Murudeshwar Temple: Timings, Poojas, and History

Lord Murudeshwar Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in Uttara Kannada district of the Indian state of Karnataka. This Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, a Hindu deity. Located among scenic beauty, this temple is surrounded by the Arabian Sea on three sides.

A twenty-storied gopuram is located at the entrance of Murudeshwar Temple. Another key feature of the Murudeshwar Temple is the gigantic statue of Lord Shiva. It is the second-largest statue of Lord Shiva in India. 

The small hillock named Kanduka houses the Murudeshwar Temple. The name of the tall gopuram at the entrance of the temple is Raja Gopuram, which stands at a height of 237.5 feet. The guards of the Murudeshwar Temple are two elephants positioned on the sides of the gopuram’s entryway. Within the temple, Lord Shiva is giving the teachings of Gita to Arjuna.

The view of the gopuram is breathtaking and is one of the most energizing features of the Murudeshwar Temple for the devotees. Another energizing feature of the Lord Murudeshwar Temple is the amazing view of the statue of Lord Shiva near the seashore. 

Sections of the Lord Murudeshwar Temple, other than the main sanctum, underwent revamping in the past to enhance the devotees’ experience. R.N. Shetty, a businessman and philanthropist, revamped the temple in a contemporary style.

A shrine dedicated to Lord Shaneeshwara is also located in the vicinity of the Lord Murudeshwar Temple. Reaching the Lord Murudeshwar Temple is easy for the devotees. Located in the close vicinity of good roadways, the Lord Murudeshwar Temple is an easy reach for travellers and devotees. 

Murudeshwar Temple Timings

Darshan	Timings	Ritual	Timings
Morning Darshan	6:00 AM – 1:00 PM	Morning Puja	06:30 AM
Evening Darshan	3:00 PM – 8:30 PM	Maha Puja	12:15 PM
		Night Puja	07:15 PM

The Lord Murudeshwar Temple opens at 6:00 AM in the morning for the devotees and remains open till 8:30 PM at night. Devotees can seek blessings from Murudeshwar Temple by seeking the darshan of Lord Murudeshwar. Devotees can seek darshan in the morning and also in the evening. Morning darshan timings are from 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM in the afternoon.

The evening darshan timings are from three in the afternoon till eight-thirty in the night. Devotees must know about the ritual timings at Lord Murudeshwar Temple. Morning puja starts at six thirty in the morning. Maha puja starts at 12:15 PM and the night puja starts at 7:15 PM. Devotees can visit the Lord Murudeshwar Temple during these times to seek the blessings of Lord Murudeshwar. 

History of Murudeshwar Temple

The temple’s name is Murudeshwar Temple, which refers to Lord Shiva. An interesting story is linked to this from the time of the Ramayana. Hindu Gods performed penance dedicated to the Atma Linga. As a result, Lord Shiva gave them immortality and invincibility. Ravana, the king of Lanka, also started worshipping Lord Shiva to attain immortality and invincibility. When Lord Shiva appeared before him after looking at his devotion, he asked Ravana to tell him what he wanted. 

Ravana asked for Devi Parvati to which Lord Shiva agreed. Narada Muni decided to convince Ravana that the real Devi Parvati was not the one seen with Lord Shiva but rather in Pathala. As a result, Ravana went to Patahala and married a king’s daughter believing that she was the real Devi Parvati.

Ravana Asks For Atma Linga

Ravana again sat for meditation when he realized that Narada Muni had fooled him. When Lord Shiva appeared before him this time, Ravana asked to bless him with the sacred Atma linga. Lord Shiva gave him the Atma linga but put a condition for Ravana. The Atma Linga would return its powers to Lord Shiva if someone placed it on the ground.    

When Narada Muni realized that Ravana would create havoc on Earth with the Atma Linga, Narada Muni approached Lord Ganesha for help. When Ravana was on his way to Lanka, Lord Vishnu removed the effect of sunlight so that Ravana would have to stop for his evening rituals. For this, Ravana would have to place the Atma Linga on the ground. When Ravana was thinking about the condition associated with the Atma Linga, he saw a Brahmin boy approaching him. 

The Brahmin boy was actually Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha’s plan was to place the Atma Linga on the ground when Ravana would go for evening rituals. When Ravana came back, he saw Atma Linga on the ground. Ravana became furious. He threw the case covering the lingam to Sajjeshwara located at a distance of 23 miles.

Guneshwara and Dhareshwara located at a distance of about 10-12 Km received the lid of the case. Mrideshwara received the piece of cloth covering the Atma Lingam. Later, Mrideshwara was named Murudeshwara.

Significance of Murudeshwar Temple

There are many significant facts associated with Lord Murudeshwar Temple. They are as follows: 

• Bhagirath muni performed penance at Murudeshwar awaiting for Mother Ganga to come to Earth from the hair locks of Lord Shiva. 
• Karnataka is believed to be having Lord Shiva’s panch kshetra. Murudeshwar Temple is one of the panch kshetras of Lord Shiva. The other four sites of the panch kshetra of Lord Shiva are Gokarna, Dhareshwara, Nanjanagud, and Dhamasthla. 
• Inside the Murudeshwar temple is a deep which is believed to be burning in the same way it was burning when the temple was built. People pour oil in the deep and see their image in the oil to seek the blessings of the deity and bring good luck and prosperity. 
• The second largest statue of Lord Shiva after the Kailashnath Mahadev statue in Nepal is the statue of Lord Shiva built near Murudeshwar temple.
• The gopuram of the Murudeshwar temple is the second tallest gopuram in India. The tallest gopuram is located in Srirangam temple in Tamil Nadu. 

Pujas at Murudeshwar Temple 

Devotees can perform many types of pujas at Murudeshwar temple. Many types of pujas can be performed by them on a daily basis and on a yearly basis. Yearly pujas can be performed by the devotees who can not visit the temple on a daily basis. Panditji (booked on 99Pandit) can perform puja for the devotees at Murudeshwar temple if they are not able to visit the temple. Some of the pujas performed at the temple are as follows:

Panchamitra Abhishekam 

Sacred puja samagri such as milk, honey, cow’s ghee, curd, and sugar is poured on Shiva linga in this puja. The five elements of the puja samagri, known as Panchamrit, are believed to be liked by Lord Shiva. Performing puja daily with Panchamrit can please Lord Shiva.

Rudrabhishekam 

The purpose of Rudrabhishek Puja is to convey the message that Shiva is everything, Shiva is everywhere, and that everything is contained in the Shiva Tattva. Rudrabhishekam is performed every day at Murudeshwar temple, where the priests worship Lord Shiva in the Rudra form. In Hinduism, people believe that rudrabhishekam removes bad luck and illness.

Panchakajjaya 

Panchakajjaya is a kind of prasadam popular in South India. It is prepared mainly with green gram, coconut, sesame, ghee, jaggery, and cardamom. Panchakajjaya is offered as a naivaidyam to the deity during the prayers. 

Bilvarachna 

In Hinduism, people believe that performing the puja of Lord Shiva is incomplete without using bilva leaves, which are also known as bilva patra. Hinduism considers the use of Bilva leaves to be sacred. They consider the three leaves of the Bilva patra to symbolize the Trishul, the powerful weapon of Lord Shiva.  

Bhasmaarchana 

Archana performed in the Murudeshwar temple using Vibhuti (ash) or Bhasma is known as Bhasmaarchana. Bhasma is a symbol of purity. It is free from earthly connections. Lord Shiva embraces Bhasma which is a symbol of purity. 

Chandan Abhishekam 

Chandan, in Hinduism, is a sacred puja samagri. Devotees cannot complete a Hindu puja without applying Chandan to the deity. They apply Chandan on their foreheads. Devotees believe that if they perform Chandan abhishekam in Murudeshwar temple, Lord Shiva will never leave their side. Chandan Abhisheka helps the devotees in pleasing Lord Shiva. Devotees get the Lord Shiva’s guidance on the right path.  

Navagraha Shanti Puja 

Navagrha Shanti Puja is the worship of nine planets. The devotees perform Navagraha Puja to pacify nine planets and seek their blessings.

Ekadashi Rudra Puja 

As per the beliefs in Hinduism, there are eleven avatars of Rudra dev, also known as Lord Shiva. Devotees worship each avatar of Lord Shiva with specific shlokas or mantras. The eleven avatars of Lord Shiva are Mahadev, MahaRudra, Shankara, Shiva, Neellohita, Eeshaan, Bhima, Vijay Rudra, Devdeva, Bhavobhav, and Adityamaka Srirudra. 

Important Information 

For the devotees of Murudeshwar temple, it is important to include certain important information. Other important information associated with the Murudeshwar temple is as follows: 

Sites to Visit Near Murudeshwar Temple

Murudeshwar Fort 

It is a historic fort of the era of Vijayanagara kings. Vijayanagara rulers built the Murudeshwar fort in the fifteenth century. Tipu Sultan recently innovated the Murudeshwar fort. Elaborate sculptures carve the walls of the fort. Elegant paintings and artwork are an integral part of the fort. Murudeshwar Fort is located behind the Murudeshwar temple. 

Netrani Island 

One of the most popular sites for adventurers near Murudeshwar temple is Netrani Island. It is a heart-shaped island rising above the waters of the Arabian Sea. It is one of the best locations for scuba diving. Divers can admire coral reefs, and marine life such as shrimp, eel, butterfly fish, and triggerfish. Importantly, whale sharks are also common in this region.

Murudeshwar Beach 

Located near the Murudeshwar temple is the Murudeshwar beach. The calm waters of the beach are perfect for swimming. It is difficult to find water sports but upon request, visitors can enjoy boating. Locals come to visit the Murudeshwar temple and spend time on the beach, making the beach crowded on weekends.

Apsara Konda Falls 

A picturesque site located near the Murudeshwar temple is Apsara Konda Falls. It is a small waterfall with water falling from a height of ten meters. People visiting the Murudeshwar Temple can easily visit this site through a trek. Visitors get to see the native flora and fauna of the region. The local legend believes that apsaras or angels come to take a bath in the pond from heaven, which is why they named it Apsara Konda Falls.

How to Reach Murudeshwar Temple 

Murudeshwar temple is located in the Udupi district of Karnataka. It has rail, road, and air connectivity. Murudeshwar temple is located 165 km from Mangalore and 455 Km from Bangalore. The nearest railway station Murudeshwar temple is located 2 Km from the temple. The nearest airport named Madurai International Airport is located at a distance of 165 Km from the Murudeshwar temple.

Festivals celebrated at Murudeshwar Temple 

Devotees celebrate all the festivals with full enthusiasm at the Murudeshwar temple. Major festivals celebrated at the temple include Mahashivratri and Kartik Purnima. Devotees celebrate Mahashivratri in the month of February or March and Kartik Purnima in November or December.  

Temples Near Murudeshwar Temple 

Many temples are located near the Murudeshwar temple. Important temples near the Murudeshwar temple include Gokarna Idagunji Maha Ganapati Temple, Kollur Mookambika Temple, and Shri Mahabaleshwar Temple. 

Conclusion 

Murudeshwar temple located in the Udupi district of Karnataka is a must-visit temple for devotees. It is a historic temple in Hinduism. Its religious significance has gained its popularity among the devotees. Thousands of devotees visit the Temple to perform puja and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. The best time to visit the Murudeshwar temple is from November to February. 

The 237.5-foot tall Gopurum is a key feature of the Murudeshwar temple. It is the second largest gopuram located in a Shiva temple. Devotees can seek blessings at the Murudeshwar temple in the morning and also in the evening. Devotees can seek morning darshan from 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM. They can seek evening darshan from 3:00 PM to 8:30 PM. In the Murudeshwar temple, the priests mainly perform three pujas: Morning puja, maha puja, and night puja. Devotees can attend these pujas as per their requirements. 

Other key places located near Murudeshwar temple include the Murudeshwar beach, the Apsara Konda Falls, and Netrani Island. Murudeshwar temple has good rail, road, and air connectivity. The nearest airport is Madurai International Airport. It is located around 165 km from Murudeshwar temple. From there, people can reach Murudeshwar temple by rail or road connectivity. The nearest railway station, Murudeshwar station, is located 2 km from the Murudeshwar Temple.