Showing posts with label ITCHY FEET TRAVELS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ITCHY FEET TRAVELS. Show all posts

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Mesmerizing Malnad

Thursday, August 25, 2011 51 Comments

A weekend getaway from Bangalore's chaotic pace and the the hum drum of everyday life.. 
All we wanted was a peaceful place to spend a relaxing weekend. We zeroed down on a date in the month of monsoon. Destination = Malnad region of Karnataka. 

Malnad region has tropical climate, the ground is like an old Indian bathroom. (Sloppy! Eeeks)

We had booked Ammadi homestay in Koppa. That place had an old world charm. The traditional 'Totti mane' as we call it in Kannada. (which means a wide shallow tank in the middle of the house.) Check out the pictures to get an idea. 




The enthralling mountains are so beautifully clad in green that even clouds cannot hold back the temptation to kiss them in public!  


Streams, brooks and rivers come alive in the monsoon. It is divine to see water flowing by the road side. 


If you are into bird watching, this region provides you with myriad species of birds which thrive in this region. 



We did not want to travel much, so visited only Mandagadde bird sanctuary and Sirimane falls. 
Mandagadde bird Sanctuary

Sirimane falls.
Now, coming to the details for those who want to visit this region.

Place: Koppa, Shimoga.
Distance: 350 Km from Bangalore. It will take roughly 7 hours on road.
Route: Bangalore – Hassan – Chickmagalur – Aldur – Balehonnur – Jayapura – Koppa
Where to stay: You can experience the traditional cuisine in homestays. You can check from various options here. If you are planning on a budget trip, you can look out for some lodges.
Places to see: Gajanur dam, Bhadra wildlife reserve, Mandagadde, Sakkare Bayalu Elephant Camp, Chikmagalur and many many more.

Things to remember


1. Carry an umbrella.
2. If you are very sensitive to the cold weather, please carry warm clothing.
3. Trek through the estates might leave you hooked up with leaches. Shoes recommended.
4. Many insects around. I honestly do not know what to do. :-D

On the last point I remember an incident..  I asked BH to 'shoo' the flies while I slept. He had drowned himself in the twitter app of his phone. He said 'we are not so rich to 
provide all them that luxury. Let them be barefoot'

Arrggghhhh!!
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Thursday, June 2, 2011

A tranquil weekend in Yercaud

Thursday, June 02, 2011 26 Comments
If you looking for a tranquil weekend getaway from Bengaluru - It should be Yercaud!
1) It is not too far from Bangalore (200kms)
2) It has salubrious climate.
3) Not too crowded ( that is what we derived out of our research)


As you stride the gradient of the Yercaud hill, you can see a lot of mines. It is apparent from the mines that Yercaud has a plenty of Bauxite resources. (I thought, how I wish my handsome teacher brought me here for the 'chemistry' lessons. :P Ok ok.. Hubby.. Don't bang me! Was just kidding.. )

First we went to the Sheveroy temple. (Shubhaaramba??)
Sheveroy temple: looks unexciting from outside but, this has a cave inside. (Now, don't tell me it isn't exciting. It was thrilling for me..) One should almost get on his/her fours when they go inside the cave. It is said that the same cave has another opening at Coorg, Karnataka. This temple is dedicated to Kaveriamma.   (I somehow likes caves, my ancestors calling huh?)




















Lake: There is a beautiful natural lake, right in the middle of the hill-station. (Wondering.. Why all hill stations should have one lake at least?). We opted a romantic pedal boat, it was fun. This place was so scenic.

Diagonally opposite to the lake, there is a well maintained park which is called - The Anna Park. Took a walk in park. Once you come outside, there are a lot of junk stalls. We ate bajji's, roasted corn on cobs with spicy chutney. Yummy! (Walk for the health and Hog when the heart melts..)


View Points: There are many view points. Out of which I would vote for the Pagoda point, Lady's Seat, Gents Seat. The view of the ranges, the vegetation and the Salem  city is just aaawesome.
Sunset view from the Pagoda point is MUST SEE.























There is a well maintained botanical garden. SERENITY and BEAUTY!





I should mention that there was a water-fall as well. But, we were advised not to go there with family since safety was a matter of concern. So, we did not venture out to that place.

Where to stay? 
There are many lodges and resorts. With the increasing hunger for the weekend get-aways to a hill-station. It may be necessary to book before you visit the place.

How to reach?
If you own a car, then it is a pleasure to drive on the 4-lane road. Otherwise, there are an umpteen number of buses which will get you there. Aftermath,you can hire a local transport to go around the places in Yercaud.

How much does it cost?  T
hings are not over priced. Moderate, I would say.

Food:
There is a scarcity for vegetarian hotels. People who relish non-vegetarian food, you can feast.

You may want to carry 
1) Warm clothing in winter. Otherwise, it is cool.
2) A hat and sun-glasses in summer.


Conclusion:
Do not compare this place to any other hill-station. It has it's own beauty. Enjoy what it offers. What does this place offer? A peaceful weekend for yourself in a hill station.

I loved this place. If you like spending hectic weekend, this is not a place.
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Monday, May 2, 2011

Forlorn Story and Grand History - HAMPI

Monday, May 02, 2011 12 Comments
Set in tune with rugged and rustic environs. Let your imagination free when you visit Hampi/Hampe – A heritage site of the royal Vijayanagar Empire which lies on the banks of Tungabhadra in Karnataka. This is also said to be ‘Kishkinda – Vaali’s Kingdom of Ramayana fame.

We boarded Hampi Express (6592) from Bangalore at 9PM. We reached Hampi by 7 AM.
We went around Hampi on the same day. 

We went to the famous Vijayavittala temple complex.. 

On the way to Vijayavittala temple complex -
Lined by market places, well laid roads and report which says that “anything from horses to gems was traded in Hampi", speaks of resounding economic affluence of the time.


Inside the Vijaya Vittala temple complex, one can spot the Stone Chariot. The Stone chariot is the most stunning sculptural achievement of the Vijayanagara period most stunning sculptural achievement of the Vijayanagara period. Probably the wheels moved on its axis, there are marks on the platform.

Then we proceeded towards the main temple of Hampi.

Virupaksha temple is the main temple which can be reached from the chariot street.  It dates back to early 9th century AD. There is a center pillared hall called 'Ranga Mantapa'. It is said that marriages were conducted here.
Ceiling are painted in natural colors.  



On the rear exit of the temple there is a dark chamber with a slit on the wall. The sun ray pass through this slit forms an inverted shadow of the gopura on the wall. Such efforts were made by the architects to please the emperor. 

This is the must see place in Hampi. The Royal Enclosure was the seat of power of the Vijayanagara empire until its fall. The remains of the ruins depict the life of the people belonging to royal family. There are granaries, public bath, King's Palace, Queen's Palace, Stables, Noble men quarters,King's Audience Hall and many more structures which will be difficult to enumerate.



This was the socializing place for the royal women folks. Women met in this place with prior appointment. This is a two storey building built in Indo-Islamic architecture again.






This structure is considered to be the elephant stable, built in the Indo-islamic style of architecture. These stables are connected to each other in the stair






The tallest structure in the royal enclosure is called the "Mahanavami Dibba". This impressive structure is made of granite huge blocks. I really wonder how they put those REAL BIG stones on the top. ( Aah.. Reminds me of the Pyramids. Have to agree that our ancestors were really smart.)
The Emperor watched the war games, sports, shows of the royal animals, musical performances etc., during Navaratri celebrations, Deepavali and such festivals. Probably, to mark the glory of these events, even today Mysore dasara hosts such events.
The view of the ruins of the structures from the Mahanavami Dibba is a heart-churning sight. The archaeologists have found some burnt wooden structures during excavations. Probably the royal empire used wood for their buildings. All the remains, boulders are silent witnesses for the glorious era.

Moghul invaders attacked the empire which reduced the city and the empire to ruins amid scenes of barbarous expurgation. "It took hundreds of elephants and thousands of horse carriages more than six months to carry the loot out of Hampi! Such were her possessions. “A guide said.

The sun sets on the glory of the empire

Every stone, Every Boulder, Every Structure, Every Pillar, Every path, Every monument speak the same language -- The Forlorn Story and Grand Glory of the Empire.
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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Impressive Chitradurga

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 5 Comments
Information about the place

Chitradurga, is a historical town in Karnataka, 200 km away from Bangalore.
It is a 5 hour pleasant comfortable drive on NH4.
Chitradurga name is the appropriate name for this place because some of the rocks here form shapes like elephant, ship, etc. (Chitra in Kannada means picture). The more imaginative you are, the more shapes you can see.



One such example: This stone seems to be an elephant from an angle.
On your way to Chitradurga, you will see a lot of wind mills and sunflower fields by your sides. ( Observe windmill in the backdrop) 
Where to stay

Chitradurga has many Hotels, Resorts and Lodges. You can opt for one depending on your budget.
We had decided on Revati Deluxe Lodge. (It is on
Church Road

Near District Hospital). It was a well maintained lodge. Lodge manager was very hospitable. He gave us a brochure which had listed tourist attractions in and around Chitradurga. He also helped us to plan our itinerary well, being a localite.


We started our day with a visit to the famous “Chitradurga Fort” at 6.15AM. The enormous fort is built over a rocky hill. It was considered to be invincible with seven lines of concentric ramparts. We planned to finish by fort visit by 10 AM, to escape from the scorching heat. To go around the whole of fort you would need at least 3-4 hours.

We hired a guide at the entrance for 200Rs.




The walls are built with stones and are about 50ft. Walls are built to form a maze to confuse the attacking enemy. Since, the entrance is not straight forward; it is difficult for the enemies to attack. 



That’s my husband, stooping through “obavvana kindi”

Story behind obavvana kinDi

Hyder Ali’s army entered Chitradurga fort through one of the secret passages. The watch guard had come home for lunch. His wife Obavva came to fetch some water from a nearby pond and she saw some Hyder Ali’s soldiers entering the fort through the “Kindi” (opening). She didn’t want to disturb her husband; she quietly clobbered the enemies, one by one with “Onake” (a long wooden club meant for pounding paddy grains)
Snapshots of various places in the fort



Bird view of the fort from a batheri (Watch tower)




There is a mythological connection with Hidimba, wife of Bheema in Mahabharata who is said to be hailing from this place. There is a temple dedicated to her father in the fort.






One can find lots of ponds inside the fort to hold rain water.

This is the place where they used to grind gunpowder for cannons. Elephants were used for grinding purpose.




A closer view of a grinding stone

We had breakfast at Lakshmi bhavanTiffin Room (Famously known as LTR). The masale dose of LTR is regarded to be the best. It was exceptionally delicious. It is just few meters away from the main entrance of the fort.

By 10.30AM, we proceeded towards Chandravalli Caves. Nearby are the Chandravalli Caves, also called Ankali Math. It is a pre-historic site, located 2 km away from the town. Excavations have revealed many archeological remains of the Neolithic period.




Chadravalli Lake

The underground caves here get 80ft below the ground level at a few places. Places in the caves where the saints would go down and meditate in absolute silence. There are places where enemies were left in cells with no sound and light, making it impossible for them to escape.


Inside the pitch dark cave:  Photo was taken with the flash
And then on your way back to Bangalore, around 50 km from Chitradurga is the Vaani Vilaas Dam near Hiriyur. It is the first dam to be built in Karnataka. The nature around is fantastic.




Things to be noted

  1. Carry a hat. (Especially, if it is summer. Chitradurga is a rocky terrain.)
  2. Fort visit would take minimum 3 hours. Plan for it.
  3. Avoid afternoon visits. It will drain you out
  4. Carry a water bottle with you.
  5. Engage a guide; else you will not understand the significance of the structures in the fort.
  6. Don’t miss masale dose at LTR ;)
  7. Carry a source of light like torch/candle while exploring the Chandravalli caves. ( The place is completely dark at any time of the day)
  8. It is better to explore Chandravalli caves with a guide. ( You might get lost easily inside the caves)
  9. If you have time on your side, Please do visit Davanagere to eat “benne masale dose”( It is the best of its kind) in any small hotel.
  10. You can also cover Harihara, It has an ancient temple dedicated to Harihareshwara.

This is the entrance of the fort.
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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

The Land of Tiger - Ranthambore

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 1 Comments
About the place:
Ranthambore National Park is in Sawai Madhopur District of Rajasthan state, Located at the junction of the Aravalli and Vindhya hill range.


How did we reach:
We had decided to go to Ranthambore by Dehradun Express which leaves Old Delhi station at 10:05 PM and reaches Sawai Madhopur at 5:15 AM the next day.


Accommodation:
We had booked a Swiss tent at Ranthambore Bagh. http://www.ranthambhorebagh.com/
We were delighted with their service, simply wonderful.
A representative from the Jungle lodge picked us from the railway station at 5.30AM.



Day 1:
We were told that there was a visit to the fort which is in the midst of the forest at 8.00 AM. This gave us some time to sleep and to refresh ourselves.
At 8.10AM, We entered the forest,
The serene ambience and uncanny wilderness of the thick forest of Ranthambore had left us dumbfounded.


The fort was huge. We engaged a guide for 150Rs. It is one of the oldest forts in our country


The interiors of the fort and the story attached with it were really stunning.


The view of the landscape from highest point of the fort is magnificient . We also visited the famous Ganesha temple in the fort.






We returned to the lodge by 11.40AM, had a sumptuous lunch followed by an afternoon nap.
At 4.00PM we had a jungle safari. We preferred jeep safari over canter safari. Unfortunately, we were destined for canter safari.
We were taken into the jungle in a canter.
Ranthambore has five safari routes, labeled from 1 to 5. Guide spoke broken English.
We saw a horde of spotted deer. My husband imitated some alarm calls that are usually used by deer .We also spotted many Langurs, a bear, a couple of Sambar deer and many peacocks. We could see a variety of birds.
We were excited to see a pugmark of a tiger which had crossed our route before 15 minutes.








Campfire and a cultural program were arranged that night. We relished the dinner served and enjoyed the dance performance by a small girl.
Day 2:
We had a safari at 6.30 AM.
We were praying for a predator spotting. Our luck chose the same safari route.
We could hear alarm calls from herbivores. Probably, we were away from the predators by a few feet. But, we were not lucky enough to spot them.
It was really disappointing that we didn’t spot any tigers (one can spot, if he/she is lucky) or leopards (you have to be extremely lucky to spot one. Since, leopard is a shy animal). Since, it was our first wild safari it was as exhilarating as it could get.
We had a heavy breakfast and bid good-bye to Ranthambore with a heavy heart.
We promised Ranthambore that we would get back to spot a tiger!!
Here are some things you should not forget when you go there,
  1. Binocular or a powerful lens camera
  2. Please do not switch on flash of your camera ( It might irritate animals)
  3. Don’t talk aloud. ( You might miss spotting of some rare animals)
  4. A hat. (It is too hot!)
  5. If you have planned to visit the forest, don’t miss the Fort visit in any case!
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