Gokarna India – 5 Ideas on What to Do and What to See There

Gokarna may be small but it has plenty to offer in the way of things to keep you busy. There are numerous tourists attractions and activities that will make your stay more fun, exciting, and memorable. While a vast majority of these are centered around the town’s beaches, we recommend you try the following for something altogether different.

Souvenir shopping

Gokarna’s main road is lined with shops; rows and rows of small and large stores selling various religious artifacts as well as generic tourist apparel such as harem pants, psychedelic neon t-shirts, elephant print skirts, kurtas, and glitzy metal jewelry. You will find plenty of made-for-tourists stock in town, however, we recommend you have a browse at the authentic religious paraphernalia in the smaller stores around the temples. There you will find some genuinely interesting souvenirs such as brass-lamps, prayer beads, large and miniature statues of various deities, handcrafted decorative items, and spices. Shopping in Gokarna is a delight, and you can purchase some incredible things at very low prices, but bargaining is a must!

A blessing from Lord Shiva

While in town we suggest you visit the famous Mahabaleshwara Temple, a profoundly spiritual place built of granite around the Atmalinga, said to date back to as early as the fourth century. According to Hindu lore, a mere glimpse at the symbolic representation of Lord Shiva inside this magnificent shrine is said to bestow great blessings. A traditionally decorated gateway tower dominates the entrance with a large Nandi facing the inner chamber, home to the Atmalinga. Foreigners are not allowed into the inner sanctum but you may freely observe all the religious activities from the gopura, and if you’re lucky enough see the sacred linga. This is one place we heartily recommend you visit while in Gokarna. Entry is free.

A visit to the Library

Gokarna’s library, housed on a hill which separates Main Beach from Kudle, is a library like no other. It’s a pretty arduous climb up a winding stone staircase to the top, but absolutely worth it. The building alone – blue as the houses in Jaipur – is something to behold, its imposing structure sits atop a hill with excellent views of the Arabian sea and the Rama Temple below. The library is a huge, musty edifice with over 35,000 multilingual books inside. You will lose yourself there browsing the somewhat disorganized shelves, but you will leave feeling enriched by the experience. Entry is free. Library membership is not necessary if you wish to borrow a book or two.

Ablutions at the Koti Tirtha

At the other end of town, a narrow lane off Car Street will lead you to Gokarna’s Koti Tirtha. A six-acre man-made tank flanked by colourful temples, monasteries, and houses with winding cobbled pathways around it. The scenic setting of powder blue, orange and pink concrete structures encased by colossal palm trees is spellbinding and favoured by many Western artists, who spend hours there painstakingly sketching at their drawing pads. The Koti Tirtha is considered to be extremely sacred and is used for ritual bathing and immersing of religious idols. We recommend you take a dip in the tank or merely watch the pilgrims perform their ablutions while holy mantras emanate throughout the vicinity from one of the numerous temples.

Ayurvedic Retreat

If you find yourself in need of some restoration after all the sightseeing and shopping, we recommend you head to Kudle Beach’s Ayurveda Gokarna Clinic. It is one of the best in town with a team of excellent consultants and a wide range of treatments including, traditional Ayurvedic healing, acupuncture, naturopathy, yoga, cupping therapy, tai-chi, various massages and bio-mineral salt remedies. This place also runs yoga, Ayurveda, and language courses, all of which a taught by accomplished professionals who love what they do. Highly recommended. Prices for a consultation start from around INR1500.