The South Indian state of Karnataka is known for preserving ancient heritage from ages. It is a state that is rich in diverse landscapes. On one side you have the coast and on the other side, there are rivers and lakes. Here you can see the most attractive ancient monuments, palaces, forts and excavated ruins of ancient civilization. Along with this, Karnataka is a state of India which is rich in many types of pilgrimage and religious places. The religious places here attract pilgrims from every corner of the country. Tourists from all over the country and the world come to see temples, mosques, churches, and gurudwaras in Karnataka. Today in this episode we are going to give you information about some of the major pilgrimage sites of Karnataka where tourists gather. Let's know about them...
Murudeshwar
Murudeshwar is a very famous temple of Karnataka dedicated to Lord Shiva. The statue of Shiva situated in this temple has the status of being the second tallest statue in the world. Due to this lakhs of tourists visit this place every year and like to explore the surrounding tourist places along with visiting the temple. This temple is very popular and also serves as a contact point for the scuba diving site Netrani. It also works to connect the people of Karnataka as well as Kerala. Tourists from Kerala along with Karnataka also come to this place for a picnic. The beaches spread around Netrani Island and the adventure activities happening there are very good, it attracts tourists from far and wide. On coming to this place, you will have a beautiful experience of adventure activities like snorkeling and scuba diving along with a religious journey.
Virupaksha Temple
This iconic temple is also a part of the group of monuments at Hampi. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is worshipped as Virupaksha, the wife of Goddess Pampa Devi. This temple is one of the few that is still used in worship in Hampi, thus making it an important pilgrimage center in the state. The annual chariot festival in February and the marriage festival of Virupaksha and Pampa in December are the best times to visit this temple.
Shravanabelagola
Shravanabelagola is the major attraction of Karnataka which is famous for the statue of Lord Gomateshwara also known as the Bahubali statue. The statue is 58 feet tall and is carved from a single granite block. It is considered to be the tallest monolithic stone statue in the world. The statue attracts many tourists and travelers from all over the world every year. This place is a very important pilgrimage site for Jains, and you can find a lot of Jain temples in this area. Lord Gomateshwara was the son of Lord Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankara. Apart from this amazing statue, this place also has some beautiful hills to see. The Chandragiri and Vindhyagiri hills surround the place and offer many interesting trails for trekking and camping around the area. If you are lucky, you can witness the Mahamastakabhisheka of Lord Bahubali, which takes place once every 12 years.
Badami
Badami is one of the major pilgrimage sites in Karnataka. Located in a valley of red stone, Badami is known for Agastya Lake, sandstone cave temples, and beautiful forts. The royal capital of the Chalukyas, Badami is a unique place that you must visit once. This place is home to many examples of Dravidian architecture. The Badami caves have three Hindu temples and a Jain temple, which attract a large number of tourists every year. You must visit Badami once during your Karnataka trip.
Pattadakal
is a small village located in the state of Karnataka. Pattadakal is also known as Raktapura or Pattadakallu. Around ten small and big temples with beautiful carvings of ancient times were built here during the seventh to eighth century. Out of the ten temples built during the ancient times in Pattadakal, nine temples are related to Hinduism, while another temple is related to Jainism. A group of temples related to Hinduism like Papanath Temple, Galaganath Temple, Sangameshwar Temple etc. are located here. After visiting Pattadakal, do not forget to visit all these temples here.
Talakad
Located on the left bank of the Cauvery River, is counted among the most popular tourist destinations in Karnataka. This place is so revered that Talakad is called the Kashi of the South which is adorned with five sacred Shivalingas. When you come to this place, you can also visit the main temples of Talakad, namely Keerthi Narayana Temple, Mallikarjuna Temple, and Pathaleshwar Temple. This is the reason why thousands of people visit this place every year. This small but mysterious city has once witnessed the rise and fall of many great kingdoms including the Cholas, Pallavas, Gangas, Vijayanagaras, and Hoysalas. If you are thinking of visiting a religious place in Karnataka, then you must visit Talakad.
Udupi
one of the most popular tourist destinations of Karnataka is a coastal city that is known for its tourist spots as well as beaches. But apart from strolling around, this place also has a lot to offer to people with religious interests. Being located at a distance of just 60 km from Mangalore, this place also provides good transportation facilities to the people. By coming to this place, you can explore the tourist places, pilgrimage sites, and culture of Udupi. The beauty of this place with the Arabian Sea on one side and the Western Ghats on the other makes this place the most special as a pilgrimage site after Bengaluru and Mangalore. The Krishna temple located at this place is the main attraction of Udupi which makes it a major religious place. This Sri Krishna temple dating back to the 13th century has a statue of Lord Krishna which attracts many pilgrims.
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