KARWAR
Location: 519 Kms North West Of Bangalore, Karnataka
Main Attraction: Devbagh Beach
Best Season: October to May
Food Specialty: Spicy Sea Food
519 kms northwest of Bangalore is Karwar. The district headquarters of Uttara Kannada; this is an ideal place to relax. Karwar has sacred pilgrim centers, historical towns and some of the most beautiful beaches in the country.
The Devbagh beach is a must for beach lovers. Gentle waves, palm-laced beaches, silver, clam, and peaceful alleys, soft songs of birds and a great sunset Karwar have all the makings of a perfect holiday.
A glorious weather and an excellent beach, which is said to have inspired Rabindranath Tagore to pen his first play, complement once an important trade centre of the British, French, Portuguese and the Arabs, the charming town.
PRIME ATTRACTIONS
Dargah of Peer Shan Shamsuddin Kharobat: The famous Dargah of Peer Shan Shamsuddin Kharobat, a Baghdadi Saint is a place of tourist interest for pilgrims.
Naganatha Temple: Naganatha Temple is a Temple where an anthill is worshipped. Kurmagad Island: A visit by launch to the Kurmagad Island, which has an old fort and a Narasimha shrine, is a must.
Gokarna: 60kms south of Karwar, this coastal town has, among other things, an ancient temple with the Atmalinga. Gokarna is also a famous centre for Sanskrit learning. The Om Beach and Kutle Beach nearby are also worth a visit.
Honnavar: Honnavar, 90 kms from Karwar, has a laterite fort of Portuguese times.
Basavaraja Durga Island, a fort amidst the sea, can be reached by launch from here.
A sail upstream on river Sharavathi to Geresoppa 30 kms away, with coconut groves and lush greenery covering the banks, is a voyage to remember.
Geresoppa, the old capital of the Peter Queen Chanabhairavi has a beautiful 14th century Chaturmukha Basti.
Bhatkal: 135 kms south is a historical township. The ancient port town has temples of Vijayanagar style and many interesting Jain monuments.
16 kms away is the scenic holy place of Murdeshwar. The temple here attracts a lot of devotees and tourists.
The Pigeon Island is off the Murdeshwar coast. The beaches at Gokarna, Bhatkal and Murdeshwar are undiscovered and thankfully unspoilt.
Banavasi: 140 kms from Karwar, is a temple town mentioned in the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Shivganga fall: 140 kms away, amidst scenic surroundings, the river Souda falls into a deep valley from a height of 74 m to form the falls.
Dandeli: 93 kms from Karwar, it is a popular holiday resort. The wildlife sanctuary here abounds with a variety of rare animals. The cave with Shivalinga-like laterite formations is also well worth a visit.
Magod Falls: A few kms from Karwar, is a scenic delight. The Bedti River plunges into a 180-m rocky valley in two leaps.
Lalguli Falls: It is picturesque waterfall formed by the river Kali. The Mailmane Falls also deserve a visit.
Ulavi: Ulavi, 75 kms from Karwar (via Kumbarawada) is a famous pilgrim centre. Thousands come here to pay homage to the samadhi of Veera Shiva Saint Channabasavanna, who took refuge here from the army of 'Kalachurias'.
Within walking distance are other spots like Akka Nagamma's Cave and Mahamani Gavi. 'Jathras' of Ulavi are events that attract devotees from all over the district.
Lushington Falls: 33 kms from Sirsi are the Lushington Falls, where the river Aghanashini thunders down from the height of 116 meters.
Locals call it Keppa falls for its deafening effect. Further downstream are the smaller Dadmane falls.
Sirsi: Sirsi, has the famous Marikamba Temple 18 kms from here is Sonda with the famous Vadiraja Swamy Mutt, and the Samadhi of the famous saint and grammarian Bhattakalanka.
HOW TO GET THERE
Air: The nearest airport is at Goa, though entry points are also Belgaum and Mangalore
Rail: Hubli is the nearest rail junction.
Road: Road distance of nearby cities: Bangalore: 520 kms, Belgaum: 167 kms, Mangalore: 273 kms, Goa: 100 kms.
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