Kotilingeshwara Temple - The temple with many Lingas

When you are taking a trip with your family, especially the elderly you tend to look to go to a place which would accommodate all their needs. Most elderly tend towards visiting a temple more than anything so were we when when we decided to go to Kotilingeaswara Temple which is only around 100km. (approximately) from Bangalore. We started in early after (packing our lunch and snacks ofcourse) as we were travelling with our 2 year old kid and our 60 over mother-in-law. This is a place where there are no stairs to climb or distances to walk so its ideal for a whole family, When you are travelling with kids it is always advisable to carry a few eatables since you cannot be sure of hygienic food. It took us more than three hours to reach the temple and it is not because of the road not being good but the opposite. The NH75 makes for a smooth ride, uninterrupted except for the occasional trucks and container lorries that we could see on the road. The road snakes between rocky hills that offer picture perfect vistas. The boulders on these tiny hills look like a gaint's baby has been playing marbles and heapead them up in little piles. We had to stop to take in the scenery.

When we finally arrived at the temple we found that it was not as deserted as one would expect a temple in a tiny little village to be. In fact the whole area was bustling with activity, they had a huge parking area that could accommodate atleast 50 four-wheeler easily which tells us that the temple expects huge crowds. There were colorful little stalls aligned on either side of the pathway to the temple selling an array of items including earthen lamps with ghee, apparently it is good to light a Ghee lamp in the presence of the Lord. We bought one and were on our way. There is a 20/- ticket for adults and a 50/- charge for the cameras. Its a good thing they allowed cameras because I love clicking pics and when I go to places where they do not allow them I feel like I am missing something. (That is how much the camera means to me now, my husband keeps telling me I should put it down for a minute and enjoy the scenery for once, but my mind always wants to get back behind the lens and capture every moment, that is why we have great shots of my kid praying to every Lingam in the place. It was ADORABLE.)

The sight that welcomed us on entering the gate was a court yard full of multicolored platforms covered with Siva limgams of all shapes and sizes. To a common viewer the sight is delightful, but to a devotee of Shiva this will your heart with joy. There are hundreds of Shiva lingams everywhere you see, arranged in rows and rows, adorned with kumkuma, pasupu and flowers.

There are a group of temples dedicated to different Gods and Godesses including the famous Sri Manjunatha temple where we offered our obeisance and the lit the ghee lamp. Then we open up in to a huge court yard that spreads around a few acers filled with more and more Shiva Lingams.

 This is where we find the huge granite Lingam reaching for the sky. Although we find that the Nandi standing in the Lord's presence is not up tot the mark, it does have the desired effect when you look it as a whole.

The different kinds of Lingams we find here are quiet variable and facinating.

Right outside the premisis of the Kotilingeshwara temple is the temple of the local deity with a idol fierce and awe inspiring and a bed of marigold crop in-front of the temple.

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Nritya Gram - Dancers Village

The entrance to Nritya Gram

The first sight to greet us on entering the premises that promises Dance at its heart and soul

When we started for Nritya Gram I was excited to see a thriving community of dancers, an ode to dance and I was hugely disappointed that there were barely a dozen dancers in the place and the whole are is left in neglect covered in fallen dried leaves everywhere. Though a few who are still dedicated to the art are still there trying hard to maintain a respectful disposition, but there is not much that they can do without proper patrons.

The unique flora found in this place

When we talked of going to this place to the aged people in our apartments they were reminiscing of the good old times when there were spectacular performances that went on all through night and jubilant events performed in this place. This made me feel even worse that I was unable to see it in its hay days. But now there is not a hint of the once talked of splendor.

The amphitheatre, which must have hosted exclusive dance performances lay silent, haunted by its own memories, waiting for anklets bound feet to once again perform. This here is symbolic enough to let us know that how fine arts have been neglected in the recent years.

 The view from the stage of the Amphitheatre.

 Art found on the walls of this place

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Coorg - the exploited paradise

It had been 7 years since I last went to Madekeri, in Coorg district of Karnataka. Back then it was beautifully natural, mostly untouched by the harsh hands of civilization. Now that gorgeous wilderness has been bruatally mauled by tourism and has been tamed to submission. No longer the hike into the jungle to watch those cascading falls a peaceful and tranquail experience but a very fussy and crowded one. This time when I went to Abby falls I could see plastic garbage everywhere and it made me really sad.

Abbey Falls, Coorg, Karnataka

I wish the tourists wouldn't do such harm to the very environ they are here to admire. Also I wish the tourism department along with developing the area restrict the sale of non-degradable items near such natural resourses and keep the serenity of the place in tact. Even after such ill teatment by its adorers the place still proudly lays bear its beauty for everyone to enjoy. I only wish that it is not completly spoiled like another tourist spot that I have recently.

Talakaveri, Coorg, Karnataka

see Kodugu...


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Mekadatu - the goats leap

If you search for this place on the net you will find people chilling out in the water and having fun, it is an exciting place to be... but its dangerous as well and that makes it more exciting. Situated in the dense forests, two life giving rivers merge and then flow through the ravine into a narrow gorge. This place is a testament to the power of nature, looking over the water, on to the surrounding hills covered with dense forests makes us feel so small and insignificant.

Just taking a moment away form your camera, phone and laptop just to behold the wonder, that is nature is enough to soothe your soul. The rocks here are not chiselled or sculptured yet they radiate great beauty. The armored riverbed here is filled with motley of parti-coloured pebbles add a picturesque charm to this place.

The waters that look so deceptively calm on the surface behold within them the power to even cut through rock and stone.The flora and fauna,... everything here is a work of art. The turbulent relation between water and rock creates a amazing scenery that arrests your heart.

Getting here : We can reach this place by driving to Sangama which is a mere 90 km from Banglore. then taking a coracle over to the other side of the river to board a bus that goes through the rocky road and reach the view point from where we could get a great view of the Mekadaatu where the goat leapt to escape from the lion.

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Dodda Alada Mara - Big Banyan Tree

After exercising our vote early on Thursday morning we had the rest of the day for our self so me, my husband and my parents set out to have an early lunch in my favourite restaurant Royal Andhra Spice in Rajarajeshwari Nagar. The food here is excellent, the chicken 65 is lip smacking and the non-veg thali they offer is value for money. After a delightful meal we stil had half a day to spend so we have decided at a whim to visit the Big Banyan tree near Kengeri. Every tourist blog in banglore refers to this place but they do have mixed reviews, some say it was too long a distance to visit a tree and there is nothing much to do there, others write that this place is worth the visit since we are free and in no hurry we decided to check the place out.

Google maps is the best App on our phones, it is the best way to reach destinations we have not been to before. Earlier we had to stop at every fork in the road and ben in the street asking for directions but with this app. we are there without a glitch.

Directions: This big banyan tree at Kethohalli of South Banglore taluk is 28 km from Bengaluru city and a little outside Kegeri. If you are driving on Banglore-Mysore highway you cannot miss Rajarajeshwari Medical College to your left and if you go further we find a road between Rajarajeshwari Dental and boys hostel and Rajarajeshwari Engineering College to our right. This road is the Dodda Alada Mara road, follow this well paved road to the big banyan tree.

On the Dodda Alada Mara rd we find many nurseries full of blooming roses and many beautiful flowers. The banyan tree itself spreads across 3 Acers of land which has been developed into a park for visitors and serves as a picnic spot. Inspite of spreading through such a vast area this mammoth tree is but the fourth largest banyan tree in India. The tree, they say, is around 400 years old, although the main trunk is dead aerial shoots that grow down into the soil forming additional trunks have kept the tree alive and still growing. The dept. of horticulture has taken the responsibility of preserving the tree and made necessary arrangements to provide the propping roots enough support so that they could grow strong and establish themselves. The tree appears to be a grove of trees providing shade and shelter to its visitors. Despite it's many adversities the tree is still strong and the jetting branches reach out of the park area are a true testment for its will to survive. 







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Mutyalamaduvu

It was a Sunday morning, and we were totally free of engagements (which by the way is a very rare case). We decided to go on a long drive, just me and my husband cruising in my car. Went to Bannergatte but did not want to stop there so we drove further...we knew that there is a picnic spot somewhere in Anekal called Mutyalamaduvu. In Kannada language, Muthyalamaduvu means Pearl Valley

It is a beautiful gorge with a sleek little ravine flowing through it and surrounded by lush green forest infested with mischievious monkeys with their devil may care attitude. Although it is a picnic spot you might want to be careful with your food these little devils could gang up on you, so I suggest you have your food before descending the gorge that way you can enjoy  the place in peace. The tourisim of Karnataka has provided us with minimum facilities and gazibos to sit and eat.

The  stairs leading to the ravine is not long and ends up near the temple of Shiva on the right and a beautiful waterfall that ends up in a little pond. Here the water from the falls slides down the flora of the place creating an illusion of a sting of pearls, hence the name Pearl Valley. The source of this water is the Onakanahalli Tank located nearby.

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