Rishikesh – The abode of Ganga

This little city in the Northern part of India in the district of Dehra dun though well known for its temples, culture and more, nothing takes your breath away like Ganga flowing in Rishikesh.

When we went to Rishikesh it was a blistering 45 degrees heat, we were completely famished, sun burnt and dehydrated, the cruel summer upon us and a tedious journey to add to it but the one view of Ganga evaporated all the pain all the heat from our minds and bodies. She was flowing in full force, inspite of the weather she was cold, and it was refreshing to just dip ourselves in her.

The most wonderful part of this was the white water rafting, the rafting starts way up in the Ghats with a view you will never forget, mountains on all sides, sandy river beaches, and the sky kissing the waters. We were spell bound by the beauty of the sight not worried about the dangers or rafting, only when we were strapped up with life jackets and were sitting in the raft did we feel the adrenaline. Looking at Ganga there, no one would believe she could be fierce, but as the rapids come, that’s when you see what natures force is, making you feel infinitesimal. At the same time the happiness, the glory, the adrenaline and the feeling of euphoria as man and nature combine forces, sets in and you are in for one hell of a ride.

As our adventures ended, we visited all the places of interest and packed our bags and headed out of the city and back to Delhi and then back to Bangalore. Inspite of all the colours, the brewing culture, the boat rides, the temples, the bridge and food, one image never leaves your mind the image of Ganga , one feeling never leaves you the feeling of euphoria when you were wrestling in her arms in a raft.

Shimoga the different shades of green

I have been to Shimoga on many occasions and this time it was purely to welcome the rains.

The rain in shimoga as many of you would know is just splendid. We went to Sagar and from there on our first day went to an old “ Aghoreshwara” temple in Ikkeri . 

This temple though quite well known isn’t hoarded with tourists and has maintained its pristine peace, it’s a very calming experience to just sit there and look into the old sculptures, into the rain and sketch the temples out in the mind and leave it etched for posterity. The walk to Ikkeri from the main road is absolutely beautiful, with a variety of shades of green encompassing your view, many small lakes and ponds shimmering in the rain, the small house laid across , looking peaceful in their existence, it was a walk to remember. After having visited this beautiful temple the walk back to Sagar was also equally enthralling, the green never stopped, the rain became a light drizzle leaving mercury droplets on the large leaves, glinting and glistening.

The next day we went to Holebaagilu , the backwaters. This is a really splendid place, very calm and very little people , with a spread of watery grassland, trees and water with ripples forming on its surface. This is shallow waters and good for a quick swim, but when you go a little further it gets real deep real soon, so taking precautions is better. It makes an excellent spot to read, write and have a little picnic of your own. The way to this place is to get on the ferry which unbelievably just costs “ One rupee” and the ferry takes people buses, cars, bikes and everything and goes across this vast water body. It is very unlike the Kerala back waters. The last ferry is at 5pm and so heading back is better unless you carried a tent that can hold heavy downpour. Heading back from a place so serene is as painful as ever, yet we had to and so we did, then having had a cup of hot coffee in the hotel near by we retired for the day.

The next day which also happened to be my Birthday we went to the Varadahalli Sadhguru Sri Bhagavan Ashram, I am not one who believes in god people, or people who are considered gods, but the Ashram was just so absolutely beautiful, surrounded by nature, by greenery every where. With a fresh water bathing place.  We went on the top of this hill, the view from which is breath taking, the clouds had given away finally and some sun shine barged through, the warmth was much appreciated, we lazed around and headed back down. The catch was the hike was to be made bare footed, the pebbles hurt every time I stepped on it, but the sound of the crickets, the lush green was enough to keep my mind of the crunching sound inside me every time I stepped on a sharp stone. I liked the Ashram a lot at the end of it and considered the idea, whether a person is god or not as long as he is good willed and shelters people and animals alike he could be considered god. For me god lay in all those leaves, in the blue skies but that was a different story all together.

One Day Trips/ Treks From Bangalore - Kabaladurga

It was the middle of summer in Bangalore and after a month long of scorching sun we experienced pleasant and unexpected showers. Rain is a synonym with ‘want to travel’ and I was craving for a trip. As work conditions don’t permit too much time I hadn’t got a chance. On the 16^th which happened to be a fine Sunday morning I was invited by a few of my friends to go to Kabaladurga a place 70 km off Bangalore, after Kanakapura. It was a temple on top of a hill. It was decided that 9 of us will go on 6 bikes. The weather was pleasant and the air was cool. I was a pillion riding on an unicorn [I must say more comfortable than a bullet – for a pillion that is] the 70 km went past as if to clear off all the stress I had managed to accumulate in the city.

We reached Kabaladurga in about two hours which included finding a place to park and chai stops. We climbed up and as we did I found a superb place to rest a bit, this give me time to take in the view in full. This consisted of a large number of small hills beaded together like jewels under the sun, the clouds only on a few hills and sun burning on the others created a mystic effect. A view like this with a great conversation cannot be better, only I missed my camera. The rest of the group started descending and we got up to leave and started getting down when we heard the thunder and stopped and within a wink it was raining in torrents, the water splashed on our faces like small little needles but the chill and the wind was so good no one fussed over the rain. As we tried climbing down along with a good downpour we realized if we slipped we would slip away into eternity, it was quite a steep hill with a smooth rocky façade - not the best option on a rainy day. 

We decided we will crawl ourselves down which was slowly doing our dance step on the rock to move ourselves. This part was the best part of the trek. There were pipes for support but well, strategically placed just about out of reach which would need us to bend over to reach it and the pipes wouldn’t be where the most slippery part comes. This was as if god was chuckling at us city dwellers and our health less state. But well we kept our heads held high [now that was just a joke] and crawled down and by then I was drenched to my bones and my knees had taken a toll and were talking accordingly. But all this done with, as soon as we hit plane ground, it miraculously stopped raining and was hot again. We were so hungry we could eat a horse [it’s just a phrase we had a majority of vegetarians] and we headed out to the nearest Kammat which is the best food place, with hygienic toilets which all of us badly needed. We had food to our hearts content which was a variety of snacks along with a good serving of Dosas and juices to complete. Our little journey having finished on a nice happy note we all split from there to reach our own respective houses. The ride back was equally relaxing and picturesque, as it was a cloudy sunset, it was a charming experience. The Bangalore Mysore road being awesome makes any drive splendid and an experience worth writing about. All that was needed was a slight drizzle, as if gods above listened to me it did come. We sang some old songs like ‘what if god was one of us ‘to a newer Atif Aslam number to complement the experience.

Chasing the sun set

It all began many years ago when Bangalore was still not this populated. Near Jalahalli there was this expanse of greenery where the sun set was just brilliant. We college kids would go chasing the sunset, to be there before the sun set so we could catch the sun set. We also coined a phrase for it “If you run you might catch the sun”. My obsession with photography had just blossomed and the fact that ‘everything looks spectacular in the last rays of the sun, golden tinted, like Sun’s golden fluid touch was tangible at this hour of the day, the twilight hour where everything morphs into another being’ , had lodged it self in my mind .

The best sun sets are always on the beach, while gaping absent mindedly at the horizon on the ocean. So I like many others would go to places in search of the perfect sun set, the ones that I saw that I loved and would never forget would be in Kutle in Gokarna, Alappuzzha in Kerala, Anjuna in Goa and in Kanyakumari. 

The beaches bring with them an unforgettable aura. The salty air caressing your senses while the sun tired of his days work dives into the till now blue Ocean. Casting his reflection on the gigantic water body while ripples of water enjoy the golden light on themselves as the dance their way to the shore. The wet sands holding many imprints, glinting and glistening with the sun, and hugging the oncoming waves. The most peaceful experience one can have.

Besides these obvious hot spots for the sun set, there are non sea places, which beyond doubt present some of the best sun set experiences.

Kodachadri is one such place where both a splendid sun rise and sun set enthralls you. Another place, which is Hampi. It isthe most beautiful when touched by the rays of the sun. The ruin, the magical land, the stone temples with their textured exteriors when hit with the golden rays one is transfixed and transported to another world. A world of wonder.

Tips to keep in mind while traveling in a train in India

India is known for its intricate train routes, there are thousands of trains and lakhs of people traveling by train simultaneously and all this is well co-ordinated. But there are a few things one needs to keep in mind before doing a train journey in India. Starting with booking the tickets to things to keep in mind while boarding … some basic points that would just make your trip better and easier.

Try and book in advance, but as travelers go things change plans change and hence that might not always work out, so booking tickets on the go could be a hazard as most trains are filled. So plan on weekdays so that the chance of getting confirmed births is higher. You can book your tickets in three ways one is the old school way – to go to the ticket counter and booking, where you will have to bear with long queues and fill up forms with details. You can also book Tatkal [ Immediate ticket booking – which is charged extra] which opens two days prior the day of departure.

The other way is t o book E-tickets, while booking e-tickets always bear in mind that if it is in waiting list and doesn’t get cleared the ticket is invalid and hence you will be thought to be traveling without a ticket. So ensure that you have a confirmed birth. So booking in Tatkal [ Immediate ticket booking – which is charged extra] in e-ticket is the best way, but Tatkal opens only 2 days prior to the day of departure.

The third way is to get it booked by travel agents, this could cost a bit more but is always easier and hassle free as they have some reserved quota which they can a lot to you.

The next set of tips are for safety.

Indian trains have loads of people all running here and there and loads of stops and very little security, so one should always keep these things in mind.

1. Carry cameras, costly equipments, laptops and cash separately and wear those bags on you at all times, or leave it with your co-traveler, don’t leave it around near the window and trust no one.

2. Put all your clothes and gadgets in plastic bags and then keep it in your bag, as the trains could be very dirty or the floors could be wet. This way it will also make sure no insects enter your clothes or gadgets.

3. Always carry hand sanitizers, toilet paper and your medicines. Except for drinks and flammable items there are no restrictions in trains.

4. Carry cotton pants and T-shirts, or even kurtas, even if you are traveling to a place with low degrees of temperature you will more than likely pass through regions which are hot, hence its always important to carry both light cotton wear and warm wear to most places.

5. Smoking and drinking is prohibited and you could fined if found smoking or drinking.

6. Food given on most trains is not that great, its always advisable to carry bread and suitable spreads, also note that some of the train stops are long and so you can actually get down and buy some good food from the station. So just look at the list of stops before heading on the journey.

7. Carry a pair of slip-ons /hawai slippers to wear inside the train, its way more comfortable and easy.

Coorg - A land of Coffee Culture and Many Trails

Coorg – has always fascinated me, with its endearing trails, with its unique culture, its amazing food, the green that covers every inch of this land, the rain and of course the coffee estates in abound.

The first time I entered this land was with a friend of mine, whose grandparents lived in a secluded village very close to Nagarhole. I was unaware as to what to expect. We went in a rickety bus and were picked up by her uncle in a jeep, to their house. The houses were at a distance of 3kms of each other or more. The backyard leads to a trench to Nagarhole, the front extended in rows of coffee plantations. Thus I had reached a place I loved and would visit ever so often.

This experience stayed in my mind and I decided to head there again and have visited this fascinating land many a times after. The main touristy places have their own stand in the quest to see the real Coorg – or Kodagunadu, but the ones that will let you observe this brilliant place and take in every bit of its gorgeousness is when you do many trips to this land, for treks, for backpacking trips, for visiting the Golden temple at Kushalnagar and many more such attempts.  As the place is very close to Bangalore a straight 6 hours can get you there, the opportunities increase in folds.

There is a particular scent, that hits you every time you enter Coorg, the smell of the coffee plantation, for the ones who have never been near a coffee plantation, it doesn’t smell anything like coffee, its more like jasmine, when the coffee flowers are in bloom, its an intoxicating flavor, even addictive. So in whatever transport you are heading there as long as there is an open window you will know you have reached Kodagu.

There is an ample amount of options from amazing kakkabe that will let you start your trek to Thadiyendamol Peak , or even ‘relaxing in the expanse of green’ - lounging under the million stars that you can witness on a cloudless night. You can visit the Nalknad palace or have serene moments at the stream.

The Golden Temple at Kushalnagar is one of the best weekend trips you can make. The Tibetan colony, the temple in itself is an astonishing sight, the Tibetan Buddhist paintings on the walls, the super hip hipish monks a contrast, the beauty surrounding it, the shopping complexes where you will find some awesome Tibetan trinkets, mantle pieces or even get a Kimono stitched in your fav pattern and colour.

For the adventure seeker the White water Rafting and treks will keep your adrenaline high, for the traveler who loves food, drink and a relaxing view the home stays provide this with gusto. There are many waterfalls, all of which are gorgeous and worth a visit.

Modes of Transport – Many Buses are available from Bangalore to Virajpet, Madikeri, kushalnagar and other major stops. There are ample of local buses you can take to reach your particular destination from the main bus stands.

Car – Its an easy 6 hours drive an easy 260km in the southwest direction from Bangalore.

Bike – The roads are sometimes under construction but Bike trips can be made with ease. The green of the place adds beautifully to a bike ride.

Hampi the ancient ruin and the new Hippie Haven

Hampi an ancient empire, ruins of the past glory, a place where kings ruled and built temples of nobility. Holding in its history a string of nightmarish truths this place has come a long way. I have always been interested in the Sadhus, their philosophy, their way of living and ofcourse the “kavi vastra” – the saffron attire, these Sadhus throng Hampi. Hampi the capital of Vijayanagara empire is now the Hippie haven.

There is nothing more evasively consuming like the Hippies of Hampi. A cult that was born during age old times, when travel was a way of living, a waywardly identity. The hippies were brought to the fore by the American Hippie revolution , the flower power and more, the Morrison’s and Hoffman’s wrote along with their poems and speeches a new way of looking at the world and life as a whole. This was in the 60’s but in India the Hippies were always there. They moved in caravans and did not hoard money. They lived on the go, on the road, they were performers artists, musicians, singers and most of them would be great at stitching and painting, all of which you can see as a living tradition in Hampi.

Just an overnight journey from Bangalore will take you to this magnificent place, hire a bike or a cycle and you are good to go. You can cycle around all the temples, sketch the ones you like, photograph away to glory and then relax at the “ Mango Tree” hotel where you can sit back and munch on delicacies under the shade overlooking the river. 

Annegundi is older than the ruins of Hampi and less commercialized, one can easily take a coracle ride across the river to this ancient and quiet place.

There are a few things around Hampi one can do, apart from spending time in the temples, shopping in the bazaars, meditating on the rocks , one can go on bikes or cycles and ride through the small lanes just a few kilometers off the town, these will lead you to large sunflower fields and no one will disturb your peace.

Hampi will provide enough for every kind of traveler.

How to get to Hampi –

By Bus – There are frequent buses from Bangalore to Hospet, which is 12 kilometers from Hampi. From there you can hire a rickshaw, even shared taxi to Hampi.

By Train – There are frequent trains from Bangalore to Hospet.

Best Time to Visit – October to Februrary when the heat isn’t at its peak and one can enjoy a pleasant weather.

Rafting in Barapolai

Rafting one the earliest ways of transport and later a sport, a recreational activity  caught fame in the mid 70’s and has been a hot favourite for adventure seekers ever since. White water rafting has made its way into the adventure world due to its sheer adrenaline rush, a pulsating surge that it provides. The rafting experience includes maneuvering rafts on water rapids that are caused due to constriction of the water flow, the more number of twirling rapids the better the experience. The best rafting in the sub-continent is undoubtedly in Rishikesh, the South has very few options which include the Kali Nadi and Barapolai in Karnataka.

Barapolai which is close to the famous Coorg region renders some really neat weekend options that include trekking and Water rafting among others.  A few kilometers off Hunsur it provides a good opportunity for the adventure seekers. There are plenty of buses available which will lead you to Hunsur but if you are taking your own vehicle you can take the Bangalore Mysore highway and then near Srirangapatna take the Ilwala by pass and then head straight to the State highway 88 towards Hunsur. There are a few camps in Hunsur that provide an all over experience including picking and dropping to and from the trekking  and rafting spot. This will usually include a two day program.

We decided on one such camp and head out of Bangalore, the drive was pleasant owing to the new Bangalore Mysore highway, a few Chai pit stops and we reached Hunsur. We camped at one of the camps called ‘Leopard Rock’ which provided great options of camping outside in tents with a lake in view.

The itinerary included a jeep drive up to the starting point of the trek into the Chengani forest range and then a whole days trek in rain, then return in the jeep to the camping spot and a campfire by the end of the day, rafting in the morning in Barapolai.

The jeep ride to the trekking spot was by far the best as it involved random water splashing from the road puddles teamed with an almost continuous down pour. A few stops to feed our hungry stomachs with the local delicacies which included snacks like ‘Gole Bajji’ and some ‘muruk’ and then we headed of on our trail with a proper shower from the rain gods. It was quite a non tedious trek with not much pulsating climbing which renders itself as the best option when one is looking for a pleasant walk in an atmosphere with lush green and a few wildlife spotting.

 We were graced by none other than the largest mammal in the forest the elephant, a good half an hour of the view made us happy enough to continue on our trail. There were forest guards provided with guns to act if the scenario got a little out of hand as this region is known for their Leopard population. The canopy was thick providing us protection from downpour; there were occasional sunny moments that increased the humidity making it a stifling weather condition. The trek consisted of about walking six kilometers into the jungle and returning on the same trail. The trek ended by evening on a good note as we had witnessed a variety of snakes, deer and an elephant.

 The jeep ride back was equally pulsating and we were all looking forward to the Coorgi style food awaiting us at the camp site. The menu consisted of some real delicious ‘Pandi curry’ [pork curry] along with chicken fry and also a decent variety for the vegetarians. The day broke and the immense murmur in the air indicated the enthusiasm towards rafting. The rafting place which is run by Mr. John was a few kilometers off the camp site and a warm welcome was awaiting us. There were a number of rafting experts who gave out instructions and safety precautions to be taken.

The pre-rafting experience included fastning on the life jacket learning the right rowing techniques and also being plunged into the icy cold water to prepare us for what might be coming up. Rowing is not as simple as one would imagine, it requires high levels of concentration to co-ordinate the given instruction [left front and right back] and actually do it on the ever slipping raft along with the rivers turns and tempo. There were even experts dong their rounds on Kayaks as to be prepared if anyone slipped into the river needed to be saved from the currents. The key to rafting is to not panic and getting in stride with nature and her tumult, her sense of humour.

When we actually set ourselves into the raft it was an unbelievable experience. The rain splashing down in full throttle, six rapids were explained well and it was a quick rollercoaster ride on rough waters. The abundant green of the trees and overhanging branches along with the blue-green waters made a sight when mixed equally with rain and the mist caused by the surging torrents. A chill that had stiffened our backs due to the weather was relieved with a sumptuous offering of soup given to us by the thoughtful rafting club.

After a weekend well spent and having indulged in a great sport made the journey back to the boring cosmopolitan less weary. The sun came down in haste and the rain continued as we headed back to Bangalore.  

Extra info –

The nearest airport is the Bangalore airport.

The easiest way to get there is by buses or by your vehicle as trains aren’t available.

Carrying water proof gear is a must.

Carry a pair of floaters as they are required for the Rafting.

Kerala - Gods Own Country

Kerala is known as “God’s own country” and rightly so. This stretch of land known for its lush green plantations ,for its back waters, its culture and a long heritage. It’s a well known destination among non Indian visitors too. It had been beckoning me for long

I had been to kerala many times, mostly to Wayanad, Kannur and Kovalam but this time I wanted to see lot more of the state, hence started the journey from Bangalore and entered Munnar.

 

Munnar to my knowledge was over hyped and too popular for my liking. I was in for a surprise the place was astounding, large gigantic white clouds welcomed us into this land of wonder. 

The best memory of Munnar for me was sitting by the Mattupetty dam , it felt like I had entered another country and another realm, the never ending hill ranges reflecting n the sparkling water and humungous white glowing clouds.

 It’s a blissful experience to sip chai under an asbestos sheet chai kada while it gushes wind and water outside. The horticulture centre is also worth a visit, with its splendid spread of blossoming flowers a wide variety of cacti.

Then we headed to Top station, the view is breath taking, one can walk through tea estates and drink great flavoured chai, I took the cinnamon chai and as I sat there sipping it, it rained in torrents. Having gone to some more awesome spots in Munnar and having eaten some delicious home made chocolates we headed towards Allapuzha or popularly known as Allepey. Its the Backwater heaven of India and a very popular tourist destination. Its filled with a network of backwaters, its also rightfully called India's Venice, not only because of its beauty but also because life depends on these water ways. Everything is transported on water. Children go to schools, people to offices and do their daily activities on ferries. One must travel in these local ferries once to feel the real local life. The house boats are aplenty, with luxury and comfort taken to the extreme. They provide a chef who will cook some Keralite delicacies on board, there are balcony seats for the better view of the sun set, luxurious room, comfortable furniture and loads more. One can chose the ride of their interest, chose to see choir making or any other such cultural activity.

After having thus feasted on naturally rich destinations we headed to "Mattancherry Palace" which is known for its Murals. This palace built in the 1557 hosts some of the best murals in India. This distinctive painting style has been adopted by many contemporary Indian painters and is called "the Kerala Mural" style of painting. So we immersed ourselves in these murals and had our mind's and eye's fill.

So there ended our endearing Kerala trip, oh I almost forgot to mention Alleppey might be known for its backwaters but the really awesome destination would be the barely crowded Alleppey Beach and what would make it even more splendid ? having a hot cup of coffee and a masala dosa in the India Coffee house which overlooks the beach and the never ending sea...