Tourist places › Waterfall
Bheemeshwara Theertha
A cave shrine to Shiva set beside a waterfall, deep in the Sharavathi valley
Bheemeshwara Theertha combines pilgrimage and nature in one stop: a cave shrine to Shiva set right beside a waterfall cascading off a rocky cliff, deep in the forested Sharavathi valley near Hosanagara. The constant stream running past the shrine is treated as part of its sanctity by local worshippers.
It's a genuine trek destination as much as a temple visit — the surrounding evergreen forest is thick, the paths are easy to moderate but slippery after rain, and the whole area pairs naturally with a Jog Falls trip given how close the two sites sit.
Highlights
- A Shiva shrine set inside a rock cave, with a waterfall cascading past right beside it
- Deep in evergreen Western Ghats forest, popular with trekkers as well as pilgrims
- Trek difficulty is easy to moderate, though paths get slippery in the rains
Getting there
Buses on the Thirthahalli to Sagara route get you to Sagara — Bheemeshwara Theertha is a further ~65–70 km by taxi, near Jog Falls.