Polali Sri Rajarajeshwari Temple

One of the most important temples in Mangalore, built by social reformer Narayana Guru in 1912 to provide a temple for all castes. Lord Gokarnanatha (a form of Shiva as Lord of Gokarna) is the presiding deity. The nine-day Navaratri festival here includes spectacular cultural events and draws 5 lakh visitors.

One of the oldest temples in Mangalore (9th century CE), built by the Alupa dynasty. Houses the largest bronze idol of Lokeshwara (Avalokitesvara) in India — a 5-foot Buddhist bronze from the 10th century CE, indicating the temple's Buddhist origins. The Nath Panth tradition of tantra yoga has its roots here.

The only lake temple in Kerala — Lord Ananthapadmanabha (Vishnu reclining on Adishesha) is enshrined on a small island in the middle of a sacred lake. A unique resident crocodile called 'Babiya' is believed to be a divine guardian — it has never harmed anyone and is fed by the temple. Considered the original peetham (source temple) of Padmanabhaswamy in Thiruvananthapuram.

A major Shiva temple 7 km from Kasaragod town, famous for the beautiful 11th-century Vijayanagara-style architecture and the unique 'Thripady' tradition where worship follows a 3-day cycle. The sacred Madhuvan river flows beside the temple. One of north Kerala's most visited pilgrimage sites.