Murudeshwara Shiva Temple

Introduction to the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple

The Murudeshwara Shiva Temple is a famous ancient Hindu temple in Murudeshwar town, Karnataka. It is on the coast of the Arabian Sea. The temple houses the world's second-tallest Shiva statue. The Murudeshwara Shiva Temple has the tallest Rajagopuram in India. Murudeshwar, an incarnation of Shiva, is the temple's presiding deity. Mrideshwara was the earlier name of the town. After the construction of the temple, it became Murudeshwar town.

Legend of the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple

The legend of the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple links the place with Ravana. He was an ardent devotee of Shiva. Atma Linga was believed to be a divine manifestation of Shiva and could bestow immortality on anyone who worshipped it. So, Ravana performed severe penance and prayers to receive Atma Linga from Shiva to stay immortal.

His penance pleased Shiva. So, he granted Ravana's wish and gave him the invaluable Atma Linga. But, he insisted that it should not be placed anywhere on earth until he reached Lanka. Ravana agreed and started towards his kingdom along with his possession.

But Vishnu worried that the king of Lanka could destroy heaven and earth with the help of the Linga. So, he took the help of Ganesha and planned to seize the Atma Linga from his hands. Ravana used to offer worship at various times of the day without fail. As he had the Atma Linga in his hands, he could not worship and stood there worried. Ganesha appeared before Ravana as a Brahmin boy. Ganesha agreed to Ravana's request to hold the Linga for him. Ravana also warned Ganesha not to keep it on the ground until he returned.

But when Ravana returned after finishing his worship, he found the Linga was placed on the ground while the boy was nowhere. Realizing that he had been fooled, Ravana used all his powers to uproot the Linga and take it with him. But, the Linga remained strongly fixed on earth at that place.

In the process, the Linga began disintegrating to some extent. Some of its pieces were scattered in many places. And those spots where the small pieces of the Linga fell became Shiva temples.

At last, Ravana threw away the cloth covering the Atma Lingam. It fell on the hill, Kanduka Giri. This place thus became a holy abode of Shiva. In due course, people started to call him Murudeshwar after the temple's construction was complete.

The Architecture of the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple

The Murudeshwara Shiva Temple lies on a small hill called Kanduka Giri. The Arabian Sea encloses it on three sides. The temple is in the Dravidian architectural style. Granite stones were used to build the temple. Chalukya and Kadamba sculptures are prevalently seen here.

The 20-storied, 249-ft Rajagopuram (tower) is a sheer work of excellence. The presence of two massive elephants on either side of the Rajagopuram gives a majestic look to the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple. The seated Shiva statue at 123 feet height fills visitors with awe.

Shivamogga's Kashinath and several other sculptors built this huge statue. R. N. Shetty, a businessman and philanthropist, donated 50 million for the statue and temple's renovation. As it receives the sunlight directly, the statue sparkles in the daytime.

In the sanctum, Shiva graces in the form of Atma Linga, 2-feet below the ground; devotees can have his darshan from the sanctum's entrance, and they can see the Lingam from the light of the oil lamps lit by the priests. The sanctum still retains its traditional form and remains dark.

Other parts of the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple are modernized. Even a lift facility is available inside the Rajagopuram for a better view of Murudeshwar.

Visitors can see a massive fort behind the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple. Tipu Sultan of Mysore renovated it. Visitors can enjoy watching the sunset from this fort.

The temple's complex has multiple statues, pools, and parks. Visitors can see many statues of Vishnu, Shiva, and Ganesha, statues of chariots, and a scene of Ganesha deceiving Ravana here.

Netrani Island is near the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple. It is a great tourist attraction, and people come here for scuba diving and other water sports.

Festivals in the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple

The Murudeshwara Shiva Temple grandly celebrates all festivals of Shiva. Especially, Maha Shivratri, Pradosham, and Diwali are pretty popular.

Benefits of Worshipping in the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple

Worshipping in the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple is believed to bring devotees blessings, peace, and prosperity. The temple has a powerful energy that helps to purify the mind and soul, remove negative energies, and offer protection from evil forces. Worshipping Shiva in the Murudeshwara Shiva Temple can help one achieve Moksha or liberation from the cycle of birth and death.