A Visit to Chokkanathaswamy temple, Domlur !!!

It was such a wonderful evening where we were planning to visit a temple close by our locality and were looking to find out a new one which we had never been to ! So we happened to visit Chokkanathaswamy temple that day which is located in Domlur, Bangalore. 'Domlur' was once referred to as 'Tommalur' as per the Tamil inscriptions found in the temple. The main God of the temple is seen to be Chokkanathaswamy or Chokka Perumal (Lord Vishnu) along with his consorts Sridevi & Bhoodevi. The God and the Goddess idols are made up of Saligrama shell brought from Gandaki river in Nepal. It is one of the oldest temples built during the Chola period. The temple is not so crowded, its such a devotional and tranquil place to meditate and pray. The temple was initially built during 10 th century by Raja Raja Chola and later upgraded by Vijayanagara empire. The sanctum sanctorum (garbha griha) and ardha Mandapam belongs to Chola period whereas the front navaranga is typically built in Vijayanagara style. The inscriptions of the temple are carved on the walls in Dravidian (Tamil) language.

As per the temple history (sthala purana), once there lived a great sage who performed intense penance at this place to get the blessings of 'Lord Vishnu'. Accordingly, Lord Vishnu was pleased and emerged in front of the sage and apprised to install his "moola vigraham" (main idol) so that the people here can regularly worship and fulfill their wishes. The moola vigraham was installed at a high place so that it can receive the radiation of cosmic energy and radiate in all eight directions at all times. The temple is built in such a way that it faces the east. Hence we can notice the sun rays falling on the main deity at the time of Sun rise, specially one can see it clearly during the end of february to first week of March and also during end of August to first week of September of every calender year during Uttarayana and Dakshinayana periods respectively. It is presumed that people who worship the Lord and do pradhakshinam here are blessed with his grace to fulfill their wishes. Also the fact that this is the only temple in Bangalore to possess pranic energy. Yes, it's the invisible energy that helps to keep the human body alive. So we could experience positive vibes inside the temple. It gives us such a divine feeling to see Lord Vishnu (one who prefers decoration) so beautifully dressed up with exquisite clothes, jewellery & flowers along with his consorts ! It has also got a seperate shrine for Ganesha and Hanuman at the entrance itself on either side of the temple. The temple also reminds us of the Anthima Smrurthi (last thought) which one should never forget. It means giving up oneself or remembering God in our last moments before death in order to attain "Mooksham". Needless to say, a must visit place for all the temple lovers !!!

An Amusing Group Trek !!!

Can we go despite the no entry rope been seen at the doorway of the hilly path? That really doesn't matter as we are not the only one proceeding, there were many such people trying to accompany us. Here comes our first ever family trek, a group trek of 3 families. We all would certainly be having some cognizance about trekking but not knowing exactly how stimulating it is without really experiencing it ! Are you all up for some adventure ? Yes, it's always so delightful & boisterous going on a group trip especially when close friends accompany us. As we start climbing the steps, suddenly one of the voice muttered, hey dude, if you really wish to slim down make the best use of this opportunity to burn your calories. Else you can also consider carrying any of our kiddos to reduce your belly fat 😂 The other voice whispered, come on guys, we need to make it fast as we need to visit the caves as well and get back before the sunset ! We could see quite a lot of people climbing along with us as it was a long weekend.

The steps in the mountainous path were not too steep to climb as the caves inside. We were able to make it till the last and just thinking whether or not to get into the caves. There were approximately 250-300 steps which one could easily climb without any hitches. Our kids were all so zestful and trying to ascend the hill with full energy. We had to take a breath then and there as we couldn't be able to climb all at once ! We all stopped at that one point when the path got redirected and showed the way towards the caves.

The action-packed part of our trekking is moving through the caves. We were all gazing at each other! Are we gonna take a chance that too with our little ones !? Why not ?? Let's try because having come to this level and without passing through the caves wouldn't be a justice to our trip. Also it wouldn't be fulfilling without getting into the caves. So let's do it and also we are not alone here, there are many others making their way on to the caves. We have people to help out if at all something goes wrong.

We were already exhausted and damn thirsty by the time we reached the top. We finished all our water bottles halfway through the climbing hill. Luckily there were some vendors selling cucumber and water on the top of the hill literally saved us. We were able to catch the sight of the entire city of Kolar from the peak point and took some nice photographs. We also happened to meet another beautiful family at the cave entry point who accompanied us for the rest of our trip.

The first climbing rock that is the entry path towards the caves itself is so perilous that one require more insights on trekking to pass through it successfully without any hindrance. We were all set to get into the first cave with our little ones. Few of our juniors were crying so badly but we some how managed and got into the first cave.

Some of our friends thought of returning back as it was really tough to explore the caves along with our little ones. But few others tempted & motivated us to do more stunts! Another impediment here is the absence of guide, had we gone with a guide we would have faced it in a better way. We were just inquiring to other people there and trying to make our way better. Now after getting into the first cave we just gaped at each other not knowing exactly on what to do next if to proceed or to come back. We were also not sure on which path to take next. All the other people following us were also the same and making an attempt to discover the unknown path. We can't come back also as we were all got stuck literally in the mid of the caves not knowing exactly on how to proceed and make our way out. Searching for someone to clear up. Luckily a person who seems to be like a guide came by and assisted us towards the exit path. We took his advice and progressed our way towards the exit. He also taught us on how exactly to navigate inside a cave as there were few rocks where one need to crawl to move through it. Another one awaited more action than the previous one where we slithered down in the rocky surface.

Some of us were finding it difficult to cope with the situation as we didn't wear proper sport shoes, so better to carry a pair of shoes along with you when you go. There were actually 3-4 caves where we were literally playing ball passing game with our little ones. At one point our kids became exuberant that they wanted to climb more but we were unable to keep pace with them. It's such an arduous journey that one can't go without a guide but undoubtedly a great experience for all of us. Finally we were back to our hilly path with full confidence and fun filled adventure. We could also find some villages on the other side of the mountain. And the monkeys which I forgot to mention, yes you can anticipate a cluster of monkeys there since it's a hilly region. Therefore see to it that you don't carry any eatables visibly with you. It's just a baby trek as compared to that of other high altitude treks but having said that it intrigued us to do more trekking in future. It's almost half a day by the time we finished trekking.

Are you all wondering what the place is ?! It's Antharagange situated in Kolar district of Karnataka. It is located about 3 kms from Kolar and 70 kms from Bangalore. In kannada 'Anthara Gange' means 'Ganges from deep'.The place is revered for its temple named Kashi Vishweshwara temple. The main God of the temple is lord Shiva and this particular place has been acknowledged as the 'Kashi of South'. The temple has a pond inside where the water flow continuously from the mouth of Nandi (shiva's vahana) and the source of water is unknown. It is also believed to be extremely holy that drinking water or taking a dip in the water cleanse one from many diseases. Having finished our trekking we took the darshan of God. Those who wish to visit the temple exclusively can very well skip the trekking and just see the temple as they both are located apart from each other. However the main attraction of the place is trekking!

I would definitely suggest this place for a one day trip from Bangalore and the ideal time of visit would be between September to January as it wont be too hot so that one can easily climb the hills without any hustles.

Few tips for travellers -

1. Sports shoe is a must for trekking.
2. Carry enough bottles of water, juices as there were no shops nearby.

An Exhilarating Trip - Exploring Karnataka !!!

Hurray it's vacation time! Finally the end of the most challenging year 2020 for all of us as the pandemic has threatened the entire universe to an unprecedented situation. Yes, of course we all would definitely want to come out of those detrimental effects impacted on us due to covid19 and really hope and look forward for a better new year 2021. 

So after being sequestered from the real world for almost a year, we had been planning for an outing to celebrate the new year pretty well. My hubby and I have started checking on the list of places to explore in and around Bangalore and finally decided for a 3-4 day trip to Sringeri and Chikmagalur !!!

We started our trip with a descent breakfast in one good vegetarian restaurant. Sringeri is about 320 km away from Bangalore which comes to approximately 6 and half hours if one choose to go by road. Since we travelled by our own car we could stop by anywhere whenever we need to refresh or visit new places located in between our way to destination. One such beautiful place where we stopped by is the Chenna Kesava temple located in Belur (temple town) in Hasaan district of Karnataka. 

Belur -

The city is well known for its magnificent temples built during the Hoysala empire rule. Hoysala dynasty were believed to be ruling most parts of Karnataka during the 12 & 13th centuries. This temple was also built during that time and the main gopuram of the temple says it all. They were the manifestation of art and architecture developed during their period and there are also other temples and shrines which were all developed during their 300 years of reign. The temples and monuments at Belur are indeed the best Hoysala creations, showcasing their amazing architecture and sculptures which are built impeccably. Belur was deeply admired for its glorious shrines and came to be known as “modern vaikuntam (heaven) of the earth”. 

     

The main God of the temple is lord Vishnu hence got the name Chenna - beautiful, Kesava - krishna. It has got the Garudar pillar at the entrance and the sculptures in the temple depicts the art work of dancers, musicians, elephants, lions, horses, epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata and other puranas of 12th century. Each and every stone of the temple wall is engraved with the figures of gods and goddesses in different forms. Some of them are Mahishasuramardhini, Dasavathars of lord Krishna, sculpture of Ravana and many others! 

One of the remarkable attractions inside the temple is the Narasimha pillar, it is believed that it has rotating mechanism and is said to be once rotating on its own axis. Gravity pillar of sky high is also seen to be standing on its own axis. 

             

The temple has also got a separate shrine for Andal and a water tank inside it. Each and every chisel in the temple is spell bound & pragmatic and if one needs to know the in-depth information of the temple better go with a tourist guide. Certainly it's such a historic wonders of Karnataka! Since we were running short of time and need to hit our next destination we couldn't spend much time there but definitely it's in our to do list on our next visit. There are also other must visit temples in Belur namely  Kappa Chennigaraya, Paathaleshwara and the majestic temples  Hoysaleshwara, Kedareshwar temples in Halebeedu which is located closely to Belur. One day is just not enough to cover all these places at a stretch it would take atleast 2-3 days to enjoy the historic and cultural beauty of Hassan district. 

Sringeri -

Next we are heading to Sringeri a holy town located in the Chikmagalur district. 

The main attraction of the place is Shri Sharadamba temple, the goddess of wisdom located on the banks of river Tunga. It's a renowed hindu pilgrim site which attracts people across the globe. We can see a statue of Sharadamba in a standing posture founded by Adi Shankaracharya! Sharadamba is believed to be the incarnation of goddess Saraswati. Inside the temple we have small  temples namely Vidyashankar temple, torana Ganapathi temples. 

They also have the Sringeri Matt where the sankaracharya used to stay and perform daily Pooja's. Indeed he is considered to be the authority of vedantas and sastras. We ended our day up with the temple visit and then checked into a hotel for the night stay. 

Koppa -

The next day morning being the first day of the year we set off for the day by visiting Kamandala Ganapathi temple which is in koppa located about 35 kms (comes to about 1 hr) from Sringeri. We started early around 7'o clock in the morning and the road in that stretch was so deserted that we could enjoy the glorious view of the place. We were able to literally spot the mist covering the mountains. What a stupendous view it was! 

The temple is a 1000 year old one with great significance. The place is obscure nevertheless considered to be more powerful. As per studies lord Ganesha idol in the temple was established by Goddess Parvathidevi herself when she gets shani dosha. She performed tapas and offered prayers to Lord Ganesha to get rid of shani dosha. So those who wish to get rid of shani dosha can come and visit the temple and take a bath in Kamandala theertham flowing through the unending reservoir which is considered to be exceptionally holy as it sprinkles from lord Brahma's kamandalam.It is believed to be the outset of river Brahmi as it sprinkled from lord Brahma's kamandalam. 

As I mentioned earlier since the temple is located in the outskirts of the city we lost the GPS connection and there weren't any shops nearby so we had to come back to city to have our breakfast which was too late ! So guys, in case if you are planning for a visit please ensure that you don't get into these kinds of chaos!

Chikmagalur -

Here comes our next destination Chikmagalur 🤩 (younger daughter town) the coffee land ! It is one of the captivating place for people of all ages especially for nature lovers, trekkers, adventures etc. The journey from Sringeri to Chikmagalur took about two and half hours which comes to around 85 kms. It's really a breathtaking experience to travel in a road surrounded by full of trees and greeneries, hills and peaks. More than travelling it's thrilling and adventurous to ride a car in a ghat road with so many hair pin bends. OMG what an astonishing sight ! We stopped by every now and then to enjoy the scenic beauty of the place. Just like us we could see so many tourists going in and out of the place. 

Homestay @ Chikmagalur -

We had decided to spend the following night in a home stay located in middle of the mountainous forest region which would be enthralling ! We stayed in  Greenrose homestay located in kemmangundi road, baba Budangiri hill, Attigundi. The owner of the homestay was so hospitable and assisted us for the rest of our trip. We had a bonfire, music and some fun activities at the homestay that night to keep ourselves warm and entertained. Though it's a bit scary staying in the middle of the jungle but is a real adventure. Again no GPS, no city life & no people connect ! Such a tranquil place to chill out with the family. It's a real bliss to wake up amidst the view of mist covering the mountain hill, non stop back and forth movement of the leaves and branches of trees, our visitors (monkeys) waiting outside & me sipping a cup of one of the best aromatic coffee in the world ! What else one can long for in life ?! Being in such a place that too in the very beginning of the year is undeniably much more than a heaven ❤️😍 

Then comes our morning walk inside a 300 year old coffee estate! 

Wow what a marvellous place to explore. I am here sharing with you all on the overall idea of how a coffee seed is planted, picked, purchased and coming to our houses. My special dedication to all the coffee lovers! ❤️😍The coffee seeds are generally planted and will be watered frequently. It normally happens during wet season. So now the planted coffee seeds will bear coffee fruit which is bright, deep red in colour known as the coffee cherry. Now all of the cherries are stripped off from the trees at a time. It can be made either manual that is by hand picked or by machine. Hand picked seeds involves more effort and the labour cost as well. The coffee fruit which has been picked is now dried in the sunlight. It should be dried in such a way that there is absolutely no moisture content in the fruit. After this the coffee beans are sent to the milling process where polishing, grading and sorting of coffee beans are carried out. Now this milled coffee is called as the 'green coffee'. Roasting converts the green coffee into aromatic brown beans and it is finally grinded to a coarse/fine powder which we get from the shops. We also tasted their Arabica variety of coffee that really tasted out of the world.

We then went to Jhari/ Dhabe Dhabe falls which is located at a distance of about 12 kms from Baba Buddangiri (BB) hill so we had to leave our car on the main road and take a jeep to reach the falls. Again one of the spectacular water falls situated amidst the forest. Though the water is so cold one really cannot resist from getting into the water and taking a bath. We were able to spend some 2-3 hours time in the falls. 

We then had a mouthwatering lunch at our homestay and covered other locations namely BB hills view point, Z point, manikyadhara water falls. The Z point is around 4-5 kms from BB hills and it is the top peak where you can enjoy the scenic beauty of the Kemmangudi and lush green valleys. It's one of the picturesque destination of Chikmagalur and it's well known for its sunrise & sunset view point. One can witness the clouds literally kissing the green mountains ! Manikyadhara falls is on the BB hills. It is the sacred place for Hindus and Muslims and it is believed that those who takes a bath here get relieved of any physical ailments due to the herbal property of water. There is also Dattatreya Bababudan Swamy's darga and some caves in BB hills.

Apart from these there were also other places like Mullayanagiri peak, Kudremukh, Hebbe falls, Badra wildlife sanctuary which we were not able to cover due to time constraint but they are all worth visiting. 3 days is not at all sufficient to explore a paradise like Chikmagalur. We would require atleast a week to cover all the places. 

Oh what a fantabulous trip! Hoping 2021 to be very good year for all of us and heading back to Bangalore with all the imperishable memories had during our trip!