Food Culture and Festivals of Gokarna

We human beings are highly sensory beings, so needless to say when we travel to new places it is not just the hosts or the hotels, but the sights, smells and sounds of the place that give you a welcoming embrace and endears you to it. The cuisine of the North Kanara region of the Konkan that includes Gokarna and Kumka is predominantly Konkani. As with most coastal regions, local produce and freshly caught sea-food finds their way to the plates and palates.  Ample use of Coconuts, Jackfruit, Mango, and local spices and souring agents like Kokkum Teppal and Bimbal characterise the cuisine in Gokarna. When you are savouring the out of world experiences in Gokarna’s resorts, make sure to seal your memory of the place with these ticklers of your taste buds.  

Breaking the night’s fast: Breakfast served in the shacks and resorts of Gokarna feature typical South Indian foods like Idli and dosas along with regional specialties like Holige, Todadevu, Patrode, Uppittu, Upma and Kalayile phovu. Some restaurants offer ‘touristy’ options like Nutella pancakes and English breakfast to kick start your day.

Tummy filling Thalis: Most restaurants here serve all-you -can-eat thalis with traditional preparations of rice and rotis with saru, gojju, palya and other accompaniments which together tie up a sumptuous meal. To cater to the devout who flock to Gokarna to seek the blessings of the Divine and to perform rituals there are restaurants serving only vegetarian food.  For the other meat-eating tourists who come on pleasurable pursuits there are spicy chicken chilly (elsewhere in India it is chilly chicken), ‘Achuta leg piece’ and other non vegetarian fare to delight their taste buds. 

Seafood Heaven: And next comes the most integral part of Northern Kanara’s cuisine - The Seafood! When you bring ‘Gokarna’ and ‘food’ in the same frame, the first image to strike will be the fresh and delectable sea-food. Fresh catch from the sea, fried or curried with the distinctly spicy marinades of the region makes Gokarna a paradise for sea-food lovers. Clam curry, Prawn masala, Pomfret and King fish and Seer fish sizzlers are some of the gastronomic delights that you better not miss.

Desserts to die for: To get through the sunny tropical climate that prevails in the region through most of the year and for the energy consuming physical exertions at the beach, soothing beverages and cooling desserts are a necessity. You can quench your thirst with tender coconut or Nimbu and shunt sodas or the local Ragi Neeru and Teela Udak . You can also cool your tongue with the quirky Nutella Ice and the sinful Gadbad Ice-cream (A sundae made from  different ice creams, sauces, fruits and nuts), When it comes to desserts, visitors to Gokarna are spoilt for choices!  Then for those with the sweet tooth, there are local delicacies like ghanti, sati,misal bhaji to satisfy your sweet cravings.

A world within the world!  

And for experimental Indian tourists and nonexperimental foreigners, there are restaurants that serve Italian, Mexican, Israeli and other cuisines albeit mostly with an Indian twist. ( Like the Prawn pizza on a banana leaf!)  Most tourists to Gokarna list Kombucha, Iced Nutella, Prawn pizza, Seafood lasagna as must-tries from these hybrid restaurants.  Fresh catch from the sea, fried or curried with the distinctly spicy marinades of the region makes Gokarna a paradise for sea-food lovers. Clam curry, Prawn masala, Pomfret and King fish and Seer fish sizzlers are some of the gastronomic delights that you better not miss!

Festivals Celebrated In Gokarna

• March: Mahashivaratri falls generally in Feb-March time when the town is crowded as a lot of locals visit the Mahabaleshwar temple.
• November: Kartikeya is celebrated in the month of November which is an honouring of Lord Kartik, the son of Lord Shiva.

Some other festivals are:

• Nootana Panchanga Shravana(Hearing of New Almanac)
• Ratri Ananga Pooja Nagara Kamotsava, Kamadahana
• Damana Pooja and Shiva Damanotsava
• Prathi Masada Pournime Sanje Utsava
• Shiva Pavitra Sopanam
• Dhadhi Shikyotsava
• Shri Ganesh Chaturthi
• Sharada Sthapanam
• Gangashtami
• Shiva Ganga Vivah Utsav
• Shri Gokarna Mahabaleshwar Pratishta dinotsavam
• Shiva Parvati Vivah Utsav at Shankara Narayana Temple
• Dhanurmasa Pooja and Pratah kal bali
• Vishesha Maha Pooja and Ratri Rathotsava
• Maha Rathada Gali Pooja, Ratri Rathotsava
• Mahashivaratri Ratri Vishesha Maha Pooja
• Jatra Samprokshanam

One can shop for the following things in Gokarna

• Incense sticks.
• Paintings of Hindu gods and goddesses.
• Jewelry made out of seashells.
• Conchs.
• Spices.
• Handicrafts.