MY TOUR
And
I have changed the way to
tour these days after
too hectic journeys all
became more cumbersome n less enjoyable.
Like, in 2007, we
went from Chandipur straight to Puri, thru NH5 still
under construction. In 2015, still
the road is not fully constructed at stretches. In 2007, New Jagannath Road
was not created &
after a brief lunch @ Puri,
when we decided to
night stay @ Gopalpur, nobody
told us, what horror was in store for us. After
some km off Khurdah Road,
the 4 lane stopped &
in want of any signboard, we took
left turn from Berhampur to Goaplpur port. At 9pm+ ,
thru weed woods, how we could negotiate to a horrific
decayed town . This
was our 2nd innings @ Gopalpur &
I logically expected the
small town to go up from
what it was in 1995 that we
covered by bus n train. But , no….
this time we had no sleeper
class waiting list, nor any
passenger bus ride, but the town became a
ghost town… dogs roaming in
hotels, no managers
in reception of small hotels &
above all, no good hotels open at
9pm .& no restaurant to eat.
We hired a sea side
room above roaring sea but AC was
not working. And when power went
off, change of room too did not work,
as no
generator was provided. In 2015
Nov, we wanted Gopalpur only for our
lunch & luckily 1 Bengalee restaurant
we could locate , which offered a
bit decent atmosphere. The staple was
Bengali but not anything
commendable. Gopalpur is one of the very few tourist spots decayed over years for neglect. Oberoi has sold off property to Mayfair, who offer lunch for 1200/- pax + tax & that meal hardly has
any sea fish item. And Pantha Nivas does
not offer an unobstructed sea
view., nor could offer us any lunch. It is smaller than even one at Chandipur . I was laughing… even Saikatabas on sea at old
Digha is much bigger than such small pantha nivases.
In 2007, Chilka
could not be toured at dark, this
time it was dusk. And boats
were plying,--ordinary boats. Chilka
Pantha Nivas is a good one &
Chilka is in fact the most
magnanimous lake opening to sea.
This Nov we could enjoy a newly created narrow New jagannath Road as shortcut
to Puri & another such
road as shortcut from Konark to Bhubaneswar. Many people living in Bhubaneswar are unaware
of the n no of temples in the Temple city.
To my surprise, most tourists neither know , nor visit these
despite their sculpture
& art crafts. Mukteswar, Brahmeswar,
Rajarani, Parasurameswar are to name a
few ;
hardly any maintenance has ever
been done to them. Coming to integrity at
temples, Puri is by far the
best disciplined temple as we saw. Next
was Lingaraj & to us, Chandaneswar was d worst in the
lot. And another notable inference we drew,--- except for Puri, not a single beach is duly
maintained by Govt of Odissa.
Just be to Digha & the last
beach after New Digha on WB side is Udaypur, not offering much amenity ; but come to Chandaneswar , last beach of Odissa
is Talsari, more horrific.
Totos have made lives of tourists at Digha quite easy n these totos from Digha are your
main carriers to Odissa. Even , Jaleswar –Digha road needs a lot of
improvements.
In 2007 , our next
destination en route trf of job
was Vizag. After
Ichhapuram border’s horrific jam
was over , we relaxed to discover the same NH5
of 2007 in Andhra. Last time
we stayed near RushiKonda beach ,
this time we stayed @ Park, Ramakrishna beach. Beaches are
almost same except for huge VUDA
parks & beautification schemes. Hardly in any sea side city could I find
the road infrastructure that Seemandhra has created in last few years. I was told, CM Naidu loves Vizag better than hooligan infested Vijaywada. What has not changed in these 8 years was lack of
any good dhavas almost throughout the stretch between border &
Vizag. What excited me about Vizag was separate Bus corridor for rapid bus
transit system. Another
interesting feature for me
was that
while from Odissa , we took right
to visit Seemachalam templeon the hills. After seeing the
abode of peace, we came down
& straight left turn we took , which was the Araku road. This
road opened up to same NH5, but
on the Vijaywada side
& we had to take left turn for
Rajamundhry. It looks odd to see
the magnanimous difference
between Hyd & Vizag airports, although both were in same state & both
are international ones. However, owing to VUDA’s development,
the seafront @ RK beach boasts of
a too costly colony. From Vizag
airport to everywhere you can find some
trials in Bengali script &
this is because the highest no of tourists here are
still Bengalees.
This Nov I could
accomplish my old desire to see
Borra caves, a magnificent karstic limestone cave &
thereafter proceeded to Araku
valley. The caves are located in the Araku Valley of the Ananthagiri hill
range and is drained by the Gosthani River. At the entry, the cave
measures up to 100 m (328.1 ft) horizontally and 75 m
(246.1 ft) vertically. Stalagmite and Stalactite formations are found in
the caves.[6]
The average annual temperature of Araku hills,
where the caves are situated, is about 25 °C (77.0 °F). The average
annual rainfallreported is 950 mm (3.1 ft)
(mostly occurring during the northeast monsoon).[7] The Gosthani river
provides water supply to theVisakhapatnam city.[4]
The only thing I liked about Araku was the exceptionally artisan works of near-live statues in Tribal museum. Rest, the hill range was average .
On our eastern banks, it is a pity that even Andhra hardly developed
other beaches. Beaches in Andhra Pradesh. How many people
know / go to the following beaches other
than Vizag ones???
With a coastline
of 970 kilometres, it is but natural that Andhra Pradesh will have some
beautiful and exotic beaches that offer a glorious escape for visitors looking
to get plenty of sun, sand and sea. The pristine beaches are a haven of
tranquility and can captivate visitors with their ethereal natural beauty. Beach
tourism in the state is people-centric while ensuring that the biodiversity and
socio-economic needs of the community are maintained. With so many beaches
dotting the coastline of Andhra Pradesh, it often can be overwhelming to choose
the best beaches to spend a memorable and fun-filled holiday and at the same
time there is no dearth of choices. All beaches in the state can leave visitors
mesmerized with their golden sand, turquoise waters of the Bay of Bengal and
caressing warmth of the sun. Exploring each beach is a delight to the senses
and can leave visitors yearning for more.
Mypadu Beach
Mypadu Beach is
unique because of its long, uninterrupted stretch of greenery. The crystal
clear waters and the golden sands of the beach make a heady mix for travelers,
who are looking to rest, relax and rejuvenate. A dip in the water can refresh travelers,
while watching the color of the sea changing with each ray of the sun can
enchant visitors. The golden sands of the beach make a wonderful bed to
sunbathe. Located about 25 kilometres from Nellore city, this picturesque beach
is a great place for a relaxing weekend. Visitors can even enjoy facial
massages and sumptuous fare served at the food stalls close to the beach.
Accommodation
Haritha Hotel in Mypadu Nellore
Discover the
gorgeous beaches of Nellore and enjoy a rural holiday when you stay at Mypadu
Nellore. The economical tariff and prompt service are more than enough to make
guests return to this wonderful hotel.
Vodarevu (Prakasham)
The Vodarevu
Beach is about 6 kilometres from Chirala and offers a unique opportunity to
enjoy the coconut trees lining one side of the beach and the golden sands
merging on the other side with the crystal clear waters of the sea. This
spectacular beach offers a relaxing getaway from city life and splashing in the
waves can rejuvenate people. The tranquil setting of the beach can make
visitors forget time and the beautiful sunsets and sunrises just add to the
overall charm and attraction of the beach. The fishing boats dotting the shore
offer rides into the sea to make the experience of spending time at Vodarevu
Beach even more delightful and unforgettable.
Rama Krishna Beach (Visakhapatnam)
The exquisite
natural beauty of Rama Krishna Beach has to be experienced to understand why
visitors flock to it. The captivating beauty of the beach can leave visitors
spellbound and at the same time offers a relaxing and delightful escape from
the hustle and bustle of city life.The beach offers exciting opportunities to
surf and when visitors have had their fill of sun, sand and sea, they can explore
the poignant Dutch cemeteries located along the beach. The coconut trees
bordering the beach just add to the appeal and beauty of the place. The cool
ocean breeze, the blue skies, the golden sands and the inviting waves of the
sea make a heady mix that is worth experiencing.
Rushi Konda Beach
Located just 8
kilometres from the port city of Visakhapatnam, RushiKonda Beach is known as
the Jewel of the East Coast. The unspoiled beauty of the beach is its main
attraction and offers a unique opportunity to relax and enjoy the golden sands
and gentle ocean currents.The beach is a haven for watersports lovers and is
popular among windsurfers and jet skiers. However, it is the scenic beauty of
the beach that lures visitors throughout the year, who come to enjoy spending
time amidst greenery, golden sands and azure waters. The day the city
celebrates the festival of colours, Holi, the beach gets transformed to a hue
of vibrant colours, with people splashing color and water on each other.ccommodation
HarithaBeachResort,isakahapatnam
Located on Bhimli Road, Rushikonda, this beautiful beach resort has a presidential suite, 10 luxury rooms, air-conditioned executive and deluxe rooms and standard air-conditioned rooms. Guests can enjoy the beautiful waters of the Bay of Bengal and the pristine sandy beach while staying at this resort.
Located on Bhimli Road, Rushikonda, this beautiful beach resort has a presidential suite, 10 luxury rooms, air-conditioned executive and deluxe rooms and standard air-conditioned rooms. Guests can enjoy the beautiful waters of the Bay of Bengal and the pristine sandy beach while staying at this resort.
Uppada (East Godavari)
Uppada Beach is
about 5 kilometres from Kakinada and offers a relaxed and rejuvenating ambience
to enjoy the sun kissed sand and water. The pristine shoreline of the beach is
perfect for sunbathing or swimming in the clean and clear waters of Bay of
Bengal. The wide shoreline and the gradual inclination into the water make it a
safe beach.This scenic beach is a retreat from the everyday chaos of city life
and the relaxing and refreshing ocean breeze, the invigorating waters and warm
sunshine can recharge batteries and prepare visitors to face the rigours of
daily life. This beach is perfect for families to spend time together and
strengthen their bonds.
Suryalanka (Guntur)
Located just 9
kilometres from Bapatla in Guntur District, Suryalanka is the perfect weekend
getaway beach for friends and families. The natural beauty of the beach is
major draw for people, who are looking to refresh and rejuvenate themselves.
The pristine beach is clean and the waters of the Bay of Bengal are crystal
clear. Visitors can enjoy swimming and sunbathing without feeling squeezed, as
the beach is wide and spacious.The Haritha Beach Resort allows visitors to
spend their holidays at the beach, where they can enjoy camp fire facilities.
The experience is truly amazing and unique, and offers a wonderful respite from
hustle and bustle of city life.
Accommodation
SuryalankaBeachResort
Located in Bapatla Mandal in Guntur District, Suryalanka Beach Resort is the gateway to the gorgeous Suryalanka Beach. It is an idyllic escape from city life and allows visitors to enjoy the pristine beach and crystal clear waters in a tranquil and serene ambience. The resort has air-conditioned rooms for weekdays as well as weekend, and also offers two dormitories.
Yes, I have a plan to explore some of these beaches at some
point of time in 2016-17.
Can anybody narrate briefly
the major differences
between North & South India
tours??? I can give certain
examples----a) In South, Volvos & AC Sleeper buses are too common, but when buses stop / where they stop, in most cases there
are dearth of proper
toilets & restaurants. In
many routes, ladies go to fields for
relieving;; otherwise also, sanitation is not too good. In North, Volvos are not that common especially in East n North East, but dhavas are
better, even better restaurans are in almost all routes. Moreover, food that you get differ, too
in south , with Southern staples
predominating. B) Some days
back , we went to Shirdi from Vijaynagar. This is the best route from south to north west,
joining straight upto Agra. It links Nasik, Jaipur, Indore etc. This road
starts from Chitradurga, till where
trucks come via NH4. NH7 is the heart of India & trucks come from Kanyakumari
to Bangalore via that. Even
Chennai trucks also reach Bangalore thru
this from Krishnagiri. Thereafter till
Hospet the road is narrow but
Hospet—Bijapur it is 4 lane &
we travel @ 120 kmph average. What
lacks therein is any good dhaba. And
once you enter Maharashtra, road narrows down again &
road quality deteriorates but good dhabas start every km in both
Pandarpur-Ahmednagar &
Sholapur-Beed routes. So, while
you can cover 170km in 2.5 hrs from Hospet to Bijapur, you do not get
any good hotel / restaurant. In
Maharashtra side, your speed is < 60kmph, but hotels are good in each town/
city. Once I had some illness after
Bangalore & we were coming by NH7, the Kashi-Kanyakumari road. From
Bangalore till Ananthpur there are almost
no towns & doctors . Scenic beauty is excellent—hills, farming,
rocks, but only problem remains the
barren stretches before Ananthpur &
after Kurnool till Mehboobnagar .
C) In
Bijapur / Tumkur/ Sira/ Chitradurga/ Hiriyur/ Davangere in Karnataka you get a decent hotel for a
night stay just for 600/---800/- , Bijapur tourist lodge allows you verandah, big
room , big bathroom just for
600/-. But in Maharashtra side average cost is
1200/---1400/-.
My mom in law neither saw so many rocks lying one on other
for time immemorial; nor she ever saw biodiesel trees, tomato & groundnut &
sunflower plantations. She never
saw windmills running &
trailers carrying such units from south northwards. She opined, there are a no of such places, as
can be developed as resorts.
There is Ballan caves
at Tadipatri , AP not as good as Borra caves but neither too bad, too. The beauty of NH5 is, you can cover Kol to Vizag in 13—14 hrs, with Bhubaneswar
at mid-distance. Vizag to Vijaywada-Guntur takes another 5—6 hrs. There from Chennai is 6hrs .
How many of WB people do visit
by road 350 km per week? It is
but common in Karnataka, It takes
4.5 hrs at max to reach Bangalore
from Vijaynagar & NH4 is mostly 3*3. And our place
boasts Hampi, the ruins of Vijaynagar kingdom & stone dunes fill the horizon. Across Tungabhadra
, there is Kishkindhya &
Anjuna Parvat , the abode of monkey god
and also Pampa Sarovar, where Shabari tasted each plum / berh before offering to Lord Rama. Nowadays, these are
the places, centered around Sanapur lake, where numerous
resorts have grown to accommodate
foreign tourists scantily clad. All
restaurants her have gaddi sittings , where couples lie down & enjoy drinks & hookahs. No Indian
cigarette is available here, all single
malts / scotches are plenty & it is
said, it is a drug kingdom. Small
tents / non ac hutments cost Rs 2k per night & foreigners prefer triple sharing, 2 males a
female/ vice versa.
Sugarcane is grown everywhere
in vast areas of Karnataka to Maharashtra south. Also
millets –ragi, jawar, bajra are main staple food. Only Gangavati belt is a
rice basin this vicinity. Nowadays, TB Dam @ Hospet far exceeds
the beauties of Almatti on Krishna
& Vrindavan gardens @ KRS Dam , Mandya ( nr
Mysuru). My parents have
toured whole of India, but when we
took them to Karwar, the sea port/ beach adjacent to Western Ghat, they
were amazed. Dandeli forest here
is a money spinner with rafting on Kali river , but Gokarna &
Murudeswar are splendid beaches. RNS
Guest House on beach is simply superb @ Murudeswar.. And when the temple lift carries you to the top, ,the whole of sea &
golden temples+ Shiva cave around
looks fantastic.. Murudeshwar
temple area is beautified n
maintained by Shettys &
they have hotels separately in AC
& non AC options , as also veg & non veg options distinctly. If you want to avoid their high costs, there are
lesser priced meals restaurants. The
Sun god, Krishnarjuna & other
deities bloom in rising sun @ Murudeswar. Starting from Aihole, Pattadkal & Badami caves,
the deity is Shiva. The only
Muslim tourist spot in North Karnataka is
Bijapur with its echoing Golgombuj , , Jama Masjid, Bara Kaman,&
fort.
And as you traverse thru the coastline, from
Karwar , you cross over Ankola Western ghats & small
water bodies to reach Gokarna
beach. Shaped like a cow ear. & you face
an ancient temple town of Gokarna
lorded by Shiva. Murudeswar is also a Shiva abode. And
there are smaller beaches like
Kudle, Om, Paradise, Half moon etc,
hardly visited . As you
proceed to Dakshin Kanada district from
Uttar, roads go worse & sea
plays hide n seek. From Konkan to
Trivandrum, Arabian Sea has
created a large no of lagoons & river tributaries. And after Bhatkal, you enter Udupi, the abode of Lord Krishna.
Misguided by some tour guides we
made a Kovalam tour in 2010 via Mangalore
instead of via Mysore-Sultan Batheri-Kalapetta. It
took us 4 hrs to reach Yellapur on Western
ghats & thru a
flooding moonlight &
overflowing sea on both sides, we
reached Mangalore @ 1 am.
Mangalore beaches are finest, wherein I
am planning a further holiday. Mangaluru
to Kozhikode is just 200km via Kasargod, Kanhagod , by sea. But how much time did it take? Long 6 hrs. We covered
whole of Kerala in 1 day that
time, reaching Kovalam @ 1am. That
taught us, never to go to North Kerala
, the cashew Endosulphun belt
laden with worst roads.
My parents have not
visited almost any part of
Karnataka . Kerala is extensively well known to Bengalees ; also major spots of Tamilnadu, but not
Karnataka, as this state has
not sold itself to outsiders like Kerala / Tamilnadu. My parents were
mesmerized by the lavish luxury of Serai, ,@ Chikmagalur. Bengalees of Congress lineage know Chikmagalur as the rescuer of Indira Gandhi’s political career. Chikmagalur’s hosting of India’s
coffee kingdom is not well known to many. North Indians. After
getting acquainted with short cut routes, both from Bangalore n
Vijaynagar, we have travelled to Mangalore side via
Shimoga/ Sagar . Via Simoga, we
have been to Chikmagalur, then proceeded
to Udupi-Manipal, then Mangaluru.
Via Sagar, Jog falls we have gone via
both Honnvar & Bhatkal. There is
another route, via Coorg / Kodagu, this we have not explored. The famous falls on that route shall we cover next year.
Starting from Karwar
& hill station of Yellapur, ( there are 3 famous falls not on road
but inside; we shall cover this year),
there are several routes to coastal belt of North/ South Canara districts,--- all
are thru Western ghats. And from navy
defense base of Karwar to Kudermukh
to Agumbe & Shirdi ghat to Manipal’s health n education hub to edn hub of Mangaluru , this belt
, one of the main fish belts of Karnataka is famous
n rich in many aspects. From
Bhatkal biriyani to neeru dosa n fish
items of Mangaluru , this Shetty belt
that sent to Bollywood Aishwarya, Shilpa, Rohit & Suniel
Shettys is a
destination every India traveler
should visit once. And then there
are other piligrimages en-route,
Kukke Subramanya for Kartikeya, known for driving away
your snake vices.. Don’t believe
, but come. Don’t support madesnana, . Don’t believe Vasuki lived here. But come.
In south, except for Rameshwaram,
in most temples you can find discipline.
We have not yet been able to
enter Guruvayur n
Padmanavaswamy temple of Kerala
for strict dhoti rules.
My book of 2016 is River thy name is Nethravati..& this
is the river that holds this shrine of Dharma n Shiva n Kanyakumari. Dharmasthala is too unique
, being run by Jains,
worshipping Shiva &
priested by Vishnavites. It has
a large statue of Jain Gomateshwara, which I
understand quite similar to Sravanabelgola & Halebidu
of Hoysala dynasty ( near Mysuru)
in Hassan district. Belur’s deity is Chennakesava, again Vishnav.
We have visited most of
famous falls of
Karnataka but there are not so
famous ones too, which are no less good.
My parents were mesmerized at the
vibrant beauty of small falls on d way to Chikmagalur vis
Shirdi ghat. Both Agumbe & Mullyangiri are known for their
heights n fogs .
Even Jog falls & Rani falls are foggy thru rains at least 6 months a year. I suggest to all readers
to plan a trip during monsoon instead of
season of winter , ‘cause a) it
is off season & b) it is not hot & c) beauty of rains is most
spelling at this juncture.
There are a few temples
near Jog falls ,Mokambika is too
famous ,as also Vanavasi. But
there is another falls
off Mysuru , not so famous, is Gaganchukki—Shivanasamudram.
Like Jog, they have made terraces
there n you can reach nearer to
falls than Jog. But in both cases there
are twin falls , which is a great sight, although you are barriered from reaching them. Also, there is backwater boating
within 8km of Jog, which is very
enjoyable.
Karnataka is a state of lakes n dams, whether it is on Kali near Dandeli,
or it is
near Jog, or TB dam , Hospet, or
Alamatti on Krishna nr Bagalkot. , at Sandoor & at
Kamlapur-Hampi, at Huliyur
& near Dandeli …and so many more. In
fact, smaller fort towns of Raichur & chitradurga also spell so many
stories, ‘cause in Deccan Karnataka has
probably highest history lineage incl Tipu’s Sirangapatna & Wadiyars’
Mysuru , which are well known to d world.
I am not a brand ambassador for Karnataka Tourism. Nor Karnataka has been able to sell its places like Kerala / even Tamilnadu. But as you
reach out to Kudermukh/ Agumba/ Shirdi or reach
Coorg ie Madikeri & Kushalnagar,
you see one of d finest Buddhist
temples viz Golden temple. Nay, you don’t get any snow-laden Himalayas, but you get much
more of lush green flora n fauna. And this Coorg & Kabini sides are well sold off for years. So many tourists visit Mysuru from Bangaluru. From there
Coorg is
just 2 hrs. And Tata Coffee’s
head qrtr ( Chikmagalur is HQ of Café Coffee Day ( promoter—SM Krishna’s
son in law ).Coffe & spices reign
side by side, Red beans taste great. On Xmas
/ New year eve, you won’t get any homestay / hotel/ resort accommodation
free in Coorg. But better go there in
Monsoon ,--all vacant & you get much more water at Abbey Falls, more water at Talacauvery, the birth place of
Kauvery river. Here all resorts
cost too high. On d way , on left
lies Nagarhole forest & a no of resorts on Kavini river incl Jungle resort
offering both forest & river experience.
We have covered part
of Maharashtra as well , by road. Since we bought our Ertiga diesel, we started our
long journeys by road. Earlier
too, we had the same plan but went slow
only ‘cause we had Manza Petrol.
We had an excellent carcoal ride in Heganekkal , the place where Ravan n Roza
were shot. We bathed in the Cauvery, where 7 falls
fall together. Tamilnadu is on d left
of Cauvery n Karnataka on the right.
And Karnataka near Dharampuri means, Sandal forest of Veerappan notoriety. And we bathed also in a hot n humid falls near
Kochi, --d great hill stn of Athirapally water falls , the Niagra of
India, surrounded by rubber plantation.
There is a small Amboli ghat hill
stn on way to Shiroda beach
from Belgavi, Shiroda
divides Goa n Maharashtra. Proceeding
for the 8 km long best beach of Maharashtra , viz Ganapati Pule, we enjoyed for 300/- the Pomfret meals that we
never dreamt of in life,. Pomfrets of
Chaitanya were simply gigantic., A lot
no of resorts are in Malwan
Tarkarli but it does not have a beach. A primitive house boat
is there & a Dolphin point ½ hour
trip on sea. Like Goa’s Dolphin trip. Goa –Mumbai old road to Kochi-Mumbai NH & this road
goes straight to Panvel ,via
Western ghats. Serpentine roads cannot enhance speed. From the pristine ,
silence n deserted beach @ resorts in outer of Ganpati Pule Ganesha
temple, we went to Mahabaleswar-Paanchgani. A
pristine lake, a pristine horse
riding peak amidst cool of Eastern
Mahabaleswar & Strawberry-
Chocolate factories, & the lake…Sivvarao’s fort is too near Tarkarli, just on the sea. From
Eco point to old Mahabaleswar temple, to
botanics the boating, on Shikara
& the village type resort
of British ethnicity. We loved d
best mutton n chicken sizzlers on d earth. On Sahyadri range, we had left only Kaash the ultimate flower valley. And on return we covered Kohlapur Mahalaxmi temple & had
Kolapuri Chappals bought from manufacturer. We also had a sumptuous Mutton meal in Kohlapuri style.
If you have just 2-3 days in hand
ex-Mysuru, ½ day can be spent at jaychandra palace n Chamunda
Hills, if you visit Charmarajnagar zoo n KRS Dam ie Vrindavan
gardens another ½ day shall go. Gaganchukki falls is a ½ day long good
tour & backward you can make an afternoon trip to Ooty
via Bandipur forest, called Madhumalai in Tamilnadu &
Malabar in Waynad , Kerala. Specific Waynad tour is also a
fad & sometimes you don’t get any resort / home stay room in
this spice country of Kerala & near its dam. But if we
wind up to Ooty by evening thru tea gardens, you can have a brief visit to
Botanics & lake boating in the morning & come back to
Mysuru next morning, to head to Coorg. On way back,
Nagerhole-Kabini-Iruppu falls is a good choice, but beaware, Iruppu is
better be seen from far, to avoid snakebites.
What is special about Karnataka is that even
Madikeri hill station of Kodagu kingdom & rice ball
food heritage is famous for Omkareshwara Temple. Same thing I have
inferred in Kutralam in 5 falls, 2 falls & main falls. There
are temples at all falls & in same water ,
uncolluded, gents n ladies bathe. In Shivanasamudram too, there is
a temple, not so famous. Elsewhere I have not seen too much
of religious mingling in natural spots. There are a no of
falls in between Thekkady & Madurai , as also Kanyakumari
& Trivandrum, but going to each of them costs a lot of time
. In March 2014, we covered the burning forest of
Kodai & boated by Shikara in famous Kodaikanal
lake. Carlton is the main property on lake & being not
too far from Trichy / 1 night journey from Chennai / Coimbatore, it
offers a 1 day break n place for corporate HR
meets of brainstorming. There is no tea but enough of
oils are available & valleys n peaks offer good views. We
went straight to Munnar from Kodai, & what we experienced
was mind-boggling. Am not talking of car checking
owing to TN election , when, it is alleged that Rs 5K per
voter family got bounties from Amma. I am not also
talking of Amma’s win as a supremecy of Iyers n Iyengars
re-estd over SCs & OBCs . I am talking of the barren, rough
hills as you cross Theni –only rocks n no vegetation. But as
soon as you enter Kerala, the heat goes off & cool slope
starts . And starts the spice kingdom. As you
rise the Western ghats , spice gives way to Tea. Munnar is
conncted to Theni on 1 side, Coimbatore on another &
Kochi on another side. One can easily come to Munnar
from Ooty & owing to Bandipur closure ( as per SC verdict) between
9pm & 5am, many people travel from Bangalore to Ooty &
Munnar via Coimbatore-Salem. Near Munnar there are lakes,
dams, falls & forests, so many that you can be baffled . But yes,
sundown view is good & to me, KTDC resort amidst lush tea
gardens is one of d best . Boating is common in all these stns
. From Munnar , we went to Thekkady n Periyar.
There are n no of hotels n resorts in town offering evening
kathakali. But if you decide to spend a night with forest, Lake
palace by KTDC is the best option for you. In fact , there
are 3 options for 2500/-, 5500/- & 10000/- . One lodge is non
AC but cool , wherefrom across the stream I faced a Bison
for 10 minutes & wrote my favourite poem “I want to be a bison”
. Deeper inside forest is a transit camp to take you to lake palace
if you book that . And there is Aranya Nivas , a fully AC
option on d lake , better than Periyar House. If you
book a Kerala Forest Property , you get a free ride in
1 of their 2 storey launches . Probably this is one of
d few options in India to cover a forest by water.
And in a 45 minute tour you see so many Bisons, elephants,
birds, deer, antilopes & neelgai, hyenas, wolves, boars,
peacocks. More astonishing we found the
only man-inhabited island with just this Lake Palace standing
tall n safe amidst all these islands infested by wild
beasts. There has been no news of any attacks.
Madurai Meenakshipuram temple has a replica in
Bangaluru, as even Tirumala temple has. Crossing this pakshiteertham , if
you move on NH7, gradually again you face the n no of windmills and a
point comes , when Eastern Ghat & Western ghat meet & you
understand India is ending. I am not a student of Geography but
have always wondered , how Estern ghatrange is so small compared to
Western ghats so spread, so wide. Even Deccan plateau hills
are not so small . In fact, Karwar, Yellapur, Jog, Coorg,
Chikmagalur, Waynad, Ooty, Kodai,Munnar, Kutralam ( Kerala –TN border) ,
Ayappaswamy Temple n Dharmasthala range of pilgrimages, all
these are on western ghats only. As we reached end of
India, we headed towards TNDC Tourist lodge. This is on
the last road of India on the Indian Ocean , (Kanyakumari temple is on Bay of
Bengal ). Kerala House is equally good & there is
only 1 pvt hotel just by the side , quite costlier, on sea . Rest
are way behind. From the cottage we booked
there was the coastal road like Puri in front
& nothing else. So, for 2 days we enjoyed Vivekananda Rocks,
Thiruvallur statue & Kavalam point’s sunset . And
we had no idea that NH7 goes so narrow after
Kanyakumari. It took 3 hrs to reach Trivandrum
& 10 long hours to reach Kozhikode. Yaa, that is Kerala ,
if you don’t know. Highest speed allowed is 25kmph for
cars & 15kmph for buses & you cannot generally take it to
>40kmph. In this route, Kovalam is a dream
destination , but the Sunset beach we stayed in was not
explored by us at sunset as we reached at 2000hrs. I plan a trip
this year to reach so by 1700 hrs. Poorvar is a backwater
destn close to kavalam n Tiruvanthapuram. And en route to Aleppy ,
there is the great ashtamundi lake , but what is world famous
is the backwater of Aleppy n Kumarokam on the vamband lake . We had
the rare feat of videographing boat race fishing in the lake. In
these areas, like Puri, you can choose fish displayed & they shall
cook them for you. Big prawns, lobsters , pomphrets , kingfish &
Appam with Duck fry / duck curry. Best of fish dish in
South India we get in Kerala . South Kerala boasts of Hindu cuisine (
Trivandrum—Kollam), Kochi-Aleppy mid-Kerala Christian cuisine till Thrissur
& North Kerala till Kozhikode n beyond serves
excellent Muslim cuisine. Via Guruvayur, later we
discovered shorter route, substitute of the regular
Guruvayur / Thrissur –Kozhikode route & could reach
Mysuru in 8 hrs/ less . And this way you can enjoy the Ooty gardens
thru Gundalpet. It is a unique combination of 3 states ,--Kerala to
TN-to k’taka within a very short span. Else, it takes 3+5+2.5=10.5
hrs via Kozhikode. Via Pattambi-Nilambur-Vazhikadavu, you can
cover up to Sultan Bathery in 5 hrs from Guruvayur . Now,
why Kerala is so unique n popular? A) From before
Guruvayur till end of Kerala along all ways , you have little
Mid-east , whether go by dress, by lifestyle, by food , by artefacts ,
everything. Hardly any pur village we could notice in whole of
Kerala , which is different from most of other states.
And even in Hindu belt, beef is common as mixed
population is very much there. It is a way of life. Beef biriyani
made in Waynad belt is fabulous. Kozhikode beach offers
exotic sea view. And, from Kozhikode to Waynad , you can find a no
of gold dens . Whole of Kerala flourishes with poshest
malls ( forget just the Lulla mall of Ernakulam) & in
Bangalore , the Gold capital of India, major gold
joints are all Malayalis . Dubai-Muscat & the whole of mid-east
has showered fortunes over the whole of Kerala, where HDI is too high but
GDP is definitely low owing to lack of much of industrial venture.
In my next article I shall cover Shirdi, Ajanta
& Ellora, the age old craft & sculpture across so
many caves , & the Baby Taaj / Bibi Ka Makbara n Paani Chakki, one of the best ETP-RO.
We were surprised to find
that in the agro research city of
Aurangabad, only these 2 monuments were open in evening as we reached there.
Why Aurangzeb came to Deccan n died here , didn’t I know. But the grave, d tomb
everything is lying in utter neglect, like the hated badshah himself.
I advise, you may kly explore visiting places
on own / hired wheels instead of air. You love people, food, life style.
And your homes can fill up with artifacts’ from all over India
collected from origins & craft fairs.
If you are in Kolkata
& you have 27 days in hand n
you want to cover ½ of India, I
advise, you can follow the following route-- Kolkata—Digha belt--- Jaleswar-Baleswar—Chandipur
,night halt 1
--- Nandan Kanan--Bhubaneswar Lingaraj/ Mukteswar Temple-Konark—Puri—Chilka—Gopalpur
nigh halt2
—, Araku, Borra caves seemachalam Vizag night halt 3
---Tirumala hills
landscape & beautiful forest , TTD, Tirupati temple , Night halt
4---
Chennai Marina beach
& others—reptile park—Mahaballipuram—Kanchipuram—Vellore night halt 5
---Golden Temple—Trichy
Srirangam Gopuram & Vishnu
Temple of Ranganathaswamy---Puducherry,
Auro Ville—Aurobindo Ashram n Library—French colony----Tanjavore
Brihadeswar Temple, the biggest ( largest area) temple of India on Shiva n Nandi—Maratha Royal
palace of Raja Ravi Varma fame incl
Museum ( you should collect some framed
paintings & the original
gold plated Tanjore paintings framed) -- night halt 6
---Rameswaram temple, --Dhanushkondi beach—Pamban
Bridge—Tuticorin Salt peters – Kanyakumari—night halt 7
Vivekananda Rock, Thiruvallur
statue – Kovalam point---- Thiruvanthapuram Sri Padmanavaswamy
temple— Poorvar backwaters –Kovalam lighthouse beach sunset
–Night halt 7
Courtallam Falls & backwater--- Madurai Meenakshi Guddi
temple –Kodaikanal Night halt 8
Boating @ lake, viewpoints , Golf Course--- Munnar Tea gardens ,
Kundala & MatupettysDams/, Lake, Highest peak, Sunset, night halt 9
falls, forests (
Coimbatore side) , falls & peak ( Kochi side) , tea
gardens---Thekkady—Periyar forest
boat tour 330—530pm
Night halt 10
spice garden tour, spice market--Aleppy House boat Night halt 11
Fort Kochi Backwater/Fishing nett--Athirapally falls –Guruvayur—Ooty Night halt 12
Botanics, ,Race course
,Lake boating , wax museum, stitch museum –Kalapetta Chembra peak, Thirunelli
temple, Banasura Sagar Dam, Pookut lake, falls of Moonmooty/ Sentinell--- KRS Dam ( Vrindavan Gardens) —Night halt
13 @
Vrindavan Gardens/ Cuavery Tourist Lodge, Mandya
Sirangapatna Tipu memorials---Jaichandra Palace, Zoo, Chamunda
Hills---
Kushalnagar Golden Buddha
Temple -- Night halt 14
Abbey falls—coffee
gardens—Raja seat—Talacauvery—Nagarhole
forest—Kavini Night halt 15
Sravanbelgola—Halibedu—Belur---Chikmagaluru Ayankere ,
Muliyangiri, Baba Budhangiri –Night halt 16 @ coffee garden resort ,Chikmagaluru
Dharmasthala,-- Shirdi ghat –Agumbe ghat--Kudermukh--- Mangaluru
Panambur beach-- Night halt 17
Mangladevi & Gokarnatheswara temples, Mangaluru---Udupi
SriKrishna Temple—Murudeswar –Idagunji-- Apsarakunda –Jog falls--- Dandeli forest Kali River Resort-- Night halt 18
Beaches @ Majali—Palolem –Butterfly --Benaulim-Colava-Sunset----Old
Goa Church--Miramar ( via Panjim)
–Candolim—Colangute-Baga—Anjuna—Arambol—Shiroda ( around 14 hrs) -- Night halt
19
Vengurla—Tarkarli
Shibbarao Fort—Ganapati Pule—Mahabaleswar---- Panchgani--Night halt 20
Sunrise--Eco point--Mahabaleswar temple--Kaash—Satara—Sani
Singapur--Aurangabad Panichakki, Bibi Ka Makbara-- Night halt 21
Daulatabad fort—Ellora—Ajanta—Tuljapur—Bijapur Night halt 22
Golgombuj,Jama masjid,Bada Kaman-- Alamatti dam —Kudala sangama-- Aihole—Pattadkal—Badami---Chitradurga Fort,
Vani Vilas Sagar Dam, Ankali Mutt, Adumaleswara Temple Night halt 23 ( Hoysala ruins & K sangama boasts of Shivs shrines mainly)
Bangalore Banerghata
National Park--- Yerracund ( It is
baby Ooty with Rose garden, botanics , lake boating all ditto as
Ooty & roads are sharp
hairpin bending sometime after Salem) ---Lepakshi Night halt 24
Lepakshi veerabhadra n other
temples—salar jang museum—Ramoji film city—night halt 25
Nagarjunasagar ---Srisailam Mallikarjun Swamy Jyotirlinga---Vijayawada
Kanakadurga temple---lunch @ Vijayawada—Rajamundhry-- night halt 26
Kolkata in 15 hrs on 27th day. Yaa, you may need 1-2 days’ rest before coming back to normal life.
This way, you cover at
least 40% of India. What shall be left out, are –Nasik, Lonavala, Ujjayini,
Khajuraho, Jabbalpur-Panchmari, Chitrakoot falls, Amarkantak, Kutchh, Dwarka,
Gir, Mt Abu, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jaipur, Aravallis, Pushkar
& Samvar lakes, Amritsar, Delhi, Ladakh, Vaishnodevi, Srinagar, Sonmarg.,
Pahelgaon, Gulmarg, Dharamshala, Dalhosie, Kulu-Manali-Rohtang-Shimla-Kurfi,
Lucknow, Varanasi, Nainital, Raniket, Kousani, Pithoragarh, Dehradun
Sahasradhara, Haridwar belt & Garhwal region, Rajgir-Nalanda-PavapuriBodhgaya,
Agra-Mathura-Vrindavana, Prayag, Shillong lake ,botanics, falls, golf course,
Umiyam, Kamakhya, Kajiranga, Tawang , Sohrapunji , Sipahsalar forest, the
palaces of Agartala n Cooch behar, Nathula, Tsango, Gangtok, Rabangla, Peiling
belt, Lachun-Lachen, Dooars forests of
Gorumara, Chapramarih, Holong, Buxar, North Raidak, Lava, Lolegaon, Charcol,
Kalimpong, Kurseong, Mirik & Darjeeling outside of our very own Vishnupur,
Maithon, Mukutmonipur-Massanjore-Deoghar—Ghatshila-Jamshedpur Jubilee park, Beldih n Dimna
Lakes-Ranchi falls n dams, Tarapeeth,
Tarakeswar, Mayapur-Nabadwip, Murshidabad-Santiniketan-Bakkhali-Roychak-
Gangasagar.
What I have not
mentioned herein is the n no of forests.
This rest of India, if broken into 2 parts , the part excl North
East may be covered in same 28—30 days.
[ANINDA GHOSH]
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