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- Weekend Getaways near Barkur
Weekend Getaways near Barkur
About Barkur
I packed my one day backpack and started around 12 pm from Manipal on a bus to Udupi. We did not exactly knew how to reach Barkur but and so asked the bus conductor. He suggested us to the ‘kin’ bus stop to Udupi local bus stop. We walked for around five minutes and heard a driver calling out Barkur.. Barkur.. We confirmed and once again boarded the bus. It was very hot inside the bus. It took 15-20 more minutes before the bus started, almost drenching me in sweat. As Udupi is adjoined to the sea, the weather is always humid.The bus ticket to Barkur was only Rs.15/- and hence I could make out that the village is not very far. And soon it started drizzling. The bus halted at one of the stops called Brahmavara. Here, two ladies entered the bus with their toddlers. A man accompanying them made a gesture asking us to give them a place to sit. Thus, me and Masroora offered them our seat. From here Barkur was around 3 more stops. We managed to cross this short distance enjoying the cool breeze, standing at the door. We passed by a river called Seetha river. I enquired about the time taken from the bus stop to the Basadi and the temple.We got down at the Barkur busstop and asked the way to the Basadi. On our way, we met a lady in a festive mood with a colorful saree and her hair adorned by a flower wreath. She welcomed us with warmth in her voice and a smile on her face. She started the conversation in Kannada which I did not understand even a bit. But Masroora understood some of it and thus replied back. The lady knew some English words and so told us that the Basadi is very ancient. There are total 365 temples in the village. She showed us the Basadi and warned us about the snakes which might be present in the grass around Basadi.The roads in Barkur were wider enough for a bus to pass by comfortably. There were lush green trees on both sides of the road with butterflies fluttering over the flowers. The basadi was on the right side of the road. We greeted the lady and left for the basadi gate. Basadi is basically a Jain temple and Kathale means dark. So, the history says that the village was built by the Alupa Kings in the Vijayanagara times (12th century) and was further ruled by Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan etc. There is a huge monolithic pillar at the basadi entrance. The basadi compound has three temples. Although they are in a demolished state now, it has some remnants and visible ancient encrypts. The encryptions are said to be in Tulu. An information board is on the left of the entrance. The temple exactly at the centre is the basadi, but no more contains Jain Tirthankar statues. The There were only some destroyed pillars. One temple behind it was Shiva temple and the other was Vishnu. The Vishnu temple had beautiful carvings. Although it is quoted as the national monument by the archaeological Survey of India, its sorry state with grass growing around and piercing the architecture made me feel awful. Soon after taking some pics around the basadi we headed towards the Ganesha temple. We confirmed the way for the temple and headed straight.
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Kodagu
173 Kms from Barkur
Best time to visit - January,September,October,November,December
About 100kms west of Mysore, the hilly hamlet of Kodagu (formerly known as Coorg) is located in the evergreen highlands ...
Day 2: Woke up early, went for a walk, played with those little pawsome friends and then we had a tour with a guide who explained us about coffee plantation and made us taste the real coffee of Coorg. And the saddest part, we had to check out Zostel! After checking out we headed towards the Monastery which was 12 km from Zostel.By that time the sun was up and it was hot indeed, but the way to the Monastery was beautiful. We got to know from the autowala that the Karnataka Govt. had given these Chinese/Tibetan people acres of lands to cultivate! This was the first time I was going to any such monasteries!
Hola Trippers,This trip was not at all planned! So much so that we were about to miss the bus (which was booked after so much hesitation and procrastination)!!! I mean who does that isn't it? But finally, we set out for a 3 day trip to Coorg and Mysore.But little did we know that we weren't actually leaving Bangalore, but following entire Bangalore to a whole new destination...trust me, the traffic at morning 6.30 took the s**t out of me!!Anyway, coming back to the point, after almost missing the bus and the bus being late for 4 hours we finally reached Coorg on 23rd December evening 5.30. Needless to say, it was tourist season and we had to face a lot of trouble while booking the buses as well as the hotels. But that very moment this tiny little fairy showed up to us named Zostel (www.zostel.com) do check out their website, it is another name of #awesomeness. Not only we got awesome rooms/beds but at the cost of literally nothing!! This leads to -Tip no. 1 - Always try to book backpackers hostels when you want to be on a budget trip and don't want to put a hole in your pocket.
Day 7:- Madikeri (coorg) Got up in the cold morning. As we were a going to stay in coorg today as well so we booked a hotel through oyo. Which was hardly 4km from where we were staying. So we freshened up and they provided breakfast as complimentary. After which we loaded our bikes and went to the hotel where we booked a new room for the day. The check in time was 11am but we went before that but by them the double occupancy room was not vacated so we suggested them to keep our luggages at reception and once the room is vacant put our luggages into the room and meanwhile we will go to explore coorg. But the person at reception said no need to keep the luggages here i will upgrade your room at the same cost. And he gave us a deluxe room with two kingsize beds in it. The rooms we got was too good. So plan was to visit Abbey falls,raja seat and a coffee plantation tour. At the hotel they had displayed a hoarding of coffee plantations, so i enquired that where can we get to see coffee plantation. They said it is some 17km from here and it belongs to the same owner of this hotel. So i asked them what is the cost of coffee plantation tour , he said its complimentary for those who had taken room here also boating is complimentary there. They also provide barbecue but we have to pay them and they also have rooms inside the coffee estate. He said he will inform the concerned person there about our arrival so they can give us a detailed tour. So we said we will go there after lunch. So we first went to visit abbey falls which was 6km from the hotel. We have to take a ticket and park our bikes and walk through footsteps for around 5 minutes to reach the falls. This falls had nice amount of water. The whole scene was good except for the garbage which visitors throw in the open. We cannot go near the falls as they have build a stage with railing around it. Came back to our bike had some coconut water and left for raja seat. This place has a very nominal ticket and it has been maintained well. They say that kings used to sit here. Which gives a view of entire village. Though there was nothing much to see here. We clicked few pic here. Went back to our hotel and had lunch then left for the plantation tour. Thought it was not far. After riding few kilometers we got two route option one was through the main road which was closer and other was off road through the coffee estates. So we choose the later. It was only 3km more but it was fun to ride through the coffee plantations. Roads were rough and at a decent i was at good speed, but i cannot apply the brake as the bike would skid. I thought i am going to crash now but luckily survived and still wonder how did the speed increase that much. We reached our destination but there were 2 gates first one was shut so we went inside the second gate, but it was someone else’s house. We opened the gate and went inside 200 to 300 meters where there was rooms and the care taker. He took us to a brief tour and it lasted for more than an hour. Explained everything about coffee plantation and coffee beans and its process. There were beatle nut trees, pepper plantation as well. We then went for boating for sometime. So we were done with the plantation tour. And out had some coffee and reached hotel by 6pm and had some snack there and went to our room. Took rest and came down for dinner and went inside the market area where we found kfc kind of restaurant so for a change we had some fried chicken and burgers. Had a small walk around the area then went back to our room.
Day 6:- Jog Falls to Madikeri (Coorg) Got up from yesterday’s scary ride as the biggest scare was if the bike would have stopped for any reason it would have been a big problem. But thank God nothing happened. The jog falls was 10minutes form the hotel where we were staying. So we first got up and went to have breakfast by walk. Came back and freshened up and decided to visit jog falls first and then come back to the hotel and take all our luggage. It hardly took 10 to 15 minutes to reach the jog falls. At the entrance you will find a huge granite board in which it is written as welcome to world famous jog falls. Once you get inside you have to take entrance tickets for you and your vehicle. The whole area is quite well maintained. You have cafeteria, atm ,washroom and other facilities inside it. We went to the spot from where the falls was visible. As the rainy season had already ended the water was less in the falls. But the falls actually huge. After the photo shoot we had a good coffee there and left for the hotel. We loaded all the luggage on our bike and left for coorg as it was already past 12 noon. Also it was 350km from there. On the way we came across a lake so we stopped there for sometime. Enroute i saw a small lane leading to woods so we took our machines there and clicked few pics after which halted for beverages. After few hours of ride we halted for lunch and spent around without realizing it. At some parts google maps took us through small lanes of villages and then we were on good road. We had already blocked a room at madikeri through one of my contact so we didn’t have to search for a room once we reach there. The route was scenic as it went through villages. On the way we missed a turn and went ahead so we had to take a u turn and come back to take the exact route. Then we came across a ghat section and it was fun to ride the bike as the roads have many twist and turns. Once down the ghat mateen wanted to halt for coffee. By the time it had started becoming dark. The road at several parts were small also it had turned dark so we had to maintain our pace. We had to halt twice in another 3 hours.Suddenly the temperature dropped down. By the time we reached coorg it was 11pm. It was a tiring day. We went into the hotel to find that the cost of the rooms were thrice our budget. We had to bargain as it was already late to find another hotel they gave a 50% as we said we won’t be here for whole day we will leave in the morning. Also the attending guys was so good that he provided some bread butter and jam by himself even though the restaurant had closed. But the rooms were individual cottages and very nice. Nevertheless we were so tired so we went off to sleep.
I don’t have a lot of memories with them because as the night progressed I had made friends with whom I ended up drinking till 3AM.
Fam Jam down South!Moving on, the next destination was in down south. My parents are my biggest inspiration when it comes to travel as they took me to places, right from snowfall in Manali to snowfall in Switzerland, little parts of India to little India in Singapore. This time it was my turn, to do something for them so I took them on a trip. Trust me, this was one of the happiest and proudest moment of my life.Again a road trip, this time from Bangalore. Did Brindavan Garden on the way before reaching our destination, Coorg, rightly called as the Scotland of India. If you're someone who dreams of lush greenery, breathtaking waterfalls, hills covered with forests, and spectacular misty landscapes, Coorg is meant just for you!We had booked a homestay for this refreshing break, best part was we could hear the sound of humming insects in the plantations around our stay. Instantly, a sense of peace, serenity and tranquility takes over as you inhale freshcardamom, black pepper and eucalyptus leaves.Must do things in Coorg would be a visit to Abbey Falls, Dubare Elephant Camp, Namdrolig Monastery, breathtaking view from Raja's Seat, Omkarehwar Temple, Cauvery Nisargadhama and Talacauvery. With its picturesque locales, alluring mountains and verdant coffee plantations, all in all, Coorg is a paradise for nature lovers, and just about anyone looking to calm their frayed nerves!
Pack light, pack less. Light, cotton, comfortable clothing is ideal. Carry a sweater or a jacket if it gets too windy or a bit chilly early mornings or late evenings. Sport shoes are a must, especially if you intend to trek or go biking.Coffee and spice and everything nice.. With a hint of challenge and adventure. You’ll be back here again before you know it!
Spot 2: Raja's SeatRaja's seat was very close to our hotel so we decided to see the sunset there just after checking in the hotel.According to legends the Raja used to see the sunset from here.It is a protected monument.The entry fee is Rs 5 per person.There is a small light n sound show everyday from 6:45 to 7 pm.You do get a lot of fresh air though its nothing more than a common park.There is also a toy train ride and you can book the tickets on spot.Back to hotel and had dinner at the hotel restaurant. And that was all for the day.Getting There:By Air: Mangalore Airport is about 164 kilometres away and is the nearest airport to Coorg.By Bus: Mangalore, Mysore and Bengaluru have daily bus (KSRTC deluxe buses) services going to and from Coorg.By Train: 95 kilometres away, Mysore Railway station is the closest to Coorg.Self Drive: Fly to Bengaluru and drive to Coorg. A four and a half hour journey and a delightful road trip.What To Pack:
Coorg IndiaCalled the Scotland of India, Coorg hosts the birthplace of Kaveri- Talakaveri. The river originates from the Brahmagiri hills in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. A tank is constructed in the hills which is said to be its birthplace. The river water fills this tank and then goes underground to emerge as the river Kaveri further ahead. The temple at Talakaveri offers stunning views of the landscape where the mountains are misty and clouds float down to grace you with their presence.
Panaji
248 Kms from Barkur
This is the capital of the state of Goa and is probably the smallest state capital. Panaji is also the headquarters of t...
St Augustine Church - A church hidden right in front of the eyes - History & Ruin lovers
As soon as we woke up on our bus ride, rain greeted us and the weather suddenly became humid, but the views we encountered on our way and the excitement of the journey ahead made us ignore the uncomfortable weather.
Finally the day came. Valentine's day, we woke up early in the morning and left to Panjim for the carnival. After 30-45 minutes we reached Panjim and joined the carnival. Many groups were performing at that carnival, it was something that I can't forget in my life. Well planned, well coordinated. Awesome performance was given by the groups and members who participated in that Carnival . We spent our whole day in that carnival and we enjoyed to the maximum.
We then headed towards panjim, the quaint capital city of this cute state of goa. I had made my list of places to go much before the trip started and hence was searching for a boutique shop called Barefoot. It is difficult to locate but worth your time. The shop has great collection of eclectic home decor products and also pretty everyday wear jewels. The shop is located at 31st Janeiro Road or as the locals say 31st January Road, just near the subway,in a bylane.
A day I was looking forward to, today I took the ride from North Goa to South Goa. I had one beach in mind, very less known, secluded and amazingly scenic. Hollant Beach is a secluded beach close to the airport and very less people know about it. The ride is also awesome, this is one good place to pack a lunch, chill and spend a day. The major attraction is that this beach offers one km of shore line with pool like water and nominal waves. This is the place to come and play a game of water polo with your friends.I had booked a flight next day early morning, this gave me 4 full days in Goa.
Mysore
249 Kms from Barkur
Best time to visit - January,February,March,July,August,September,October,November
Once the seat of the Maharajas of Mysore for six centuries, Mysore is now the third most populous state of Karnataka. Bu...
The distance from Ooty to Mysore is 130 kms and the road from Ooty to Mysore passes through Madhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and Bandipur Tiger Reserve. The road is really awesome and full of thrill as it passes through dense forests and there are many animals crossing points also. Because we had enough time thus we decided to take a safari in the dense forest of Madhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary. Madhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Tamil Nadu while Bandipur Tiger Reserve is situated in Karnataka. Bandipur Tiger Reserve is also a good place for wildlife lovers. After that we continued our journey by heading towards Mysore and in the evening we reached Mysore.
Tariff's for Hotel: Starting from ₹1000/- per room (Non AC)
Starting from ₹1500/- per room (AC)
Mysore is one of the most popular tourist destination in Karnataka. It is also known as "Palace City" of India. There we visited Mysore Palace, Lalitha Mahal Palace and Chamundi Hills. Mysore Palace is one of the best palaces in India. The Palace shows us the lifestyle of our kings that how they lived such a royal life. It is a must visit palace. Lalitha Mahal is also a royal palace with a good architecture. After visiting Chamundi Hills, we left Mysore and then started our journey towards Chennai. The distance from Mysore to Chennai is 480 kms. After a smooth drive of 8 hrs we reached Chennai in the late night.
After tasting the Mysore Pak in Coimbatore, Mysore became a place of must visit. So we reached here in the evening hours and was blessed with the opportunity to view the Mysore palace lighting up for the night hours. Its just spectacularly amazing.
The Mysore Palace is breathtaking and is en route to Madumalai National Park. Hence a stopover to see the palace is must. If anyone is interested...its the best place to buy silk saris.
As far as majestic history goes, there are not many places that can trump Mysore, often referred to as the 'City of Palaces'. The Mysore Palace built by the Wodeyar Kings is a place where perhaps one can locate how Mysore became as culturally rich as it is for the Wodeyar Kings were great patrons of art and culture, allowing various forms, crafts and styles to flourish and grow in a way that they still exist and temper the way the city is today.
However, this is not all, Mysore is not just a place of cultural but also natural beauty. Located at the foot of the Chamundi Hills it has numerous lakes like Kukkarhalli and Karanji. The Chamundi Hills are also important because atop them is located the Chamundeshwari Temple, one of the most important religious sites in Mysore.
Mysore, formerly a Princely State, until the Independence of India in 1947 is filled with Royal beauty. It was once a region with flourishing art and culture under the royal and mighty kings. Also called as the "City of Palaces", Mysore's beauty can be seen through its rich architecture and its majestic palaces that stand tall today. Passed form the Vijayanagar Empire to the Wodeyar family (that lives here even today), Mysore has always been occupied by Royalty.
After the break, we reached Mysore recharged and our first stop had to be the street side dosa stalls serving up the famous south Indian dish ‘masala dosa’. With hot, freshly made dosas in our laps we sat on cold stone steps looking out on the magnificent 1927 Silver Jubilee Clock Tower now lit up by spotlights.
The next morning we made our way to visit our first Catholic church in India, St. Philomena’s Cathedral. The cathedral has some beautiful stained-glassed windows and it was very interesting how inside the locals had Indianised the church.
From the cathedral we caught a rickshaw and made our way towards the gate of the Maharaja’s Palace. Continuing through the palace the interior never ceased to amaze with huge hallways, massive swinging chandeliers and a kaleidoscope of mirrors, stained glass and sparkling walls that when reflected in the mirrors seemed to continue forever.
We won't be able to start riding from the outset, but will initially have to take a shuttle bus to battle the traffic on its own terms. Once we get to riding, the route for the day is overflowing with culture, which is quite expected for India! We ride past mango orchards, nurseries, paddy fields and temples and make the first stop at the Big Banyan Tree. This gigantic tree is about 400 years old and spreads itself over 3 acres. after a stop here, we move onto the small town of Channapatna, where toy-makers make handmade toys in their small factories. Before this, we stop for a typical Kannadiga cuisine at Kamat Lokaruchi. Channapatna owes its toy-making heritage to the King Tipu Sultan, who first introduced this otherwise Persian art. The small highway town is lined with bright shops showcasing horses, beads and sundry toys. We again use shuttle to reach the cultural capital of Karnataka, Mysore.
Mangalore
65 Kms from Barkur
Best time to visit - January,February,March,April,May,June,July,August,September,October,November,December
Known as the gateway to Karnataka, the picturesque city of Mangalore is famous for its golden beaches, revered temples a...
Day 2:A good night's sleep and the excitement of exploring a new place, I was ready by 7am. I headed out to Sulthan Battery as it was the closest to my place.
When we think about beaches and vacations in India, Goa is the first place that comes to our mind and well why not it serves everything we dream of ;) Surprising this time me and my friend decided to discover something new, and so the next choice was Gokarna and Varkala. Fortunately or unfortunately we could not find any accommodation in Gokarna because of holiday season and that's how Mangalore happened. As they say, most good things happen when you expect them the least and I am glad it happened.Day 0:We took sleeper bus from Bangalore around 8:30 pm and reached Mangalore at 6:30 am. I would not say that journey was comfortable but it was worth it. Alternative and better option is via train but we could not get the tickets, last minute planners never get the privilege.
It was Saturday morning I told one of my friend about this trek near kudremukh I sent him some links of the blogs and photos. After seeing the pictures he was amazed and was ready to join me on this trek. We asked all our friends to join us. But only 4 people came up with yes . It was 11:00 in the morning, I went to bus stand to ask for bus timing to kudremukh ,The buses were at 1:00,2:20 and last bus was at 3:40 from state bank private bus stand of Mangalore . So we decided to catch 1:00 bus. I was packing my bag I got a call from one of my friend that he cannot come with us. It was very disappointing But we couldn’t miss that trek because of him. So we packed our bag and left home by the time I reached bus stop it was 1:15 and we had missed the bus,our next bus was at 2:20 and none of my friends had reached the bus stop yet . I was sitting in bus stop and scrolling my Instagram page at 1:30 remaining two of my friends showed up finally . The next bus was at 2:20 and we still had 1 hour , So we decided to go to Karkala first and then change the bus at Karkala to kudremukh we dint knew perfectly but we were trying our luck ,I was 70% sure that we may get bus from Karkala .We took Karkala bus- the journey time from mangalore to Karkala is 1 and half hour . If had not booked anything in kudremukh yet. But we had a phone number of a base camp(home stay ), He is very well known person in that area his name is ‘Raje Gowda’.
We woke up early the next day because we had to make it to the wedding. It was a muslim wedding and so it involved a lot of biryani and short wedding service. I met my childhood friend at the wedding venue and we had lunch together. I'm not a wedding person so we decided to leave quickly after lunch. I went back to the hotel and changed while two of my other friends went and got scooters for us to get around the city. Mangalore is humid since it's a coastal area. But, I never found it as humid as Chennai or Goa.
We left late in the afternoon and went by bus. After 350 km and hours of a slow drive, we reached late in the night and the drive had been extremely bumpy due to some road work going on in the ghat section of the western coast of south India. It was nearly midnight and I wanted a bed to sleep. We found our rooms, changed, and slept.
Spend the Day 3 in Mangaluru leisurely savouring the coastal Konkan delicacies at Giri Manja's on Car Street, or try some Chicken Ghee Roast at Shetty Lunch Home at Hampankatta. Mangaluru has a lot to showcase to its tourists, like Sultan Battery, Tannir bavi Beach, Kadri Manjunath Temple, Panambur Beach etc."Bring out the Vasco Da Gama in You, Set Foot on St Mary's Island"Picture Credits:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary%27s_Islands#/media/File:St_Mary%27s_island.JPGhttps://www.google.co.in/search?q=madagascar+on+map+from+india&rlz=1C1CHBD_enIN708IN708&tbm=isch&imgil=4sMXSpYkrB7OsM%253A%253BuF-5SDSz0AjkrM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fontheworldmap.com%25252Fmadagascar%25252Fmadagascar-location-on-the-indian-ocean-map.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=4sMXSpYkrB7OsM%253A%252CuF-5SDSz0AjkrM%252C_&usg=__4OwaBhBL3ptY5PogEBsln2flgVo%3D&biw=1366&bih=662&ved=0ahUKEwjtyOKOjLjWAhXMLo8KHXV5AMcQyjcIMg&ei=KKTEWe2UFczdvAT18oG4DA#imgrc=n1uSHqbDzQtnjM:
MANGALORE is one of the most important cities of Karnataka. It is the nearest airport to Manipal. If you are missing the city vibes and feel like shopping or want to be stuck in traffic for a while, Mangalore is the place to go. Mangalore offers a number of options for shopping ranging from Levi's to Calvin Klein. It also offers a good range of food joints and restaurants.
Flight journey from Mangalore to DehradunHoping for safer, smoother and shorter yatra , we left for Dehradun from Mangalore on June 18th 2016 early morning. To travel to the Chardham circuit, we hired a mini-bus from Haridwar since it was the only mode of transport that could carry 13 people across the terrains. Helicopter service has become popularity , if pilgrimage is the only objective, one can choose this mode of transport.Day 2 and 3
We decided to travel by train up to Mangalore and then hire a bus for the road journey. “Matsyagandha express” dropped us at Mangalore central station at 9.30 a.m. sharp. We hired a bus for our road journey up till Kodagu, but we decided to refuel ourselves with some breakfast. Our driver (Mr. Shivaji) took us to a nearby restaurant which served simple, yet elegant South Indian breakfast.
Calangute
256 Kms from Barkur
The third day started of late, and as it was our last day, we spent the some time in lazing around in the pool. At aroun...
The third day started of late, and as it was our last day, we spent the some time in lazing around in the pool. At around 3 we visited Calangute beach where we enjoyed a few water sports (snorkling, parasailing etc). They offer great packages but it is very important to negotiate the prices. I personally would recommend water sports at this beach.
We checked into Fab Hotel La Flamingo, Calangute, a very good 3 star hotel for its rate, took some rest had lunch and started off our trip by visiting Fort Aguada. Fort Aguada is the best-preserved Portuguese fort in India and then took a break and had a bite at Cafe Sussegado Souza to try one of Goan delicacy "Bebinica", then followed by an evening well spent at Calangute beach. Then went for some street shopping at Calangute Market and ended the day with a hefty dinner at Infantaria. Once Calangute's best bakery, Infantaria is now a popular Italian-cum-Indian fondue-meets-curry restaurant.
It took me couple of minutes to register where I was when I waked up that morning. It was our third day at Goa but it was feeling like I was there for years. I had to actually recall, from where I had come and where I work, it felt like a lifetime ago. I went to the balcony, needed some fresh air, after the four hours' sleep I could not even think properly. We didn't have any plan. I thought to spent the day just seating in the balcony. After couple of minutes I realized, it was our last day in Goa, we might never get the chance to come back here again. I went back to the room; my friends were having the same feeling too. We got ready in no time and left for Anjuna beach.
We had to wake up early in the morning. It was not an easy task, waking up early in Goa is never an easy task. We had our Dudhsagar trip planned today. The tour operator provided transportation. The traveler picked us up from our home-stay. There were around 15 people including us. They stopped for breakfast in their designated place. The café was a bit expensive but their south Indian food tasted good.
Further, the road leads to the green highway and then the city besides the sea. The city roads with all food around, the smell of fish and the views of coconut craft. We reach our pre-booked homestay just a walk away from the Calangute Beach. As it was a big group with three small babies, so on reaching there, all we wanted was just to rest. A nap and then we go out for lunch. Nearby is all full of many food joints and one can easily fetch food from different cuisines- but as we say "When in Rome, do as Romans do", so I would suggest go for the Goan food, as it tastes better than anything else.Later in the day, after dinner, a walk to the beach was our very first encounter with the Goan beach waters- but a bad experience. It's true people forget life in Goa, but people don't forget to exploit it. The beach was not clean and the water stinky. Sad to say, but depressing. To the good of Goa, is also a bad side. Also, the ice-cream vendors around could only sell us ice-creams at a price much higher than MRP with hug bargains. Depressing was the end of the day, but it was the first day and awaits the fun.Day 2, we start our journey towards the beautiful Goa. Down towards Panjim and then further towards the Goan hills which led us to the silence and calmness of South Goa. Post lunch we reach the Palolem Beach and check in our accommodation, a few kilometers away from the beach as we didn't pre-book. Otherwise, its quite a nice place and a walk away from the beach, we find many different accommodations.
We reached our stay late afternoon, a cosy homestay managed by an extremely warm and helpful elderly couple. Dumped our bags and headed to the streets for a nice Goan lunch to soak in the vibe.Walked to the beach post lunch and this is where I realised there was a side to Goa that nobody talks about, the infamous dark side.The approach road all the way to the beach, swarming with tonnes of people. But, this was not the problem; their mentality was.I was absolutely disgusted and dismayed by the absolute lack of character amongst such a large number of men. Men commenting and either trying not to keep their hands to themselves or walk straight into the girls around.The beach was equally crowded but we decided to ignore the scenario and spend the rest of the evening swimming and playing football.After sunset we decided to change and head to Baga for new years eve.No surprises here- the crowd had only gotten worse. Tonnes of drunk, unruly men; no room to enter any party places; bouncers loosing their mind. Walking down Baga hearing men pass lewd comments all along thinking to myself whatever happened to respect? Goa on new year's was supposed to be an electrifying atmosphere with a bit of romance of course but it was everything but that. •note to self and all of you guys reading this: plan the new year's night properly and well in advance•
Today was only about getting the feel of Goa. It was different and not disappointing definitely. An evening walk near the resort on Calangute beach was the perfect end of the day. Few shacks were open with lesser customers but same excitement. The tranquility of seashore with grey clouds all over the sky was soothing to the eyes and mind.
On reaching our guest house, we freshen up and went to beach . It was around 4 a.m in the morning but the aura of the place made us forget all our tiredness. In the morning , Ankit received a call and we got to know that one of our friend is already in Goa with his family.After a peaceful snooze , we took shower and went outside , hired a car and started our local sightseeing while heading towards Panjim . We decided to join the carnival that was supposed to be held on Valentine's day there. After a long fun-filled day, we went back to guest house and took some rest. Spending night on Calangute beach with friends while enjoying the music of water waves ,beer in hands, and cold breeze, gave an awesome feeling!!
17) Spent time in The Shack
7) You will never see as calm as this Sunset at Calangute Beach
Hampi
282 Kms from Barkur
Best time to visit - January,February,March,October,November,December
Hampi (Hampe) is a village and temple town recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed as the Group of Monuments ...
Hampi - Largest open air museum . The cult location of this generation. - Nature,Art & History Lover
The first stop was Virupaksha Temple, a very old temple with a huge vimana and large courtyards. You will also find a lot of guides here trying to swindle you. Please DO NOT listen to them and explore the town on your own.
How to go: You can follow either NH44 + Bellary road or Nh150A+ NH48, the approximate time drive is around 7 hours. Tough the second option is shorter in distance but poor roads make it difficult to drive, especially the last 150 KM stretch as a lot of bad patches and some narrow deserted roads. I would suggest taking the first option even though its 30Km more but it takes the same time. It also has some of beautiful landscape on the way.,
Airtel signal was quite poor, had hard time calling our contact person Murali. He picked us up on his bike. We stopped once one the way. There was an broken Aqueduct, reminded me of Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. Later found out it’s called Pillars of Bukkas Aqueduct.
Our third day was the most special one as it was reserved for exploring the majestic temples of central Hampi. You can literally feel the hum of a past gone by throbbing slightly in the air and the weight of so much history humbles you to the core. We started out with the Virupaksha temple and the Hampi bazaar complex, which has one of the oldest shrines dedicated to Shiva and is an active Hindu worship site. You also get to seek the blessings of Laxmi, the royal temple elephant, by handing her an offering. We followed this with Achyutaraya temple and the Vitthala temple, which can easily be called the most artistically sophisticated Hindu temple in all of Hampi. It has the Garuda shrine shaped as a stone chariot, often symbolic of Hampi's depiction. Other monuments followed in the form of Hemakuta hill complex, the underground Shiva temple, elephant stables, lotus temple and the zenana enclosure. It would seriously be impossible to list down the kind of splendor these places boast of so my suggestion to you, dear reader, is just pack your bags on the next long weekend and embark on this enchanted experience known as Hampi.
If you haven't read part 1 of SOlO TRIP then click here.I wanted to go on a trip badly. And the long weekend was finally here. I asked my friends but it was so difficult to convince everyone together. If you have ever planned a trip with a bunch of friends, you can understand my pain. Not every one is on the same page. Someone wants to see mountains, someone wants to see beaches, someone wants to relax and booze, someone wants to explore, someone doesn’t want to go with a particular person, someone would only go if that particular person comes along. Uff!! Who would want to go through this much pain when the idea is to enjoy and refresh yourself? If everyone you travel with are not on the same page, then it is very much possible that few of them would not enjoy at all and few would end up having arguments or fights over something.After so many if's and but's, I booked a bus ticket, packed my bags, and head to HAMPI, on my first solo trip!The hesitation went away the moment I reached HospetBus dropped me at Hospet, 13 Kms away from Hampi. As soon AS people deboarded the bus, bunch of Auto drivers came up with excitement, with different schemes and packages as if we were celebrities. Nothing strange about it, you see the same scenario in any tourist places. Most of the people were going to Hampi and I could have asked anyone for the company but the hesitation was still there. I saw them leaving one by one in Auto, cabs or by walk. I did little bit of homework, so I knew that there were frequent buses from Hospet to Hampi. When I asked Auto drivers, most of them said “bus is a waste of time”, “don’t go in bus”, “you might have to wait for hours”, “it will drop you little far from Hampi” etc. Now I usually trust people easily and for whatever they say. As I was new to the place, it made me skeptical. They started asking Rs. 250, Rs. 200, then Rs. 150 to hampi. I thought of giving a try to bus and headed towards the bus stop. The bus was there and within 15 min, it left. It cost me Rs. 12 only and dropped me at the center of Hampi, nearest to my Hotel. So, the learning was not that I wouldn’t trust auto drivers anymore but I used to prefer comfortable transport to commute always like most of the youngsters - Metro over buses, Private Cabs over sharing cabs or flights over Train, thus, according to this small experience, I learnt to let go my preference. It was my first and small achievement and I was excited for the rest of the adventure.You will love flexibilityThe best part of a solo trip is you can do whatever you want, go wherever you feel like and eat whenever you are hungry. You don’t have to be dependent on anyone. You will love this sense of freedom during the trip.I rented a bicycle and traveled as much as I could. You can ask any local person about the places to visit and everyone has the itinerary ready for you. Hampi is a very hot place, so I put a bit of sunscreen and head to the ruins of Hampi. I still rode around 15 kms everyday despite too much heat. You see if I were with someone, I had to take care of his/her opinions too whether he/she was comfortable with bicycle or the scorching heat or the unorthodox ruins and then I might not have traveled this much on a bicycle and in this much heat. It was completely my choice. I covered so much in just few hours, took breaks, carried dry fruits and ate them once in while, sat and witness the beautiful ruins and architecture for as long as I wanted to, came back to hotel to take nap and then again went out to explore in the evening. Neither the time was a problem nor I had to deal with other’s opinions and expectations.You will meet amazing peopleIf you are alone, you will have the urge to talk with someone. That’s human psychology, you miss the thing you don’t have and in solo trip, it’s the company. To talk about the place, to ask questions, to enjoy a little more – sharing enhances the experience. Thus, this urge will make you come out of your comfort zone and talk to random strangers – be it the hotel staff or the people at the restaurants or the co-tourists. But you don’t have any expectation from them. You can easily talk to someone for sometime and then say goodbye without being attached to them. Some will be very formal, some will treat you like an old friend, some will listen to you and some will end up telling their whole life stories.As there are many foreign tourists in Hampi and they are much more friendly, it was quite easy to start a conversation with them. I met a painter who makes graffiti inside and outside restaurants wall, a French man who came here for some internship, a 22-year-old girl running a guest house, the handicraftsmen, a wanderer, an explorer, an architecture and many more.Less selfies and more photosNow with smart phones, it is pretty simple and easy to take selfies but if you are carrying a big camera and you are alone, you won’t be asking people every single time to click your picture or take out your phone every time you see a marvellous background for your facebook display picture. As I was carrying a camera, the ruins and the landscapes inspired the photographer in me. So, I clicked pictures - more pictures and less selfies. And luckily few of the photos came out pretty well. The little amateur photographer in me was ecstatic.With no offence to selfie freaks out there, I just can’t see my face in every photo I take when the whole beautiful background is out there and I am blocking it. That’s the reason I told to myself but the truth was due to traveling in hot weather, I looked like alien. I could not recognize my face in the few selfies I clicked. So, it was always better to click the things I saw and admired without putting my alien face in it.I got boredLet me be honest, yes, I got bored and even felt lonely, for sometime. When you travel alone, you tend to do things quickly, be it eating in a restaurant, seeing a monument, visiting markets or shopping. You cover everything much quicker alone than with a group. Thus, you are left with ample time each day with nothing else to do.I deliberately did not carry laptop, movies or any other passive entertainment medium, so that I would not end up sitting in the room for hours rather than exploring the place, and I do not regret it at all. Yes, I had mobile phone but luckily there was no network and internet. I wanted to experience few days without passive entertainment things that we always use at home, and that was the apt time for me.In most of the small places, in my case Hampi, everything shuts down early. As soon as the sun sets, the time passes very slowly, everybody sleep early. I could only walk to near by small market for an hour or so, then had to spend time in the room only.So, I started to do things slowly to cope with the pace of the place – I sat in the restaurants for hours, ate slowly, walked slowly, observed people more, talked more to strangers and shopkeepers, saw the same market again and again etc.The more I explored my boredom, the more I become comfortable with it. I relived the whole day in mind again, explored every feeling and thought I had while traveling, planned the next day and slept with quite mind at last. You don’t experience it every day. It was peaceful, mindful and no chaos in the head.This time the boredom taught me to be in present, to be mindful and to be with myself.You will get to know yourself more and understand betterThat’s the most obvious and best part of the solo trip. The people’s opinions, judgments, attachments and comments start to fade away and the experience of traveling WITH YOURSELF will take you a step closer to knowing yourself more and understanding yourself better. You will start to judge people less and observe more. You will become less conscious and more confident.Someone said if you know yourself, you know the whole universe. It still is and will always be work in progress for me and traveling solo takes me a step closer to MYSELF.
Places of interest: For me its all about the ride first than the places at the destination. I was not keep to visit the places, but thanks to my friend I made an attempt to visit a couple of places, which I would have regretted if not visited. Vittala temple, the huge and majestic temple in the heart of the city with sculptures and carvings is a delight to the eyes. The elephant inside which blesses the visitors with her tusk is an attraction too. From the we walked for 1.5 km to reach Virupaksha temple, passing through river side ruins, Hampi bazaar and the relics. It was summer and of our long ride and the walking, we were exhausted a bit and decided to explore the other side of the river. The archaeological museum is also a major attraction for tourists. The places have entry tickets which are nominal Rs 10/- for Indians and Rs 250/- for expats. We thought of checking in the popular Mango Tree Restraunt on the river side, but again it was closed.The 'Other Side' of Hampi: Having heard a lot about the other side of the river, we didn't want to waste any more time and get there to see ourselves what's so special about it. It started with a Ferry Crossing, riding down all the steps to reach the boat, loading it onto the ferry and crossing the beautiful river is one of the best experiences. However this is not the only option to reach the other side, you have a road which connects but is around 35km detour. Once we are there, the first feeling for me was the Goan feeling, with lot of shacks facing the paddy fields, national and international travellers around, the bike rentals of small scootys and royal enfields, etc. It was peace and trance. We have opted to stay at the Goan Corner, which was quite popular on the social media, and to reach there you need to ride in between the paddy fields and some rocks. But sadly it was closed that time of the year.Next to that was our Bobby's One Love guest house, operated by Mr. Steve Spiteri. Beautiful place wonderful hospitality and a great host. I visited this place again after few months, this time with a group of around 50 bikers. It was just to share the experience I had with Bobby's One Love. Small decent mud cottages, a nice central dining hut and good music with some colourful lights. We had our small party going on till late night along with Steve joining us. The weed and the music was complete trance. It was a beautiful night may be because of Hampi or Bobyy's one love or my friends sweet company, a journey and memory to cherish. The second time when I have been here with my biking group, a surprise was arranged by Steve. It was a jam session along with some fantastic fire crackers to begin with. The very popular local musician Gali Durgappa was here to play for us. The guitar, banjo and dijgeridoo he play took me and my friends to a different world. Check out the Hampi song composed by him on Youtube here Our Video. The area is also quite popular for some rappelling and rock climbing, which were not in mine or my friends interests. We have missed the sunset point and the Hanuman temple as we were running short of time and kept them for our next visit very soon. If you have visited Hampi and have not been the 'other side' of Hampi, you have not travelled to Happy Hampi.See you soon in Hampi !  
Hampi, a temple town in Karnataka, is a fascinating spot. An open museum, Hampi can be best described as a quaint place, lying amidst striking ruins of the past. The unearthly landscape, the magnificent boulders, the carnival of carvings, the story of the past, Hampi is a sight to behold. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an exemplary historical place in India where you can spend a day or spend a month, and still it will not stop surprising you. Hampi, a backpacker's delight, has 500 ancient monuments, beautiful temples, bustling street markets, bastions, treasury building and captivating remains of Vijayanagar Empire. From the elephant stables to the massive stone chariots, Hampi is fascinating beyond imagination.Entry fee: ₹15 for Indians and SAARC country tourists, ₹500 for others.Opening hours: 8.30am to 5.30pmBest time to visit: November – FebruaryNearest Railway Station: Hospet, around 13km away is the nearest railway station to Hampi.
Day 2 was all about exploring the renowned places of Hampi.Vijayanagar was the capital of Vijayanagar Empire, the kingdom known for it's grandeur and pomp. Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world's second-largest medieval-era city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at that time, attracting traders from Persia and Portugal.Hampi is the ruins of this empire.The ruins are a witness to the invasion faced by the kingdom by the Sultanate. It is recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Site.Hampi has innumerable temples, small shrines of Gods and Goddesses and pushkaranis (temple tanks). Small arch-like structures can be seen at the entrance of places.Here in Hampi the first place to be visited is the Virupaksha Temple. Kodandarama Temple, Hemakuta temple complex and the Kadalekalu Ganesha are in it's vicinity. Virupaksha temple is intact among the surrounding ruins and is still used in worship.The sanctum of the temple has a mukha-linga, that is a Shiva linga with a face, in this case embossed of brass. The temple has two towers & artistically beautiful pond 'Loka Pawana Teertha'. Much of the temple's beauty couldn't be seen as some restoration work was in progress. We also missed to see the temple elephant Lakshmi :(
The once forgotten ancient city of Hampi has been brought to life again by recent archaeological excavations. The ruins of the ancient city of Hampi are strikingly, unexpectedly even eerily beautiful. This 16th century capital of the kingdom of Vijayanagar lies on the banks of river Tunghabhadra and is surrounded by stark rocky ridges and mammoth boulders seemingly precariously balance on each other. The vast spaces are silent but the ruins are eloquent. The bazaars, the temple, the boulders everything will take you back into the past and will once again make you fall in love with the astonishing art of India!Best time to visit: November - February. Timings: Vittala Temple, Zenena Enclosure Elephant Stable & Lotus Mahal and Queen's Bath - 6am to 5pm. Heritage Museum, Hampi Bazaar - 10am to 1pm & 3pm to 6pm. Archeology Museum at Kamalapura - 10am to 5pm (closed on Friday) and Virupaksha Temple is open from sunrise to sunset. Entrance fees: Vittala Temple, Zenena Enclosure Elephant Stable & Lotus Mahal all have one ticket that costs ₹30 for Indians and ₹500 for foreigners. Heritage Museum, Hampi Bazaar, and Queen's Bath have no entrance fees. Archeology Museum at Kamalapura has the entrance fees of ₹5. Virupaksha Temple has the entrance fees of ₹2, however the still camera fees is ₹50 and video camera fees is ₹150. Where to stay: Hospet is the base town for visiting Hampi. Vijayshree Heritage Village and Malligi are some popular stay options in Hospet. You can check out more here. How to reach: Hospet is the base town for visiting Hampi. The nearest airport to Hospet is Bangalore, 334 km away, and from there you can either take a train or a bus to Hospet. Hospet has its own railway station as well as bus stand. Between Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and private operators, there are around 20 buses daily between the two cities. There are five daily trains between Bangalore and Hospet.
Kannur
191 Kms from Barkur
Best time to visit - January,February,October,November,December
Need a dose of vitamin sea? This city in the North Malabar region of Kerala can surely take care of that, with its seren...
Got up in the morning very relaxed and fresh after a good sleep, we woke up to birds chirping. How awesome is that.Then we went down, the break fast was getting ready, meanwhile Uncle showed the place around and was telling about important places around. we went to terrace and we got to see a peacock passing by! absolutely brilliant.
Our Awesome Airbnb Hosts!I need a special block for this, coz it was nothing like trip stay, it was more like a visit to a known ones.We both greeted and Uncle took to the place and we met Aunty, greeted, and went in. Aunty suggested we have some soup and relax as we were pretty tired. And so with soup we had a quick chat. Then they told us to get freshen up, and get ready for dinner.The place is pretty Nice, a big spacious duplex house, we were given a separate room upstairs. We got fresh and came back down, the dinner was ready.
Malabar coast adventure continues. Day two early morning, after checking out from hotel, we decided to visit Kannur to see famous Theyyam.Theyyam is popular ritual form of worship of North Malabar in Kerala, India, predominant in the Kasargod, Kannur Districts, Wayanad and Kozhikode of Kerala, as a living cult with several thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs. Theyyam glorifies Goddess Kali. Theyyam or Theyyatam is derived from two Malayalam words “Deyvam” ( god ) and “Aattam” ( dance). The performers of Theyyam belong to the lower caste community, and have an important position in Theyyam. People of these districts consider Theyyam itself as a God and they seek blessings from this Theyyam.Theyyam dances are usually performed in the months of October to June. You can browse this site to know more about timing and place http://www.theyyamcalendar.com/We were not sure, where we can see this, internet helped us and we got to know one place where Theyyam was getting performed. There was contact number as well, we called and the person told us timing and the direction of temple. We reached there exactly on time.It was small temple but decorated beautifully. So many food stalls there and off course place was crowded. There was one open courtyard, for performance.The whole locality had gathered in and around the courtyard to watch the Theyyam. For many local its a time for coming together as family. We somehow managed to get inside the courtyard and took the blessing from Theyyam performers. All the performer adorn colourful costumes and heavy makeup and within 15 minutes Theyyam started.
My eagerness to witness an art form was quenched by watching “Theyyam”, a dance form which recites the mythological stories, in Kannur. I was smitten by its costume, makeup and dance. The aura which this recital creates actually takes one to a different platform. Also, the devotion and discipline of the people to come even in early mornings and witness this dance/mime is worth a praise. It is a ritual for people in north Kerala and some even conduct it in their houses as a form of worship or either go to a temple for the same. Other local tourist attractions, are Snake Park, St. Angelo’s fort and Payyambalam beach. This visit showed me the true picture of the idols of southern India and how are they worshipped in Kerala. The lighting lamps placed near the idol just enhanced the beauty of that small and simple structure even more.
The Land of Loom and Lores, Kannur is probably one of the best spots for a weekend getaway from Bangalore. Mid-way on the Mangalore-Calicut route, Kannur is renowned for its amazing climate and picturesque beauty. For a long weekend, the beaches of Kannur are extremely enchanting.Book your ride to Kannur now.
Kannur is one of the biggest towns of Malabar region in Kerala. Buzzing with people and tourists from all parts of India to visit Kadalai Shri Krishna Temple.However,we had different plans.
Thirty-second rundown: ‘The Land of Loom and Lores’, Kannur is probably one of the best spots for a weekend getaway around Bangalore. Mid-way on the Mangalore-Calicut route, Kannur is renowned for its amazing climate and picturesque beauty.With Lakshadweep Sea on the west and the Western Ghats on the east, the beaches of Kannur are extremely enchanting. For a long weekend, what can be better than the wind blowing in your face, near your ear, feeling the sand in between your toes and watching the small creatures on the sand?Places to visit in Kannur: Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach, Fort St. Angelos, Payyambalam Beach, Dharmadam BeachRound-trip fare for three days: ₹7950Book your ride now.
When you take the Mangalore to Calicut route, what falls in between is the land of loom and lores, Kannur. Known for its pleasant climate and pleasing scenery, Kannur is surrounded by beaches on one side and mountains on the other. With the Lakshadweep Sea set to the west and Western Ghats towards the East, no other place can be better to liven up your spirit after a long week.
My recent holiday was to one such place where all this and more was offered. Kannur, is a small town up north of Kerala in India. It was once a sleepy town but with the influx of Dubai funds into the town therefore there is much more happening in the town. Coastal areas of Kannur, still remain calm and serene and virgin enough for a break that i would want to take more often.
Kannur is home to one of the dying art forms of this world. Handlooms! Handwoven cotton which takes the shape of our daily linen and upholstery. An art form that the weavers are not willing to let die in spite of a industry in loss. One of the weavers went away to Dubai 10 years back following the whole lot of his extended family members, but his passion for the art brought him back to his roots. Quote: "Life if tough as a weaver, long hours and risky for ones health, but this is what bring joy and happiness to me." Like everything else in life for the present scenario in this world anything natural and real has very few takers. A conscious decision to not get sucked into the consumerism without a thought can save the art. My contribution was picking up my stock for the next 6 months.
Kannur beach house, their homestay is simple and elegant and yet meets all the requirements for a good holiday.
Benaulim
217 Kms from Barkur
Day 3-We got up early today to catch the sunrise of the day at Colva. Early morning was breezy, cozy and fresh. The sand...
Day 3-We got up early today to catch the sunrise of the day at Colva. Early morning was breezy, cozy and fresh. The sand covers itself into hues of golden rays and view is spectacular.Advise- Go barefoot to enjoy sunrise. Walk into the slow gentle waves as they wash the shore, feel the cool breeze and love the breathtaking sight in front of you. If you are accompanied with your love interest, its icing on the cake.Varca beach - This exotic beach has white sand and a lot of peace and serenity, making it an ideal spot for sea bathing. Magnificent Palm trees around seashore line made it more beautiful. Lots of little white crab were around the beach.Colva-Benaulim-Varca – this is one endless stretch of white sand beach.We move towards Benaulim. You could find some best spa here to pamper yourself.You can get tattoos and hair braiding done at a very cheap price. You just need to bargain.We saw the lovely sunset at beach.Advise – Try different cocktails in Goa like Prawn Cocktail with Jack Daniels Sauce, yummier and tastier. Try their local drink ‘Fenny’ but not all love this drink.We returned to our stay and end our day with street shopping at Colva beach. We brought few souvenir at very cheap rate (all thanks to our bargaining skills), some cool shorts and T-shirts at unbelievable price. For girls, you get really cool clothes at very less price. We shop cashew nuts with brown cover. Its tastier than the regular cashew nuts. You can also buy authentic cashew chocolates. Beware of the frauds as they cheat the tourists.We returned our bikes and moved towards airports to catch flight for Bangalore. Tip before you move to Goa, Goans are really very friendly and helpful but there is exception everywhere.
Only thing we did different today was 40km ride to Benaulim Beach. Road was in very good condition and we took around 40 mins to reach there from Agonda. The beaches in the south Goa are clean, beautiful and less crowded. You can make out the difference if you visit Panaji or Calangute at this time of the year.
To sum it all South Goa is the more serene half of the state where you’ll find some fabulous historic sights, Goa’s finest Portuguese mansions, winding country lanes and a series of resorts that range from the 5star hotel strips of Cavelossim and village feel of Benaulim, to the backpacker – friendly beach hut bliss of Palolem, Patnem and Agonda.If you want to drift into tranquility the south is a redolent, rewarding and re-energizing place to base yourself.
We arrived at around 10.30 am via a bus from Mumbai, the place is well connected from Mumbai. You get a lot of options, personally we chose to stick to travelling in a sleeper bus, which can cost somewhere from Rs.1400 - Rs1500.Benaulim, is close to Madgao so our halt was at Madgao, from where we booked an Innova for the duration of our stay there. It is advisable to book a car or a bike, as per convenience since the transportation otherwise via auto or cab can cost you a lot.A decent car can be availed within the budget of Rs.1000-1500 and a bigger one can dig a hole in your pocket upto Rs.3000.
A tiny beach town located within 10 kms of the bustling Madgaon is a must visit. It has a white sand beach which is relatively empty and has only a couple of shacks to eat. It is a place where you can sit under the beautifully clear night sky and spot the uncountable stars and galaxies in awe and admiration. It is so beautiful that you sometimes fear this is too good to be true and you are either hallucinating and It is just a huge painted ceiling you are stating at. One can also make an occasional wish on a falling star in the quiet and clear night. The village itself is located among green rain kissed coconut trees and small, beautiful and clean houses with a garden on the porch adorn the countryside. The feeling is that you have been transported to a time gone by as you sit and reminiscence about where you are, what you have achieved and most importantly what could have been.Varca Beach:
₹ 0
₹ 20000+
I packed my one day backpack and started around 12 pm from Manipal on a bus to Udupi. We did not exactly knew how to reach Barkur but and so asked the bus conductor. He suggested us to the ‘kin’ bus stop to Udupi local bus stop. We walked for around five minutes and heard a driver calling out Barkur.. Barkur.. We confirmed and once again boarded the bus. It was very hot inside the bus. It took 15-20 more minutes before the bus started, almost drenching me in sweat. As Udupi is adjoined to the sea, the weather is always humid.The bus ticket to Barkur was only Rs.15/- and hence I could make out that the village is not very far. And soon it started drizzling. The bus halted at one of the stops called Brahmavara. Here, two ladies entered the bus with their toddlers. A man accompanying them made a gesture asking us to give them a place to sit. Thus, me and Masroora offered them our seat. From here Barkur was around 3 more stops. We managed to cross this short distance enjoying the cool breeze, standing at the door. We passed by a river called Seetha river. I enquired about the time taken from the bus stop to the Basadi and the temple.We got down at the Barkur busstop and asked the way to the Basadi. On our way, we met a lady in a festive mood with a colorful saree and her hair adorned by a flower wreath. She welcomed us with warmth in her voice and a smile on her face. She started the conversation in Kannada which I did not understand even a bit. But Masroora understood some of it and thus replied back. The lady knew some English words and so told us that the Basadi is very ancient. There are total 365 temples in the village. She showed us the Basadi and warned us about the snakes which might be present in the grass around Basadi.The roads in Barkur were wider enough for a bus to pass by comfortably. There were lush green trees on both sides of the road with butterflies fluttering over the flowers. The basadi was on the right side of the road. We greeted the lady and left for the basadi gate. Basadi is basically a Jain temple and Kathale means dark. So, the history says that the village was built by the Alupa Kings in the Vijayanagara times (12th century) and was further ruled by Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan etc. There is a huge monolithic pillar at the basadi entrance. The basadi compound has three temples. Although they are in a demolished state now, it has some remnants and visible ancient encrypts. The encryptions are said to be in Tulu. An information board is on the left of the entrance. The temple exactly at the centre is the basadi, but no more contains Jain Tirthankar statues. The There were only some destroyed pillars. One temple behind it was Shiva temple and the other was Vishnu. The Vishnu temple had beautiful carvings. Although it is quoted as the national monument by the archaeological Survey of India, its sorry state with grass growing around and piercing the architecture made me feel awful. Soon after taking some pics around the basadi we headed towards the Ganesha temple. We confirmed the way for the temple and headed straight.
