The Murudeshwar Temple in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada District now has a 249-foot Raja Gopura. The Murudeswar temple complex is famous for housing the world’s biggest Lord Shiva statue, which is 123 feet tall. The Rajagopuram, formally inaugurated on April 12, 2008, is the temple’s most recent addition.
Murudeswar Temple’s Rajagopuram comprises 21 levels, including the base floor. The length of the base is 105 feet, while the width is 51 feet. The gopura also has a lift, so tourists may go to the top and have an aerial view of the Arabian Sea and Lord Shiva’s monument. The life-size sculptures of two elephants at the base of the gopura are another feature.
Surprisingly, the R.N. Shetty Group of Companies looks after the Murudeshwar Temple. Murudeshwar is located on the Arabian Sea Coast, approximately 70 kilometers south of Gokarna and 180 kilometers north of Mangalore. Murudeshwar Railway Station is on the Konkan Rail and is 1 km off NH17.
According to reports, the Rajagopura of Murudeshwar Temple is the highest in Asia. It was once the 236-foot Rajagopuram of the Sri Ranganatha temple in Srirangam.
However, several websites and media outlets claim it is just the tallest in Asia. In comparison, the highest tower in the world, the Qutub Minar, is at 237.8 feet.
If a gopuram is a characteristic decorative edifice associated with Hindu temples, the Murudeshwar Temple’s gopura in Karnataka should be the tallest in the world. This is especially true given that Asia is home to some of the world’s most magnificent Hindu temples, such as Angor Wat in Cambodia.