drivable.
• Murdeshwar Temple and Raja Gopura: It is a temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva that possesses the 249-foot-tall Raja Gopura. The Murdeshwar temple complex is renowned for the tallest idol of Lord Shiva in the world, which is 123 feet. The latest addition to the temple is the Rajagopuram, which was opened in 2008. And it is the tallest the tallest Hindu Temple Gopuram in the World. The Rajagopuram of Murdeshwar Temple has 21 floors, including the ground floor. The base measures 105 feet in length and 51 feet breadth. The gopura also possess a lift and visitors can go to the top and have an aerial view of the Arabian Sea and the statue of Lord Shiva. Two life-size elephants in concrete stand guard at the steps leading to the temple. The entire temple and temple complex, including the 249 feet tall Raja Gopura, which is considered the tallest gopura in the world, was constructed to its present form by businessman and philanthropist Mr R N Shetty. The temple complex is open between 6AM-1PM and 3PM-9PM.
• Statue of Lord Shiva: A huge towering statue of Lord Shiva, visible from great distances, is present in the temple complex. It is the tallest statue of Shiva in the world. The statue is 123 feet (37 m) in height, and took about 2 years to build. The statue was built by Shivamogga's Kashinath and several other sculptors, financed by businessman and philanthropist Mr R.N. Shetty, at a cost of approximately ₹50 million. The idol is designed such that it gets the sun light directly and thus appears sparkling. The statue was made four arms, and was adorned in gold paint. However, large wind gusts blew the arm off (the one that held a small drum), and rains dissolved the paint.
• Murdeshwar Fort: A fort behind the temple is said to have been renovated by Tipu Sultan.
• This tourist place is also famous for making bricks by well known Murdeshwar Tiles factory.
• There is a small exhibition of statues telling the story of Murdeshwar and Shiva from the epics. The exhibition is inside a cave built under the Shiva statue. Tickets ₹10 for adults and ₹5 for children.
• Near the Shiva statue, there is a more beautiful statue representing the discourse of Krishna and Arjuna in a chariot.

Do

Beach: pristine sands, swimming, water sports and boating. If you stroll down the beach there is some good handicraft shopping.

Diving: For those who want to dive in clear waters, there are organized trips to 1 Netrani Island (also known as Pigeon Island). Netrani Island is about 10 nautical miles off shore from Murdeshwar. Diving shops in Goa can help you in getting you there.

Buy

There are several souvenir shops and bag shops all around the beach.

Eat

RNS Restaurant is near the temple. Good to eat.

Good restaurants are scattered all along the beach.

Sleep

• Naveen Beach Resort (RNS Residency) (across from Murudeshwar Beach), ☏ +91 83852 60429. 3-star hotel facing the Arabian Sea, near the temple. It has 90 rooms with centralised air-conditioning, modern amenities, a health club, swimming pool, gymnasium and other facilities. 

Go next

• Bhatkal - 16 km
• Idagunji - 20 km
• Gokarna - 65 km
• Karwar - 120 km
• Kollur - 63 km
• Jog Falls - 90 km
• Manjuguni - 90 km
• Udupi - 100 km
• Anshi National Park
• Honavar

The beach could get crowded during the holiday season, though it is relatively less frequented. You can get a great view of the Lord Shiva statue and the Gopuram from here.