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Offbeat destination of Karnataka: exploring Yana village & its 2 unique karst rock formations

Yana is a village located in the dense forests of the Kumta, Utttara Kannada in Karnataka. The village is known for the unusual karst rock formations. It's located in the Sahyadri mountain range of the Western Ghats, 40 kilometers from Sirsi, about 60 kilometers from Karwar port and 31 kilometers from Kumta.
Yana is one of the cleanest villages of Karnataka state and one of the wettest villages of India. This village is popular for two unique rock formations. These two rock structures are named as Bhairaveshwara Shikhara and Mohini Shikhara. This place is also famous for trekking. For these unique designed jewels, Yana is among the most popular places to visit.

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So, what makes Yana village a matchless place to visit?
1. Discover the two unique rock formations

The two unique rock outcrops near the village are a tourist attraction and fluently approachable by a small trek through 0.5 kilometers of thick forests from the nearest road head.
The Bhairaveshwara Shikhara rock formation has a height of 390 bases, and the Mohini Shikhara is lower in height that has a height of 300 bases. This delicate to overlook conformation in between a dense forest is a large megahit with the vacationers. One should trek a distance of about half a kilometer from the touring path to get to the cave.
During the annual celebration of Mahashivratri, addicts of the Hindu God Shiva mass this place to worship within the cave temple located on the foot of the Bhairaveshwara Shikhara. There’s a natural linga, owing to which the cave is taken as a place of worship.
These two rock formations are actually 3 km apart. There are a number of rock formations still these two stand out and, in an enormous system, fairly actually. These two crystalline rock monoliths are drawing not simply the eye of the Hindu devotees but also trip campaigners.

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2. Visit the temple

Located only a distance from Gokarna beach, Yana is also well girdled by the pilgrim, and it's popular as a passage center. There's a temple under the Bhairaveshwara Shikhara rock formation where a Swayambhu linga was automatically formed. From the roof of the cave, water drops on this Linga and enhances the sacredness of this place. Pilgrims celebrate Shivratri at this cave. This place is also popular for the girding hillocks and the scenic green forest.

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3. Yana trekking

Yana is also well-known spot for trekking purposes. There's a trek length of 8 to 9 kilometers that trekkers cover. So, if you plan to visit Yana, you should be ready for a trek in the early morning. 

4. Bird Watching

Probability of spotting different species of bird is high at these rocks and near areas.

5. Waterfalls

Trek to visit Vibhooti waterfalls will be an excellent adventure activity in Yana (9.7 km away from Yana, longer road access available but 70 km by road). 

Also, this place has an interesting Myth

The names of the majestic jewels at Yana are linked to an intriguing part in Hindu mythology. A demon named Bhasmasura manages to get a unique gift that anything on which he keeps his win burns into ashes (bhasma). With this unique gift, Bhasmasura tried to kill the very person who granted the gift, Lord Shiva. Stewing his life, Lord Shiva seeks help from Lord Vishnu, who takes the form of a beautiful woman named Mohini and appears in front of Bhasmasura.
Trying to win over Mohini, Bhasmasura accepts her challenge to dance with her and performs the same way as she does. As the dance progresses, Mohini keeps her hand over her head. Bhasmasura performs the same act and burns into ashes.

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An interesting & captivating myth, right?
Made up your mind to visit Yana? Here’s how to reach

If you are here, plan for about half a day to explore Yana. A visit to Yanà rocks can also be conjoined with a visit to Gokarna (48 km), Karwar (90 km) and Murudeshwara (76 km), along the bank would be a good option to visit, especially for those looking to enjoy some vitamin sea.

A quick way to reach this offbeat destination includes:
1. By Train

Kumta is the nearest railway station to Yana from KSR, Bengaluru Station. You can hop on to Karwar Express which departs at 5.30 am. There are trains available from Mangaluru Railway Station to Kumta as well. To reach Kumta, Karwar Express transits via Mysuru Railway Station to Bengaluru station.

2. By Road

Travelers can either take their own vehicles or drive through the NH 48 from Bengaluru to Yana which is 470 km and takes around 9 hours to reach. There's bus connectivity similar to Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and private buses as well up to Kumta from Bengaluru. Kumta is the closest city to Yana which is only 30 km away and takes around 1 hour to reach the destination. Another closest town to Yana is Hubli- Dharwad, but it is 104 km and takes around 3 hours.

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3. By Air

The closest airport to Kumta is Debolim Airport, Goa. You may either hire taxis or hop on to the public transport to reach Yanà or your accommodation in Kumta or the girding locales. From Kumta it is only 30 km away to reach Yana.

Check out the best time to visit Yana

The best time to visit Yana is from October to January, but if you want to see how the place transforms into a bustling tourist destination, try visiting during the Mahashivratri festival. It seems like the jungle comes to life during this season. 

When here, don’t forget to watch out for….
The Leeches in Yana

As Yana is one of the wettest places of India, so naturally, there are a lot of leeches everywhere in this place. So, it’s better to see the jewels from a distance. However, be careful from leeches, if you are planning to trek or want to step inside the caves.

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