What to expect
Highlights
- The largest Marikamba (Durga) temple in Karnataka.
- The biennial Marikamba Jatra fair.
- The ornate shrine and temple tank.
Sirsi Marikamba Temple
The Marikamba Temple at Sirsi, built around 1688, is the largest temple to the goddess Marikamba (a form of Durga) in Karnataka. The richly decorated shrine holds a tall, striking image of the goddess.
Practical guide
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Before you go to Sirsi Marikamba Temple
Entry rules not verified for this temple. Some Hindu temples admit only Hindus, and most enforce a dress code at the door. We have not verified the rule for this particular temple, so please check before you travel — especially if you are not Hindu or are visiting from outside India.
We report each site's own published rules neutrally, and only where we can source them.
Typetemple
Nearest baseSirsi
DistrictUttara Kannada
Best timeOctober to February
Time needed45 minutes to an hour
EntryFree
Places to visit8→Sirsi is best known for the Marikamba Jatra, a huge fair held once every two years, when the goddess is taken in procession and lakhs of people gather — one of the biggest festivals in the state.
Getting there
How to visit
- In Sirsi town, the inland hub of the district, ~100 km from Karwar; reach it by bus or taxi.
- A living temple — footwear off and modest dress; the biennial Jatra (usually Mar) brings enormous crowds, so plan accordingly.
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
October to February; the Marikamba Jatra (every two years, ~Mar) is the great event.
Weather in Sirsi Marikamba TempleSeasonal guide
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Today at Sirsi Marikamba Temple
Sunrise6:19 am
Sunset6:42 pm
Golden hour best light5:42 pm–6:42 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:42 pm–7:07 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 278°
Moon tonight🌖 Waning gibbous · 64%
South-west monsoon. June to September is the south-west monsoon in Karnataka. Expect heavy showers, mostly in bursts rather than all day — carry rain cover, allow extra time for getting around, and note that ferries and open-air sites are the first things affected.
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 living temple — footwear off, dress modestly, and expect huge crowds in a Jatra year.
Photos
Sirsi Marikamba Temple in pictures
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Top experiences around Sirsi
7 more places around Sirsi, each worth a day of its own.
trekYana
29.5 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
24.5 km · ~41 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
A wide waterfall where a tributary of the Kali drops into a pool amid forest near Yellapur, backed by the Kodasalli reservoir.
waterfallMagod Falls
28.0 km · ~47 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.
heritageSahasralinga
12.5 km · ~21 min by cab
Over a thousand Shiva lingas and Nandis carved into the bed and banks of the Shalmala river ~14 km from Sirsi — exposed in the dry season and submerged in the monsoon.
heritageSonda Vadiraja Matha
13.4 km · ~22 min by cab
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.
templeManjuguni Venkataramana Temple
19.0 km · ~32 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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Sirsi Marikamba Temple — at a glance
Timings~6:00 AM - 12:30 PM, 4:00 - 8:30 PM (confirm)
Best timeOctober to February; Marikamba Jatra (~Mar, every 2 years)
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Sirsi Marikamba Temple
Sirsi town, ~100 km from Karwar; bus/taxi
Getting back
Work out your return before you settle in for the sunset. Public transport here thins out sharply in the evening, and Sirsi Marikamba Temple is easier to reach than to leave. We do not publish departure times: there is no official live feed we are permitted to republish, and a wrong time here would strand you. Check the operator directly on the day.
- 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 Sirsi Marikamba Temple
We have not assessed physical access at this place yet. Across India, step-free routes, handrails and accessible toilets are the exception rather than the rule, and pavements are often interrupted — if step-free access matters to you, contact the site or a local operator before committing to the trip.
If you need help at Sirsi Marikamba Temple
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
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Good to know
Sirsi Marikamba Temple — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Sirsi Marikamba Temple?
October to February; the Marikamba Jatra (every two years, ~Mar) is the great event.
What are the entry fee and timings at Sirsi Marikamba Temple?
Entry: Free. Timings: ~6:00 AM - 12:30 PM, 4:00 - 8:30 PM (confirm).
How do I reach Sirsi Marikamba Temple?
In Sirsi town, the inland hub of the district, ~100 km from Karwar; reach it by bus or taxi. A living temple — footwear off and modest dress; the biennial Jatra (usually Mar) brings enormous crowds, so plan accordingly.
How much time do I need for Sirsi Marikamba Temple?
45 minutes to an hour.
What else is near Sirsi Marikamba Temple?
Nearby you can pair Sahasralinga (12.5 km), Sonda Vadiraja Matha (13.4 km), Manjuguni Venkataramana Temple (19.0 km), Banavasi Madhukeshwara Temple (21.0 km).
Read before you go
Sirsi Marikamba Temple guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Sirsi Marikamba Temple itself yet. These cover Sirsi, the town it sits in, and the wider district.
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
6 min read · Read →
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: Rajen.bhat, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), Photography2023 (CC BY-SA 4.0), solarisgirl (CC BY-SA 2.0). Wikimedia Commons.