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World’s Second Tallest Shiva Statue at Shri Murudeshwar Temple

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The second tallest Shiva statue ever constructed is at Shri Murudeshwar Temple. At 123 feet, it was a breath-taking project that still attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees, tourists, and visitors.

• The statue enjoys prime location status atop the Kanduka Hill, which is surrounded on three sides by undeterred vistas of the Arabian Sea.
• It can be found in Murudeshwar town in Bhatkal, Karnataka.
Lord Shiva holds great meaning for his followers and devotees. He is worshipped as one of the supreme deities who is capable of bestowing ‘Moksha’ – the liberation of a human soul from the cycle of life and death. This freedom from reincarnation is the greatest gift a human soul can attain.
• As a formless and omnipresent entity, Shiva is famously known as the ‘Atman’ or soul of the Universe.
• His basic epithets remind followers of what he is all about: Shambhu (‘Benign’), Shankara (‘Beneficent’), Mahesha (‘Great Lord’), and Mahadeva (‘Great God’).
• Shiva is known to take on multiple forms based on his purpose at any given time. These forms also hold great mystical and symbolic meaning.
• One of his most powerful forms is ‘Ardhanarishvara’, which is when Shiva merges with his consort Goddess Parvati and they two become one entity. One half of him remains male while the other half takes on his consort’s female qualities.

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The core spiritual significance of Shiva is not just relegated to Hindu religion but also Indian culture. The long-handled veil he holds in one of his hands directly symbolises ‘Sanatan Dharma’. This is India’s ancient root-culture, the one that evolved our civilisation under the guidance and blessing of various gods and goddesses in the Hindu pantheon, among whom Shiva is one of the most supreme.

Must Read: Karnataka’s Second Tallest Shiva Statue at Ramdurg

The Evergreen Legend of Murudeshwar
The town has a rich and storied heritage going back to the Ramayan period. Here’s a short exploration of its history.
• Ravana plays a key role in it. He was an ardent Shiv-bhakt who prayed to the deity seeking immortality through the ‘atma-linga’.
• The demon’s pursuit of invincibility would have spelled trouble down the line, so the other gods intervened with the intention to keep the atma-linga away from Ravana.
• After Ravana was permitted to claim the atma-linga, Lord Ganesha (one of Shiva’s sons) came up with a clever plan to rid Ravana of the linga. The demon was commanded never to set the linga down until he reached Lanka.
• Taking the guise of Lord Vishnu, Ganesh later intercepted Ravana by blocking out the sun. This made Ravana understand that it was time for his evening prayers.
• The demon handed the atma-linga to Ganesha who at the time had transformed into a little human boy. After that, Ravana went about his ritual.
• Lord Ganesha placed the linga on the ground. This made Ravana furious, because he finally realized that he was tricked into disobeying the one condition he was told not to break.
• He couldn’t move the atma-linga after that, so the demon threw its pieces all over the place. The cloth that wrapped the linga was flung to Mrideshwara, which is today known as Murudeshwar.

These and other magnificent mythos pervade the ancient ‘Sanatan Dharma’ stories found in India’s sacred texts.

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The Best Time to Visit Murudeshwar Temple
The hot and humid coastal-town climate of Murudeshwar stays that way for most of the year. The best time to visit Murudeshwar Temple is from October to March. The holy festival of Shivrathri is held in February, adding to the celebratory significance and symbolism of Lord Shiva worship in the region.

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The town itself has long served as a popular tourist destination. Both luxury tourists and budget travellers alike will be able to find good accommodations. One of the most unforgettable places to visit in Murudeshwar is the second tallest Shiva statue on Kanduka Hill, of course.

• The statue draws thousands of people from all over the country, as well as those visiting from abroad.
• Take time also to admire the 20-storey Raja Gopura. You can find it well within the temple complex.
• The temple tower boasts a height of 237 feet and comes equipped with a service elevator. It affords you some of the most breath-taking panoramic views, including the wide-open sea and the Lord Shiva statue.

Situated just behind the temple is the Murudeshwara Fort, a relic from the Vijayanagar Empire. It was once renovated by Tipu Sultan.

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More Places to See in Murudeshwar
There are certainly other notable places to visit in Murudeshwar. Let’s explore some of them here.
• Pilgrim locations include sacred places like Kollur (60 km from town) and Udipi (100 km from town). There are direct roads leading to them.
• Just 78 km away spread the beautiful beaches of Om and Kudle. They are in the town of Gokarna.
• You can also enjoy aquatic activities in other Uttara Kannada beaches.
• And of course, there’s Shri Murudeshwar Temple.

Shri Murudeshwar Temple is, in essence, a source of profound ancient meaning and Hindu cultural and religious significance. Take time to admire and learn everything about India’s ‘Sanatan Dharma’ culture and Lord Shiva’s powerful presence at the heart of it.

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Karnataka’s Second Tallest Shiva Statue at Ramdurg

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The wonders of Sanatan Dharma never cease to amaze. To honour Lord Shiva, the Karnataka Government commissioned a Shiva Murti on the outskirts of Ramdurg, a town in the state’s Belgaum district.

• Its precise location is Dodamangadi Tree Park (Mullur Gudda), which stands 2.3km from Ramdurg.
• The statue was unveiled in 2018, and draws hundreds of thousands of devotees, tourists, and visitors to date.
• It was raised to commemorate the Mahashivaratri festival that year.
• At 78 feet tall, this is one of India’s tallest Shiva Murti statues.
• Ramdurg’s Shiva Murti cost the state around INR 1.5 Crore to construct.
• Working on the statue’s every nuance and detail were Sridhar Murthy and his family, skilled artisans all.

The regional MLA of Ramdurg, Ashok Pattan, performed the grand unveiling in the company of hundreds of devotees and local leaders. Ashok spearheaded the campaign for the statue. He went on record to state, “I took up this project as per the will of my parents…Ramdurg a tourist destination. Many…joined hands in the completion…I thank all of them.”

Noteworthy Facts About Shiva Murtis
India’s Shiva statue embraces potent spiritual, symbolic, and religious value. Not only is Shiva considered the creator of the universe, he is also responsible for its eventual destruction. He is considered formless and omnipresent. He is seen by many sages to be the Atman, i.e., immortal soul, of the Universe itself.

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• Shiva also enjoys the status of being the patron deity of yoga and meditation.
• In Hindu scripture, Shiva is depicted as Bholenath, an ascetic yogi who calls the Himalayas home.
• Shiva is also one of a handful of supreme deities known to bestow ‘Moksha’ – the liberation of a human soul from the cycle of life and death, or freedom from reincarnation.
Did you know that Shiva Murtis are also maintained inside homes? This is in keeping with Vaastu Shastra, i.e., ancient Indian traditional Vedic architecture.
• Specifics locations are assigned for the placement of a Shiva Murti indoors.
• It strengthens and reinforces positive vibrations and energies.
• It is ideally positioned in the most north-eastern part of the mandir. This stems from the belief that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati reside on Mount Kailash, and the north-eastern Murti placement pays homage to that direction.

The statue at Ramdurg is a symbolic reminder of Shiva’s benevolence and power. Known in Sanskrit as the ‘Auspicious One’, Karnataka’s mega statue of this deity reminds followers and devotees to remember the Lord’s basic epithets: Shambhu (‘Benign’), Shankara (‘Beneficent’), Mahesha (‘Great Lord’), and Mahadeva (‘Great God’).

Must Know –Murudeshwara Temple in Karnataka & Some Nearby Places in Murudeshwar

The Importance of Lord Shiva in Hindu Religion & Indian Culture
The ‘Great God’ is known to adopt various forms, each one having its own meaning and significance in sacred Hindu scripture. He is known to transform in the following ways…

• When he is with his consort Parvati and son Skanda, Shiva has often donned the form of Nataraja, i.e., the ‘cosmic dancer’. This form and pose hold supreme universal and mathematical meaning.
• He has also been recorded in the guise of a naked ascetic, devoid of worldly attachments.
• He has also come in the form of a mendicant beggar, ever humble and simple in the greater order of things.
• He has also taken the form of a Dalit, someone from the ‘untouchable’ community. In this Bhairavi form he is accompanied by a dog. There is great ‘unifying’ symbolism in this, for anyone who can see it.
• Finally, there’s Shiva’s ultra-powerful form, an androgynous union with his consort which sees one half of his body remaining male and another female. This ‘state’ is called Ardhanarishvara.
India’s Shiva statues hold great prestigious value for Indian culture. They remind us of the Lord’s teachings, but also our roots. We hail from a rich and gloried tradition called ‘Sanatan Dharma’, which has influenced our civilisation in numerous ways during ancient times. Here are more religious facts about the Almighty Shiva.
• He is also called the Lord of Cattle, or Pashupata. In this form, he can be either a benevolent herdsman of human souls or a merciless slaughterer who kills our ‘base’ desires and helps us attain purity so we can serve him better.
• The snake which is often seen around his neck is a symbol of wisdom and immortality. Just as the snake sheds its snake and becomes ‘anew’, so too does Shiva remain unchanging and everlasting.
• On a similar serpentine note, Shiva’s penchant for snakes makes him a master of both medicine and poison.

The veil you see in one of the hands of the Ramdurg Shiva statue is called a Trishul. The long handled trident is a divine symbol that directly represents Sanatan Dharma, adding to the potent meanings and multi-layered spirituality contained in this magnificent statue, which is one of India’s tallest Shiva Murtis.

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The Sacred Varanasi Tour in 3 Days – Best Time to Visit, Things to do & Places to Visit

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Varanasi, also known as Banaras is a sacred city in the Uttar Pradesh State of India. It is a major religious hub and the holiest of seven holy cities in India. A lot of devotees visit Varanasi throughout the year. There are plenty of big and small hotels in Varanasi. The town is famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture.

The city has been a cultural centre of North India for thousands of years. It is believed that Buddha founded Buddhism here in around 528 BCE. The town is closely associated with River Ganga. The city is well known for its ghats. Pilgrims come to the ghats of Ganga to wash away their sins in the sacred waters of Ganga or to cremate their loved ones. Hindus believe that death in Varanasi brings salvation.

Following is listed some information on Varanasi, you would like to know:

1. It is one of the most colourful and vibrant cities of India. It is also one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities.

2. Mark Twain once said about Banaras—“Banaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.”

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3. A boat ride across the sacred Ganga is so fantastic that it captures the spirit of Varanasi.

4. A popular pilgrimage route of Varanasi is Nagara Pradakshina, which covers 72 shrines along the way.

5. Varanasi is a great centre for learning since ancient times. The holy city has been a symbol of spiritualism, philosophy and mysticism for thousands
of years.

6. Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi is one of Asia’s largest residential universities.

7. Varanasi is home to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, one of the most important places of worship in the country. It is considered to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.

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8. The city has produced great saints and personalities like Gautama Buddha, Mahavira, Kabir, Tulsidas, and Shankaracharya.

9. Varanasi is known for its fine-quality silks and ‘paan’.

10. The city is considered as the abode of Lord Shiva.

11. Varanasi is the oldest city in the world, more than 3000 years old and is famous as the city of temples. The Jnana Vapi well is believed to have been dug by Lord Shiva himself. The thirty-three hundred million shrines are found to have been at Varanasi.

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12. The Ganga Ghats are also the centres of music and learning.

13. The most sacred path of the city is Panchkoshi Parikrama that covers 108 shrines along the way with Panchkoshi Temple as its main shrine.

Varanasi is a city of temples, a city of abundant beliefs, a city of ancient culture, a city of India that genuinely captures the essence of the country. Visit Varanasi and uncover things you would never have imagined about India. There are plenty of hotels in Varanasi to intake visitors coming to discover this holy town.

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Varanasi Tour in 2-3 Days

Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is also an important city of India in terms of religious beliefs and traditions. According to the Hindu religion, people who die in Varanasi or whose last rites are performed in the sacred river of Ganges receives liberation from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. But religious traditions are not the only attractions of this city. There are also many other things to do in Varanasi.

The archaic buildings of the city gives it a unique appearance that is quite different from many of the other popular cities of the country. Though the city is quite ancient, it has a vibrant culture that gives the tourists a very positive vibe. This makes Varanasi quite a crowded tourist destination. Nevertheless, it continues to be one of the most visited places of the country.

Best Time to Visit Varanasi/ Banaras

Varanasi can be best explored between the months of October and March. This is the time of the year when the country experiences pleasant weather. You can avoid the hot and humid climate and enjoy the time spent across the river more peacefully. This is also the time when some of the popular festivals are celebrated in Varanasi. These include Diwali, Annakut, Chhath Puja, the Ganga Mahotsav, Makar Sankranti, Bharat Milap, Nakkatayya, Shivratri, and Holi.

Best Things to Do in Varanasi/ Banaras in 2-3 Days

Here are some of the most interesting things to do in Varanasi in 2-3 days.

#1. Watch the Aarti Ceremony:

There is no particularly best time to visit Varanasi if you are interested to catch a glimpse of the serene aarti ceremony. Aartis are performed in the morning as well as evening across the ghats of the city. You can gather at the Assi Ghat to enjoy a peaceful morning aarti ceremony and at the Dasaswamedh Ghat for a bright and colourful evening aarti.

#2. Visit to the Ghats

The ghats are an integral part of the city of Varanasi. You cannot think of making an unforgettable memory of your trip to Varanasi without paying a visit to its breathtakingly beautiful ghats. Since a lot of the traditional rituals are performed on the ghats, you can see the place buzzing with life throughout the day. Be it the rituals of cremation or taking a bath in the holy river to wash away sins, the lives of people in Varanasi are deeply tied to the ghats. Harishchandra and Manikarnika are the common ghats for pyre burning.

#3. Enjoy Classical Music

Varanasi is significant not just to the Hindu traditions, but also to the musical culture of the country. The famous Banaras Gharanas has given the world many notable musicians such as Rajan-Sajan Mishra, Bismillah Khan, Girija Devi, Pandit Kishan Maharaj, and Ravi Shankar. The sounds of sitar, sarod and other instruments will accompany you in your journey across the streets of the city.

#4. Taste the Authentic Banarasi Foods

One of the biggest unavoidable things to do in Banaras is tasting the authentic street foods of the city. Allu-Tikki, Chena Dahi Vada, Baati Chokha, Tamatar Chaat, Choora Matar, Dahi-Chutney Gol Gappe, Kachori Sabzi, Lassi, and Banarasi Paan some of the delicacies that you must try when in Varanasi. With the settlement of Marwari traders here, you will also get to enjoy the mouth-watering Banarasi Marwari Thali.

#5. Shop at the Local Market

If you enjoy collecting souvenirs, then Thatheri Bazaar and the Temple Bazar are the places where you must spend at least a few hours. You can shop various beautifully handcrafted items from these places. Visiting the local market is also one of the best things to do in Varanasi.

Places to Visit in Varanasi/ Banaras in 2-3 Days

If you have 2 to 3 days to spend in Varanasi, there are several places in and around the city that you can explore.

#1. Burning Ghat

The burning ghat is one of the popular places to visit in Varanasi in 2-3 days. Photography is not allowed in this area. You need to keep your camera and smartphones packed in your bags. However, you can immerse yourself in the serenity of this place. The faith of human beings, especially the believers of Hindu traditions, that support the large number of cremation in this place is heart-warming. The ghat is accessible by both the streets as well as the river.

#2. Varanasi Temples

The establishment of more than 3,000 temples rightfully gives Varanasi the title of the City of Temples. Some of the popular temples that you can visit include Mrityunjay Mahadev Mandir, Bharat Mata Mandir, Kashi Vishwanath, Annapurna Devi Mandir, Sankat Mochan Mandir, Tulsi Manas Temple, Durga Mandir, and Kaal Bhairav Mandir. These and many other temples of the city witness a huge number of devotees gathering throughout the day. While there are many other spiritually significant temples in Varanasi, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the best places to visit in Varanasi as it houses one of the twelve jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. A visit to this temple will offer you a spiritual upliftment along with a great view of the river Ganges.

Must Read: 12 Jyotirlingas in India: Significance, Location, History

#3. Sarnath

If you travel a distance of 13 km from Varanasi, you will reach an important Buddhist pilgrimage destination called Sarnath. It serves as the birthplace of Buddhism and, hence, holds great significance for Buddhists across the world. The Sarnath Archaeological Museum, Buddha statue, Dhamek Stupa, Dharmarajika Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa, Jain temple, and the Chinese Temple are some of the prominent places to visit in Sarnath.

#4. Banaras Hindu University

The Banaras Hindu University is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities of the country. The alumni of this university includes some of the most eminent scientists and scholars of the country. You can visit this iconic place to view an example of the marvellous ancient architecture of India. The university campus is open for tourists between 10am and 4pm. While the striking architecture and the greenery surrounding the university are the most prominent features of this place, the street foods that are available in the mall road, or Lanka, also serves as a big reason to include this place in your Varanasi itinerary.

FAQ’s

#1. How to reach Varanasi?

You can reach Varanasi via train and flight. Varanasi Cantt and Varanasi Junction are the two train stations located here. The nearest airport to Varanasi is the Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport that is 18 km away from the city.

#2. What are the places to stay in Varanasi?

There are many hotels and resorts in Varanasi where you can find accommodations. The hotels are suitable for all kinds of budgets.

#3. What are the timings of temples and other tourist spots?

Different temples in Varanasi have different timings depending on the festivities and the time of the year. Also, the museums of the city are closed on Fridays.

#4. Is Varanasi safe for solo female travellers?

Varanasi is quite safe for solo women travellers. However, you must take the necessary precautions and avoid roaming around the city at odd hours.

#5. What are the things to do at night?

Many of the best places to visit in Banaras/ Varanasi are open till late night. This includes the food stalls, local market, and places where live classical musical concerts are organized.