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
Plan Sirsi Marikamba Temple
Who's going?Tailor Sirsi Marikamba Temple to your trip
Before you go to Sirsi Marikamba Temple
Check entry arrangements. Ask temple staff about visitor entry, dress requirements and access to the inner shrine before you travel, especially if you are visiting as a non-Hindu.
Dress respectfully and follow the institution’s admission and photography rules.
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
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Sirsi Marikamba Temple
Sunrise6:22 am
Sunset6:09 pm
Golden hour best light5:09 pm–6:09 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:09 pm–6:34 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 260°
Moon tonight🌓 First quarter · 44%
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. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.
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.
S
Sonda Vadiraja Matha
Place
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.
M
Manjuguni Venkataramana Temple
Place
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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Add a nearby businessBefore you go
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
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 Sirsi Marikamba Temple
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 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
What’s near Sirsi Marikamba Temple
heritageSahasralinga
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.
12.5 km · ~21 min by cab · straight lineS
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.
13.4 km · ~22 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”.
19.0 km · ~32 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.
21.0 km · ~35 min by cab · 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.
22.4 km · ~37 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.
24.5 km · ~41 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.
26.1 km · ~43 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.
28.0 km · ~47 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.
29.1 km · ~48 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.
29.5 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.
31.0 km · ~52 min by cab · straight line
templeIdagunji Temple
A much-visited Ganapathi (Vinayaka) temple at Idagunji near Honnavar — one of the most important Ganesha shrines on the Kanara coast.
32.8 km · ~55 min by cab · straight lineOn the map
Where Sirsi Marikamba Temple is
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 and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
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Magod Falls and Jenukallu Gudda: One Careful Yellapur Day
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Day-trip guide
Day Trips from Karwar: The Whole of Uttara Kannada from One Base
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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.