Tirumala Tirupati Darshan

After staying in Bangalore for more than eight years, it was my first visit to Tirupati temple, one of the most visited Hindu temples. I always would like to avoid very crowded places especially when it is of religious significance. I don't get a feel of spirituality in the temples where there is a long queue for darshan and am sure there is no God there when there are different categories of darshan tickets based on how much you can pay for it. That's the reason I always skipped visiting Tirupati. This time I visited here to join one of the family function planned there.

Journey to Tirupati city was planned by train which reaches there very early in morning. We had a booking in Kalyan Residency for stay, which is very near to the station. We reached there by walk in five minutes. Hotel was decent with good appearance and well maintained. Rooms were comfortable. We got ready in next hour to proceed for darshan. We booked a Tempo Traveller to go to Tirumala. Journey from city to the hill was great. Roads were nice with great view of hills. In next one hour we reached to Tirumala. We had very tasteful south Indian lunch before going for darshan. We were informed that people can go in dhoti or in traditional attire only, so we purchased dhoti there from street side vendor. Then the long walk started. Though it was weekday and long queue was not there but still one had to walk a long distance to reach the gate where darshan tickets were checked which were booked online. Then we reached to the waiting hall. After half an hour time, we were directed towards the temple for darshan. Darshan time people got was not more than one minute. Within minutes we were out of main temple, where devotees were doing parikarma. They were donating money generously which is one of the specialty of this temple. Visit to the temple doesn't get completed without a view of the Big cash counting room. Then prasadam was taken from another counter. One of the best things about temple is it's well disciplined crowd management.

After the darshan, we went to the hall where people donate their hair. The mundan of two family kids was planned there. After completion of this ritual, we went for lunch. From there we were back to hotel in next one hour. After a short rest, we went outside to roam in the city. City is clean and vibrant. There are lots of hotels and restaurants near to the station. We had dinner in a nearby restaurant before we went to station to board our train to Bangalore.

Drive to Panchapalli Dam

It was the last Sunday of June. Thoughtlessly in early morning we decided to go for a drive. After thinking on couple of choices we decided to go to Panchapalli dam. I have read about this place in few blogs but then again it is not a common destination for Bangalore travellers.

We were four people and we started from Whitefield in my Grandi 10 car using Google maps. We passed through Sarjapur and crossed Chennai highway near Attibele. After that we passed a number of villages and then a small town Denkenikottai. There was a big temple in the town with an age-old pond in its premises. After total eighty kilometers of drive we reached to Panchapalli dam. A small group of bikers were just leaving the place. The dam was much better than my expectations. We parked our car there and went for a walk on dam barrage. Water in dam was not much. Few native folks were inside the water. We also went down near to the water body and laid our bare legs in the calm little sea. It was a very pleasant touch. View of the little sea from that point was overwhelming. After disbursing a good one hour we started back. There was no eatery near to the dam or in the way upto Hosur. In Denkenikottai bus stand we bought some food as we were badly hungry. After lunch we started again and this time we came through Hosur city. In Hosur, we parked our car in the shop 'The Chennai Silk'. This Shop is a big shopping mall in itself with more than five hundred employees. My wife bought few sarees there. In next one hour of drive we were back to home.

This place is a hidden gem, very near to Bangalore‬ and can be covered in half day. Going to Panchapalli is worth given its quietness, scenic and less popular places among travellers.

Weekend in Chikkamagalur

After a long time I planned for a long trip. It was the end of month of May, the peak of summer. Though Chikkamagalur has a number of hill stations, but it is advised to skip this place at this time. This part of the beautiful western ghat is hotter than Bangalore in this month. Even after aware of this, I decided to visit here as I just wanted to go for a long drive.

Early Saturday morning, I with few of my family members started this trip in Hyundai Ascent car which was well comfortable for four adults and three kids. Early morning drive is always great. We hit the Tumakuru road in next half an hour. Drive from Yeswantpur to Tumakuru on this well maintained highway was very smooth. There we took a diversion for Tiptur-Birur road. This road was also good except a few kilometers. In between we stopped at Cafe Coffee Day shop for getting refreshed. On this road there are no good eateries and travelers has to use CCD for getting refreshed. They pay good amount for coffee which they might not be looking for but there are no other options available as well.

After six hours of travel, five hours drive and covering 260 kilometers, we reached to our resort 'The last resort' at nine o'clock. Check-in was easy. We got our cottage which had a decent cot. Outside we had a Sofa and a carom board. Resort has a good ambiance. There is beholding view of hills from its courtyard and it has very well maintained garden. Our kids started playing. In next two hours we got ready and had well prepared breakfast. After the appetizing breakfast, we left resort to visit Kemmanagundi. First stop was at Kalanithi falls which was a big disappointment for us. This place was very dirty. A temple was there at the footsteps of falls where devotees were taking bath but filth were spread all around. This is the perfect case to show, how we destroy the nature in name of religion and how tourists liter the unwanted stuffs at places they came to enjoy beauty. After this disappointment, we moved to Kemmanagundi hills. Landscape view of Kemmanugudi hills which has green lush grassland is scenic and striking. Road to Hebbe falls was closed for private vehicles so we went to Shanthi falls. After the end of the tar road, we saw cars going on mud road and so we followed them too. After a short drive on the very narrow, one way and water filled mud road we realized that the road was not meant for cars. There was no place to turn back too. It was near Z-point. We drove to the end of hill and came back. Thankfully no vehicle came in between, otherwise we could have faced a real nightmare. After all these adventures, we reached back to resort just at lunch time. In night, resort has arranged bonfire for individual cottages and we enjoyed it a lot. Kids had a great time sitting out and playing in night.

Next morning we did an early checkout and drove towards Belur though it was not in our original plan. We passed through ghat road in early morning. After two hours we crossed Chikkamagalur town and in next half an hour we were in Belur. We had our breakfast there before going to the famous Chennakeshava  temple built by Hoysala empire. The temple is standing on a platform which has very detailed exquisite art work on its wall. Stories from Ramayana and Mahabharta have been carved beautifully in the boundary walls. From Belur, we went to Halebidu temple which was at twenty kilometers only. Here temple complex comprises of Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples. Both of the Belur and halebidu temples are the best example of fine work done by Hoysala sculptors.

After Halebidu, we were back on road for Bangalore. After a drive for more than hundred kilometers we reached to Tumakuru. We had lunch in between. After crossing Neelamangla we faced very heavy rain but did not stop. We reached to our home in late evening with a great fill of a complete and memorable Chikmagalurur trip.