Murudeshwar Temple, guarded by structures of two full sized elephants in concrete, is one of the main attractions in Murudeshwar town. Lots of devotee visits here to offer prayers. The temple, with central deity as a linga, is believed to have formed when Ravana flung the cloth covering the atmatlinga at Gokarana and swaying it to land on the mount known as `Kanduka Parvata'. The temple, presently renovated, has many striking carvings and statues that date back to a few centuries.
The two inscriptions found in the ancient temple paves way for the reasons behind the construction of Nandi Mantapa, assumed to be in 1542 AD and also shed lights on the Devaraya II Raj of Vijayanagar. The temple with Chalukya and Kadamba sculptures in the Dravidian style to show medieval grace and charm overlooks majestically the Arabian sea.
A Nataraja statue made of bell metal, a temple of `Jattiga', the guarding deity, are seen located outside the temple. The temple attracts a lot of devotees, is a perfect scenic spot with roaring sea, the towering hills and the greenish coconut and groves around.