Gokarna is a small temple town located in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka state in southern India, It has a population of around 20,000. Shiva the most worshipped deity in the town, and to whom its main temple, also known as Mahabaleshwara, is dedicated. At this temple is housed what is believed by some to be the earliest Shiva Linga (Atmalinga).

Gokarna is known as one of seven important centers of pilgrimage in Hinduism. It lies on what was once unspoiled coastline at the estuary of the River Aghanashini. Due to an increase in tourism, the character of the town has changed, and is no longer just a center of pilgrimage, though large numbers of Shiva devotees continue to visit for prayer and worship.

Because of its calm, rustic nature, many younger, Western tourists began visiting the area in the 1990s, with enterpirising locals opening stores and restaurants to capitalize on this. In more recent years, a small number of resorts have opened which cater to wealthier tourists.

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Credits Wikipedia