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.

An Evening in Trichy

It was a business training in Trichy, in late of September. With a three hours flight I reached to Trichy airport which is very small. The week long training was in WRI Welding Research Institute, which is not very far from the city but still outside of it. Hardly I could get time to explore the city in first few days. I with three of my colleagues were stayed in hotel Grand Gardenia. Hotel is located on a very good point which is easily accessible from everywhere still it is out of city's busy places. Stay here was very comfortable. Room was very clean and nicely maintained. Room service was very good and good thing was there were no additional charges for room service. Two restaurants and one bar is there. Food in their Kannapa restaurant has lot of varieties and very helpful in the long stay. Though there are not much amenities but still stay there was very good and recommended.

After four days of stay, we could get some time on Thursday evening. We were able to leave early from WRI and so we directly went to the downtown. The first place we went was Rangnathswamy temple which is more than thousand years old. This is the best example of exquisitely sculpted Dravidian temple. Next stop was Rock fort temple which was at a quite good height. Number of small rock-cut cave temples were accommodated at different elevations in monolithic rocks. Reaching at the top was the tiresome effort. From the top, seeing the panoramic view of city is well rewarding for this effort. Once we came down we were exhausted and so we went to a shop to have very famous milk-shikanji. It was cold and tasty. As it was festival time, market was crowded and busy. I also went to the famous Saratha's Saree Shop and bought two Saree for my mother and wife. That shop was a market in itself with minimum two hundred salesmen. After these four packed hours, we moved back to our hotel. This evening completed my Trichy trip.

Next day we could also visit the big temple in Thanjavur. It was my second visit to this place. Every time you go there you will appreciate it's magnitude and gracefulness. On Saturday, after completion of training, we directly went to the airport to catch the flight. Late in night I reached to my home in Bangalore but I am sure that evening will be in my mind for long time.

A Drive to Kaiwara

It was first Sunday of September, when we had a short drive to Kaiwara which is around sixty kms from Whitefield, Bangalore. This place is mostly known for the religious purpose and its historical and mythological tales of Mahabharata. It took us two hours of driving as most of the road after Hoskote was under construction. After a drive of thirty-five kms on Chintamni road or SH35, we reached to Kaiwara cross. We took a lunch here before we started again. After merely there kms, we reached to Kaiwara town. First stop we had was at Sri yogi narayana Matth. It was a well maintained ashram with a beautiful white painted temple. Look like Ashram was usually utilized for marriage ceremonies. After having a short walk, we moved towards Bhimlengeshwara temple but it was a deserted view there and was not in very good state. Then we moved to Viakuntha temple or Thathya cave which is on a small hill, little outside of town. This temple has a nice view with its rocky landscape and paddy fields side-by. This place must be good for hiking. In front of the cave there was a national park or zoo maintained by forest department but it was mostly having empty look and suggested only for a big group.

Though there was not much thing to do or see in Kaiwara but I loved to drive to this place for its natural beauty and quietness. It again took two hour drive to reach back to our home.