What to expect
Highlights
- The thousand-plus riverbed lingas and Nandis.
- The Shalmala river setting.
- The seasonal reveal as the water drops.
Sahasralinga
Sahasralinga is a site where over a thousand Shiva lingas and Nandis are carved into the bed and banks of the Shalmala river, about 14 km from Sirsi.
Practical guide
Plan Sahasralinga
Who's going?Tailor Sahasralinga to your trip
Typeheritage
Nearest baseSirsi
DistrictUttara Kannada
Best timeThe dry season, when the carvings are…
Time needed45 minutes to an hour
EntryFree
Places to visit8→The carvings are exposed in the dry season and submerged when the river rises in the monsoon.
Getting there
How to visit
- About 14 km from Sirsi; by road, then a short walk down to the riverbed.
- A river site with slippery rocks — take care near the water, especially after rain.
Distance by road
- Panaji (Goa)100 km
- Hubballi165 km
- Udupi175 km
- Mangaluru270 km
- Bengaluru500 km
Road km to Uttara Kannada; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
The dry season, when the carvings are exposed; they submerge in the monsoon.
Weather in SahasralingaSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Sahasralinga
Sunrise6:23 am
Sunset6:08 pm
Golden hour best light5:08 pm–6:08 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:08 pm–6:33 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 260°
Moon tonight🌔 Waxing gibbous · 63%
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Visitor notes
- A rocky riverbed — wear grippy shoes and keep well back from the water when it is high.
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Top experiences around Sirsi
7 more places around Sirsi. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.
templeSirsi Marikamba Temple
12.5 km · ~21 min by cab
The largest temple to the goddess Marikamba (Durga) in Karnataka, at Sirsi, famous for its biennial Marikamba Jatra — one of the biggest fairs in the state.
trekYana
29.7 km · ~49 min by cab
A pair of towering black karst rock spires — the Bhairaveshwara and Mohini shikharas — rising from dense Sahyadri forest, a pilgrimage and trekking spot with a Shiva shrine in a cave at the base.
waterfallUnchalli Falls
35.0 km · ~58 min by cab
Also called Lushington Falls — where the Aghanashini river plunges about 116 m into a forested gorge near Siddapura, viewed from a platform after a short forest walk.
waterfallSathodi Falls
34.8 km · ~58 min by cab
A wide waterfall where a tributary of the Kali drops into a pool amid forest near Yellapur, backed by the Kodasalli reservoir.
waterfallMagod Falls
15.5 km · ~26 min by cab
A waterfall near Yellapur where the Bedti (Gangavali) river drops in two leaps of around 200 m into a wooded gorge, seen from a viewpoint.
S
Sonda Vadiraja Matha
Place
heritageSonda Vadiraja Matha
1.1 km · 14 min walk
The Vadiraja (Sode) matha at Sonda ~20 km from Sirsi — one of the Ashta Mathas of Udupi and a major Dvaita pilgrimage centre around the Vadiraja Brindavana, with a Jain basadi nearby.
M
Manjuguni Venkataramana Temple
Place
templeManjuguni Venkataramana Temple
22.3 km · ~37 min by cab
A forest Venkataramana (Vishnu) temple ~26 km from Sirsi — a regional pilgrimage sometimes called the “Tirupati of Uttara Kannada”.
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Sahasralinga — at a glance
TimingsDaylight hours
Best timeThe dry season, when the carvings are exposed
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Sahasralinga
About 14 km from Sirsi; by road, then a short walk to the riverbed
Getting back
If you are travelling by bus or ferry, check the return service with the operator before setting out. Leave time to reach the stop or jetty after your visit.
- KSRTC— the Karnataka state bus operator; route and schedule enquiries.Online booking.
- Indian Railways— live running and seat availability for the nearest railhead, named under “Getting here” above.
Ask at the bus stand for the time of the last service back, not the next one. If you miss it, an auto or app cab is the fallback — agree the fare before you get in.
Getting around Sahasralinga
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
If you need help at Sahasralinga
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Sahasralinga
S
Sonda Vadiraja Matha
Place
heritageSonda Vadiraja Matha
The Vadiraja (Sode) matha at Sonda ~20 km from Sirsi — one of the Ashta Mathas of Udupi and a major Dvaita pilgrimage centre around the Vadiraja Brindavana, with a Jain basadi nearby.
1.1 km · 14 min walk · straight lineS
Shivaganga Falls
Place
waterfallShivaganga Falls
A ~74 m waterfall on the Sonda river near Siddapur, plunging into a deep evergreen valley, with a Shiva temple at its head.
10.2 km · ~17 min by cab · straight linetempleSirsi Marikamba Temple
The largest temple to the goddess Marikamba (Durga) in Karnataka, at Sirsi, famous for its biennial Marikamba Jatra — one of the biggest fairs in the state.
12.5 km · ~21 min by cab · straight linewaterfallMagod Falls
A waterfall near Yellapur where the Bedti (Gangavali) river drops in two leaps of around 200 m into a wooded gorge, seen from a viewpoint.
15.5 km · ~26 min by cab · straight lineJ
Jenukallu Gudda
Place
viewpointJenukallu Gudda
A Western-Ghats sunset viewpoint ~17 km from Yellapur overlooking the Bedti (Gangavali) river valley.
16.9 km · ~28 min by cab · straight lineM
Manjuguni Venkataramana Temple
Place
templeManjuguni Venkataramana Temple
A forest Venkataramana (Vishnu) temple ~26 km from Sirsi — a regional pilgrimage sometimes called the “Tirupati of Uttara Kannada”.
22.3 km · ~37 min by cab · straight linetrekYana
A pair of towering black karst rock spires — the Bhairaveshwara and Mohini shikharas — rising from dense Sahyadri forest, a pilgrimage and trekking spot with a Shiva shrine in a cave at the base.
29.7 km · ~49 min by cab · straight line
waterfallVibhooti Falls
A multi-tier limestone waterfall in the forests of Ankola taluk near Yana, often paired with the Yana rock spires.
30.6 km · ~51 min by cab · straight line
templeBanavasi Madhukeshwara Temple
A 9th-century Kadamba-era Shiva temple at Banavasi — the oldest town in Karnataka and the ancient Kadamba capital — with a famous stone Nandi, lathe-turned pillars and a monolithic stone bed.
30.7 km · ~51 min by cab · straight lineB
Benne Hole Falls
Place
waterfallBenne Hole Falls
A multi-tier forest waterfall ~25 km from Siddapur reached by a trek — its name means “butter pool”, for the milky look of its water.
31.0 km · ~52 min by cab · straight linewaterfallSathodi Falls
A wide waterfall where a tributary of the Kali drops into a pool amid forest near Yellapur, backed by the Kodasalli reservoir.
34.8 km · ~58 min by cab · straight linewaterfallUnchalli Falls
Also called Lushington Falls — where the Aghanashini river plunges about 116 m into a forested gorge near Siddapura, viewed from a platform after a short forest walk.
35.0 km · ~58 min by cab · straight lineOn the map
Where Sahasralinga is
Good to know
Sahasralinga — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Sahasralinga?
The dry season, when the carvings are exposed; they submerge in the monsoon.
What are the entry fee and timings at Sahasralinga?
Entry: Free. Timings: Daylight hours.
How do I reach Sahasralinga?
About 14 km from Sirsi; by road, then a short walk down to the riverbed. A river site with slippery rocks — take care near the water, especially after rain.
How much time do I need for Sahasralinga?
45 minutes to an hour.
What else is near Sahasralinga?
Nearby you can pair Sonda Vadiraja Matha (1.1 km), Shivaganga Falls (10.2 km), Sirsi Marikamba Temple (12.5 km), Magod Falls (15.5 km).
Read before you go
Sahasralinga guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Sahasralinga itself yet. These cover Sirsi and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Heritage guide
Mirjan Fort: Laterite Walls, Pepper Routes and a Monsoon Visit
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Regional guide
Banavasi: How to Read Karnataka’s First Historical Capital
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Day-trip guide
Magod Falls and Jenukallu Gudda: One Careful Yellapur Day
5 min read · Read →
Day-trip guide
Day Trips from Karwar: The Whole of Uttara Kannada from One Base
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Story
Tagore in Karwar: Four Months That Gave a Beach Its Name
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Story
The Last Ward: How Karwar Got Its Name, and Its Language
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Image credits
Photographs: Prash146, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.