OM Beach, Gokarna

OM BEACH, GOKARNA

Gokarna is a perfect place for spiritual tourism. The word ‘OM’ is synonymous with Lord Shiva. Gokarna means Cow's Ear - It is believed that Lord Shiva has emerged from the ear of a cow. Gokarna is known for Atma Linga brought by Ravana and is famous as Dakshin Kashi. It’s a coincidence that the beach in Gokarna is like the shape of the Sanskrit letter `OM’, and is named accordingly.

Gokarna lies in between Kumta and Ankola in Uttar Kannada District. Popular for the Shiva Temple, Gokarna is a holy pilgrimage place for hindus. The Tambraparni Teertha here is considered sacred to perform obsequies of the dead.

Om beach has its own charm and charisma. It is situated on a hilltop, providing a spectacular view of the Arabian sea. No sunset can be best viewed as in Om beach. Even the sunset at Agumbe ghat does not provide the brilliance of the sun set as seen at Om beach.

Om beach is located 8 kms from Gokarna town. The approach road to the beach is breath taking. The road climbs the hills to reach the beach. As one climbs the hills, the sea unfolds its vast beauty. The entire coast is visible in blue which is a visual treat.

The road reaches a dead end, from where steps go down to Om beach. One can clearly see the shape of the beach just like `OM’ Sanskrit letter from the top. The beach is around 100 mts down from the hilltop. The steps in the rocky surface leads to the sublime beach.

Om beach is about one km in length. It is sandwiched between two huge hills. Rocks are found in the beach side which adds beauty to the beach. The sands in Om beach are soothing. Foreign tourists outnumber Indian tourists in Om beach. It is a popular destination for hippies worldwide.

Boat service is available from Om beach to Kudle beach & Half moon beach. Other water sports are also available. The advantage of Om beach is that it is not crowded like the beaches in Goa. It is very clean and has decent crowd. Hawkers and vendors are almost absent.

Many shanty restaurants dot the beach side offering local and continental dishes. The food served is average, while liquor is of good quality. There are not many lodges here. A few hotels offer basic accommodation, while a couple of them are luxurious.

Kudle Beach: A small trek of 15 minutes from the hill top of Om beach is Kudle beach. A kilometer of walk south of Gokarna Beach, Kudle Beach is surrounded by hills on three sides and sea on the fourth.

The trek is enjoyable as it is inside a forest. Kudle beach is cut from the outside world as there is no road connectivity. One has to trek to reach Kudle beach. This is a flat beach and beautiful than any other beach. Many restaurants dot Kudle beach side.

Half Moon Beach and Paradise Beach:  These two beaches are further south by 15 minutes from Om Beach, and not very far from each other. A trek from the other end of Om beach leads to Half moon beach. The trek starts from the left side of Om beach. The narrow path climbs the hill and cuts across the dense jungle to reach half moon beach. The trek is about an hour and tiring also. The path is covered with bushes and difficult to trek. Half moon beach is cut off from the outer world and does not have road connectivity and electricity too. An ideal place for nature lovers. Both beaches are much isolated, as there is no habitation in the vicinity for a couple of kilometers. The isolation makes them more appealing and worth a visit.

Gokarna Beach:   This beach is in Gokarna town next to the temple. Lot of devotees take a dip in the sea here, which is a religious custom. This is the longest of all the beaches, almost 7 km of straight stretch of sand.

Gokarna is a town of contrasts as it is a temple town and also a holiday destination. The place is full of palm and coconut trees. It is an attraction town with two main streets with shops and traditional tile roofed brick houses. The Car Street, which runs through the heart of the town is a typical Pilgrim center, flanked by small business, Puja items, souvenirs and food stuff. The maze of narrow lanes and alleys are reminders of tradition, which continues even today. Brahmin priests go about busily with their religious duties. A walk through the main street would not take more than twenty minutes.

How to reach: 'Gokarna Road Station', a railway station on the Konkan Railway line, is approximately 6 kms from Gokarna town. Gokarna is connected by NH–17 and is situated 240 kms from Mangalore, 453 kms from Bangalore and 59 kms from Karwar. The nearest airport is Mangalore.