Gokarna, India: sightseeing, rest, weather, reviews

Travelers discover new countries and cities. Someone goes to distant lands for impressions, someone for adventure, and someone needs peace and quiet. To relax from the city's bustle, enjoy nature, see an exotic country such as it really is, you should go to a small village called Gokarna (India).

Geographical location

This settlement is located in the northern part of Karnataka (India). It almost borders on Goa on the very coast of the Arabian Sea. Many tourists who come to Goa, go during a holiday in this village, because there are excellent beaches, the nature of marvelous beauty, and the holidaymakers are much smaller, and the prices are lower.

A place of pilgrimage

By European standards, this town is difficult to call a town, rather, it is a village called Gokarna. India is known all over the world for worshiping the Buddha, pilgrims who cross the country to plunge into the waters of the mighty Ganges River. But few of the travelers know that Gokarna is the second most important place for Hindus. According to ancient legends, here was born one of the gods of the supreme triad - Shiva. He is revered as a destroyer god. The triad also includes Brahma and Vishnu.

In one of the local caves, according to legend, the god Shiva was born , in it an altar is built. The entrance is free, but for some reason the mention of it is in the rare guidebooks. Local residents claim that many saints came here to immerse themselves in meditation. Today anyone can do this regardless of religion. Part of this cave has not been studied. Some claim that it has an outlet to the ocean, while others claim that it can be reached directly from the Himalayas.

Sacred lake

Gokarna (India) is also famous for the sacred lake Kotitirkh. Tradition says that it is filled with the waters of the river Ganges, therefore ablution in it takes away sins from man. Thousands of pilgrims strive to clear karma at dawn and to be renewed. On the shore can live only hereditary Brahmins, who are members of the caste of priests in several generations.

Holy City

Gokarna (India) is mentioned in many legends and sacred writings of the Hindus. In translation, the name means "cow ear", because according to the legend, Shiva was born just here from the ear of the goddess Prithivi, who adopted the image of a cow. By the way, at the bottom of the sacred lake is one of the deepest cracks on Earth, which symbolizes the ear of the planet.

In addition to this reservoir, there are many Buddhist temples in Gokarna. In many of them, access to tourists is closed, as indicated by special plates. But in some you can go, only visitors need to treat the shrines with trepidation, do not desecrate them by photographing, walking in obscene clothes and loud conversations. Entering the sacred place, you should take off your shoes and leave your shoes at the entrance. Most of the Indians who have come to such a revered city, even walking on the streets barefoot, because this is a fertile land for every Indian.

Relaxation for body and soul

Most tourists are heading towards Gokarna not for sightseeing. It's a great place to relax. The wonderful beauty of nature, almost untouched by the civilization of the jungle, gorgeous beaches - that's what attracts tourists from all over the world. In addition, in this place there is no such fuss as in a more traditional tourist center - Goa. And the prices for accommodation and food in Gokarna are almost thirty percent lower. Perhaps the only drawback of this place is the almost complete absence of the Internet.

Beaches

Gokarna (India) is famous for its beaches, where snow-white sand, warm sea, mild climate. The largest and most popular are five. And here the marvelous beauty of sunsets, local people have a tradition, which is gladly supported by visitors. Exactly at 6 o'clock in the evening everyone comes to the beach on the city beach to admire the sunset. The hot fiery ball is evenly entering the water, and a warm night is coming.

The largest beach is a city beach, it stretches for 10 km. Despite this, it is quite crowded and noisy. A bit aside is the Kudli Beach, resembling the curl of the spit, even further - one of the most popular beach of Om. He received his name due to the fact that nature itself laid out stones around him in the form of a sacred symbol "Om". You can only see this miracle from above.

Next on the route will be Haf-moon Beach. Next, there is Paradise Beach paradise, which opens only to those who persevere. Go there need through the jungle, so without a guide, it is better not to go in search of adventure. On each of the listed beaches you can rent cozy houses of different levels of comfort and spend the whole vacation right on the beach.

You can go to distant beaches on foot, and you can hire a boat, which for a moderate fee with a breeze will carry to the specified place. Sea walks will allow you to admire the breathtaking views.

Weather

To fully enjoy the journey, it is best to go to these parts in winter. The weather in India in December is just wonderful. From November to the end of February, the velvet season lasts. Air during the day warms up to 35 degrees, by the evening the temperature drops to +24. The winter nature of India is not as multicolored as in the spring, But still it is not the harsh Russian expanses covered with a thick layer of snow, with biting christened frosts. Rains at this time are extremely rare, in a month there can be only a couple of days with precipitation, which does not cloud the rest. The weather in India in December and other winter months, as in paradise.

Reviews

A lot of tourists and pilgrims are attracted to Gokarna (India). The testimonies of the people who came here are full of sincere admiration.

Everyone who visited this piece of paradise on earth wants to come back here again. Life here flows smoothly and slowly. In these places, even time seems to slow down.

Tourists advise before the trip to withdraw money from the card in major cities, because in Gokarna, this may cause problems. But there are exchange offices in the village, and even on the Om beach you can exchange currency.

In Gokarna do not arrange noisy holidays and discos, from which the ocean shakes, here the Indians go for pacification. This atmosphere is transmitted to everyone who arrived in a wonderful city.

Also, those who visited there, note that the beautiful temples dedicated to the god Shiva, not all are open to tourists. These are sacred places, and it is worth to respect the culture of others.

Gokarna (India), whose attractions will be of interest to adherents of Buddhism, attracts tourists with its nature, mild climatic conditions and reasonable prices. Life here is measured and unhurried. India makes everyone think about the transience of being, about the meaning of life, about other philosophical themes. But somehow, on the seashore, these questions are not strained, but they have to be meditated and cultivated. In this place I want to stay forever.