Deep into the falls-Chunchi falls

                      Last week end(30th April,2011), we both and my brother's family along with a forced bachelor friend started out on a trip to see the Mekedatu where the kaveri river flows so thin that a goat can cross over that. We travelled on the Kanakapura road till we reached a board showing direction towards Chunche falls.  So we were tempted to go in that direction since it was heavily raining at that time, we were left with no hopes to be carried till the Mekedatu.Before this, we had our lunch at the Pyramid Dhyana kendra which served a great Andhra style food and was a great place to spend time in meditation.
                                             

                                         
From a distance, the falls seemed so simple and quite normal but my great brother and his friend walked a bit further to find out a way which took us very near to the falls. The way went on rocks and between the trees which left us with a feeling as if we were on an adventurous journey. We were lucky to be lead by a villager present there till the actual point. the view from there was too good but we had to be very careful while walking on the rocks.

                                         

                                          

                                              
                                              At last, after enjoying a considerable time there, we left with an aim to reach Sangam where the Rivers Cauvary and Arkavathy meet. The place was not so neat which pulled my husband back from taking a bath there despite carrying an extra pair of dress. My brother and his friend enjoyed the force of flowing waters and were left with great content to be able to take bath in a sangam in the evening time(Sandhya kalam). By the way that day was my brother's b'day according to thithi.
                                         

                                           
                                Since the time was late in the evening, we were left with no hopes to reach the Mekedatu. So we started towards our homes with great enjoyment of scenic beauty and great drive in a great whether saved as great memories in our hearts.

Most awaited hit to NH7-Hyderabad

                       From the time we got our new car, My husband was very keen to drive to Hyderabad since he heard that the route was simply superb.That proposal got strengthened after my uncle came to Bangalore on his car. But we went on many other trips to popular places like Madhurai, Temples in South Karnataka etc.We were never left unhappy with any trip.Each one was a great memory to be cherished. Hats off to my hubby's interest to drive long, even after late night working hours and restless week days. The extent to which he awaits a long drive in the weekend is proved in the way we start for a drive. Actually we thought of waking up at 3.30 in the morning so that we can start at around 4. But my husband, who went to bed at 11.30, woke up at 1.30 and could sleep no more at all. I was totally against for the drive since he may fall short of sleep and get strained.But, my God, he was very much ready for what he had waited for so long time. At last I was left with no other way except to follow him wholeheartedly.
                                 Coming to the drive, We started at around 5.45 in the morning at home and picked up a friend on the way and exact drive started at around 7. We took a break for breakfast after 2 hours and went ahead on the great road with great enthusiasm. We had yet another tea break which was not so satisfactory. But the energy levels of 3 of us were on peak due to the excellency of the route. The tolls collected were seeming a bit high  but again that doesn't matter much to our minds.
                 At last we were at the Samshabad road at around 2 PM. Dropped friend there, who was supposed to go somewhere near Uppal. Again the road that lead to Gachibowly from Samshabad was the beat part of the trip that dropped us on cloud 9. That was 6 lane road on each side and it left us the joy as if we were on some road in a country other than India. We reached our destination at 3 O'clock and took rest for some while.
                            The evening and the whole of the next day were busy with visits to various friends and relatives. Some of them were only half-satisfied due to our express visits and not giving them time for lunch /dinner. we know well, that was out of their love for us that they pretended to be angry on that part. But we didn't mind much.
                                      On Sunday we again started towards the Garden city at 10.30AM with the friend picked up again on the way and this time too the drive was declared to be the most enjoyable.

Un executed plan

Planned a lot to drive to Kakinada ..........
In the last moment dropped it .....
Otherwise it would have become the highlight of all

3 day trip to 7 destinations

                      We both and my cousin's family were all set to go on a 3 day trip towards Udipi but with no exact plan in mind where to start and where to end even after being on the road. We satred towards Tumkur road and after lot of discussion and consultation with some experienced guys, decided to first go to Kukke. We reached there in the evening and after having a very satisfactory darshan of lord Subrahmanya, we started towards Dharmasthala with an idea to stay there that night. We reached there at around 8 o'clock, took room in the Rajatadri guest house near Bus stop and then started hurriedly to temple since we were told that the darshan closes by 8.30. We were extremely lucky to be the last ones allowed into the temple after a bit of requesting the guards there. The golden idol of Lord Manjunatheswara was really striking and even the  Godess is a great competetor to that. After filling the eyes and heart with such a darshan, now its the the turn of our stoamch. Keeping in mind the previous experience of our couple, we were hesitating a bit to go and dine in the temple annadana. But, to test our luck again, we sat there and this time the result was a happy one. The Rasam served was very tasty treat to the hungry stomachs.

                                            The procession going on at that time in the temple was really strange and great. Some were going ahead of, the Palanquin carrying god, with flag posts of different colours in their hands. Some were playing the drums being carried witht them. A priest wearing all the gold ornaments(may be of the lord) on his body was accompanying the palanquin. Some other priests were offering lumps of cooked rice with mantra recitation and an act like Samprokshana. Later an elephant was made to lead the procession group with chamara in his trunk to fan the god. The entire process was unique and we were told that such procession takes place there every monday and some other special days. We felt ouselves lucky to witness such a thing and do circumambulations to the temple along with the God.

 
                                        Even the rooms of the devasthan deserve great appreciation for their maintaince and neatnesswith required furniture. That night we had sound sleep with great feasts to body, mind and soul.
                                    Next morning, I was the incharge to see that everyone wakes up by 5.30 and gets ready by 7.30 atleast. Our neaxt hit was Udipi, the abode of lord Krishna as a boy. The very sight of the idol of the Lord here is very fascinating with great decoration of ornaments and flowers. By then, it was lunch time and we dared to experience the unique feature of this temple, one might have never heard of. The food here is served on the bare floor. We were in great confusion, till the moment the food was served before us, how that was possible, since the typical Karnataka food itself has Rasam and Sambar as it main dishes. But that was altogether a different experience at the end since we may not have the chance to do so anywhere or with anyone else. Again here, the taste of the food and the maintaince of the premises, despite serving on the floor, were really really good.
                                        With all smiles for the event happened, we were on the roads to reach Murudeshwar. This destination was a feast to nature lovers since one can reach the 18th floor of the gigantic structure of the rajagopuram. Thanks to the management for the lift facility. The idol of Lord Murudeshwar, with Arabian sea as its back drop, was awesome. The beach side restaurent offers a feel of the very pleasant atmosphere. The slightly spicy snacks in such a cool and windy surroundings leave one with unperturbed relaxation.
                                                 After making ourselves comfortable by filling our bellies, the engine was on raise again to reach Kollur, where a dumb demon Mookasura was killed by the Godess to derive her name Mookambika. The temple architecture says it all that it was an old construction but the darshan of the small idol of the Godess was a great blessing. With a dilemma for some time whether to start for Sringeri or stay there in Kollur itself, at last we stopped there that night since we have no idea how the route was. The next day when we were on the way to Srinigeri, our decision was declared to be the prompt one since the Agumbe ghat on the way there, was really challenging to drive.
                           Oh! What to say about Sringeri! For me, that is the heaven on the earth. The very beautiful idol of Sarada Mata- you can't turn your gaze away from that. Wish, the time stops there for ever. We even had the darshan of the peethadhipathi Sri Bharati Teertha Swami who was addressing some vedic students in the Guru Nivas. The mid day lunch was at the temple annadana complex which was again a master piece.
                                     The last stop of the trip was Hornadu which was 70 KM from Sringeri. The darshan of Annapurneswari is definitely a great memory to the spiritual journey of ones life. The route to reach here was like a puzzle since we don't know whether we're climbing up the hill or coming down. but the destination amidst hills on all its sides gives us great scenic postures. Even the drive is a great memory to be remembered.
                          By the time we reached back our homes, it was late in the night but since there were 2 drivers, we felt no stress at any moment. At the end, all are very happy to catch a trip that makes us smile whenever recalled.
                           

Madhurai and Srivilliputhur

                        On 20th of Feb, we both started at 6 in the morning for sanctifying ourselves by the visit of the temple in Madhurai.We had a short break in the middle for breakfast and then proceeded towards our destination without any break again. We reached there by 12.30 and relaxed ourselves for some time in the hotel. Most of the temples in Tamilnadu generally have an afternoon break and will be reopened in the evening time. So at 4PM, we went to temple and it took us around 2 hours to cover the entire temple. The temple is really gigantic and one feels proud to be a part of the country that has got such great architectural skills. The idol of Goddess Meenakshi is seen in dim lighting but we felt lucky to have a peaceful darshan for a considerable time. Even the darshan of Shiva linga, God Sundareshwar, was excellent and heart-filling. The temple has got five entry gates,one in each direction and the 5th being the simhadwara on the east side. One can enter the temple from any side of the above. The beauty of the temple is far out of reach of the camera lens. One has to just drink its glory with eyes. After finishing the mandir visit, we went to the Tirumala nayak Palace. The beauty of the palace can be seen only in the sound and light show organized every evening there in the palace. In that show, the complete story of the king Tirumala nayak is described in a film without picture(only sound and lights). We returned to our hotel with great glimpses to be remembered for ever

                                                                             
                                               The next day too, we started at 6 in the morning to give a visit to the temple in Srivilliputhur. The temple complex here is again very big where one has to get the darshan of Vatapatra sayi and Andal Amman. Here we had the darshan of Lord Vishnu in the middle of the sudardshan Chakra and Lord Yoga Narasimha one on each side of the same idol. The Kova here is very famous so we purchased  that and headed towards Bangalore with a lunch break at Adayar Anand Bhavan on the way. We were back at home by 4.30 in the evening with a long day remaining to relax ourselves after a long drive to a great place.
                               Over all, the roads to reach these places were simply superb and an average driver can go ahead at a constant speed of 120 on the entire stretch.

Great destinations in Bangalore

                 Last week end(12th and 13th Feb), we had visited some interesting places within Bangalore. Our first destination was Dodda Ganapthi followed by Dodda Basavanna. After having great lunch served at MTR,Lalbaugh, we relaxed for some time in the Lal Baugh garden. Then we proceeded to the samadhi of Sri Narayan Maharaj(Who is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya) located at about a KM distance from the bull temple. Exactly opposite to that is located the Architectural miracle-Gavi Gangadhreswara temple.

                                             

This temple seems like a cave and the specialty of the temple is that the rays of the sun directly touch the idol of Shiva only on the day of Makara Sankranti passing amidst the Nandi's horns. One has to pass through a cave like part to get the complete darshan of the idols in the temple.

                                          
Our next stop of the day was at Ramakrishna Mutt where we had purchased many valuable books. 

                    Our next day trip was to the Kotilingeswara temple near Bangarpet. Here is the huge Shiva linga and many lingas(don't know whether the count reaches to 1 crore or not) and the temples of many gods and goddesses in the same complex.

                                               
From here the Golden Venkateswara temple was around 6 KM which was worth visiting. Here one has to have the darshan of the lord through a window of 6 passages believed to be the Arishdvargas. Here the temple is on a small hill and even the temple of Padmavathi Ammavaru is also on a hill opposite to this. The view from top the hillock was too good.
                 Thus we had a weekend in the city waiting for the next to be out of city.

A day out on a hillock-Melkote

                                        Yesterday(26th Jan 2011), we both started at 7 in the morning with the guidance obtained from team BHP and other sites to visit the place Melkote on Mysore route. Being highway, the route was great till Mandya and from there the route passed through many villages where one can enjoy the scenic beauty of sugarcane farms and bullock carts. We had our breakfast in Adigas restaurant near Maddur and were in Melkote by 11.30. First we proceeded towards the top of the hill and had the darshan of Lord Yoga Narasimha which was believed to be a swayambhu. The steps to go up are not very steep all the way but at some points they were. Having a own vehicle, one can go a bit more up to avoid some steps. The view from top of the hill and the atmosphere were simply superb. 

                                                   

                                             After having a satisfactory time spent on the top, we came down and went to Sri Cheluva Narayana temple which was again a master piece.It is believed that Lord Vishnu is fond of Alankara so the decoration in the temple was a proof to this belief. Then we instantly decided to pay a visit to Srirangapatnam which was 30KM from Melkote. This route again passes through some villages till some point and then meets the Bangalore-Mysore high way. The temple in Srirangapatnam opens at 4 in the evening. So we had to wait till that time to grab god's blessings. The idol in this temple was the sleeping pose of Lord Vishnu on the serpent king with Goddess Laxmi at his feet. That was a huge idol. 

                               The holiday being properly utilized, we then moved back to our abode, filled with ever fresh and refreshing thoughts.