Heggodu Shimoga

The Sagar Jambaguru railway station is close to this place. From the railway station one can take a bus or a taxi to reach Heggodu. The Mangalore Airport is close to this place. From the airport one can take a bus or a taxi to reach Heggodu. There are many buses that one can take to reach Heggodu. If not by bus, one can also travel by taxi to reach here. Heggodu can be visited at any time of the year.

One can stay at many places around Heggodu. The prices too are affordable. Some of the names of the places are Paradise Wild Hills Resort,  Simha Farms, Kuntemane Homestay, iRoomz Ocean Comforts, The Thash Resort, etc. There are also many places where one can eat food at. Some of the names of the restaurants are Hotel Gandharva, Al Arabia Kitchen,My Town Cafe, Kadamane Taste Bank, Hotel New Pravasi, etc.

Half Moon Beach: The beach is called so because of its shape which is like a half moon. The beach can be visited by undertaking a hike from Om Beach. This beach is also quite popular for the snacks that are available nearby. One can enjoy swimming here and also sunbathing. There are many other activities that one can indulge in here such as paddle boats, camping, paintball,etc.

Shiva cave: One finds a Shiva Linga in this cave. It is quite dark inside the cave and thus it is necessary to carry a touch while going in. One will get to see many bats inside this cave as well. There are two ways inside the cave and one of them connects to Uttar Kashi thus making this place an interesting one to visit.

Mahabaleshwara Temple: It is built in the classic Dravidian architectural style. The temple is famous for its Shiva Linga which is called  Atma Linga and it is worshipped by the people here. This Linga is also called as Dakshin Kashi.One finds here a statue of Lord Shiva which is carved of stone and is believed to be approximately 1500 years old. According to a popular tale,it is believed that those devotees who manage to get even a glimpse of the deity will be given a special blessing.  For all those who love art and culture they should definitely visit this place.

Sahasralinga: Is a pilgrimage site which one can visit. This is an open air temple that has many stones on which is carved the Shiva Linga and this is along the banks of the River Shalmala. It is believed that these Lingas were installed by King Sadashiva Raya who was the King of Sirsi. An interesting thing to note about these Lingas is that each of these has a carving of Nandi the Bull right in front of them. There are some large rocks along the riverbed that even show mythological stories. The festival of Mahashivratri is celebrated here on a large scale and many devotees visit this place then.

Muregar Falls: This waterfall is also called Teppich Falls or Daggumane Falls. It is formed by a small stream which is called Muregar Halla and this stream happens to be the tributary of the River Shalmala. The height of this waterfall is approximately 30 feet and the width of this waterfall is approximately 120 feet. One has to trek through a forest to reach this waterfall. During the rainy season there is most all around this waterfall and the atmosphere created here is quite pleasant.

Tarakeshwara Temple: This temple is located in Hangal. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple dates back approximately to the 12th century AD. This temple is considered to be the most important contribution of the Kadamba dynasty to this town. However it was the Kalyani Chalukyas who made a lot of changes to this temple especially with regards to architecture and additions to this temple. The temple is built with grey green chloritic schist and this happens to be a feature of the Chalukyan style of architecture. In the sanctum of the temple one finds Lord Tarakeshwar who happens to be in the form of a Linga along with other sculptures like Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, Lord Kartikeya and Nandi. The main hall of this temple has a ceiling which is in the form of a lotus. The stone that is actually cut in the shape of a lotus is supported by eight pillars. On these pillars one finds detailed carvings of elephants and also diamond shaped motifs.