Sri Rama- Koti Theertha Temple

Sri Rama Temple is located at Gokarna in Uttara Kannada district -Karnataka. The temple is built on the hill which separates Gokarna beach from Kudle beach.The Temple is located at about 750 meters from Mahabaleshwar Temple. Bharatha Temple is located further up in the Hill after the Rama Temple.The Rama temple is a simple one – just a small shrine, a wooden structure, with an idol of the Lord with his brother Lakshman and his wife Sita.

There was a Rama Theertha formed by restricting the mountain stream. There was a hero stone attached to the concrete structure surrounding the Theertham. There is another small spring, a little further up, near the temple, again formed from the mountain stream. The water is coming out from the rock carved in the shape of buffalo mouth.

Legend

Lord Rama killed Ravana and returned to Ayodhya after completing 14 years of exile. On his return, he was crowned as a king of Ayodhya in a dazzling and spectacular coronation ceremony. Eventually he became emperor and ruled with happiness, prosperity, peace and justice. One-day Sage Vasishta, Sage Agasthya and other Sages came to visit Lord Rama. All of them were curious to know how Rama slew Ravana, Kumbakarna and other mighty demons. Lord Rama suddenly became very emotional while he was narrating the colossal, magical and destructive battle.

He said Ravana and other demons were Brahmin by caste and by virtue of their killings he had encountered a hideous sin known as Brahma Hatya. He asked the Sages to find out some solution whereby he can redeem this hideous sin. Great Sage Agasthya, assured him not to worry at all. He said on South side of the banks of Arabian Sea there is a realm known as Gokarna. where there is one place known as Koti Tirtha. A devotional dip in Koti Tirtha and worship of Lord Mahabaleshwar shall redeem the sin.

Accordingly, Prabhu Ramchandra came to Gokarna accompanied by Sita and brother Laxman. He constructed a hermitage on one of the splendorous peaks of Shatashrunga mountain facing sea. He developed a Tirtha Kunda and revered Lord Mahabaleshwar, till all his sins were washed off and then returned to Ayodhya.

Koti Tirtha is believed to be one of the most sacred water sources in the region. Pilgrims visiting the temple usually bathe here and also perform the rituals for their ancestors before visiting the temple, believing it will wash away their sins and bring lasting peace to generations past and present.