What a trip~ Tungabadra dam & gardens..Hospet

It was a trip unlike any other I had taken...Why?  Oh, several reasons.... 

I had been chatting with this guy via a dating app for a few weeks and we decided to meet. Instead of him coming down to Chennai or I doing the trip to Hyd, we decided to meet elsewhere. He wasnt big on travel and the only trip he had done in the recent past was to Mumbai [ on work, so that does not really count as travel]. While we were discussing possible options, he threw in Hampi which had me smiling and gaping.. 

I asked - why Hampi?

He said -- Friends who have been there spoke high of the place and therefore he was curious to visit.

I continued with my probing.. more to understand his interests, likes & dislikes when it came to travel but he had no preferences.. 

He did not know if he was into mountains, beach, hiking, nature, heritage, history as he had not been anywhere... 

Hmmm.. throwing caution to wind I agreed to do Hampi trip [ I have been here before and love the place]

I took the bus from Chennai, while he took the train from Hyd and we met at the Hotel in Hospet [it was midpoint to bus stand & station, a basic hotel of sorts]. The first evening we went to Vittala temple, wandering about the space, clicking photographs [ I had carried my DSLR] but after an hour or so I could sense he had lost interest in the place and was just standing in one spot. But then he went along, the next day we hit Virupaksha Temple, Royal Enclosure and other must visit spots . As we got back to the room, he sighed and announced that he did not like the place at all, it was boring and nothing to see/do... 

I did not comment, just kept silent and told him he needs to figure out what his interest area was and maybe get out more often to understand himself better.. He on the other hand was happy to stay in the room and watch TV or fiddle with his phone... Anyways, I stayed calm as I have met people from various walks of life/personalities and it is ok to not like a place.... Few other things that he did pissed me off and I infact advanced my return journey... With a few hours to go before my bus, he suddenly seemed to want to spend time and do stuff... I was not too keen... But then 4hrs just sitting there with him wasnt something I was looking forward to. So we took a cab out to Tubngabadra Dam in Hospet, which was a good decision..

As you enter the campus, there are shuttle buses to take you to the top, where you find beautifully manicured gardens and a 360 view of the dam below... It was worth the 20 Rs ;-) 

The Tungabadra dam is a multipurpose dam - as in, it serves irrigation, electricity is generated from the waters, acts as a flood control among other things.... This is a joint project of erstwhile Hyderabad state and erstwhile Madras Presidency when the construction was started; later it became a joint project of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh after its completion in 1953.

It was Feb and there was barely any water, am sure if you come around the monsoons or after it would be quite the sight to see. It is infact quite a popular Tourist spot and we could see families arriving in cars and bikes... The place is well connected, so you will get buses and autos to/from Hospet as well..

Apart from the dam, there is also an aquarium and another smaller garden near the gates... So, once you are done wandering about on top, you can come down to walk around the space till you get tired. That day was fairly hot and so we did not explore the area much. Sat in the shade awhile and made our way back to the hotel. As we rode back, I noticed quite a few high end hotels lined along the road all the way to Hospet... 

An hour of chilling and I was happy to get back on the bus to Chennai... What a trip it had been... I always say "travelling is how you figure out if a relationship is going to survive.. be it friends or otherwise..." 

Kadalekalu Ganesha in Hampi

There we were headed towards Matanga Hill to catch the sunset and see if we can spot the Yellow Throated Bulbul when we stopped on the way to catch a glimpse of the Kadalekalu Ganesha and the towering Virupaksha temple Vimana. 

The Ganesha statue is infact the largest statue, standing tall at 4.5 meters or 15 feet in height. The beauty of this is that it has been carved out of a huge boulder. This is situated on the north-eastern slope of the Hemakuta hill. It is said that the belly of this Ganesha statue is so huge that it resembles a Bengal gram (Kadalekalu in  Kannada)  which is how he earned the name Kadalekalu Ganesha.  There is also a sanctum built around this structure which is located in the center of a pillared hall. Each of the pillars has beautiful work on them, representing various mythical themes.

You can read more of my experiences in Hampi here

Art and Artists - Chitra Santhe, Bangalore

It is that time of the year again, the day, the Sunday when  Chitra Santhe happens in Bangalore. It is a celebration of every possible form of art you could think of.. It happens just once a year and is quite an event... 

When? Today, 27th January 2013. ONLY TODAY....

Where does it happen? All through Kumara Krupa Road, all the way into Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath (CKP) and beyond [near golf course, Windsor Manor Hotel and Ashoka hotel]

What is so special about Chitra Santhe? The entire street is buzzing with artists and craftsmen showcasing their work. There are a few doing sketches, while others are polishing their brass sculptures while some are giving the finishing touches to their pottery/clay structures. It is an amazing feel to be walking along that street today. This year they are expecting over 2000 artists to participate.  

How do i know? Well, i was fortunate to have been in Bangalore during the event and went to check it out with Lakshmi [her mom in law i remember had called and suggested we go for this] .. It was the 1st of its kind that i saw, and i was quite fascinated by the whole concept. Watching the myriad of hues and images floating along the streets, people vying for a good photograph, and other artists more than willing to chat with you. I quite enjoyed the event... 

Octagonal Bath, Hampi

All around was nothing but barren land, but in the distance i spotted a structure. Was that for real or was my mind playing tricks on me? Yes, the sun was blazing, and i was hot & dehydrated. We had come this far, why not spend a few minutes exploring the area said my mind.. Trudging ahead, we parked the jeep and hopped off towards the structure amidst ruins and rocks. 

That is when  i spotted the sign board "Octagonal Bath". gigantic bathing area made in the shape of an Octagon.  There was a small corridor or sorts around the center, lined with pillars on either sides. In the center was a huge octagonal shaped platform. 

I am assuming the area around this center platform is where the water was filled. "Looks like they had a jacuzzi back then and really lived it up" were the thought running in my head. 

Where the lotus blossoms

I noticed a gate to my left and people flocking inside as if it were a museum or a zoo with exhibits that would blow them away.. Caught in the moment of curiosity, i followed suit, no sooner had i taken a step within the enclosure did i notice the clock tower, and the beautiful pale pink structure surrounded by lush green lawns.

While i waited the crowds to move on to the next structure, i read a plaque near the pink structure, a mahal of sorts that it was the Lotus Mahal in Hampi.

Located within the Zenana enclosure,  the Lotus Mahal was meant for the women from the Royal Family and their friends or helps. It is also known as the Kamal Mahal [Kamal meaning Lotus] or the Chitragani Mahal.

The arches of the ground floor are recessed and ornate. The architecture style is an interesting mix of Hindu and Islamic styles. Lotus Mahal’s Islamic style arches and the Hindu style multi player roof and base structure are often quoted for the ingenuity of the Vijayanagara artisans.
 

The Mahal is a two-storeyed building  with eight pyramidal roofs created in symmetric form around a higher central roof. The open lower storey has high arched openings, and so do the windows on the upper storey. 

I walked around the structure, captivated by its beauty and the intricate carvings on the arches, whilst a group of tourists with a guide walking nearby. I could hear the guide speak in an animated voice about how the structure earned its name because of the shape it was built in,  the archways and the balcony  resemble a half opened lotus bud. There is also a lotus bud shape that has been carved on to the center dome.
 

Lost track of time, and it wasnt until i felt the sweat trickle down my back that i  realised it was blazing hot and i was thirsty.... I walked away as another group of tourists rushed towards the Lotus Mahal to get their photographs taken...  

Talacauvery, where Cauvery is born

The journey to Coorg was very special, it was happening after years of dreaming and a few cancelled plans as well. We were 3 friends, one from Bangalore and us from Chennai, driving down to Coorg from Mysore. We had booked ourselves for 3 nights at a homestay- CoorgHallimane, in Kushal nagar. As we reached, we discovered the place was quaint, quiet and perfect. They have about 8 rooms in the main building and a few cottages scattered around, and we got to stay in one of those. On opening the window all we saw were mountains on one side and green fields on the other. There was also a swimming pool in the homestay with a small mushroom style fountain in the center. What fun we had playing around in it unwinding after the long drive to Coorg. 

We dint have any set agenda, but knew there were a few places we would visit for sure. Talacauvery was one of them. It is a good 4500 ft above sea level, and this the where the River Cauvery is born. It is said that the river disappears underground before surfacing again at Naga theertha near Bhagamandala.  Infact, Bhagamandala, about 8kms ahead of Talacauvery is where one witnesses the confluence of three rivers, Cauvery, Sujyothi and Kanike.  

During the drive from Madikeri, cloudy skies and mist was all we saw outside. There was the occasional light drizzle sneaking in through the window.  Drizzle turned to rains and it kept up with us through the journey. We had reached Talacauvery as rains lashed away. We braved the rain and walked on, freezing and soaked to the bone, looking for hot tea or any sign of shelter. The only thing we had were the akki rotis and chutney that the staff had insisted we carry along when we left the homestay. What a godsend it was, especially since we had been on the road long and not had a bite since morning.   

We were so glad to have chosen a Homestay in Coorg instead of a resort, as this experience was so much more homely and comfortable...   And like many destinations there are many Coorg Homestays that one is spoilt for choice..!!

 Rain did subside as we walked towards the shrine and the big tank near the Gundike, where I noticed many visitors taking a quick dip. From there, it was up another set of stairs to visit the temple of Lord Agasthyeshwara [Lord Shiva] and Lord Ganesha.

Taking shelter from the rain, we walked along the mandap surrounding the temple, when towards the end I thought I saw a flight of stairs leading to heaven. Well, that’s what I thought till my friend brought me to down to reality. Those steps were to go up Brahmagiri Hill, from where one got a panoramic view of Talacauvery and the city beyond. A lady passing by told us the story of how a special yagna was performed by the Saptha Maharishis up in the hills. Had it not been for the rain, we would have made our way up there.  What an experience this had been. On the drive back to Kushal nagar to the homestay, there was silence in the car, with all of us still lost in the beauty of Talacauvery.