TravelingBeats

Trip to Madhugiri Fort

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:12:24 +0000

Location: Madhugiri town, Tumkur district

Distance: 110 km from Bangalore, 43 km from Tumkur

How to reach there: Best is private vehicle. Public transport can be hardly found and may not be convenient.

Journey time: 2 hrs

Route: Bangalore – Rajkumar Road – Tumkur road – Dobbaspet – Take right under the flyover – Koratagere – Madhugiri

Where to eat: Military Hotel and a veg hotel near the KSRTC bus station

Where to stay: A lodge is available near the bus station (you need not stay as there is nothing much apart from seeing the fort)

Madhugiri is a individual hill rising upto around 4000 feet. It is said to be one of the largest monolithic hill in the world. Once you reach Madhugiri town you can see the curvaceous steps on the body of the rocky hill. The entrance to the fort is on the left hand side of the KSRTC bus stand. Just before the bus stand there is a right turn, do not take the right turn, instead go straight through the door of the outer walls of the fort. Little further you will find plain land with temple on the left hand side. You can park your vehicles here. Once you start ascending the hills, you will be welcomed by the decorated white walls of the fort.

The monolithic hill is surrounded by many rounds of walls as protective boundaries. At places the climb can be steep. The view of the Madhugiri town and the surrounding from the top is awesome. Small isolated hills in the vicinity also add to the view. As we climbed higher we reach a grassland Plateau and in the think boundary walls there were holes which we used by the then soldiers to fire on the enemy. From here there is nice staircase which will lead to another highland. Further on you will be climbing directly on the face of the monolithic rock on little carved steps. On the way we notices a huge water reservoir, so we can even in those days they knew rain harvesting as getting water on top of the hills would have been a herculean job. This hill does not have any water source. At the top the ruined temple of Gopalakrishna is located. From the top one can get a bird eye view of the area.

Madhugiri is famous for pomegranate fruit. If you visit do make an effort to visit Maidana Halli Blackbuck Sanctuary too located around 25 km from Madhugiri near Kodigenahalli. Just keep in mind you need to obtain prior permission to visit the sanctuary.

To view more pictures of Madhugiri fort, please visit TravelingBeats Photo gallery.

To discuss about Madhugiri fort, visit TravelingBeats Forum.

Trip to BR Hills and K.Gudi

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:22:41 +0000

Location: Chamarajanagar district

District Headquarter: Chamarajanagar

Distance: 210 km from Bangalore, 90 km from Mysore

Journey time: Around 4 hrs from Bangalore

How to reach there: By KSRTC bus via Mysore or Kollegal to BR Hills, private vehicle or bikes. Please note no bus is available from BR hills to K.Gudi. So private vehicle is preferable.

Route: Bangalore – Mysore road – Maddur – Take left turn after Maddur – Malavalli – Kollegal – yellandur – BR Hills

Where to stay: Government Lodges or private facilities

Where to eat: Sai Darshini

Language spoken: Kannada, Hindi and English understood to an extent

What to See: Hills, lush green forest and wildlife

Biligiriranga Hills or BR Hills is a unique range of hills connecting the Eastern and Western ghat ranges. Thus it allows free movement of animals from Eastern and Western ghat ranges and it features flora and fauna found in both the ranges. The forest there is called Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary or simply BRT Wildlife Sanctuary which protected under the the Wildlife Protection Act, 1973. The sanctuary covers around 539.52 square km and was created on 27/06/1974. The minimum temperature is around 10 – 15 degree and maximum temperature is around 20 – 32 degree. Among wildlife one can see Gaur, Sambar, Chital, spotted Dear, Leopard, Bison, Elephant, sloth bear etc

This area is inhabited by Soliga tribes which were nomadic earlier and supposed to be the original residents.

Out Story:

We rode past Mysore road around 9 pm. But we rode quite fast and reached BR Hills by 1.30 pm. On the way as usual indulged in lots of photography. On the ghat section there is an intersection, if you go straight you will reach K.Gudi and if you take right you will reach BR Hills. We decided to go to K.Gudi which is 20 km from BR Hills. This 20 km stretch within of heavily forested area is wonderful for ride. Roads are narrow but in good shape. However, be careful of the treacherous terrain and curve. On this way if you are lucky you will be able to spot Dears. At K. Gudi you will be greeted by the Jungle Lodge Resort maintained by the government of Karnataka. The cost per person/day at this lodge is Rs 2750 which includes stay, food and jungle safari. The cost was steep and no room available. The bookings has to be done at JLR office at MG road, Bangalore.

That afternoon we could avail the safari so we decided to go back to BR Hills after we found that private lodging facilities are available. At BR Hills we booked a 3 beded room for Rs 900 opposite a government guest house around 6 pm. We did not had lunch till then, so after the booking formalities done we went to have food at Sai Darshini little away from there. This is the only hotel in this area and offers only vegetarian food. Back in the room every body was quite tired so after getting little fresh, everyone went to sleep. Frank was the first to wake up in the middle of the night (around 2 AM) followed by Arvind and me. Then I woke up Deepak saying “shuva ho gayi mamu”. Time went awesome in the dark and tranquility of the hills and we enjoying lighter moments. Meanwhile Hemanth spotted a small scorpion in the room. It was brown in color. We did video of the scorpion until it went inside its burrough.

By morning 6 am we went to Sai Darshini to have coffee and then went to Biligiri Ranganaswamy temple at BR hills. During day time one has to pay a toll pass of Rs 10 to reach there. However, since we went early morning there was no one to collect toll. The temple is top of a hill, probably the highest point in the area. It was a awesome ride through the curvaceous road in the mist. Lord Vishnu is prayed here as Ranganaswamy. From the temple periphery one can get a awesome view of the surrounding forest. During our visit it was covered with cloud most of the time. At the stairs of the temple, we saw a big black Beetle. Frank was the first one to get cosy with it. Then we did a bit of photography with it. Back from the temple we had breakfast (set dosha and Idli) at Sai Darshini. Following this we packed our bags, vacated the room and left for K.Gudi.

I again stress that the 20 km stretch from BR Hills to K.Gudi is awesome for riding but take precaution while riding. Do not give inexperience people to ride here. We reached K.Gudi around 11.30 pm. We were told there by guards that the safari is scheduled at 3 pm. So we went to see the local Soliga tribe settlements. We saw two settlements nestled among the hills and nature. We had the previlage to talk to one elder Soliga man who told now a days they speak just kannada. They just receive government given pension or go to far away lands like Coorg or kerela to labor to earn money. We took pictures of the people in their native custom. But be careful they demand money if you ask them to be photographed. The settlements are located 4 km from K.Gudi on the way to BR Hills. You will have to take a right turn after the safari road.

Back at K.Gudi we waited for the safari. The 1 hour jungle safari cost Rs 130 per person. Meanwhile we sighted big elephants, wild boar and a friendly dear. The spotted dear was just too comfortable around. She played with us, let us touch her and had biscuits from us jumping like a dog. The safari jeep, a Mahindra 4 by 4 was ready by 3.30 pm. In the safari we saw a Leopard on the tree eating a dear, many spotted deers, stags, Gaur, jungle Owl etc. During the second part of the safari it was raining like cats and dogs. We were back at K.Gudi by 5 pm. It was still drizzling but we had no option but to leave for Bangalore. We had to hurry as the forest gate at the Chamarajnagar side would be closed after 6 pm. This stretch of 11 km from K.Gudi to the next forest gate is very scenic as you can see the plains from hills. We also spotted parrot, wild hen and mongoose.

After driving for sometime we took a turn for Yelandur. As Chamrajnagar would be longer as we will have to ride via Nanjangud, Mysore to Bangalore. So via Yelandur we reached Kollegal – Malavalli and given a brief stoppage at Maddur Cafe Coffee day. Reached Bangalore around 12 o’clock. Lastly went to have food at Empire, Shivajinagar. Reached home at around 1.30 am.

Bike Trip to Shivanasamudra falls – Gaganachukki and Barachukki Falls

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:27:19 +0000

Location: Chamrajanagar district

District Headquarter: Chamrajanagar

Distance: 135 km from Bangalore

Journey time: Around 2.5 hrs

How to reach there: KSTDC tour package, break journey on KSRTC buses and Private vehicle. However, if you want to take bath in the falls and spend more time then you should hire a private vehicle.

Route: 1. Bangalore – Mysore road – Muddur – Malavalli – Shivanasamudra

2. Bangalore – kanakpura road – kanakpura – Malavalli – Shivanasamudra

Where to stay: No place to stay

Where to eat: Restaurant at Gaganachukki (food is decent)

Language spoken: Kannada, Hindi

Best time to visit: July to October

What to See:

Shivanasamudra falls is also known as bluff. Here, the first hydro electric power station of Asia was commissioned in 1902. Electricity from here was first supplied to Kolar Gold Field (KGF) making it the first town in Asia to use electricity. Shivanasamudra falls is formed by two branches of river cauvery. The eastern branch forms the Barachukki falls and the western ranch forms the Gaganachukki falls.

Team members: Deepak, Arvind, Avnesh, Srinivas, Dilip, Hemanth, Rajesh, Jeet

I always emphasis that for any trip, one should leave early. However, on many occasions we miss on that. This time we agreed to leave 6 am but by the time we left Bangalore it was almost 9 am. We lost precious 3 hours for which we could not explore anything apart from the falls. But no disappointemnt though as bath at Barachukki falls was an amazing experience.

We all met at Domlur layout and then went on to have break fast at Shanti Sagar there. As we passed Bidadi, it was time to zip. At Muddur took left for malavalli. I suggest you look for yellow boards which displays the distance of tourist destinations for direction. After riding through winding roads and photo shoots in between, we reached the front gate of Gaganachukki water falls where a hydro electric project is in place. I visited the hydro electric project in 2004 but these days people are not allowed inside. Once you pass the gate, you will have to ride for another 3 km to reach Gaganachukki water falls.

Gaganachukki has ample parking space for both two wheelers and 4 wheelers. Here you can see river Cauvery split into two streams and cascading over the rocks from a height of around 98 meters. As walk near to the falls, your ears will be buzzing with roaring sound of the gushing water and wind. For best view, decent through the steps to the watch tower. On the other side of the falls you can see the powerhouse in the gorge. There is a dargah called Darga Hazrath Mardane Gaib behind the Gaganachukki falls. This dargah can visited while visiting Barachukki falls which located around 10 km from Gaganachukki falls. One word of caution, do not try to climb down from this side towards the falls, it can be fatal. On the way one can see catchment areas of river cauvery.

At Barachukki one has to descend around 150 – 200 steps to reach the falls in the midst of woods. After reaching the base area, one has to be careful as our pre – historic friends will be waiting to pounce on your bag. I suggest you keep your bag on the stones near the falls shore and go for bath. However, be careful as the water bed is full of rocks, so do not try diving and swimming. This falls is more happening than Gaganachukki falls. After playing in the water for sometime, I told Deepak, may be we can explore the falls on the right side. Soon we went little upstream and crossed the stream to the reach the base of the amazing falls. Be careful while crossing stream as stones at places may be slippery. This place is just wonderful with the gushing water, rocks and woods. The water bed here too is rocky, but as you go towards the plunging water you can find some sandy area beneath your feet. Deepak took the lead in climbing the rock to taste the fast moving water. Soon I followed as it was too good to miss. On the cliff, as I sat the high speed gushing water bombarded my back. What a massage it was! Such a nice place, nobody was in a mood to leave. However, we decided to leave so that Hemanth and Dilip can come here and have sometime.

At the base camp, we decided to go for coracle ride. This guy charges Rs 100 for upto 4 people. He took us just besides the falls where we could literally feel the water of the falls. Amazing feelings and view when you could see the falls from right below.

We left Barachukki falls around 5 pm. The ride was little synchronized as night descended and further more my cell phone was out of charge. Riding through dark night and woods was a feeling in itself. Hemanth was switching off head light of the bike to check how dark it was – it was complete dark. At Muddur we took a break at Cafe Coffee Day. After a cup of Cuppachino, we were back on the roads. On the way we again met all the other partners. Reached bangalore by 10.30 pm and went straight to Green Onion at Residency Cross road to have food. Reached home by around midnight.

Trip to Pearl Valley, 2010

admin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:28:28 +0000

Pearl valley is the anglicized form of Kannada term Muthyala Maduvu. In Kannada muthu means pearl and maduvu means valley. It is so called as the water falls creates drops water resembling pearl. It is a popular picnic spot with lots of greenery around. The star attraction here is a small water falls. It is located at the periphery of Bannerghatta National park and one see the boundary of the Bannerghatta National park here.

Location: Anekal taluk

Distance: 40 km from Bangalore

Route: 1. Bangalore – Bannerghatta road – take right from Anekal circle – on the way to chandapur take right at the sighnboard “nature valley” or Muthyala Maduvu written in kannada.

2. Bangalore—>Hosur Road—>Chandapura—>Anekal—>Muthyala Maduvu

How to reach there: Private vehicles

Where to have food: KSTDC Mayura hotel

Where to stay: Not available

Best Time to visit: August to November

Team members: Jeet, Bhushan, Santosh and Hemanth

carrier: Yamaha FZ, Hero Honda Splendor and Honda Aviator

Our story:

For quite sometime I was contemplating a trip with office buddies and finally we took off on Thursday morning around 6.30 am. Met the other 3 people on the trip at IIM and we moved on. On the way we halted at a small time road side hotel and were treated with tasteless food. However, that did not lessen our enthusiasm for the journey ahead. Here starts the zip zapping with 3 bikes on the roll. Soon we past Bannerghatta national park. After little over an hours drive we reach Muthyala Maduvu or Pearl valley.

There is parking lot available just in front of the KSTDC hotel. You will have to shell out Rs 10 for entry fees. After parking our vehicles, we started descending into the gorge. As we reached near the water falls, I thought I was viewing the tiniest water falls in the world. The last time we visited in 2004 and 2005, the falls had more water then what we saw now. I assumption was that it was raining these days, so there should be more water. If you want to see the water falls basically then suggest you go there at the end of rainy season and particularly after it rains for few days.

However, the deficit of water in the water falls was made up by the adventurous trek we did in the wild there. In 2004 I remember with couple of friends climbed up the hill and had food and stuffs there. But this time we were little more adventurous and decided to explore uncharted territories. Bhushan used to tell me about his adventures in and around Belgaum. His manoeuvrings to find ways in the wild showed ample experience. We made our way through thorny bushes, sometimes loose and steep hill side to some beautiful places on the hill top. We descended back with Hemanth’s torn shirt.

Following this we went back to water falls area where a shooting was going on. A man was acting meditation. After they went, we went there and took pictures.
Sometime later, we went to the KSTDC hotel. Ordered for cold drinks and settled on the balcony overseeing hills and the gorge. After chilling out there for sometime, we left back for Bangalore. As we reached Bannerghatta, it started and it kept chasing us till I reached home.

Pathanamthitta District, Kerela

admin — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:43:26 +0000

Location: Southern part of Kerela, India

District Headquarter: Pathanamthitta ( a town by the same name)

Distance: 146 km from Kochi, 56 km from Kottayam, 119 km from Thiruvananthapuram

Journey time: Over 15 hours by bus

How to reach there: By Kerela state bus, private bus, train or private vehicle

Route:

1. Bangalore – Hosur – Dindigul – Theni – Pathinamthitta (takes 17 – 18 hours)

2. Bangalore – hosur – Salem – (NH 47) Kottayam – KK road – Pathinamthitta

Where to stay:

1. Ashoka International
Opp State Bank of Travancore
College Road
Pathanamthitta

2. Elite Continental Hotel
MC Road, Tiruvella
Pathanamthitta Dist.

3. Panchami Hotel
Rly. St. Road, Tiruvella
Pathanamthitta Dist.

4. Hey Day Hotel
Near KSRTC Bus Stop
Pathanamthitta

Luxuary:

1. Hotel Voyage
Thiruvalla

2. Bessota International Hotel
Tiruvalla

Where to eat:

1. Hotel Amala, Near KSRTC bus stand, Pathanamthitta

2. Hotel Mannil Regency, Near Private bus stand, Kaipattoor Pathanamthitta Road, Pathanamthitta

3. Hotel Evergreen Continental, Near Private bus stand, Kaipattoor Pathanamthitta Road, Pathanamthitta

Language spoken: Malayalam, English, Hindi to an extent

Pathanamthitta was earlier ruled by Pandalam kings who were related to pandya dynasty of Tamil Nadu. Later in 1820 it was added to the state of Travancore. Finally on November 1, 1982 Pathanamthitta District was created. The economy of Pathanamthitta District is agriculture based. It is however very famous for religious tourism with a host of Hindu temples and the largest Christian congregation taking place here.

What to See:

Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple: Sabarimala Ayyappa temple is located up on the hill of Sahyadri hill range of Western Ghats. It is the most popular and holiest shrine of Hindus in kerela. Lord Ayyappa is the son of Lord Shiva. Every year devotees visit here between the month of November and January. To the reach temple one has trek around 4 – 5 km from river Pamba. For more info please visit the site: http://www.sabarimala.org/

Sree Vallabha temple at Thiruvalla: Located around 2 and 1/2 km away from Thiruvalla town Sree Vallabha temple is one of the 108 vaishnava thirupathis in India. The presiding deity here is Lord Vishnu. the famous kerela dance kathakali is performed here as a ritual to the lord.

Pandalam: Pandalam is a holy place as well of tourist interest. One can see Valiyakoikkal Temple, pandalam palace, Pandalam Mahadevar Temple, Kurampala Puthankavil Bhagavathi Temple, Thonnallur Pattupurakkavu Bhagavathi temple, Kaippuzha Sree Krishna Swami Temple, Poozhikkad Sree Dharma Sastha temple, * Kadakkad Mayayakshikkavu Sree Krishna Swami Temple, The centuries old Kadakkad Juma Masjid, Thumpamon Orthodox Cathedral and Kurampala St. Thomas Orthodox Church. It is located around 120 km from kochi and 105 km of Trivandram.

Parumala: This town is famous for Tomb of St. Gregorios (Parumala Thirumeni) – the first declared Indian Christian saint by the Orthodox Syrian Church. For more info visit: http://www.parumalachurch.com/

Omalloor: Located around 4 km from Pathanamthitta town is a popular religious place. You see Rektha Kanda Swamy Temple, St. Thomas Orthodox church, Mathoor Kaavu Bhagavathi Temple on the banks of Achenkovil river etc.

Niranam: Niranam is located around 5 km from Tiruvalla town is the seat of the Orthodox Syrian Church. St Thomas has an apostle has constructed this church. For info visit: http://www.niranamdiocese.org/

Kodumon ChilanThiyambalam: This temple at Kodumon is dedicated to the Spider (Chilanthi) god and the well in the temple premises is said to cure various skin diseases.

Kallooppara: Kallooppara located around 6 km from Tiruvalla town, is a heritage rural area due to its uniqueness. You can see the Kallooppara church – http://www.kalloopparachurch.com/. For more info on this place visit: http://www.kallooppara.com

Kaviyoor: Kaviyoor is a historically very important place as it has history of both Hindusim, Jainism and Buddhism. Located around 5 km from Tiruvilla you can see a magnificent rock carved temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, Thirunelli Temple and Fort, Kaviyoor Mahadeva Temple and Njaliyil Bhagavathy Temple.

Paliakkara church: Paliakkara church is located in Tiruvalla and is popular for its design.

Perunthenaruvi Water Falls: Perunthenaruvi Water Falls is located around 15 km from Pathanamthitta town. Perunthenaruvi in English stand for “The Great Honey Stream”. This place is accessible by local bus or you can hire a vehicle.

Charalkunnu: Charalkunnu located around 17 km from Pathanamthitta is a popular hill resort.

Kakki Reservoir: Kakki Reservoir is an artificial lake formed by the creation of Kakki and Anathode dams were built in 1966. This a popular picnic spot located in the Pathanamthitta reserve forest. One can look for home stays there.

IRCTC Char Dham Yatra Packages

admin — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 09:45:48 +0000

IRCTC launches Chardham Yatra Packages in the domestic tourism market

These Holiday variant packages comprises of best of the services including accommodation in Standard Hotels, Vegetarian meals, Transport from Ex Delhi and Sight seeing of various Holy tourist attractions and comforts specially designed for domestic travelers.

Char Dham Package (11Nights/12Days)

CharDham Darshan

Char Dham is referred to the four Hindu religious sites in Uttarakhand state of India. These are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath. Nestled in the lap of majestic Himalayas, these four sites are the epicenter of religious activity in north India.

Price starting from: Rs.23800/-

Do Dham Yatra-Kedarnath and Badrinath (07 Nights/08 Days)

Kedarnath shrine, one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, is a scenic spot situated, against the backdrop of majestic Kedarnath range. Badrinath – one of the most celebrated pilgrimage spots of the country, Badrinath is situated at an elevation of 3,133 mts.

Price starting from: Rs.13750/-
Kedarnath & Badrinath

Gangotri and Yamunotri-Do Dham Yatra (06 Nights/07 Days)

Gangotri & Yamunotri Darshan

Both these Shrines are in the icy Garhwal ranges and regarded as the most sacred of all Himalayan ranges. It is also said that heaven and earth converge in these holy spots, and to be born or die here is a boon only the very fortunate have.

Price starting from: Rs.15400/-

EK Dham Yatra -Gangotri Package (04 Nights/05 Days)

The temple was constructed in the early 18th century by a Gorkha Commander Amar Sigh Thapa. The origin of the holy river is at Gaumukh, set in the Gangotri Glacier, and is a 19 km trek from Gangotri.

Price starting from: Rs.9050/-
Gangotri Darshan

Ek Dham Yatra- Badrinath Package (04 Nights/05 Days)
Badrinath Darshan

Badrinath is the most important of the four sites in India?s Char Dham pilgrimage. Badrinath is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River.Badri refers to a berry that was said to grow abundantly in the area, and nath refers to Vishnu.

Price starting from: Rs.11150/-

Booking & more information Contact:

IRCTC North Zone Office
Ginger rail Yatri Niwas Building ,
Ajmeri Gate Side , New Delhi
Tel – 011-23701100, 23701101, 23232908
E-mail: himanshu.bhatt@irctc.com , Website- www.railtourismindia.com

Trip to Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 22:06:13 +0000

Location: Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu

District Headquarter: Dindigul

Distance: 138 km from Coimbatore, 500 km from Bangalore, 80 from Palani, 260 km from Ooty, 90 km from Dindigul, 120 km from Madurai, 330 km from Cochin, 1013 km from Hyderabad, 366 km from Tiruvandrum

Journey time: Around 11 – 12 hrs by Bus

How to reach there: By KSRTC Rajhamsha bus or private bus operated by Sharma Travels and KPN Travels. By train you may travel upto Kodai road and from there you will have to board a bus or hire a vehicle upto Kodaikanal.

Route:

1. Bangalore – Krishnagiri – Hosur – Dharmapuri – Salem – Kodai road – Kodaikanal
(Sharma travels and KSRTC takes this route)

2. Bangalore – Krishnagiri – Hosur – Dharmapuri – Erode – Palani – Kodaikanal ( This route is longer – KPN takes this route)

Where to stay:

Budget/Average range

1. Hotel Hilltop towers
Club road, Kodaikanal 624101
Ph: 240413, 242253, 242254
email: reservations@hilltopgroup.in
website: www.hilltopgroup.in

2. Paradise Inn
Paradise Compound, Laws Ghat Road
ph: 04542 – 241075, 241175

3. Hotel J’s Heritage
P.T road, Near Seven road
ph: 04542 – 240413, 242253

4. Kodai resort
Noyce road

5. Hotel Sivapriya
Convent road Kodaikanal
ph: 04542 – 241226, 241227, 241228, 241229
Cell: 09443029933
email: hspkodai@gmail.com
website: www.hotelsivapriya-kodai.com

Luxuary:

1. Summer Migration
Lourdpuram, Villpatty Village
Naidupuram, Kodaikanal
Ph: 04542 – 241943, 241953
Website: www.sealinehotels.com

2. THE CARLTON
Lake Road, Kodaikanal- 624 101.
Tel: 04542 -240056 -71
Fax: 04542 -241170.
E-mail: carlton@krahejahospitality.com
Website: http://www.krahejahospitality.com/carlton/homepage.htm

Where to eat:

1. Hilltop Restaurants
( address same as Hilltop hotel)

2. Tibet Restaurant
P.T road
ph: 9600791479

Language spoken: Mainly Tamil and English. Hindi is understood and spoken to an extent.

Kodaikanal can loosely mean in Tamil – a place to see in summer. Kodaikanal has been established a refuge from the hotter plains by American Missionaries and the then British government in 1845. Kodaikanal also known as Kodai is situated at an altitude of 2133 MSL (meters above sea level). The point in Kodaikanal touches above 7500 ft. Kodai finds its mention in the Tamil literature works of the early sangam era.

Kodaikanal is also famous for its reputed institutions of education like Kodaikanal International School, Zion Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Kodaikanal Christian college, Kodaikanal institute of Technology. The economy of Kodaikanal is mainly tourism based.

What to See:

I will segregate the places into city tour and outskirt tour for your convenience and easy management:

City Tour

1. Kodaikanal Lake: Kodaikanal lake is an artificial lake created by Sir Vere Hentry Levinge, the then collector of Madurai in 1863. The 60 acres lake has walk throughout its periphery and offers boating. Nearby is Bryant park.

2. Coaker’s Walk: Coaker’s walk is a 1 km path by the edge of mount Nebo offering breathtaking view Dolphin’s nose, Pamber river and even Madurai city on clear day. It was constructed by Lt.Coaker in 1872. It runs parallel to the Van Allen Hospital Road.

Entry fee: Rs 2

3. Bryant park: This park was built by the then forest officer of Madurai H.D.Bryant in 1908. The botanical garden includes various species of flowers and trees. There are sitting spaces and good for flower photography. The park also has a glass house, but entry is prohibited.

4. Golf course: kodaikanal golf course is located around 6 km from city center at the Golf link road. Located over 7000 ft above sea level, it is a 18 hole par 71 golf course. It was established by British in 1895.

5. Pillar Rocks: As the name says, you can three rocks standing adjacent to each other like pillars. On a clear day you can view the valley. On a heavy misty day, you might not even see the pillar rock. There two beautiful public flower garden. The one on the left hand side charges an entry fees of Rs 2 person and a camera fees of Rs 5. To enter one on the right hand side, you will have to exit Pillar rocks and enter it from the front. Entry fees Rs 2 person – no camera fees.

Note: Do try the hot chilly and onion bhajhi (fried) from the vendors outside Pillar Rocks.

6. Devil’s kitchen (Guna cave): It is a cave system and it is called Devil’s kitchen because it is infested with bats. The deeps narrow ravines of cave system has been closed with perforated iron sheets after some deaths took place. The Tamil movie Guna was shot here.

7. Moier Point: This point acts both as a view point and a memorial of General Moier is located here. This area is infested with monkeys. Besides there is a road which leads to Berijam lake and then to Munnar. Following this road Munnar is only 100 km from kodaikanal. However, this road was closed to public in 1990 for animal preservation.

8. Shanthi valley View: This one of the many view points

9. Upper lake View: From here one can get a panoramic view of Kodaikanal lake

10. Pine Forests: Pine forest can be seen now extensively in Kodaikanal. However, they are not native they have been planted by British forest officers.

11. Green valley View: Another viewpoint on the outskirts of Kodaikanal located 5 km from the bus stand. It offers nice views of the plains. One can also see Vaigai Dam built across the Vaigai River near Andipatti, in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu. All these if you are lucky to have clear day. However, it has a bazaar on both the sides of the stairway.

12. Kodai City View: From here on can get a panoramic view of Kodaikanal city.

13. Kurinji Andavar Temple: This temple is located around 4 km from the bus stand. The presiding deity here is Lord Murugan. Nearby is Kurinji plants which bloom only once in 12 years. It last bloomed on 2004. On the other side one can see Palani view. It was built by a European lady in 1936 who married an Indian and converted to Hindusim.

14. Palani View: It is a view point located near Kurinji Andavar temple from where one can see Palani town on a clear day.

15. Chettiar park: Chettiar park was named after the owner of the property. This is beautiful ornamental garden. One can find various seasonal flowers and ornamental plants. Very good for flower photography.

16. Bear Shola falls: Bear Shola falls is located around 3 km from Kodaikanal bus stand inside a reserve forest. Apart from late monsoon season there may not be much water, however 1 km trek inside the forest till the falls is an awesome experience. When I was there it was raining and had to take help of an umbrella to reach. Nevertheless, it was a different experience altogether.

17. La Saleth Church: It an old church established by the American missionaries.

18. Pambar falls: Another smalls falls on the Pambar river. Dont expect much there. However, there is a wholesale market where you can purchase pure home made chocolates, indigenous herbs like Eucalyptus oil, rose water etc.

Outskirts of the city:

1. Silver Cascade falls: Silver cascade falls is located on Laws Ghat road around 8 km from Kodaikanal. This falls was formed by the outlet of Kodaikanal lake. Bathing may not be advisable due to poor quality of water.

2. Berijam lake, Silent valley view, Fire tower, Hat lifting rock, Caps fly valley: All this comes on the way to Berijam lake. The fire tower was an observatory point to look for wild fire. Berijam lake is one of the best fresh water lakes in south India.

3. Fairy falls: This falls is located around 5 km from kodaikanal lake.

4. Kundar falls: It is a small in the midst of pine forests.

6. Pine forest: You can check various pine forests in the outskirts.

7. Sheep Farm: It is a sheep farm run by the Central Sheep and Wool research institute.

8. Mannavanur Lake: Mannavanur Lake is a nice picnic spot. One has to walk around half a km to reach the lake from the main road. One can also try a horse ride there and bath there.

9. Mannavanur Lake view: From this view point one can view Mannavanur Lake and side by the sheep farm. If you are lucky you can view beautiful sheep strolling.

10. Poomparai Village view: Poomparai Village is small farming community which grows vegetables like carrot by zoom cultivation etc. There is small temple in the middle of the valley.

11. Solar Observatory: The solar observatory is located on the highest point in Kodaikanal over 7500 ft. There is museum which is open to public only on Friday.

12. Perumal peak: Perumal peak is the height peak in this area and is located around 12 km outside Kodaikanal town. Also popular with trekkers.

13. Dolphin Nose: Dolphin’s nose is a rock projecting over a deep gorge and resembles a Dolphin’s nose. Located around 8 km from kodaikanal bus stand, one can also see here Pambar falls and few villages. Liril soap advertisement was filmed here at Pambar falls.

Taken on the way to Palani

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Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum District, Kerela

admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:15:35 +0000

Location: Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum is located in the shothern part of Kerela. In the north it shares border with Kollam district, on the west it has Arabian sea, on the south it has Indian Ocean and in the east it shares border with Kanyakumari district and Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

District Headquarter: Thiruvananthapuram

Distance: It is located 753 km from Bangalore, 1315 km from Hyderabad, 708 km from Chennai, 2814 km from Delhi, 1543 from Mumbai. To check distance of Thiruvananthapuram from various cities of India, click here.

Journey time: 12 hrs by Karnataka and Kerela state buses. Should take less by private vehicle.

How to reach there: By bus, train and flight.

Route: Bangalore – Hosur – Kathujuganapalli – Dharmapuri – Salem – karur – Dindigul – Thirumangalam – Seithur – Tenkasi – Thiruvananthapuram

Where to stay:

Luxuary:

1. Classic avenue
Manjalikulam Road ,Thampanoor
Trivandrum – 695001
Kerala
India

Tel : +91 471 2333555
Fax : +91 471 2338855
Email: mail@classicavenue.net
For Reservations: reservations@classicavenue.net
Website: www.classicavenue.net, www.bestwesternindia.com

2. Muthoot Plaza
Punnen Road, Thiruvananthapuram-695039,
Kerala, India.
Tel: +91 471 2337733
Fax: +91 471 2337734
Email: tvm@muthootplaza.com
Website: www.sarovarhotels.com

3. The South Park
Kerala Hotels Pvt. Ltd
M G Road, Trivandrum 695 034, Kerala, India
Tel +91 471 2333333 Fax +91 471 2331861
E-mail: reservations@thesouthpark.com
Website: http://www.thesouthpark.com

4. Palmleaves Beach Resort,
Puthenthoppu PO, Thiruvananthapuram
Tel: 0471-2168196
Mob: +919446545163
E-mail: info@palmleaves.in
Website: palmleaves.in

5. Taj Green Cove Resort is a 5 star hotel in Kovalam, overlooking the Arabian sea

6. Taj Residency

7. The Leela Kovolam

Average or Economic:

1. Ginger Hotel
Electronic Technology Park
Technopark Campus
Kariavattom
Kerala – 695581
India

2. Hotel Horizon
Aristo Road, Trivandrum-700 020,
Kerala

3. Hotel Silver Sand

4. Hotel Chaithram
http://www.ktdc.com/chaithram.php

5. Hotel Regency
Manjalikulam Cross Road, Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram – 695001
Phone: 91 – 471 – 2330377/2331541
Fax: 91 – 471 – 2331690, P.B.No: 65, Cable: Regency
Email: info@hotelregency.com / hotelregency@satyam.net.in / regencytvm@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.hotelregency.com

Where to eat:

1. Azad Restaurant/Hotel located at Statue Junction, Near overbridge and Vazhuthacaud.
2. Mubarak restaurant, Ruby nagar, Chalai
3. Kaithal Restaurant, Chalai
4. Balan’s Tattukada, Kaithamukku
5. Casa Bianca, Vazhuthacaud
6. KTDC floating restaurant, Veli
7. Hotel Geeth – at Statue, good Kerala food. Lunch Buffet at Rs. 190

Language spoken: Malayalam and English. Tamil and Hindi is understood and spoken at an extent.

Best time to visit – Between October and February

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of the Indian state of Kerela and also the district headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram district. Its history dates back to more than 1000 BC. The name Thiruvananthapuram derives from padmanabha swamy temple located in the heart of the city. In Sanskrit means “City of Lord Anantha” – the serpent on which Lord Padmanabha/Vishnu reclines. Legend is was a old trading port for spices etc from the time of king Solomon. After formation of Kerala state in 1957, it was decided to retain Thiruvananthapuram as the capital city.

What to See:

Sree padmanabha swamy temple: Thiruvanathapuram was built around the padmanabha swamy temple and the deity Lord Padmanadha (Vishnu) was crowned emperor by the erstwhile Travancore royal family and they used to rule the state in the name of Lord Padmanabha. The temple architecture is a mixture Tamil and local style. It includes golden mandaps, musical pillars, a geometrically located pond called Padmatheertham etc. The temple belongs to the royal family of Travancore and taken care by them. Only Hindu” />

East Fort: It is called East fort because only the eastern side of fort built in European style remains today. The gate of East lies in front of the Padmanabha temple. In evening the fort is illuminated.

The Kerala Government Secretariat: This building was built in 1860 as the Royal Durbar Hall of Travancore Kingdom: it was designed by British Royal Engineers Corps combining Roman-Dutch-English-Kerala architectures. There is a museum inside apart from government offices.

The Napier Museum: Located in museum compound, the Napier museum is named after a former Madras governor, General John Napier. It was designed by English architect Chrisholm by combining English-Saxon-Travancore architectural styles. This museum displays rare archaeological and historical artifacts including bronze idols and ivory carvings.(Open 10AM-5PM, closed on Mondays and before noon Wednesday.)

Sree Chithra Art Gallery: Located in the museum compound features paints of famous Indian painters like Ravi Raja Varma, Raja Raja Varma, Nicholas Roderich etc.

The Zoological Park: Opened in 1843, it was the first zoo in India, as a concept of Palace for wildlife. Situated in the Museum compound, this area is a rich botanical garden. There is a wide variety of animals, plants and birds. It has a separate reptile park and butterfly garden.

Timings: Tuesday – Sunday 10 am – 5 pm, Monday closed

Palace museum: East entrance of the the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. – Has a good collection of many antique items from the Travancore era Kings. Thrones, paintings and many belongings kept in a very good condition housed in an erstwhile royal building.

Kerala Legislature Assembly Complex: The new Legislature Assembly Complex called as Niyamasabha (Law House in Malayalam), is a super imposing modern structure located in heart of the city. Its famous for its classical Kerala architecture with ornate teak works, a unique Kerala styled dome, exquisitely designed interiors and a vast expanse of greenery around it. A photo shoot before this structure is a favorite activity among tourists.

Legislature Museum: Adjacent to Legislature assemble, there is a good museum that depicts history of South Asian Legislature assemblies. This building was once the headquarters of Travancore Royal Nair Brigade (Travancore Army). Today its one of the best galleries, that can give you a detailed look into history of South Asian legislature activities and process.

Kanaka Kunnu Palace: (Golden Hill Palace in malayalam) is a cultural hotspot of the town. The large palace and its sprawling gardens was once the banquet palace for visiting State guests of Travancore. Today its famous for its galleries and the grand lawns serve as open air auditoriums for regular concerts and evening dance programs.

Priyadarshini Space Planetarium: It is one of the largest planetariums of India rated as one of the best horizontal planetariums of the world, with a good collection of astronomical science objects from ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization). It has 2 major shows regarding various secrets of universe. It has a good Sky Theater, a large conference hall and venue of regular space related programs.

Kerala Science and Technology Museum: Located near to Priyadarshini Planetarium, is one of the largest science museum, featuring a time-line of various technologies in area of electronics, technology etc. There are several galleries on Electrical Engineering, Biomedical, Mechanical Engineering, etc. It has a very good collection of many electronic equipments and a good 3D Theatre with regular shows.

Chachanehru Children’s: This Museum is a good children museum with a large collection of dolls, masks, paintings etc. A mini aquarium and water play area is set here. Located in Thycuad, in the heart of city, is a good evening spot for families.

Kuthiramalika Palace It is a unique palace designed by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal (a famous musical genius Maharaja of Travancore), this palace is famous for its horse shaped windows and decor. This palace, located near to Padmanabhaswamy temple has some good collections of antiques related to Maharaja Swati Thirunal’s times. This palace is venue of famous Swathi Thirunal Music Festival as well as many other musical concerts patronized by Royal family.

Kowidar Palace: A super-imposing structure, located in Kowidar. This is the current official residence of Travancore Maharajas and royal family and off-the-limits for public. However a friendly guard may let you inside to have a glimpse of this large architectural wonder built in mixture of Saxon-Travancore styles. The public however can enter into Panchavadi, the resting place of Late H.H Maharaja Chitra Thirunal- the last King of Travancore who was a very popular king.

Excursions from Thiruvananthapuram city:

The Padmanabhapuram Palace The old headquarters of Travancore Royal family, is one of the most attractive palaces, which no tourist can’t afford to miss. The palace is recorded as World’s largest Wooden Palace, by Guinness Books of Records. It is entirely made of teak and rosewood and have an exquisite flooring made of granite and a rare ayurvedic mixture with secret extracts to keep the floor cool in summer season and warm during rainy season. It has a grand Dubar Hall made out of rosewood and glass. The Palace houses a numerous rare antiques, including 600 year old spice bed, a rare bed made out of a special wood treated in various spices, to rejuvenate the kings as well as sandal pillars. The clock tower is one of the oldest in South Asia, that is still working. It is 65 km from Trivandrum City and is in the Kanniyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. However the palace and fort is still maintained by Kerala Government. The royal sword of Travancore Maharajas is preserved here, which is taken to Trivandrum as a grand procession during Arattu Festivals of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

Kovalam beach: Kovalam is a very popular sea beach with foreign as well as India tourists. The pristine crescent shaped beaches provides an ideal location to swim or bask in the sun. There three beaches namely light house beach where a light housed is located is the largest one, hawa beach the second largest and samudra beach the third. In Hawa beach, topless bathing may be found. It is located around 17 km from Thiruvananthapuram city.

Where to stay:

1. Aardvah Hotel

2. Beach Kiss Resort
KOVALAM, TRIVANDRUM (District)
Kerala.
Phone: 0471 – 2480235
http://www.beachkissresort.com/

3. Green Valley Cottages

4. Hotel Samudra
http://www.samudrakovalam.com/index.php

5. Orion Beach Resort
http://www.orionbeachresort.com/index.html

Shanghumukham Beach This city beach is 8 km outside the city, adjacent to the airport. Local people flock there to watch the sunset. Its a good well maintained safe beach. There is an indoor recreation club nearby. Matsyakanyaka a gigantic sculpture of a mermaid by Kanai Kunjiraman arouses mixed reaction. A small garden and star-fish shaped restaurant operates there, attracts large crowds. There is also a peaceful temple nearby.

Veli Tourist Village: A lake blending into the beach, almost as if it were teasing the sea. Boating, Horse Riding on the beach, a floating bridge, a shallow pond where you can feed the fish, beautifully maintained gardens. Very famous among tourists, especially those interested in water adventure sports.

Some other places you may watch:

Kazhakuttom Mahadeva Temple
Aruvikkara Dam
Koyikkal Palace,
Nedumangad
Peyyar Dam
Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary
SreeMahadeva Temple

Vizhinjam – Head down to the harbor at sunset for some spectacular shots of the area with the seaside Mosque in the background. The atmosphere is quite lively with fisherman heading to and from the sea. Note: Once the sun is down, it is probably best to head back to Kovalam unless you are with a guide.

Varkala Beach: Varkala is a town in the Indian state of Kerala, about 50km north of Trivandrum and is home of the popular Papanasam Beach.

What to see:

1. Shree Janardhana Swamy temple

2. Sivagiri

3. Nature Care Centre. Papanasam.

4. East West University of Brahmavidya. Established by Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati, Disciple of Nataraja Guru.

5. Narayana Gurukula. Established by Nataraja Guru.

6. Varkala Tunnel. Built by the British in 1880.

7. Fishing Hamlets of Anjengo and its British Fort

8. Coir Processing Centres. In the Backwaters of Akathumuri, Kadakkavur

9. Edava Beach . Beautiful and serene beaches where you can bask in the sun and salubrious climate. In fact Edava beaches are yet to be explored by the tourists. If you go further towards Kappil you will find blue lagoon, where sea and backwaters running parallel divided by a more-than-one km of straight road. There is also an estuary that connect the sea with the backwaters here

Where to eat:

1. Respiro Heathy Food
2. Shiva Garden Kerala Restauran
3. The Funky Art Cafe

Where to stay:

1. Varkala Park Hotel

Ponmudi: Ponmudi in Malayalam means the golden peak is a small hill station located around 62 km from Thiruvananthapuram city at an altitude of 1100m.

What to see there:

* Freshwater Springs of the river Kallar.
* A deer park is there at the mountain top.
* Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary
* Lion Safari and Deer Park
* Aranmula water carnival
* Golden Valley
* Agasthiya Biological Park
* Ponmudi Crest
* Meenmutti falls lies close to the place.

Mankayam is 45 kms from Thiruananthapuram. It is situated near Palode in Nedumangad taluk and is 500 mts above sea level. A beautiful hill area surrounded with varieties of ever green trees and beautiful water falls.

Arrippa is 52 km away from Thiruvananthapuram and accessible from Thiruvananthapuram-Shenkotta road. It is an enchanting place for those who love variety of beautiful birds and wild animals. Journey to the colony of tribes and a camp in the forest are interesting things to the adventurous people.

Thenmala, a centre for eco-tourism is 72 kms away from Thiruvananthapuram and is accessible from Thiruvananthapuram-Shenkkotta road. It is situated 500 mts above sea level. Thenmala is an interesting place to those who love adventurous journey and is prolific of beautiful birds and wild animals. There are lot of facilities to understand the nature close. Theatre of folk-lore, shops of handy crafts, hanging bridge, sculpture garden and specially arranged path for eco-system are the specialties of Thenmala.

Agasthyakoodam is a prominent peak in the Sahyadri ranges of the western Ghat next to Anamudi. It is about 1869 metres above sea level. It can be approached on foot from Bonacaud which is 61 kms away from Thiruvananthapuram. The forest Department issues special pass for the entry with some conditions. Tradition says that the great sage Agasthya had his ‘Tapas’ there. In the period of British rule, there was a friction between the rulers of Travancore and tamil Nadu over the right of ownership of the place. The case was later trailed in a court in England and the Court orders infavour of Travancore. Allen Brown, an English Scientist had built an observatory there. Later it was ruined for lack of proper guard. The remains of it can be seen there now. Beautiful orchids and variety of plants are also found here in large numbers. It being a home to certain birds and a seasonal dwelling to a huge set of certain migratory ones, this mountain attracts professional as well as occasional bird watchers. This legendary mountain can also be accessed on foot from Kotoor, Neyardam, and also from Bonacud. The ideal season for trucking is from December to April. This place is also noted for its abundant Ayurvedic herbs. The Government of Kerala has declared this area as biological park for the protection of bio-diversity.

If you want to rent a bicycle you may contact: Vacation India Ph: 2312028 Fax: 2314561

For more info you may also visit the Kerela government site for Thiruvananthapuram district at: http://trivandrum.gov.in

Chronicle of Visit to Assam

admin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:54:53 +0000

In the last week of the last month (May 2010) I visited Assam after a long time. With a small number of leaves, I decided to fly. I started to check for flights and fare. I suggest using Makemytrip.com as it is very easy to use, provides various options, good fare and good service. I had two options – either fly upto Guwahati and then board a night super or fly upto Silchar. The fare difference between the former and the latter is only little over Rs 1000. So I bought a ticket on Indigo from Bangalore to Kolkata and then on Indian Airlines from Kolkata to Silchar for little over Rs 6700.

On 24th morning I left home by 4.30 am to catch a BIA volvo bus to Bangalore Airport. As now a days Metro rail construction is going on at CMH road, buses do not ply on this road. I inquired the day before and I was told BIA buses will stop at CMH hospital or near Indiranagar BDA complex. After waiting there for sometime a BIA volvo bus arrived. The bus already had a few passengers and it cost me Rs 165 to Bangalore airport. Covering over 40 km distance I reached there by 6 am.

The newly built Bangalore International Airport is beautiful and has good amenities. This was my second visit to the Bangalore airport. As i bought the ticket online, I had to carry a printed copy of the tickets and a photo identity provided by the government of India. I carried my passport. At the Indigo counter I collected my boarding pass and was waiting in the lounge as my flight was scheduled at 8.25 am. Around 7.30 am I went for checkin. My language and mobile phone was checked separately by a X-ray scanner and I was frisked and scanned. Then I was waiting at the waiting area near the particular gate from where we were to be taken by the Indigo bus to the Aeroplane.

The service on Indigo flight was good and the pilot used to provide regular updates like the altitude, temperature etc. Wheres on Indian Airlines the pilot just said time for take off and time for landing. Looks like talking is too taxing for him. There was a brief stop over at Hyderabad (Rajiv Gandhi International Airport). The Hyderabad airport is also newly built under public – private partnership model. As we started to approach Kolkata the sky become cloudy and the pilot had to navigate the plane above the clouds. The weather in Kolkata was over cast and the pilot said the temperature was 27 degree Celsius. Reached Kolkata at 12 noon 5 mins after the scheduled time. After seeing Bangalore and Hyderabad airport, Kolkata airport looks like wrapped in time. However, the runways are very good. The terminal buildings do look old given that it was built long ago. But it could have been managed much better. It is so congested and clumsy.

After collecting my boarding pass for Indian Airlines flight to Silchar, I went through the mandatory checkin. Then I walked to the particular, from where the bus to will ferry people to the flight. But as usual Indian Airlines is late. one official from IA came to inform that the flight be late by an hour or so as they doing some Tyre repair. By then I was hungry and I was told there is no food counter inside the terminal. With nothing left, I went to Coffee Day. I ordered a chicken burger and to my amazement it cost me Rs 76. It not that I never had a burger of Rs 76, I typically have the much costly ones Rs 90 ginger burger of KFC. The Coffee Day burger do not worth it at all. Finally around 2 pm, we were called for the flight. It was an Airbus 320. As we entered Bangladesh airspace, the sky became very cloudy. at times we are surrounded by think clouds. The pilot had to navigate up and down for visibility. However, around Silchar airport it was little clear and we had a soft landing around 3 pm. Silchar airport is very small like a studio apartment. I am glad nevertheless it is there.

I started to look for a shared taxi. I was asked to pay Rs 150 but negotiated for Rs 100. Later I came to know the actual price is Rs 80 per person. Passing over Saraighat bridge, the first sight of club road and devdoot area was little disturbing, it was much more congested and many trees has been chopped. After getting down at Devdoot, I went directly to Sumo stand and luckily one Sumo was leaving for Lala. A shortcut route through Gaglachara has open now with the construction of Gaglachara bridge and saves travel time by over an hour. The journey of around 2 hours cost Rs 50 per person. As soon I reach Lala stand (Petrol pump), it started raining. I boarded a rickshaw to reach home. This stretch used to cost Rs 2 (at max Rs 3) and now Rs 5 is minimum (lol they even ask more).

Now after 7 years I am supposed to see some changes or better to say development. Well, it looks everywhere trees creates problems, so they have chopped most of the trees, roads are dirty and potholed, congestion in the main town area, shops and shops everywhere. Thats pretty development you see!

The first two days took rest and on 26th left for Silchar by the afternoon. These days after opening of the route via gaglachara, Jeeps and vans are doing brisk business. At Silchar too development has taken place, roads are potholed so much that it is good enough to start cultivation and the local administration has decided to give such produce to poor people. In places like ambicapatty, if you travel in a rickshaw after having food, it will be digested in a few minutes. The Club road used to have a lot of trees, however they have been chopped as they may interfere with the looks of the new building that have come up. Rickshaw fares have doubled, however shared auto service has been introduced with minimum fare Rs 5. New traffic rules, few traffic police manning the road and few dividers can be seen. Banks like HDFC and Axis have opened branch along with ATM. Lastly, congested shops and shops everywhere.

Back to Lala on 28th afternoon. On 29th visited temple besides ours and in the afternoon boarded the night super for Guwahati. Now they have built a separate bus stand for night supers and buses like Network, Pooja, Jaganath Travels operate from Lala. Reached Guwahati around 5 am in the morning. These days you have change a bus from Khanapara to Paltan Bazaar, as the bus goes to ISBT. Checked in Ambassador Hotel and took rest the whole day. Went for lunch and dinner at the nearby hotels ( Biswanath and …., no good food though). Next day (30th) boarded Bangalore express at 6.30 am ( Old time was 5 am).

The Indian Railways is a great platform for the great Indian tamasha. Almost everybody suddenly feels he/she is a Lata Mangeshkar/Kishore kumar, all young guys and sometime the not so young too feel they can match Don Juan, a bogey is meant for 72 persons, but you will find more than 100 persons, near the exit/entrance passage will chocked for any movement, for any chance TTE (Train Ticket Examiner) will ask for chai pani. One can find all sorts of people there, setting up the stage.

The train (# 2501) crossed Assam by the afternoon and through out west Bengal, Orissa and Andhra it was like boiler country. I am glad that we crossed Chennai early in the morning. As we crossed Bangerpet, the look of the gave me an instinct that it might be cloudy or raining in Bangalore. We reached Bangalore around 1 am and we got down at Cantonment railway station. As usual an exchange of words with porters and auto drivers on the way to reach home.

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Trip to Pyramid Valley, Bangalore

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 06:09:29 +0000

Location: 1.5 km off Kanakpura road in Kebbedoddi Village, Harohalli Hobli

Distance: Around 35 km from Bangalore city center, 26 km from Banashankari bus stand

How to reach there: I suggest you better go there by private vehicle. However, you can go by bus. Catch any bus going to Kanakpura and get down at Kebbedoddi Village and catch a auto or walk to pyramid valley.

Route: Bangalore – Kanakpura road – Nice road junction – after 17 km look for Pyramid valley sign on the left hand side – take left here and ride another 1.5 km to reach Pyramid valley

Where to have food: Pyramid campus has a dinning area where free food is provided during lunch and dinner hours

Where to stay: Accommodation is available

Languages spoken: Mainly they were speaking in Telugu but Kannada, Hindi and English also spoken and understood

Pyramid valley is basically a international mediation center. A giant pyramid has been constructed in a valley amidst greenery. It is believed that pyramids can attract huge energy, so meditating here can shower one with positive energy. Pyramid valley was founded by Brahmarshi Patriji who also formed the pyramid Spiritual Societies Movement.

At the entrance you will be asked by the security to enter you details like name, address, phone #. As you proceed, you will be greeted by a Buddha statue and in the background the hidden tip of the pyramid. The pyramid can accommodate over 5000 people at a time and they claim it to be the largest meditational pyramid in the world.

At the entrance to the pyramid you can see various contemporary art of India and various meditation teachings by the founder. Inside the pyramid one is supposed to maintain complete silence. At the middle of the pyramid base, they have created a higher dais which can be climbed using a staircase. This place specifically earmarked for people weo can meditate for at-least 1/2 an hour.

It conducts classes, workshops and seminars on meditation at the campus. The campus is 40 acres in area and the pyramid stands 104 ft tall.

Contact Info:

Head Office:

Pyramid Valley Campus
The Pyramid Spiritual Trust (India)
#609/5, 15th Cross, J. P. Nagar 6th Phase
Bangalore 560078, India
phone: +91 80 4343 2525
email: info@pyramidvalley.org

Campus address:

Maitreya-Buddha Vishwalayam, Pyramid Valley
Kebbedoddi Village, Harohalli Hobli
Kanakapura Taluk, Ramanagar Dist.
Karnataka, India

Website: http://www.pyramidvalley.org/