Nellithirtha Shree Somanatheswara Guhalaya

A great place, the ancient cave offers spiritual feelings and extraordinary experience November or December is the best time to visit this place

Beautiful and peaceful temple. Not crowded at all.

Nestled amidst a serene setting, the sacred place is home to Sri Somanatheshwara.

Taking dip in the pond and getting drenched inside the cave of the temple is believed to have a spiritual cleansing effect on you.

The temple is well managed and one feels like spending at least an hour or two thanks to the amazing environs around.

Nellithirtha Somanatheshwara temple is around 7km from the town of Bajpe and is situated off Bajpe-Kateel road. The place is a bit interior and it's better to travel own transportation.
The main highlight of this temple is a cave where Jabali Maharshi worshipped and prayed to Lord Shiva. To enter the cave, one needs to be in a traditional attire and has to take a bath in a nearby pond. There will be a guide who will lead us into the cave. The cave will be open only till noon. The height of the cave is limited and water will be filled upto 3/4 during October and November. During rainy season the water will be filled in the cave and hence entry is restricted.
Overall it's a very peaceful and divine place and is recommended to visit if you are around Mangalore.

Beautiful temple. If you sit for an minute in the temple you will forget you problems. And there is an cave it's enter price is rupees 100. And inside there is lord Shiva
OM NAMA SHIVAI

Beautiful Shiva cave temple and less known cave temple in Mangalore. Such a peaceful vibe around the temple. Neatly maintained, well management. It's in Nellitheettha village where you can reach to this temple via Yekkaru and drive for around 5kms. There will be signboards so thay you can reach the place easily. It's recommended to have private vehicle otherwise you can reach by rikshaw which will charge around 250.
Also there is a cave where 'Udbava Morthi' is located. But you need to pay 100 rs to go inside the cave. It's a thrilled and adventurous way where you need to crawl in some points to reach the end. This cave is the place where Jabala maharshi had done meditation.
Totally it's worth the experience and must visit cave temple in Mangalore.

A beutiful temple amidst greenery, with a natural cave beside the temple, devotees can enter the cave, with some regulations, between Mod october ( Tula sankramana ) amd mid april (Mesha sankramana) . Enrry to cave is before the noon pooja ( 1 pm). No entry innthe afterrnoon..

Great adventure, this is not only a temple you guys must visit and feel the experience . Access is restricted, forcing visitors to crawl in on their knees. Inside, there is a lake and a Shiva Lingam.

Less known and un explored place. Must visit for adventure enthusiasts. The cave is about 200 meters. One has to virtualy crawl through half of the distance. The cave entry is open from October to april.Dhoti is mandatory to enter the cave.Preferrably carry red coloured one because the cave is filled with water and slush for the most part.

Beautiful temple... Around 10kms from ganjimutt... But cave opens from October 17 only till then u won't be able to enter cave.

One of must visit temple and cave in Mangalore area. Temple located in a calm place and which is 7km from bajpe. Right side of the temple there is cave and it is open for devotees from October to April14 . Inside the cave one has to scrawl and go as the height of the cave is less than a meter and it will be filled with water. After 100 to 150 meter there is a natural shivalinga and two other caves in which one goes to Kashi and other goes to kateelu temple. To enter you need to pay Rs 100 and take bath in one of the lake in the left side of the temple and a priest will guide you through the cave. It is good to visit in the morning and cave will be closed after 12.30 pm. Only panche is allowed for men.

A beautiful temple in the rural area of Mangalore. There is a cave beside the temple where the priests offer Pooja twice a day. People can accompany the priest inside the cave during non monsoon days.

Excellent place. Ancient Shiva temple on the hill top. Good choice for half day road trip.

All devotees wishing to get to the temple, irrespective of social status and gender, must come on bended knees. No, it’s not some written rule in front of the temple. Nature just has its own way when it comes to certain things. Nellitheertha cave temple is a temple in Karnataka that has brought people to their knees and hands. Literally.

Nellitheertha cave temple, located in Nellitheertha, Dakshin Kannada, Karnataka, is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, also known as Sri Somanatheshwara.
The temple dates back to 1487 CE.

The 200 m long Nellitheertha cave leads to an area where there is a natural pool and a shivling. To reach the inner sanctum, that is, the shivling, one needs to crawl because after a point, the cave gets too narrow to walk or even crouch comfortably.
It is easy to say that the lake inside the cave and the shivling is probably the result of centuries of constant dropping of water droplets. Nature doing what it does best – weathering. But then there are legends.

It is said that the ancient cave of Nellitheertha was used by a sage named Jabali. It was in this cave that sage Jabali used to perform penance, and it greatly pleased Goddess Durga Parameshwari. The reason behind him doing the penance was that through his devotion and penance, he would appease the goddess, who in turn will kill Arunsura, the demon.

Not too far from Nellitheertha is a place called Kateel where eventually the demon Arunsura was killed by Goddess Durga.

If you are wondering about the name – Nellitheertha, it is made up of nelli meaning amla (gooseberry) and theertha meaning holy water. It is said that the water droplets that have been falling for centuries now creating the lake inside the cave and the shivling, are the size of gooseberry or amla.

Words are less to express.
Let me tell you few things, to this place there's no bus transportation, so you have to go either personal vehicle or hire a cab. There is a cave in this temple. Inside the cave there is a Shiva Linga, place where Great Jabali Muni had meditated. This cave is very sacred. Firstly you have to take a dip in temple's pond and then wait near cave. It's batch wise, I have posted photo of timings too.
Journey inside the cave is thrilling and a bit difficult if person is old/not fit. There is even temple here, if you don't wish to go for cave you can visit temple. In the afternoon there is Prasada (food/lunch).
Wish you have good experience 🙏🏻

Religious Temple situated in Mangalore there is a cave in the temple and Peaples are allows in certain days, if you want to enter the cave u have to take a bath in theertha kere after that you can enter the cave with a experienced swamy with the group

Wonder of cave temple, sri japali maharshi, somanatha lord shiva, we visit on, 02/12/23, 🌹 9.AM🙏🙏🙏

It's a beautiful cave temple.

After the holy dip in the nearby lake, one can enter cave. (In the wet dress itself)

Adjacent to the temple there is a cave, one can enter with the help of guide.
No using torch light, mobiles inside the cave.
Safe lockers are available to store your valuables. Also there are changing rooms.

Inside the temple we will have to walk a little, crawl a little. It's filled with water till knees.

Cave is open from Oct to April.
Morning 7 to 1.00pm only.

After some 10 minutes of crawling we reach the place were Jabali Maharshi had done tapassu and also there is a natural Shiva Lingam there.

Those with skin diseases also can get the holy mud (mritthika).

There is a beautiful history associated with this temple. Kindly visit once to know more.

A must visit Cave temple. Just 20 minutes from Kateel temple.

Awesome experience there in place I loved that temple