Shree Mahaganapati Temple

According to Indian mythology, when Ravana, in his second attempt, was returning from Mount Kailasa to Lanka carrying the prized possession of an Atmalinga, his route crossed Gokarna. Ceasing the opportunity, the gods hatched a plot against Ravana as they did not want him to finish the journey. They sent Lord Ganesha, who took the avatar of a young monk to deceive Ravana and keep Atmalinga on the ground. As the condition was that wherever Atmalinga is lowered and kept on the ground first, that place shall become its final place of worship. For this feat of securing the Atmalinga in Gokarna (refer to Shree Venkataramana Temple for details), Lord Ganesha is worshipped first and foremost and people visit this temple before praying to the Atmalinga at the Mahabaleshwar Temple.
At the entrance of the temple, situated in the middle of a road, you can spot a few barefooted Indian women selling flowers to earn their living. As you enter the precinct, a railing separates the queues of people going in and coming out. Temple bells swing carelessly overhead and its pealing sounds fill the premises. The statue of Lord Ganesha faces west towards the Indian Ocean. You are guided to walk around the idol and as you complete the pradakshina, a priest offers prasadam. This is relatively a small temple and, with a moving queue, you would be in and out in less than 10 minutes. Here's a tip: don’t forget to remove your socks too, as they’re considered part of footwear. The authorities here are strict about following procedures to the hilt.