Karnataka 2007

"The recorded history of Karnataka goes back more than two millennia. Several great empires and dynasties have ruled over Karnataka and have contributed greatly to the history, culture and development of Karnataka."
– Wikipedia

My love for Music and the above pretty much sums up the reasons I’ve visited Karnataka state four times this year. My first visit in March was to Bangalore to watch Iron Maiden in concert, then in April to visit the ruins of the Vijayanagar Empire in Hampi. The third was Bangalore once again to attend the Aerosmith concert in June; from there I went to Mysore, Bylakupee and Coorg. The fourth and latest trip in August was the longest, close to 10 days and crammed with visits to many places mainly Historical.

Detailed Route Map - Karnataka

Before I visited Karnataka, on the agenda were two places in Kerala state, the first, ‘Guravayoor’ temple where I had to go to get a ‘Pooja’ done, the second was Bekal Fort in Kasaragod, the northern most district in Kerala.

Konkan Railway

The most economical way to reach Kerala is by the Konkan Railway, apart from the low cost of travel, the monsoon season is also the best time of the year to journey on this relatively new line of the Indian Railways. The Western Ghats along which the rail is constructed, block the heavy rain bearing South West monsoon clouds which rush in from the Arabian Sea. As a result of this obstruction, the clouds discharge their moisture and feed the many streams, rivers and surrounding areas. Thanks to this abundant supply of water, the scenery is fantastic, lush fields of paddy, verdant forests, mountains covered with a thick blanket of growth and waterfalls both big and small. The landscape is covered with every imaginable shade of green, from the deepest shade of green to an almost fluorescent green. I soaked up all the sights and enjoyed every bit.

Konkan Railway

KERALA

Guravayoor (Guru Va Yoor) Temple

I reached Guravayoor Temple 24 hours into the journey. I’d expected only a handful of devotees as it was a weekday, boy was I wrong ! There were hundreds of them, all who had the same purpose, get a nice long ‘Darshan’ of Lord Krishna. There were three queues, the 1st for old folks, 2nd for women and 3rd for everyone else. Actually the queues don’t make much sense as they converge after a certain point i.e. the entrance to the altar, its organized chaos then, a whole lot of jostling around ensued soon after, with even the Priests getting into the melee, ensuring that the 1 second glance at the Lord is upheld.

I felt claustrophobic with all the people around me, inching our way through the narrow corridor to the idol, finally, I took a glance, reeled of a quick prayer and was out. After the Darshan, went and got the Pooja done. At least that did not take much time. Despite the claustrophobic experience amidst the teeming crowds, I must say the main altar during the evening is quite a sight, as it’s adorned with hundreds of small ‘Diyas’ (Lamps). Unfortunately they have a no photography policy, so was not able to click any snaps.

Trichur (Three shur)

Having finished with my obligations in the temple town, I headed to Trichur to catch the overnight train to Kasaragod and the next place on my itinerary - Bekal Fort. Security at the train station was understandably heavy as it was the eve of India’s Independence day, a large contingent of gun toting cops and railway protection force personnel patrolled the platforms to ensure peace and quiet.

The train that I had to catch was to arrive at 1 in the morning but was delayed, eventually the train pulled in more than an hour late. I got into the compartment and went to my berth, only to find some chap asleep there, called the Ticket Examiner to sort out the issue, (The only reason I write this is for people to understand Railway Logic, which I have since learnt) turns out I made an error while booking the ticket.

According to my logic, the train began the journey from Trivandrum on the evening of the 14th, the scheduled arrival time at Trichur was 1 AM which made it the 15th, hence I booked my ticket with the departure date the 14th, knowing that if I select my departure date as the 15th it would actually mean 1 AM on the 16th and thus 1 day later.

Alas my logic / pleadings did not go down well with the Ticket Examiner; I had to shell out 400 hundred Rupees by way of penalty for my honest mistake. It was close to 3 AM by the time the issue was sorted out, was totally pissed of at the ticket checker, and cursed him lots as I dozed off.

Kasaragod (Kas ra code) – Bekal (Bay cull) Fort

Reached Kasaragod at 9 AM, freshened up at the waiting room at the station and headed out to Bekal fort, around 15 KM’s from the city bus stand. If you have seen the Bollywood flick ‘Bombay’ then you have seen the fort, the song ‘Tu Hi Re’ from the movie was shot here and for good reason, the view is spectacular. Waves lash the rocks at the base of the cliff and lower ramparts of the fort, a fishing village on one side, a beach on the other, and hundreds if not thousands of Coconut trees which surround the fort.

View from Bekal Fort

“Bekal is located on over 40 acres and is the biggest fort in Kerala .The fort was built more than 300 years ago by the Ikkeri Nayakas, who lost the fort to Hyder Ali. The fort played an important part in Hyder’s son Tipu Sultan’s Malabar campaign. After the final defeat of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the fort fell to the British” – Wikipedia.

Despite being part of various military campaigns, Bekal is in a surprisingly good condition, unlike so many forts in India which sadly lie in a state of ruin, probably because the maintenance of the fort has been handed over to the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India). The observation tower in the center of the fort also affords an impressive view of the picturesque surroundings. The tower is also used to hoist the Indian flag. I’m not sure if they unfurl it everyday or if it was unfurled because it was the 15th of August, which marked 60 years of Independence from the British. Call it Nationalism or some other word but seeing the flag flutter in the breeze that day, my heart swelled with pride. I make it a point to attend Independence and Republic day flag hoisting ceremonies every year, this was the first time I had missed, so this helped lessen my guilt.

Observation Tower - Bekal Fort


KARNATAKA

Mangalore (Manga lore)

Once I was done with the tour, had lunch at a local joint then returned to the train station to pick up my backpack. From there I went to Kasaragod bus station. My journey through Karnataka was just a stop away, point of entry - Mangalore, around 50 KM’s from Kasaragod. By that evening I reached Mangalore, waited for the bus to Hassan for close to an hour, it never turned up. A shopkeeper near the bus stop helped to arrange a tourist taxi which was returning empty to Bangalore. The decision to catch the taxi worked in my favor as I could now get off at Channarayapatna rather than Hassan.

The main road link connecting Mangalore and Bangalore is NH (National Highway) 48, ideally a scenic route, the road snakes along the Netravathi river before entering thick forests and steep gradients. Unfortunately for most of this stretch, there is no road to speak of, only stones, pebbles and dust clouds. Subsequently reached Channarayapatna by 11 PM, stayed over at a lodge as there was no bus service to Shravanbelagola that late. Woke up early the next morning to get an early start, there was much to see that day.

Shravan Belagola (Shra one Bella gola)

“Shravan Belagola is 13 KM’s from Channarayapatna. The town is located between two hills called Chandragiri and Vindyagiri. Both the hills have many Basadi’s (shrines) dedicated to the Jain religion and has been a site of worship and pilgrimage for the Jains for more than 2000 years. It is also home to what is believed to be the tallest monolithic statue in the world, the statue of Bahubali (also known as Gomateshwara) on the summit of Vindhyagiri. It was commissioned in 982 AD by the general, poet and minister Chamundaraya who served King Gangaraya of the Ganga dynasty” – Wikipedia.

Vindyagiri Hill

As it’s a religious site, no footwear is allowed when you climb the 620 steps to the summit. It’s a steep climb; I had climbed but 20 steps and was beat. 620 is a finite number but that morning it felt like forever. By the time I reached the gate of the shrine, I was totally exhausted, dehydrated and kinda surprised that I’d made it. The view from there was neat, the tank/pond in the center of the town and Chandragiri hill with the other temples were clearly visible along with the surrounding countryside.

View Atop Vindyagiri

As I somewhat recovered from exhaustion, I climbed the remaining steps and reached the statue of Bahubali. There were people reading scriptures, while others prayed silently. The 58 foot tall statue is very impressive to say the least; I tried to imagine how artisans carved up that single block of rock so adroitly and gave it its present form. Although Photography is permitted, was reluctant to take loads of pics. I did not want to abuse the privilege by acting touristy given the sanctity of the place, thought it may disturb the people who were gathered there solely for prayer.

Statue of Bahubali (Gomateshwara)

I visited the other shrines in the compound, which housed the statues of the Tirthankaras of the Jains and then walked down. My plan was to walk up Vindyagiri and then Chandragiri, but after that very tiring climb, I switched to Plan B – Are you crazy, leave now.

Tip - If you plan to go there, please carry a large bottle of water, wear sunscreen and cotton clothes, use glares and socks to lessen the effect of the scorching sun.

Halebidu (Hal lay be du) and Belur (Bay lur) Temples

I checked out from the lodge at Channarayapatna and headed towards Hassan, had a quick lunch there and set out for Halebidu.

“Halebidu was the capital of the Hoysala dynasty and is the site of one of the finest examples of Indian temple architecture ‘Hoysaleswara’ Temple. It was built in the 12th century by Ketamala and attributed to Vishnuvardhana, the Hoysala ruler at the time. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.” – Wikipedia.

Hoysaleswara Temple - Halebidu

The temple is built on a platform and is star shaped. The temple is covered with sculptures of varying sizes; they depict Gods, Animals, and scenes from Hindu Mythology, all of them intricate and finely detailed. The workmanship of the artisans – unbelievable !!! I spent an hour just roaming around the complex, inside the temple, the grounds, clicked many snaps before making my way to Belur.

Dvarapala (Guardian) - Hoysaleswara Temple

I caught a bus to Belur, which is around 16 KM’s from Halebidu, it was a very refreshing drive, picturesque settings with plantations and farms on both sides of the road, slight nip in the air, a pleasant change from the intense heat of Shravan Belagola.

Enroute Halebidu - Belur

“Belur was the early capital of the Hoysala dynasty, ‘Chennakesava Temple’ (dedicated to Lord Chennakeshava, meaning handsome Vishnu) is the major attraction in Belur. It was built by king Vishnuvardhana in commemoration of his victory over the Cholas at Talakad in 1117. Legend has it that it took 103 years to complete and Vishnuvardhana's grandson Veera Ballala II completed the task.” – Wikipedia.

Chennakesava Temple - Belur

The temple in Belur was also built on a platform and star shaped and as amazing as the one in Halebidu. Intricate carvings, Hoysala royal emblems, statues, etc, I’d seen pictures of Hoysaleswara and Chennakesava temple prior to my visit and was impressed. However, unless you see them for yourself, you won’t be able to appreciate its true splendor. I wish I could use some other words but I’ll stick with the clichéd ‘The pictures don’t do justice’, truly some of the finest examples of Indian Temple Architecture.

Hassan (Ha Sun)

I’d wanted to spend more time in Belur but couldn’t as I had to reach Hassan before 8:30 PM and catch the last bus to Shimoga. From there catch the connecting bus to Jog Falls. Made it to Hassan by around 8:00 PM, had a light snack and headed to the bus station. By the time I got my backpack from the cloak room, the bus was nearly full; the empty seats were most uncomfortable. The road from Hassan to Shimoga was also in a bad condition and could not sleep during the journey, by the time the bus reached Shimoga it was 1:30 AM, found out the connecting bus would reach by 4:30 AM. With nowhere to go at that hour, I decided to spend time at the bus station. My experience at Madikeri (Coorg) bus station couple of months ago flashed before my eyes, it was terribly unpleasant, cold, mosquito ridden and empty.

Shimoga (Shu moga)

Shimoga was different; there were lots of people, those waiting for buses, beggars and riffraff. I felt sleepy but did not want to take any chances and lose my backpack and/or miss the bus if I dozed off. I drank many cups of tea and chain smoked to keep awake. However, after a couple of hours, the tiring climb under the hot sun at Shravan Belagola, hardly any sleep for the past two days, roaming around Halebidu, Belur and Hassan, hours cooped in the bus without sleep, all started to take a toll on my senses. I found it hard to differentiate between real and imaginary sounds and voices, could barely keep my eyes open, started to drift in and out of consciousness.

How I heard the conductor say Jog Falls amid all the other sounds and voices is beyond me. I rushed inside only to find every seat occupied, after that ordeal at the bus station, the last thing I wanted to do was stand for three hours. Clearly it wasn’t my day or night for that matter. Thankfully after some time, the driver and conductor allowed me to sit on a makeshift seat up ahead with them. I’ve never been more grateful in my life, tried my best to make small talk with them but kept falling asleep. It was quite risky since there was nothing between me and the windscreen, had there been any sudden braking, I’d be nothing more than a crash test dummy. I kept awake with the greatest difficulty, finally just when I thought it would be impossible to stay awake any longer, someone got off and for the first time in two days, I slept soundly.

Jog (Jo gh) Falls

In forty minutes the bus reached and had to be woken up, still sleepy but less fatigued thanks to the nap. I got off the bus and walked towards the falls, hoped the ordeal of the journey was worth the visit. The next instant I was staring at this massive waterfall across the valley, it was totally worth all the hassles I’d endured. Simply put, a jaw dropping moment.

“Jog Falls (also called Gersoppa) is the highest untiered waterfall in India, located in Shimoga District of Karnataka state. It’s created by the Sharavathi River falling from a height of 253 meters (829 ft) it splits up into four different tracks which are named in accordance with their perceived trajectories. (left to right)

Raja (King): Named so because of its apparently 'dignified' and 'serene' fall.
Roarer: This stream appears out of a mass of rocks, making a tremendous amount of noise.
Rocket: Consists of a large volume of water streaming out of a small opening at a very high speed.
Rani (Queen) also called Lady: The stream has a winding, twisting trajectory, said to resemble the movements of a female dancer.” – Wikipedia.

Jog Falls

It was an awesome sight, each track of the waterfall clearly identifiable, the cascading water looked as if falling in slow motion. The sound as it crashed onto the rocks below, loud and clear right across the valley. It was a pleasant day, slightly overcast and misty. One of the best panoramas I’ve seen yet.

I got hold of a tourist guide and went sightseeing, first went to the spot across the valley where the cascades originate. I did not know but it was time for another jaw dropping moment. The huge volume of water, the deafening sound as water pummeled rock, I stood close to the edge and followed the flow as it dropped hundreds of feet, barely noticed the people who had gathered at the base, they were the size of ants, it was so far down. The sheer scale hits your senses, visually and aurally. You feel so insignificant, yet at the same time elated just by being there. A must see, if you don’t have a fear of heights.

Raja - Jog Falls

I also checked out the other attractions in the vicinity, although all of them paled in comparison to the star attraction.

Tip - One of the most popular tourist destinations in Karnataka. The best time to visit is during or just after the monsoon, when there’s ample water supply.

Sirsi (Si r see) and Hubli (Hoob Lee)

By early afternoon, I was done with the tour, had to move on to the next stop on the itinerary, Badami via Hubli. There was no direct bus to Hubli, had to first go to Sirsi and from there catch a bus to Hubli. I’d been traveling on National Highways the past few days and it had been a bad experience overall. Rain, heavy traffic, no maintenance, all resulted in roads, which were in a degraded condition. However, I was in for a surprise, the road from Jog to Sirsi and from there to Hubli were State Highways, and in pristine condition (most of the way). They hardly looked used, scenic views, also managed to nap for a while.

I reached Hubli by 8 PM, the original plan was to go directly to Badami but was real tired with the traveling and lack of sleep. I needed a bed to sleep on, so decided to stay that night in Hubli, found a decent lodge near the railway station, had dinner and slept early. Woke the next morning all refreshed, as I was already in Hubli, decided to visit a local attraction, made inquiries and went to the famous Sri Siddharudha Swami Temple.

Sri Siddharudha Swami Temple - Hubli

On my return, I checked out, went to the bus station to go to Badami. I caught the by now familiar KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corp) bus going towards Badami. The road for most of the journey was decent; passed many villages and farmlands. It was clearly a fertile belt, where crops such as Sugarcane, Millet and Sunflower were grown.

Sunflower Fields on the way to Badami

Badami (Baa Da Me)

"Badami was the regal capital of the Chalukyas from 540 to 757 AD. It is famous for rock cut and other structural temples. It is located in a ravine at the foot of a rugged, red sandstone outcrop that surrounds Agastya lake. Badami was founded in 540 A.D. by Pulakesi I (535-566 AD), an early ruler of the Chalukyas. His sons Kirthivarman (567-598 AD) and his brother Mangalesha I(598-610 AD) constructed the cave temples. The greatest among them was Pulakeshi II (610-642 AD) during his reign the Chalukyas of Badami saw their kingdom extend over most of the Deccan." – Wikipedia.

Agastya Lake - Badami

I reached Badami by around 5:30 PM, checked into a lodge not far from the bus station. By the time I freshened up, it was past 6 PM and hence unable to visit the monuments. The temples and caves are open to the public from 6 AM to 6 PM. Walked around the town aimlessly as I had nothing else to do, ate at a local diner and then returned to my room, hit the sack by 10 PM.

Aihole (I Holy) and Pattadakal (Putt thud cull) Temples

“Aihole was the first capital of the early Chalukyas. Here they built over 125 temples in various styles and is said to be a laboratory of experiments in rock cut architecture. It is from these temples that the Chalukyas gained their experience and went on to build the great temples of Pattadakal.” – Wikipedia.

Aihole Temples

The next morning, I left by 7 AM for Aihole, around 40 KM’s from Badami, reached there within an hour. Aihole is one of the birthplaces of Indian Temple Architecture. Amazing workmanship and layouts though not as intricate and detailed as the temples at Halebidu and Belur, then again, it would be wrong on my part to compare them, as most of the temples at Aihole were built more than 500 years before the temples in Halebidu and Belur. I particularly liked the design and importance of the Jain Meguti temple (634 AD), commissioned during the reign of Pulakesin II, its one of the earliest temples and apparently the only temple to be dated. After the tour of the temples, I visited the museum, they had many interesting objects on display there, the history of the place, excavation details etc. From Aihole, I traveled around 10 KM’s to Pattadakal.

Pattadakal – “The temples were built in the 8th century. The uniqueness of this place derives from the presence of both the Dravidian or the Southern and the Nagara or the Northern (Indo-Aryan) styles of temple architecture.”– Wikipedia

Pattadakal Temples

A vast complex of temples, the design is a mix of North and South Indian styles. I was very impressed with the various temples there, masterful workmanship both exterior and interiors of the temples. I spent a good hour there, as there was quite a lot to see.

Badami

I returned to Badami by 4 PM, as I had only 2 hours to visit the monuments, did not visit the caves, by then I’d decided to spend another day in Badami, which meant I had the next morning to explore the caves and other temples. I visited Bhutnatha temple on the fringe of Augustya lake.

On my way back to the lodge, I stopped at a local eatery called ‘Hotel Parimal’ (close to the bus stand), to have a snack. A run of the mill joint in appearance, but the food they served was easily one of the best I’ve had. I had breakfast and lunch the next day, tried different items on the menu to make sure it wasn’t some kind of fluke, it wasn’t, inexpensive as well. If you visit Badami, make it a point to try this place out.

The next morning, I set out early to visit the caves; there are a total of 4 caves, all on different levels. The first 3 caves are dedicated to Hindu gods while the fourth is dedicated to the Jain religion. The first cave is dedicated to Shiva while the second and third are dedicated to Vishnu.

Badami Caves

The caves are other examples of fine Chalukyan workmanship, not just for the statues and carvings but also the frescoes which adorn the caves. Statutes and temples carved out of rock are inherently better suited to withstand the test of time. The same can’t be said of the frescoes, exposure to the elements coupled with centuries of neglect, have left them faded. Fortunately, the museum at Badami has a reproduction of one of the frescoes; it was done in the 1970’s and it shows the details that are not visible today on the original. The museum also has other artifacts excavated from Badami as well as surrounding areas dating back to the Stone and Iron ages.

Once I was done with the museum, I walked up the hill; to the other temples and fort. The view from the top is something, the whole of Badami town, Agastya Lake and the caves across the lake. After spending some time, I walked down, was done with Badami and it was time for me to leave.

View from the Fort - Badami

I checked out and went to the station to catch the train to Bijapur, the last place on my Itinerary. I was excited about the journey as I would be traveling on the meter gauge line after many years. The railways have embarked on an upgrade program to replace the smaller Meter gauge with the current standard - Broad gauge. It’ll only be a matter of time before the entire route from Badami to Bijapur will be broad gauge.

Badami Station - Meter Guage Rail

Bijapur (Be Jaa pur)

“The city came under the influence of the Khilji Sultanate in Delhi by the late 13th century. In 1347, the area was conquered by the Bahmani Sultanate of Gulbarga. By this time the city was being referred as Vijapur or Bijapur. In 1518, the Bahmani Sultanate split into five splinter states known as the Deccan sultanates, one of which was Bijapur, ruled by the kings of the Adil Shahi dynasty (1490-1686). Bijapur is rich in historical attractions, mainly related to Islamic architecture."- Wikipedia

By early evening, I was in Bijapur, checked into a hotel close to the Gol Gumbaz, the star attraction, had no plans of visiting the sites that evening. I was to depart for Bombay the next afternoon, which gave me till noon the next day to see the historical sites. That evening I roamed around Bijapur and sampled the Mughlai food that it’s famous for.

The next morning I started my tour of Bijapur with a visit to the Gol Gumbaz, I was about to enter when a guide approached me, he had a Tanga (horse drawn carriage) and offered a tour of the other sites in Bijapur, the asking price of Rs 100 for 1 person seemed reasonable. It was only after the tour started, I realized this was the best way to see the attractions, as they’re spread out and the roads are confusing. Even if you have your own vehicle, I’d recommend a guided tour, no chance of getting lost. Anyways, the Tanga ride was decent, visited the other historical sites in Bijapur such as the Jama Masjid, Malik E Maidan cannon, Ibrahim Roza, Hyder Burj etc and then returned to the Gol Gumbaz compound.

Jama Masjid - Bijapur

The first place I visited in the compound was the museum, it’s a must see, on display are weapons, paintings, statues, manuscripts as well as household items such as locks, utensils, carpets etc from the Adil Shahi period. Then stepped into the Gol Gumbaz.

“Gol Gumbaz is the mausoleum of Muhammad Adil Shah II (1627-57) of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Indian sultans, who ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur from 1490 to 1686. The tomb was built in 1659 by the famous architect, Yaqut of Dabul. The structure consists of a massive square chamber measuring nearly 50 m on each side and covered by a huge dome 37.9 m in diameter. The dome is supported on giant squinches supported by groined pendentives while outside the building is supported by domed octagonal corner towers. The Dome is the second largest one in the world which is unsupported by any pillars.” – Wikipedia

Gol Gumbaz - Bijapur

It’s without a doubt the best attraction in Bijapur, a grand structure, very impressive, apart from the design, its well known for the acoustics of the whispering gallery. A clap, a howl, a whisper, anything and everything is amplified and echoed many times. And everybody out there wanted to prove it worked. There were people who screamed hysterically, made animal sounds, laughed like they were insane and to complete the scene, a love-struck Romeo who recited a sad poem on the falling out of love. A mishmash of sounds and voices, it was fun to say the least. With this I completed my trip through Kerala and Karnataka, the only thing left to do was to catch the train back to Bombay. I boarded the train in the afternoon and by the next morning I was back home.

I had not imagined my trip to be so fruitful. First of all, I took a chance by going during the monsoon season, had it rained heavy, as it usually does, it would have effectively meant the end of my trip. I was fortunate that it hardly rained, there were clear skies for most of the days. I was on a tight budget and comfort was the last of my priorities, had to rely on public transport almost exclusively; at times it did get to me with all the weird schedules. Lived in cheap hotels and mostly ate street food but in retrospect they were just minor parts of my sojourn. None of those so called hardships could compare with the wonderful time I had, so many jaw dropping moments, so many experiences, close to ten days of lessons in Indian History. In fact if I had to name this trip, it would be ‘10 awesome days on a $ 100’.

Addendum

ASI (Archaeological Survey of India)

Most historical sites are under the purview of the ASI and they have done a great job in restoration and maintenance. From Bekal Fort, Aihole, Pattadakal etc all were maintained well, manicured lawns and clean. In my opinion, all this presentation not only helps to appreciate the beauty but also enhances the historical significance of the place to lay persons. And all this for Rs 5/- (for Indian citizens), non Indians have to pay an entry fee of Rs 100/- (approx 2∙5 USD), entry to ASI museums for all nationalities is a paltry Rs 2/- I hope they continue to unearth (couldn’t resist that) more of India’s rich past to showcase to all.

Random Acts of Kindness

A few weeks ago, my friend Unmesh forwarded an article on something called Random Acts of Kindness. Definition - "A random act of kindness is a purportedly selfless act performed by a person or persons wishing to either assist or cheer up a stranger." It was on this trip that I experienced this first hand, not once but many times.

These are just a few instances of that kindness, Salim and his friends in Kasaragod who offered weed for free (I’d merely asked for directions to Bekal fort, BTW I politely declined.) The shop keeper in Mangalore, who arranged the taxi to Hassan. My co passenger Abdul and driver Arun, who waited till I got a place to stay in Channarayapatna, they waited, despite the fact they were already late and still had to cover a few hundred KM’s to their destination. The bus conductor and driver on the way to Jog falls who allowed me to sit with them as there was no seat, they didn’t have to.

It would have been perfectly ok if nobody helped me, for the simple fact that we were strangers but yet they went out of the way to help me and I was touched. When you are the recipient of such kindness, it becomes very easy to do things for others. It’s like a chain reaction, try it, you’ll see.

You Tube Video Clip

A slideshow of some pics taken during this trip.

Music is set to High Hopes by Pink Floyd.

Photo Albums

I clicked more than 900 pics in 10 days, I’ve shared the top 100.

Album 1


by avinashmanohar
Album 2


by avinashmanohar

Album 3


by avinashmanohar

Links

Archaeology India

History of Karnataka

*****

Hampi - The Ruins of The Vijayanagar Empire

I recently visited Hampi i.e. Vijayanagar, the capital of the Vijayanagar Kingdom, one of the last great Empires in South India. The ruins of the city are located in Bellary district, Karnataka. This is my story.

Before I begin, I do realize that most of you would happily swallow a cyanide pill than read a History passage. In my defense, I’d like to say that it’s concise with a few sprinkles of those dreaded dates, the rest is about the time I spent there exploring this must see place. Give it a shot, read it in its entirety, form a mental picture and then check out the snaps, check how far or close you were.

Being a keen student of History, I’d always been awed by whatever I read about Hampi and the glorious kingdom and dynasties it represented.

For the ones who slept through History class in school and had subsequent nightmares during exams, Hampi is huge but that’s not its only achievement. Some books and websites list it as 14 square kilometers while others put it close to 20 square kilometers. Whatever the actual size, it’s the thought and planning that went into the construction of this mega city that really counts. The city is nestled in by rocky granite hills, from pebbles to massive boulders, it’s all here. Some of the raw material for the wonderful architecture looks like it was sourced from the surrounding hills. You can still see unfinished work at many places, marked by small rectangular cuts which run straight along the rock face; they probably used some kind of primitive tool to then cut clean through the rock and get the desired shape and size.

Apart from the natural cover these hills provided, which kept unwanted visitors out (mainly the soldiers of the Deccan Sultanates to the north); the city also had fortifications and watch towers that ran right round the city, which gave it an additional line of defense. Most ancient cities flourished because it was located to that fundamental human need, water and the proximity to it. Hampi is no different, the Tungabhadra River flows right through it.

Sunset in Hampi

Caution: History lesson here – South India is home to many great kingdoms, such as the Chalukyas, Cholas, Pandyas, Hoysalas and finally the Vijayanagar Kingdom. This is not to say there were no other kingdoms; just that none of them acquired territory and power as much as their predecessors. These kingdoms rose, fell and were replaced. The moment a king showed signs of weakness, his throne was usurped by a relative or chieftain who was stronger, shrewder and better able to rule over surviving relatives, other chieftains and the masses; it was a vicious cycle, played over generations and dynasties. When a king was not strong enough to control and hold his territory, especially the borders, it attracted the attention of outsiders, which is what happened.

From the year 1296 the Deccan and the rest of the south was ravaged by the armies of Ala-ud-din Khilji, (of the Delhi Sultanate) and his generals such as Malik Kafur. It was under such trying circumstances that the Vijayanagar kingdom was founded in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty. Under the able leadership of Harihara I territory was gained and consolidated. After the death of the first king, Bukka became king, like Harihara he too was an able and just ruler. By the early 16th century the kingdom had seen a few dynastic changes and some capable and not so capable rulers.

Lotus Mahal

In 1509 Krishna Deva Raya of the Tuluva dysnasty took over the reigns of the empire. No other king was as illustrious as Krishna Deva Raya, under his rule the kingdom reached its zenith. The kingdom comprised of present day Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, most of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, parts of coastal and southern regions of Maharashtra and Orissa states. It was from Hampi that this vast empire was governed. The city prospered, in its heyday, half a million people called it home. It attracted people of various hues merchants, artisans, musicians as well as chroniclers from far away lands as Persia, China and Europe.

One such chronicler was Domingo Paes from Portugal who came in 1522 after having visited the Italian cities of the Renaissance. The city of Vijayanagar, he says, is as "large as Rome and very beautiful to the sight"; it is full of charm and wonder with its innumerable lakes and waterways and fruit gardens. It is "the best-provided city in the world" and "everything abounds." The chambers of the palace were a mass of ivory, with roses and lotuses carved in ivory at the top" it is so rich and beautiful that you would hardly find anywhere, another such."

Personal Thought - How I wish I had a time machine to go back in time and see for myself, the wonder that was Vijayanagar !!!

The beginning of the end for the kingdom coincided with the death of Krishna Deva Raya in 1529, his successors could not keep up let alone better his accomplishments. In 1565 the five Deccan Sultanates joined hands and met the army of Vijayanagar at the battle of Talikota, the Sultanates forces decisively routed the army. The victors quickly set upon the capital and proceeded to loot, destroy and desecrate. From fledgling capital, to a great seat of power and learning, ultimately turn into ruins, Hampi has seen it all.

Elephant Stables

Getting There

I’ve wanted to go to Hampi for years, but something or the other used to come up and could not make it. I usually do a lot of planning before going anywhere but this trip was a spur of the moment decision. I had no plans during the long Good Friday weekend, so I headed out with my backpack. The only objective, get there, the rest will follow (and it did !!!). I caught a bus from Bombay to Hubli, then another bus from Hubli to Hospet (the closest town and entry point to the capital), a short trip by rickshaw and finally I was in Hampi, 18 hours after I left Bombay (it doesn’t take that long usually, the bus got stuck in a major traffic jam on the expressway plus changing buses and so on). If you do plan to go, it makes better sense to get to Hospet directly rather than Hubli or other connections.

I had not booked a room in advance but as it’s the off season, there were plenty of cheap guest houses available, they don’t follow fixed pricing; you have to haggle, expect to pay between Rs 200 to Rs 300 per day for a double bed and attached bath. The room I stayed in had no TV, no hot water, no AC, basic amenities but clean.

Tip - The concept of Maximum Retail Price is alien to the shopkeepers there. You’ll end up paying more for water and other commodities.

I freshened up and went about the place. The first thing that caught my eye when I entered the town was the impressive Bistappaya Tower, at least ten storeys tall, think of it as the Eiffel tower of Hampi, behind the tower is the Virupaksha temple. Religious services are still conducted there and the main reason Indians visit, after my walk around the temple compound; I walked down to the end of the main boulevard. As such you don’t need a guide, just wander and sooner than later, you’ll come across a monument.

Bistappaya Tower

There are signboards everywhere. I ended up near the bank of the river where I came across these huge boulders, quite a sight, the serene river (contrary to the board that said beware of whirlpools) and the setting sun, didn’t think of the scenic beauty of the place till then, took a few snaps before I returned to my room. Rested a while and stepped out for dinner, made a few enquiries about restaurants in the area and went to this place called Mango Tree, apt name as it’s literally under a huge mango tree. Neat ambience and reasonably priced, they offered many types of cuisines from Israeli, Continental, Italian, Indian etc. I ordered an Indian Thali and Lassi. After the meal, walked around the town; there is no night life per se, just a few restaurants, internet cafes and souvenir shops, reached my room and hit the sack exhausted with all the traveling and walking around. Woke up a few times during the night to wipe the sweat off, in spite of sleeping right under the fan, figured out why it’s the off season.

Surprisingly I woke up early the next morning relaxed and rested. I was keen on exploring the other parts of the city. There are a few options to do this, you can hire a cycle, a motorcycle or walk. Since I’d already done the walking around part and far too lazy to cycle around the vast city, I decided to hire the bike, the hitch, I didn’t know how to ride a motorcycle, so I settled for the next best thing, a small automatic transmission bike, little bigger than a cycle, kick started the thing a few times, managed a couple of rounds and set out to the furthest point on the city map, still not fully aware on how to avoid becoming a statistic on the one lane road, used by Trucks, Cars, Bullock Carts and Pedestrians alike.

Bhima's Gate

However, five kilometers down the road and I felt like I was a veteran, a Valentino Rossi if you will, put the pedal to the metal, my need for speed limited only by the low cc of the bike, the crisp cool air rushing past, music from my walkman, a lit smoke, ah the Joy I felt and then some part of the bike fell off. It made a clanging sound as it hit the road, which shook me out of the trance; it took a couple of seconds to comprehend what had just happened. My Moto GP attempt ended right then and there. Thankfully, it was just a small part of the guard which had fallen off and not some essential component. After this reality check, I meekly submitted to the intended speed, around 10 kilometers per hour.

Soon the sun was beating down harshly; it got real hot and sweaty, one thing that you need to carry with you all the time is water, lots of it. I don’t recollect how many empty bottles I left behind in the room.

Hazararama Temple

As mentioned earlier, being spread over such a large area, you’re bound to find something, at times in clusters, while others are solo structures. Temples, Royal Enclosures, Palaces, Entry Gates, Water Tanks, Stables, Bazaars. Some preserved with minimal damage, while others like skeletons, with only the framework surviving. I roamed from one relic to the other, wherever the little bike could manage, dirt track, asphalt, sometimes reaching the same place I’d been to before as most of the roads are inter connected. I really did not mind visiting the same place again, there was so much to see, fantastic layout and engineering, the sculptures which adorn the temple walls and other structures, done by deft hands leaves you spellbound. In the midst of all this, the bike ran out of fuel, had to push it all the way to the petrol pump for a refill. The exercise did not deter me one bit, went straight back to where I left off, I wanted more; such is the effect of the place. Sadly the place is still under threat from modern day vandals; those DK loves SN types, who see nothing wrong in professing their love by etching on the walls and sculptures.

After spending most of the day under the hot sun, went to the archeological museum, where on display are some of the statues, coins, copper plate inscriptions, etc which have been excavated over the years. In addition to all this, the museum also houses a scale model of Hampi, with all the sights neatly arranged per their location. It was around 3 PM when I left the museum. In order to start early and explore, I had skipped breakfast and then lunch but now the hunger pangs were too much to ignore, stopped at a local hotel and had a bite.

Rode back into town, had a quick shower and tea and went out again on the bike, although this time I did not venture out too far, just the temples that were located close by. By the time I returned to my room, it was close to 7 PM, endured the half hour power cut, had a light dinner and slept off, replayed all the day events in my dreams. The last morning of my stay there was uneventful, just walked around the river bank and visited the stunning Achyutaraya and Vithala temple compounds. The stone chariot at the Vitthala temple is quite something, exquisite workmanship and not to be missed.

Stone Chariot - Vitthala Temple

Walked all the way, up hill, down hill, not even sure if it was the same path I had come by, anyway it didn’t take me long to reach the guesthouse, checked out and reached the bus stand to start my journey home. By the next morning I was back in Bombay. I had spent three days in Hampi and enjoyed every bit, as with most of my trips, I was totally cut off from the rest of the world, no email, no newspapers, and no TV, Hampi was my world and it was just great.

I’m totally awestruck by the place, I long to return and spend a few more days at this so very magical place.

Well, that’s the end of my story, check out the pictures and video. If you need any info or something, please let me know.

Photo Album

by avinashmanohar
Note - Some of the pics warrant a full view, please click the magnifying glass icon / full size link to do so.

Video Slideshow

Link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayanagar

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Ladakh

My friend Venky's awesome account on his trip to Manali, Ladakh etc

It’s 7 in the morning. My last day of travel back to Bombay. It has been over a month since I left the place. Originally planned a 15 day trip, but as my mind would have it became a 1 month adventure. To sum up the trip, it was a month of meeting new people, making great friends, experiencing unbelievable landscapes, doing a fair bit of photography (something I had never done before), all giving me immense happiness and highs of all kinds. I had been thinking of this trip for a while now. Either I didn’t have the money or the time or a lot of times the inclination to make the move. I guess I’m an impulsive guy and the term “planning” seems scary and rarely works.

Delhi

So I finally set out by Rajdhani and reached Delhi. The AC in the train gave me no idea of what I was going to face at Delhi station. “HEAT” I had never ever faced in my life, coming from Bombay, which is not a cool place by any standard. Delhi was like an oven waiting to be cooled down by expected rain which never happened in my 2 days there. Meeting my friend Nattu is always great. We went out for dinner and must say, food rocks in Delhi, especially the Rogan Josh, Mutton Masala and Butter Chicken that I had there. You can’t get that taste in Bombay.

So all set, my friend dropped me to the bus stand and I took the local bus to Manali as the deluxe would only leave 4 hours later. It was a slightly cramped bus with leg space being a luxury. But I was quite alright with it since I was fresh into my trip. Met this guy from Bilaspur in the bus and had a couple of beers with him. He invited me to his place, but I didn’t want to break my journey.

Entry to Manali (the dream starts)

It was 6.30 AM, the bus stopped at this place called Mandi. I had taken a short nap and woke up at this place. It was like waking up to a dream. The cemented structures I saw till now were all replaced by lovely colorful wooden structures. The green hills were laced with designer clouds, coming from the extreme heat all the way, this was bliss. The drive from Mandi to Manali was breathtaking to say the least. It was something I had never seen or experienced before. The mountains, cloud shapes, the waterfalls, the river running parallel to the road all through, it was like entering heaven from hell (Delhi). This was the entry to the endless heaven I was to experience for the next month and a half. The land scape was mindboggling with the cold fresh air, the pine trees on mountains, small connecting bridges…beautiful. This lovely stretch of 3 hours converged at Manali bus stand. From there I took a rick to old Manali and found this beautiful guest house with a balcony and a view with hills on all sides.

Old Manali

I felt like a tourist in some part of Israel. Felt a little strange there initially as I saw no Indian tourists there. Got into this guest house called Karan cottage which had a great view. I had initially planned to stay there for 2-4 days and then head to Leh but the place grew on me and I ended up staying there for 14 days. This place was also the start of the many good friends I made all along the trip. There were 2 French guys in the same guest house I hung around with. They had some great music on their Ipod. I met this girl, guitar player, singer with whom I shared a very special friendship. The time spent with her was incredible to say the least. Manali was a chill out zone for me. On some days I used to go to restaurant, have different kinds of tea and play chess with some guys from Israel for hours together.

Did a bit of travel. Went to this place called Rohtang pass which was my first experience with snow. I had to share a guide there with a Punjabi couple who were on their honeymoon. Their camera stopped working and I became their photographer for the day. Later in the night, when I was on bed in my room suddenly I felt the height of Rohtang. I was also amused with myself thinking about the enthusiasm with which I was clicking photographs for the honeymoon couple. I couldn’t believe it.

Days passed by in Manali, chilling, listening to music, jammimg up with this pal of mine. I heard some of the most amazing bird sounds ever. Some lovely singing birds as well. After 14 days there, I decided to head to Leh for an experience that would have a long lasting effect.

So I had to catch the bus to Leh at 6.00 in the morning. I woke up only at 6, it was 6.30 by the time I could reach the bus stand. Obviously the bus had already left. So I took a rick in the hope that I would catch up with it ahead. We almost reached a point beyond which ricks weren’t allowed. We spotted the bus moving about 60 metres higher than where we were. This was when the rick driver pulled out his weapon, “The Whistle”, rather the more apt word “Seeti”. It was the loudest and most effective sound I heard for a while. The bus driver looked down, saw us and stopped immediately. So, after about 45 mins and Rs.200/- I got the bus.

Drive to Leh

The drive from Manali to Leh was breathtaking. It is a very important part of the whole Leh experience. As the bus moves away from Manali, green pine tree covered mountains are slowly replaced by barren ones. I had never imagined barren could be so beautiful. Magenta, red, green colored mountains, purple stones on some of them…unbelievable. It is a 2 day trip. The bus stopped at this place called Sarchu in the night. So, you crash in tents and continue the journey the next day.

It is an amazing place. Actually, I am going to fall short of adjectives to define Ladakh. Sarchu at night feels like the moon. I had never seen stars, so full of them, shooting stars ever before. It is what you call a really starry cold night. And Sarchu the next morning was even more unbelievable. It is the best morning I have ever seen, I don’t know whether I will ever see. The landscape was something else.

The journey continued the next day. You go through the Taglangla pass which is the second highest motorable road in the world 17,582 feet. But you don’t really feel the height as such because the overall landscape is so wide as well. The journey continued with anything and everything hitting me with its beauty. One of the unbelievable of the unbelievable sights was this lake which had a color of its own and had these purple stones in some parts under the water. So, the water looked purple in some sections. I was getting psyched.

I stopped clicking photos after a point because anything and everything was so beautiful. You could go on and on and on…I decided, I should just sit back and enjoy the beauty but ya, some sights were too good to resist, so I got very very selective with my photography.

After 2 days of experiencing exhilarating beauty the bus reached Leh. I was not tired one bit. The beauty all through the journey kept me really fresh. Of course, during the journey there were people in the bus suffering from altitude sickness. Two girls from China came all the way up to Sarchu and took the first cab they found and went back to Manali after one day of traveling. They just couldn’t handle the altitude.

Ladakh - The Natural Wonder

The drive made me believe that Ladakh is a natural wonder. Something so beautiful, I think it’s a gift to mankind. I reached this place called Changspa with some friends I made in the bus, a Spanish couple especially were the best of friends I made in the whole trip. Checked out various guesthouses and finally got one. As I was walking I could see these mighty barren hills in the background showing their enormity, giving me a feeling of nothingness. Amazing…

Pangong Lake

It really is very difficult to write or talk about certain experiences, feelings one experiences, happiness, can these things be moulded into words. I don’t know. Maybe I am not good at it. Ecstacy, Shock, Happiness, Elevation, Excitement are some of the words I can think of when Pangong lake comes into the picture. I was looking at sharing the jeep for Pangong. It was getting a little difficult because the vehicles were already booked for days and that is the only way to get there. I must say, I have been very lucky all through the trip. Somehow, always met lovely people and at the right time as well, as in this case I almost thought I wouldn’t make it to the lake as I couldn’t get a jeep for almost 4 days. Then, one day I went to one of the travel offices and there was this group of 11 Israelis and one Austrian who were also planning to go there. So, they offered me to join them and I was like, yes. The Austrian was especially more than happy as he finally had someone speak in English all the time rather than just listen to Hebrew and not really understand it.

So, we set off one morning in 2 jeeps to Pangong Lake. It is a 4 hour drive from Leh. I must say I was with a lovely bunch of people, really sweet and accommodating. The first sight of the lake was Wow! I t was a lovely blue colored lake with mountains on all sides. So,we had to find a place to put up the tents. You have to pay the villagers some money for that. Bargaining is a part of the whole process. Then wood had to be arranged for fire. You are not supposed to pick up wood yourself; you have to buy it from the villagers.

So, you bargain again and settle at a price, finally with the required shopping done, we were all tired by then, but the main work of putting up tents, cooking food had to be done. We found a place close to the lake. So, while men put up tents, women took care of cooking food. We got some great news there. These were small tents. Each tent was for 2 persons. Since there was 12 of us, we were to have six of them. We were given 2 and the rest was supposed to come in another jeep which never turned up and we were to stay there overnight. So, six people in a tent meant for two!!! Well, that was quite a tough thought to digest, but the practicality of it was to hit us later.

So, we put up the 2 tents and the women cooked some great spaghetti and stuff. This was my first experience of not living in a guesthouse. It was hard work, but great fun. I learnt a lot from it. And the whole day’s work and chaos fizzled down to this one beautiful evening, I wouldn’t forget for the rest of my life.

The lake is surrounded by mountains all around. The ones behind are all snow capped and the ones in front are the barren ones. The evening color in the sky was going berserk with Senile cloud shapes. Each mountain had a different sky color above it, thus making itself glow in a different shade. This was a wide palette of colors, mountains, cloud shapes, the blue lake, etc etc. I must say sitting down all alone in front of the lake, clicking some pictures and just enjoying the beauty, getting absorbed in it made me wonder about this natural marvel. I t was a different planet and I was in a different plane. I can very much relate this feeling to a line from one of Sting’s songs that goes “My insanity scans the horizon in the land of the darkening sky”. Immense Happiness is what I felt inside. I don’t think I have ever been that “Happy” in life. I do get quite emotional when I talk of Pangong because the joy it gave me was something else. I don’t think I can explain anything further. It is difficult to talk about it. The place is beyond words or photographs. It is a spiritual experience…

By late evening, the wind started going mad, so we had a tough time managing the tents. The wood we bought had to be used to hold them it was freezing and also raining. So, we had to get into the tent. There we were six of us in each of them. Initially it was fun but as time went by it got really uncomfortable. Couldn’t go out either as it was raining and freezing. So we decided there was no point in trying to sleep with one person’s hand on another’s head, somebody else’s leg on my head and all that. So we played the guitar through the night which kind of eased things a bit. Then at 4 in the morning after it stopped raining, we lit the wood outside. Finally we could stretch our bodies. And then towards sunrise we got engrossed in some natural beauty. Then towards the afternoon, the next day suddenly around 30-40 horses came with their herdsman who wore very interesting outfits galloping on the banks of the lake next to our tents. It was like a movie shot. The whole scene looked like a film Beauuuutiful… We left the place a little later and got back to Leh. All in all it was the experience in the whole trip.

Leh

I also went for a bike ride with some friends in Leh. Once we saw some monks play football. So we stopped by and joined them. It was fun. It was also tough playing the game at that height, considering I have no physical activity in Bombay anyway. These are the lovely little things you always take back and the thought of it puts a smile on my face. Feels good…Also met this excellent flamenco guitar player I jammed with. That was fun. It was a nice combination of his flying speed and my harmony and blues approach. He wanted me to stay back and do some gigs with him in Leh but I had to move on. I had already extended my stay there.

Leh to Dharmshala (McLeod Ganj)

After spending 12 good days in Ladakh, it was time to start finding my way back to Bombay. Of course there was one final stop left. I planned to go to Dharmshala (McLeod Ganj).I had to catch the jeep to Manali at 2 in the morning. I hadn’t booked a cab to the jeepstand. So, I walked from my guesthouse with my backpack,guitar for 45 minutes. It was raining, there was no electricity, I didn’t have a torch, I could see nothing. I almost lost my way in the dark. The walk was eerie to say the least which is what made it exciting.

The jeep started at 2.00 AM only to stop at 3.00 AM for 7 hours as the road was blocked due to landslides caused by rain. It was a tough journey back to Manali, as I got the back seat in the jeep. The road was very bumpy and my ass was bearing the brunt of it. As the jeep entered Manali, the barren mountains were slowly getting replaced by green pine trees. After a 36 hour bump ride, the jeep finally reached Manali at 4.00 in the evening. I wanted to move straight to McLeod Ganj, so I took the bus to Macloid in an hours time. So after a 36 hr journey from Leh, it was time to travel another 12 hrs by bus. The drive was beautiful. It was in a way, nice to get back to greenery, the flowing river running parallel to the road, lush mountains in the background and the hilly road ahead. After almost 2 and a half days of tough travel from Leh, this was a nice soother of sorts.

Dharmshala (McLeod Ganj)

Reached Macloid Ganj at 4 in the morning. Met this English guy in the bus who knew the place. So we went to this village called Baksu, 2 kms up and stayed in a guesthouse on the hill. Got drunk one evening and god knows how we trekked back to the room. Had another session the next day with him and the locals with some, rather lots and lots of local wine. That was fun and the best part about the wine was that there was no hangover the next day.

There was one funny incident when we reached Baksu. It was raining, there was no electricity, could see nothing without a torch and we had to find the guesthouse. There was a Danish couple we met there who were also looking for a room. So, they joined us in the hunt. The Danish guy was weird. He kept insisting that we switch off the torch and get used to natural light. “NATURAL LIGHT”!!!???? I don’t know what he was on. He then called his girlfriend and told us she had great eyesight in the dark and that she would help us find a guesthouse. Poor girl, she kept tripping every now and then and had to invariably end up using the torch.

I stayed 4 days in Baksu. It was lovely and has a vibe of its own.. But must say after Leh, natural beauty has its own meaning. It tends to nullify the beauty of any other place. Of course every place is different and u need time to stay a few days to actually get the feel and culture of the place.

This was my last stop in a little more than a month long trip after which I took a bus to Delhi and then got to Bombay. It took me a while to get back in the grove. Of course I was to leave in 10 days for a friends wedding, so I decided, now that I am in travel mode, I would do a trip to South India as well. All in all a fantastic experience. A trip where I made great friends from all around the world and experienced natural beauty. The walk from the guesthouse in Leh to the jeep stand, trekking back high to the room in Baksu were edgy, thus memorable experiences. I almost felt like a different person at times. I was interacting a lot more, lot of energy bustling, unlike what I am or was in Bombay. I hope to carry this mode forward here in my everyday life.

Based on my experiences, there are a few important things I realized:

a) There is no point in trying to cover too many places in a short span of time.

b) To enjoy any place, you need to stay for a few days, coz the place grows on you, and you get into the culture of the place, meet interesting people.

c) Traveling alone is an experience by itself. It is totally different from traveling with friends. You tend to observe a lot more, interact with people a lot more, make new friends, and travel with them as well. You have the choice to remain in your own space or hang around with people, something you don’t really have when you travel with friends from your hometown. Basically, too much familiarity. Though I set off alone from Bombay, I wasn’t really alone. I had the company of interesting people all through.

d) Be as open about a place. I think I learnt a lot and enjoyed each place by finding things my own way. Books like the lonely planet are great guides but don’t swear by it so much that you stop finding things for yourself. It is the unexpected I experienced that would last in my memory more than the expected. That is the thrill of traveling.

Photos

Venky on Orkut

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