Some Coastal Pilgrimage Centers in Karnataka

One of the major reasons people travel in India is for pilgrimage. People visit exotic locations such as mountain tops, forests, river sides, beaches etc not for to enjoy the natural beauty but to pay respects to the God or goddess that resides at the location. Local cities have evolved to include massive constructions to cater to the beliefs of these pilgrims. Here are two examples I found in my travels across coastal Karnataka.

The above image is a picture of the entrance arch to the temple town of Udupi, famous for its ancient Krishna temple. This is particularly famous regional deity of the state I belong to.

In Murudeshwar a few kilometers north of Udupi is Murudeshwar famous for its rugged rocky beaches and the ancient temple of Lord Shiva. In a bid to make the rocky hill more accessible and tourist friendly, local authorities decided to commission the construction of this massive sculpture of Lord Shiva.