GoKarna translates to 'cow's ears' in Sanskrit. According to folklore, Lord Shiva emerged from a cow's ear and so the nomenclature. Gokarna is located at the confluence of the two rivers Gangavali and Agnashini, which is shaped like an ear. Gokarna is a town of contradiction - a holy centre which is at the same time a popular beach destination as well.
 
A Gokarna excursion would take you to a   tour of all the religious spaces where one can
visit the Mahabaleshvara Temple, nestled in the Western Ghats and houses the 1500-year-old goddess. The temple's westend has the Mahabaleshwar enshrined, from where you could have a look at the Shiva lingam which is 6 feet tall, viewable only once in 40 years during the time period when the ceremony is being performed. On all other days, you can view only a glimpse of the top of the lingam.

The temple also has enshrined a very old idol of Lord Ganesha and Gokarnanayaki, also called Taamragowri. The ideal time to visit the temple is during the carnival of Mahan Havarti, which runs for four days, and has as many as 20,000 pilgrims visiting it. You can also visit the temples of Sejjeshwara, Gunavanteshwara, Murudeshwara and Dhareshwara.The other attractions are the four beaches, located on the south of Gokarna - Kudle, Om, Half Moon and Paradise (Full Moon) which are considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in India.

To get to these beaches, one has to follow an extraordinary route by trekking between hills, cliffs and dense forests. A 15 to 20 minutes walk from Gokarna brings you to the crescent shaped beach Kudle bordered by rocky hills. Half an hour away is Gokarna’s most popular “Om beach” named after the symbol Om as it has a similar shape. Being a pilgrimage town, one can always shop for prayer beads and other religious items sold around the temple. Otherwise relax on the beaches and enjoy your surroundings.

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