Mystic Murudeshwar

India's second highest statue of Lord Shiva at Murudeshwar

The chugging of the train, the sound of the wind in the backdrop and the gaggle of fellow passengers interrupted by the sharp nasal calls of "Chai! chai!" sounds distant as the visual treat outside the window blots out everything else. The rows of coconut trees and lush green thicket punctuated by bright yellow and orange houses in clusters mark small villages and settlements on the banks of the Aghnashini and Sharavati Rivers that empty out into the Arabian Sea on the hour and a half journey between Gokarna and Murudeshwar, which are two small towns in coastal Karnataka.

Scenic rural scapes unfold through the train's window

The glistening basins of the two rivers that we crossed on the way are speckled with fishing boats that dock near the river islands. If you are lucky enough like us you might come across someone on the train who is familiar with the area and could give you an idea about how to go about reaching your destination. However, once lost in the landscape that rushes by in the gentle turns that the train takes it is not long before we alight from the train onto the single platform railway station.

River Islands and fishing boats are a common sight on the train ride between Gokarna and Murudeshwar

We've specially made this quick journey, by breaking away from the rest of the holiday party to experience being in the vicinity of the Murudeshwar Temple. After a quick auto ride to the shore, the serene visage of Lord Shiva greets you and many others who come there. After a quick round of the temple complex and an elevator ride up to the 18th floor of the temple tower affords you a spectacular bird's eye view of the second-tallest Shiva statue in the world jutting out into the sea on one side and the fishing boat lined shore on the other.

Thatched-roof homes surrounded by coconut trees

Opportunity for photography from this height is fantastic and so is the feeling of being on top of the world. Once you get down and have satiated your need to observe the world from that height, back on the ground you would like to watch the local fishermen pull their colourful boats onto the shore where they will dock for the night. On the tiny peninsula that is flanked by shores, the north shore is visible from the south shore and vice versa. With one shore bustling with tourists and the other, lazy after the boats are already in.

Murudeshwar is a town in Bhatkal Taluk of Uttara Kannada district in the state of Karnataka, India.Murudeshwar is another name of the Hindu god Shiva. Famous for the world's second-tallest Shiva statue, the town lies on the coast of the Arabian Sea and is also famous for the Murudeshwar Temple. Murudeshwar has a railway station on the Mangalore-Mumbai Konkan railway route.

Colourful fishing boats line the shore of Murudeshwar

Source: www.dailypostindia.com
Photos by Raghav Shikarpuria