Mangalore temple circuit- Dharmasthala Kollur Sringeri Murudeshwar
India is famous across the world for the diversity of religions and cultures it has embraced. This is one of the reasons why the country has a multitude of small and large temples that serve as places of worship for locals and tourists. South India is especially known for its temples with elaborate, intricate carvings on its stone structures, with Mangalore proving to a top preference for travellers.
If you enjoy the blessedness of temples and the tranquillity associated with it will find the Mangalore temple circuit quite gratifying. Travelling here is quite a breeze as you can hire a suitable vehicle from a cab service in Mangalore and move around with ease and comfort.
Here are a few prominent places to visit if you are planning a temple trip to Mangalore and its surrounding areas:
Dharmasthala: This temple town is located on the banks of Nethravathi in the Dakshin Kannada district of the state of Karnataka. It is well-connected by an excellent road network which you will love to travel on, thanks to the local administration. The Manjunatha temple is easily its most famous landmark and has 800 years of history connected to it. You can also visit the Manjusha Museum here that houses many antique artefacts, paintings and manuscripts. The vintage car museum is worth visiting too to check out the rare car collection.
Kollur: Known as one of the popular places of Hindu pilgrimage, Kollur is about 140 kilometres away from Mangalore. Kundapur is its nearest town at a distance of 40 kilometres. You can travel via road and pay obeisance to the Lord at Shree Mookambika temple. Souparnika, which is about a kilometre away from the temple is the place where you can take a holy dip. For those who seek adventure, Kashi Teertha is the place to be since it offers good trekking opportunities in the forest nearby.
Sringeri: The hill town of Sringeri is located in Chikkamagaluru district and is about 110 kilometres away from Mangalore that can be reached easily by hiring a vehicle. This town is home to many historic temples with Sri Vidyashankara Temple and Sri Sharadamba temple amongst the more revered and popular ones. While Sri Sharadamba was built during times of Adi Shankaracharya, Sri Vidyashankara Temple is an ancient structure standing tall since 1342 AD. Since you have a vehicle at your disposal, take this opportunity to visit Sirimane Falls that is merely 12 kilometres away from Sringeri.
Murudeshwar: In Uttar Kannada district in Bhatkal Taluka, is located in the scenic temple town of Murudeshwara. Set in the vicinity of a mesmerizing location and flanked by the looming Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, this beautiful town hosts the Murudeshwara Temple. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and its massive idol with the faithful Nandi is set against the backdrop of the raging ocean.
While travelling to these temple towns along the Mangalore temple circuit, it is prudent to hire a car at a reliable Mangalore car rental and go around easily. It allows you to spend time at these beautiful places along with the luxury of making fun unscheduled stops or any unexpected detours. Go ahead and be one with the Almighty and enjoy the wonderful outdoors too.
