Travelling in Himachal in June – 2007
Shimla >> Manali >> Rohtang >> Chandratal >> Ki/Kibber/Tabo >> Kalpa >> Shimla
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My friend being an avid traveller and having been living in Delhi for a while, knew much about Himachal and surrounding region. We discussed places to go to and things to do over rest of the day, and he gave me reference of a jeep driver in Manali, which was to be of much use to us later in the journey.
That night, I boarded the bus from ISBT(inter-state bus terminus) heading towards Shimla. We took the Delhi Metro to ISBT and I was pretty impressed by it. We were infact getting late for my bus, and when I reached ISBT, the bus was almost ready to leave. The conductor said – “I was just waiting for you.. we are ready to leave!” and hurried me into the bus. And in the hurry, I dropped my woolen cap somewhere, which I realized later.
The woolen cap was meant to be just one of the many things that I was to loose or forget during the journey. When I started from home in the morning, I had forgotten to take a memory card which I had bought only for the sake of Himachal journey. Luckily I did not find the need for that, but many things were lost on the way which were of much more use. The monkey cap was not one of them, as we never had a single cold day anywhere during our journey! A shawl was another thing I had forgotten to pack, and I ended up buying a woolen shawl and a cap in Shimla. Both of them remained packed and unused through the journey.
The next thing to go amiss was my goggles. We were trekking somewhere in Manali and I had left behind my Goggles case when we had stopped near a stream. An hour down the line, I was wondering where did I miss it, and my friend told me that he had picked it up. We stopped, I picked up the case from him and put my (expensive)goggles inside, and as we kept talking, left it there itself on the ground and moved on! With high hopes, we even returned to the spot next morning and it was already taken.
The next thing was my hat, a very nice and useful one that I had purchased in Corbett. Being a bit sensitive to heat and sun, a hat and goggles were my important accessories, and only the hat had remained right now. I have no idea what happened to it or where did I loose it, but the next morning when I was looking out for it all around in my bags it was nowhere to be found. I spend a good 15 minutes searching all around for it, resulting in no good.
Having known that I can’t manage without Goggles and a hat, I purchased a pair of cheap glasses and a locally made hat, which served me well through the journey. The glasses, I finally gave to our driver, but the hat still remains with me today, and will probably never get used again.
So it was memory card, woolen cap, shawl, goggles and hat so far. I announced it all to my friend and we decided to remain doubly careful for rest of the journey. So until almost end of the journey, things were fine and everything was safe with us. My friend was so alert that he even picked up a hankey I had forgotten behind one day! But at the end of the journey, it was the turn of my lonely planet guidebook. Despite searching the whole jeep for anything leftover, the book had hidden itself somewhere and escaped being picked up. But this is one thing that eventually got back to me. Our good man driver couriered it back to me a month down the line!
+ Continued at : The first morning in Himachal
Travelling in Himachal in June – 2007
Shimla >> Manali >> Rohtang >> Chandratal >> Ki/Kibber/Tabo >> Kalpa >> Shimla
+Next: Loosing things during the journey
I made a short, introductory trip to Himachal Pradesh in June-07. It was a quick 10 day visit with little indulgence in any of its beautiful places. We rushed from place to place staying no more than a day anywhere. It served me as an introduction to the landscape of this part of the country, and gave me some ideas on next trips to make, which would ideally be more leisurely and exploratory.
Although initial plan was to head to Leh, we changed plans in Manali and travelled to Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur. Passing via Rohtang Pass, we visited Chandratal, Ki and Kibber, Tabo and Kalpa and finally reached Shimla in a brief span of 6 days. It was a good exposure to a region I was earlier not familiar with. The trip had its share of beautiful places, interesting incidences and even a life threatening event. This will be a short series covering all these happenings in the span of 10 days ex-Bangalore.
All the way during my journey to Delhi, I had been thinking of having to cope up with the heat in the city. My friend had warned me in advance that it has been one of the worst days and the temperatures are soaring beyond 45 degrees. Being sensitive to heat, it was a cause for worry and the thought of it was not overcome even when the airline served delicious South Indian breakfast. Unlike the usual reputation that airlines food has, breakfast was delicious. I relished on the tiny, easy-to-pack fragments of Masala Dosa and tinier units of Idlis with great joy. My flight stopped briefly at Hyderabad before moving on the Delhi, and I enjoyed another serving of the same breakfast with equal delight in this leg of journey.
They did not operate taxis to Noida from Delhi airport, but that’s where I was headed to. With Noida being in a different state altogether, there were some technical problems in crossing the borders. A taxi or two agreed to drive me there but quoted double the price. I looked around for options. My friend had warned me not to take autos as they were not the best options to go around in the mid-day heat. Finally I boarded a taxi which would drop me off at the border of Delhi.
It was indeed hot in Delhi. I opened the window of the cab to let some air come in and cool me off. As soon as the cab moved out of the airport into the road, it picked up speed and air rushed in through the window. This time, I was in for a new experience I had not thought about – it was not cool, but hot air coming in from the window, which burnt the skin instead of relieving me from heat. I had never known or felt such hot air on my body ever – it was like air blown out from a furnace! I shut off the window, and understood why my friend had told me not to take an auto.
The cab went through the heart of the city, passing through some of the major roads. Coming from Bangalore whose infrastructure has never grown beyond that of a small town, I keep feeling awed at the wide and beautiful roads that New Delhi has. Put against the green lanes, plenty of trees and open spaces Delhi has, I couldn’t help but feel that the old name of Bangalore – ‘the garden city’ is nothing more than a lie. We passed through plush and beautiful Aurangajeb road, Purana Kila, India Gate, Red Fort and Akshardham temple; it was almost like a Delhi sightseeing trip. Even in the 45 degree heat and intense sun there were thousands of people around India Gate and I wondered if they are sane!
Eventually as the cab dropped me at the border of Delhi, I had to take an auto for the next leg of my journey to Noida. Luckily it was not a long way and I was spared of a lot of pain of hot air blowing into my face. Once at my friend’s place, I was already tired of the heat and rested myself under the fan running in full speed. That did not offer much respite, so an hour later, we were on our way to a nearby air conditioned mall.
Continued at Loosing things during the journey
Also see: Our photography Day Outs in Melukote.
I started this as a Photo Essay, as I was feeling lazy to write and thought of filling it up with photographs instead. But as I started scribbling, words filled in so much, it became a pretty long story. The weekend trip to Melukote was an eventful one.
Yoganarasimha temple, as seen from the town
On the streets of Melukote..
Melukote or Melkote is generally done as a day-trip from Bangalore. But we were keen to be there at the time of sunrise, so decided to make it a two day trip. There aren’t any places to stay in Melukote, but we managed to sneak into the house of a kind lady who not only gave us place to stay but also ensured that we were fed to brim!
Melukote town and the Kalyani, as seen from the top of the hill
Melukote is a temple town, standing immune to the stride of time. There are a couple of temples, a few Kalyanis and mantapas that make the town. And most of the residents seem to be priests. Houses have an old-time look and nothing in town is flashy or modern. And unlike most religious places, it is not garish but quiet, pleasant and easygoing. People are friendly and hospitable. At the place where we stayed, we were treated like old relatives who are coming home after a long time. It was a pleasure spending time there. My fellow traveller said – “I can easily spend a week here”, and I can’t help but agree. But a ‘tourist’ doesn’t have so much to do or see in Melukote beyond a day-trip’s itinerary.
We took an early morning bus from Bangalore, reached there a little before noon and headed towards Yoganarasimha temple after lunch. Having plenty of time in hand, we took 4-5 hours to cover what should otherwise take 15 to 30 minutes. The first long stop was at a Kalyani at the base of the temple – a well-known landmark I have seen in many Kannada movies. In the hour or two we spent there, we watched people take ritual ablutions, go for a swim, sit for meditation or just take a stroll around it.
The Kalyani
We made our way further towards Yoganarasimha temple on the top of a hill – the major landmark in Melukote. A bunch of happy kids encountered us on the way up, who were eager to pose for the camera. They gave us a good time while they had their fun looking at their poses on the LCD.
The way up to the top is through steps that can tire the aged, but is actually a short climb. There are a few trees on the hill, and half way through I suddenly exclaimed – “these trees are planted!” On the otherwise barren hill, someone had thoughtfully planted leafy trees along the path to give shade to the people visiting the temple. Bless them!
The steps leading to Yoganaraimha Swamy temple
I took a detour just before the temple and found the path opening up to the vistas of the plains below, revealing the vast planes, fields and villages at a distance. It was an overcast evening with plenty of shade from the clouds and pleasant breeze on the hilltop, which invited us to spend another hour there.
When we eventually reached the temple to finish our long journey, I was pleasantly surprised by the temple’s design. It did not have the typical dark sanctum and priests performing rituals on the other side of a fenced arena, but instead an open and informal interior where anyone could freely walk around. It was a pleasure to be inside, and to go up on the top of temple to savor the 360-degree views of the surroundings. We stayed there till sun down.
The temple Gopura at Sunset
At the top of the temple..
The idea of spending two days in Melukote was to be there to relish the early morning hours. But things did not work out as we planned. Next morning, we woke up only after 8, and seeing that the sun was already high, took our time and came out only after 9. It has been such a disappointment missing the morning, two-three weeks since the trip we are still it blaming each other for it!
We walked to Sankrit research institute which was closed being a Sunday, and then to Raya Gopura and Akka Thangi Kola. Raya Gopura is another landmark which has served as a location for many movies. The watchman at the Gopura said there was a movie crew previous evening too. Akka Thangi Kola are a pair of kalyanis next to each other.
Raya Gopura, they say it was built overnight, which is not easy to believe
Thangi Kola
We then met friends who drove down from Bangalore in the morning, and headed towards Tondlur to a gigantic lake which is more than a kilometer long. We spent a couple of hours there lying down in a lonely sandy shoreline eating just harvested sugar canes that we picked up from nearby fields. Pleasure at its prefect form!
Coming back from Tondlur, we drove around aimlessly for sometime and returned to Melukote to spend rest of the evening again at the Kalyani, and eventually headed back to Bangalore.
Much as we had planned on it, we still left a couple of things undone as we returned back. An early morning stroll in the town was one of them. We were also keen to talk to the man of the house where we stayed – one of the priests in a temple – about the history, origin and all other things about Melukote, which did not happen.
Description of Melukote is never complete without a mention of Puliogre, the favourite dish of the town. Go to any place, and be assured that you will be offered Puliogre. It is indeed delicious, but at the end of two days, we had an overdose of it. All meals that we had in Melukote included Puliogre in the menu, and sometimes it was a Puliogre-only meal! Sakkare Pongal is another dish the the town takes pride about.
An eatery selling Puliogre
Melukote Information
Melukote or Melkote is a small town in Mandya district, around 120km from Bangalore. To get to Melukote, drive on Mysore road till Mandya. Ask for directions and turn right in Mandya and drive for another 40km to reach the town. If you are taking bus from Bangalore, you need to go to Mandya and change buses. Ask for private buses to Melukote once you get down in Mandya.
There is no accommodation available in Melukote. There are a few eateries that serve clean and healthy food, but don’t expect much.
Cheluvarayaswamy temple
Places to see: Yoganarasimha temple on the top of a hill is the primary attraction. Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple in the town is another well known place. Some landmarks in the town are the Kalyani below Yoganarasimha temple, Raya Gopura, Akka Thangi Kola and the Sanskrit research institute. Tondlur kere is a huge lake 15km from Melukote
, and is worth a visit.