Gentle turn of the wrists

After a brief stop for a chai break, the tarmac gave way to sinewy roads that were lathed with tamarind trees on either side. The march past was only broken by bland stretches with no potholes or speed bumps for kilometers sometimes. The four-lane road transformed into one lane serendipity, with the most feminine curves. The earplugs were still hard-pressed and muffled most of the noises. The constant thump from the exhaust deafens the best of the ears in the long run. Moving the jaw slightly made the silent whoosh that could hardly escape the mind's attention. The snug fit helmet though was protecting Kabir’s cranium, wasn't able to do much to contain the thoughts going berserk. The tamarind trees on either side of the road whizzed and woozed. 

This ride will be forgotten soon, just like the way you don't remember your last breakfast overlooking the snow-laden peaks. The countless maggies that were absorbed into the bloodstream. Impermanence presents itself in new ways but is always around you and in you. The morning sun will peak into the afternoon sun which will torch the greenery around in the approaching months.

As the rubber continued its spin, Kabir sat there thinking how these trunked beings kept the World moving. The rest of the mortals were engrossed in their own colorful lives. Monochrome levels the playing field only on a certain vector, with the rest remaining relatively unchanged. The unseen can only be hypothesized with relative certainty. The uncertainty infuses a romance that keeps the adrenaline going. What appeared as needles, was the fabric that knit the thoughts. The blades didn't rotate, but the wind was not strong enough to gravitate the thoughts into a whole.

Kabir’s jacket's zip had snapped by now. He was not sure if it was due to the joy that could not be contained within or due to the centripetal forces that had to be countered over the numerous curves. The breeze, rather the wind had taken the shape of the body and was experiencing the engine's vibrations. The odometer read a constant eighty-two, and the wrist slowly opened up the throttle to take one last jibe at the highway before it finally gave way to the last turn where the salty air could not only be felt but also be seen. With the sun to the left and the water to the right, this wasn't the setup to open the throttle. The wind ambled through the open beach promenade and slowed the heartbeat. There was a war raging between the morning mist and the saline vapors, but the two-tonne machine kept on its gait and moved on.

The Paid Kitchen

He went in search of a quote that would be the fulcrum of the ensuing story. Search surfing led him to Airbnb wherein he stumbled on a listing that advertised the verdant expanse that overlooked the balcony, in Bangalore. Soak the sun, bathe to glory, or rather bathe in glory? 

Time travel is not an option when memories from distant lands often form a beautiful inlay that could rival the best tiles from Seville. Nature has its way of advertising - be it the oranges that were dangling strong in the streets of Seville or the apples of Kinnaur that were just a pluck away from the bus window or the massage girls of Phuket.  

He was still reminiscing the hummingbirds from David Attenborough, wherein the epithet ‘ jeweled messengers’ suited more than the best of the metaphors that any of the authors could bequeath.  A few years ago, Kabir had spent a week of the quintessential late summer in the Palo Alto hills in California. Waking up to hummingbirds while he had the fresh yogurt and strawberries for brekkie, yes that’s what Ozzies call breakfast! 

What goes in is what makes a person, was the age-old adage. Food was always communal. People fought and bonded over a meal, be it the hunter-gatherer or the Influencers who have all the time in the world to take that perfect picture that could salivate all. Most extremes are always continuums and are a step away from each other. Bend a strip of paper and it becomes a halo. 

Hundred rupees for a day to use the kitchen, said the Host of the Airbnb listing. ‘Yes, we do have a coveted space’, ‘covered’ she corrected. Eager to host.

What's in my Backpack?

I moved from a Quechua Forclaz 70L backpack to a a 38L backpack. I got the new backpack in Nepal, which I I did (totally impromptu trip) in late 2014. It is a fake NorthFace-logo'ed backpack that has backsupport as well; bought it for 1000 Nepalese Rupee(i.e, 1600 Indian Rupee or 24USD). There is a gap between the back-support and my spine which prevents the back of the backpack from getting wet due to perspiration. It also has a rain cover that sits folded at the bottom of the pack. The backpack works wonders anywhere from a 10-day to a 45-day trip.

So, What does the new backpack contain in a typical month long trip?

- 5-7 Quick Dry T-Shirts
- 2 Quick Dry Trousers/Pants(1 of them being detachable)
- 2 Quick Dry Shorts(that also double up as swimming trunks)
- 1 Quick Dry Foldable Cap
- 3-4 Underwears
- 1 Thin Towel(indian-style)
- 1 Sunglass
- Arpenaz 15 Ultralight Backpack - used for day trips and walks.
- Phone Charger
- Universal Adaptor
- Small pouch for medicines(tablets for loose-motion/Diarrhea/vomiting/headache/fever, lozenges for soar-throat, band-aid, gauze)
- Pouch containing - Washing soap, Mosquito Repellant cream, Sun-screen cream, 1 shaving razor, tissues, toothbrush, toopaste.
- Pouch containing - mint, chocolates, chewing gum
- Pouch containing - 1 head-phone, 1 rechargeable mechanical torch, few clips
- 1 carabiner+2 locks+keys
- Passport + Photos + 2 Pens + Few copies of passport and identity-proofs.

The total weight of the above is around 7kgs(or less) - perfect for flight cabins. Around 30% of the backpack remains empty with the above packed well - and this space is used to keep fruits and snacks bought locally. The Arpenaz 15 Ultralight Backpack folds to a fist size ball and works well for walks and day-trips when you want to carry the bare minimum. The backpack has 1 main compartment, 2 smaller ones which holds the smaller items. Other than this there are 2 side pockets and small pockets along the waist band.

The Quick Dry apparels have been the best investment, as it has reduced my load by a significant factor. Also, I can wash clothes every few days and wear them fresh. Haven't travelled or trekked in shoes for a long time now; but I think I will invest in a good pair of shoes that are easy to wear and is all-weather. I have stopped carrying camera(no more DSLR or point and shoot) for more than a year now, but carry my mobile. Am thinking of ditching my mobile also in the future. All clothes are packed in plastic covers so that they can withstand heavy rains. I carry a jacket on a need basis. I do not carry a swiss-army knife(though would love to) as it is not allowed in flights. I buy water-bottle locally and refill it whenever and wherever possible; I might change this in the future and move to a flask. I am also thinking of carrying an inflatable pillow henceforth, so that I can sleep anywhere without straining my neck. I am using a big plastic sheet as a poncho for now, but need to buy something more rugged.

I need to buy papersoap, a headlamp ... And a good automatic sports wrist watch that can withstand atleast 18m depth. I suspect a snorkeling gear will soon join forces later this year(unless i learn free-diving!), depending on where the vacation is. Washing the backpack after every sojourn keeps it grease and dirt free and the zippers remain operational. Understanding the different clips and straps in your backpack helps especially when you least expect it. I had discounted a few straps earlier on, but when I realized their use, I could compress my backpack further and reduce it's thickness. One needs to be in a relationship with their backpack(NOTE!!!); so comfortable with its design that you can operate it even when its utter dark.

So .... now I can avoid airport checkin luggage altogether and do not have to throw in my backpack in some corner of the bus or truck; it always stays with me. Am more mobile and agile with this setup and can move into and out from any place in matter of no time. The bag fits into most lockers at the dormitories as well. And a slew of other benefits!!

I do not think the current backpack will last more than a year or two with frequent travels; the next one would be the same class of backpack with similar capacity and size, albeit of a much better quality. Changing backpacks is not easy, especially when you have a name for your backpack!!! I call mine as 'Karma' (no intended puns!).

So, why this post? Well, I realized how much 'stuff' we always carry with us. 'Stuff' that just occupy space and are worthless. By letting go and carrying the most basic 'things', we not only have a lighter backpack but also gain from the other benefits. I do not buy 'stuff' during travels; if at all, I buy anything, it has been postcards and fridge magnets which sit easily inside the backpack, in the corners.

The important thing while choosing what to pack is to remember and understand your priorities first. What works for you, works for you alone. All the other blog posts(like this one) are just sharing their own details and can reveal a lot about the person's travel style.

If the backpack were set on fire, I will not be in a hurry to get anything out.....err..wait..I will run to get my passport out! But only the passport, and that too if I am in a foreign country.

Everything else is a copy of a copy of a copy.

When India was an Island - Adventures Above the Tethys Sea

(Edited version of this article was published in Deccan Herald on 25-Jan-2015)

Spiti River and the Road towards Lhangza from Spiti

Long long ago, even before the reigns of the kings and warrior lords, when dinosaurs trudged this planet, when the continents used to move and collide with each other, and when water was in abundance, a supercontinent named Pangea broke into multiple landmasses. And there was an ocean that separated the ancient land masses of Gondwana and Laurasia. This ocean, known as Tethys was named after the sister and consort of Oceanus, the ancient Greek God of Ocean.

With the continental masses moving, geographies changed – what was once in Southern hemisphere moved to the North. The Indian landmass which was divided from the Eurasian  plate by a distance of 6400km and was closer to the content of Australia, kept moving towards the latter at a rate of 9meters per century and collided head-on. Around 40million years ago when this phenomenon was occurring, the Tethys Sea began to shrink.

The plates of India and Tibet collided and created a massive mountain fold – called Himalayas - which continue to rise by an average of 2cm every year. New species evolved and some were let go. But Life, as a whole, sustained and evolved; and those that perished were engraved into the golden pages of the landmass’s history.  The fossils that were deposited on the Tethys sea bed were pushed upwards. Coral reefs from the Tethys Sea now resting at 5,000m above sea level would be a nice site to visit, isn’t it? And we decided to check this open-air museum in one of the most remote and highest villages in India.

Fossils found in the open-air arena

We had spent close to a week travelling from Shimla and exploring some of the most remote villages bordering our neighboring countries. After having visited Sarahan, Sangla, Chitkul, Nako, Gue and Dhankar we finally arrived at Kaza, the administrative Headquarters of the Spiti region. We gave an evening’s rest to the spine and decided to visit the twin beautiful high altitude villages in a region that almost kisses the skies.

In no mood to trek due to a weeklong hitchhiking, we rented a private car. The road from Kaza meanders along the Spiti river and then you take a right that climbs up a dusty mountain and this was the one that was eventually to take us to Langza and Komic. The vast empty bed of the Spiti river was clearly visible as we rode up and we could clearly feel the gaining altitude. A few foreigners were brave enough to walk all the way from Kaza to Komic, not much in terms of distance(30odd kilometers), but there was absolutely nothing except for falling boulders, dust and sparse oxygen in the air enroute.

We were soon introduced to the Shila Valley that has some of the most gorgeous yet treacherous snow capped peaks. This region boasts of some beautifully named peaks like Chocho Khang Namo [translates to Black Mountain Princess] (5964m) and the Chocho Khang Nilda [translates to Sun-Facing Mountain Princess ](6380m), the 3rd highest peak in Spiti. [Chocho or ChauChau=princess, Khang=mountain, Namo=black, Nilda= sun facing]

The clear blue skies and the arid mountains dotted with a few patches of greenery greeted us into the village of Langza. The 600 year old monastery that is supposed to be a branch of the Tabo monastery bore an unassuming look. After the visit to the monastery, few kids and women showed us some really old fossils that they claimed to have collected from the river-bed and wanted to sell for a few hundred bucks.  Though one could trek to the fossil base that is around an hour’s walk from the Langza village, we preferred to let the fossils remain as-is in their own nature’s lap, in their own open-air museum.  Later, at Kaza, we found similar fossils being sold to tourists instead of being preserved in museums. At Langza, a huge statue of Buddha, sitting on top of a knoll, overlooks the valley below and wards off any evil or illness that tries to emerge from below. The Buddha here is supposed to be also called as Medicine Buddha is the guardian of the villagers here.

Closeup of Medicine Buddha overlooking the mountains at Lhangza

And then we continued driving towards the end of the road, that is, Komic. Situated at an altitude of 4587m (15049ft) this village has nothing more than a handful of villages and a really old monastery. Etymology informs us that, 'Ko' means ‘snow cock’, 'Mic' stands for ‘eye’, and the reason this place was called so was due to an esoteric legend. It was foretold in Tibet that a monastery was to be built in the backdrop of a mountain which would be in the shape of a snow leopard on the left, a beheaded eagle on the right with four springs in the vicinity. The area in between these mountains was to be in the shape of the eye of the Snow Cock and this was to the exact location where the monastery was to be built.

Similar to other ‘highest’ adjectives being given to most of the things found at this altitude, this monastery is the world’s highest Motorable Monastery.  The monastery is called as Komic Lundup Tsemo Gompa(or Komic Lundup Chhemo) and belongs to the Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism and is expected to be atleast 500 years old.  A board forebode women from entering the monastery while a stuffed snow leopard greeted me in.

The monastery has multiple legends associated with it, for it is quite unnatural to find the monastery at such a high altitude dating back to 14th century. It is said that the three feet tall status of the deity, Mahakal, became so heavy when robbers tried to steal it that they had to abandon it. It was then brought back to the gompa wherein it resides till date. Another story confirms the mightiness of this statue while spinning another legend. The Mahakal Statue that is believed to symbolize Dharma, refused to move from its foundation at Komic when the monks decided to shift it to the nearby and low-lying village of Hikkim. Only one monk stayed back despite others moving to Hikkim and he continued to pray before it. An earthquake that hit the region in 1975 or earlier, reduced Hikkim to rubble but the Mahakal statue at Komic held its ground. The monks re-ascertained the importance and the holiness of Komic and decided to move back wherein they practice till date.

Monastery at Komic

We were here only for a few hours, but I felt a deep karmic-konnection-in-Komic. William Hazlitt’s words, as he mentions in ‘On Going a Journey’ resonated…“Give me the clear blue sky over my head, and the green turf beneath my feet, a winding road before me, and a three hours' march to dinner -- and then to thinking! It is hard if I cannot start some game on these lone heaths. I laugh, I run, I leap, I sing for joy. I begin to feel, think, and be myself again. Instead of an awkward silence, broken by attempts at wit or dull common-places, mine is that undisturbed silence of the heart which alone is perfect eloquence."

While we were just about to leave the monastery, I struck up a conversation with a lama loitering there and found out that there are some uncanny treasures like the tail of a man, horn of a unicorn, dragon’s egg, ribcage of what would be a big demon that are kept extremely secretive in here. Since the monastery was part of the Sakyapa sect of Buddhism, that believes and practices in Tantric practices, this was very much possible. I wandered into the imagery associated with these esoteric treasures while we slowly rode down the serpentine road and entered back into the soullessness in Kaza.

Lakshmi Narayana temple at Hosaholalu

(This article was published in the Deccan Herald - Spectrum dated 25-Feb-2014 )

Nestled inside our villages and towns are some of the best remains of our brilliant history and its magnificent temples with their own intricate architectures with excruciating details. Probably among all the rulers who ruled different parts of South India, the Hoysalas have a very niche area, as their winning exploits are not known very widely but what they constructed during their reign has been a testament to their glory and showcases their artistic and cultural superiority.

A few kilometers away from the town of Krishnarajapete is a small village of Hosaholalu. Known as 'Hosa Horalu' in the past, the name of the town is believed to be a result of the gems and precious stones that were found buried under the ground. In this tiny village lies a beautiful temple built by King Vira Someshwara around 1250 AD. The temple with the main deity as Lakshmi Narayanaswamy follows the tri-koota or trikutachala style of architecture and facing east, rests on a raised pedestal, a characteristic of many of the Hoysala temples. After having visited Somnathapura, I believed that tri-koota meant that there also supposed to be 3 gopurams along with 3 sanctum-sanctorums(garbha-grihas) but I was corrected here and was told that trikoota essentially refers to the latter. Hoysalas ruled from 11th to 14th century AD and the construction of this temple is supposed to be during the zenith of their reign. The local legend also states that during some excavation in the bazaar area, an 'oralu' (vessel made of stone, used for beating and splitting grains) was found and hence this place came to be known as 'horalu'. Also, it is believed that a sprawling town used to exist in this region, with majestic forts. Remains of a mahadwaram(gate) still exists around the north-eastern side of the temple.

As one enters via the small lane that ends in the temple, one cannot but get confused as the fa￧ade does not look like that of the Hoysala architecture. But as they say 'do not judge a book by its cover', a corollary to it can be coined as 'do not judge a temple by its facade'.  The front portion of the temple seems to be cut off or rather built in a distinct Vijayanagara style. The ornateness and the intricate work is missing, and this I was told, was to ward off any raiders from harming the temple as they would mostly shun away from a not so good looking temple. Also, am not sure whether the Vijayanagara rulers changed the front part of the temple for  any particular reason, as the frontal portion dates to only 17th century AD.

Beautiful pillars shining in the tube-light welcome me as I enter the temple. Venugopalaswamy is on the left, Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy on the right and Lakshmi Narayana is in the middle garbha-grihas. All the three idols have been established here by Ramanujacharya. The main deity here originally was Nambi Narayana but in 1953 Goddess Lakshmi was placed and from then on the main deity has been known as Lakshmi Narayana. The present idol of Venugopalaswamy statue in the sanctum on the left is not the original one and is supposed to be stationed in recent past after the original was removed from its place. The lintels above the doors on each of these sanctums carry a smaller replica of the idol inside it, and one can see a marked difference between the sculpture on the lintel outside the garbhagriha of Venugopala swamy and the actual idol installed now. Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy is seen with Bhakta Prahlada.

The Navaranga, which is to be used a nrithya-mantapa(dance), is in the middle of the temple connecting each of the three sanctums. Flanked by four lathed pillars in a classic Hoysala style, the navaranga has many intricate details that can be easily missed if not explained by a trained eye. Beautiful apsaras or dancers flank the pillars - one is seen decorating herself by looking at the mirror while another is seen holding a messenger parrot. One can also spot majestic lions with one paw in the air and the other on an elephant below them, proving their might. You will most likely miss a monkey sitting and drinking out of a coconut. This is on a pillar in the navaranga, the one on the right near the Lazhminarayana sanctum, and is supposed to be the 'ksehtra palakar', someone who takes care of a holy place or temple like this. In Kannada, this is referred to as 'hebbettu anjaneya' and is supposed to signify that even a monkey knows the importance of a coconut. 

Only the pillars in the navaranga have the horizontal designs in the forms of rings whereas the other pillars inside the temple have vertical edges. There is a particular arithmetic progression as you can see pillars with 16, 32 and 64 vertical edges. One can also see 'Sala' in different postures - in one, he is fighting with one lion whereas in a few he is seen with two lions and here too in different positions and with different kind of weapons.  The sculptors have also left a small piece of rock without any designs for the later generations to show their craftsmanship. The ceiling is probably something that can be best appreciated by the eyes only and not just words. There are 9 different designs inside the temple ceiling forming a grid of 3x3 with the one above the navaranga being the biggest. 

It is believed that the 'bhuvaneshwari' - a structure jutting out in the form of a banana flower from the ceiling was meant to act like a ventilator and could be screwed out despite being made out of solid stone. Each of the bhuvaneshwaris again look very different with few even having a tapered edge and with designs at the end instead of being conical.

If the interior of the temple was not enough to impress you already, the exteriors just blow your mind away. As you step down from the main temple and come to its side, you are presented the beautiful intricate designs, which enthrall you all the way as you exit from the other side.

There are 6 strips of running frieze around the three sides of the temple. The bottom-most frieze carries Elephants and the strip above that is that of horses with men on them. The horsemen look like cavalry and a few of the horses have decorations in the form of a more elaborate seat, and these probably denote the commanders of their regiments. A running creeper or some form of floral embroidery forms the strip above it. The one above the floral frieze is probably the most interesting strip as it carries scenes from The Ramayana for 60% of the length of the frieze and scenes from the Mahabharata continue the rest. The scenes are in chronological order and can be understood best when circum-ambulating the temple in the usual clockwise direction. The details being carried on in this running strip is of immense importance and I was getting goosebumps when our guide explained them. Above them is the series of the imaginary animal - Makara-Shardula. Makara-Shardula, a variant of leogriff , is a mythological animal having a pig's body, lion's legs, elephant's eyes, crocodile's face and the posterior of a peacock. The strip above it carries the beautiful swan (anna-pakshi or hamsa) as a continuous block-print. 

The panel, almost 2-2.5 feet wide, above the running friezes carries the images of many gods and goddesses. The panel consists of interesting images of Natya Saraswati, Darpana Sundari, Visha Kanya, a standing Narasimha Swamy(known as Prasanna Narasimha) and also of one who looks like a foreigner. The imagination skills of the sculptors who carved out these from stones needs to be appreciated as one looks at this panel of deities who are in perfect proportion and are highly detailed. The classic Hoysala emblem at the top of the gopuram is missing here but is carved on the left side of the gopuram.

Made of soapstone, the pillars in the navaranga still have their sheen on whereas the exteriors have seen the travails of time and people. One can also spot bleak traces of the gold and red paints in some of the sculptures on the exterior wall that still remain. 

The left most part of the exterior of temple probably has some of the best preserved parts with interesting images like Bheeshma during Uttarayana and Dakshninayana  and a lion showing its might and bending a pillar on the outer wall along with Vishnu's Dasavatharam.

My belief in the artistic achievement during the Hoysala's reign was reaffirmed after visiting this beautiful temple.  This temple along with many others found in the region, presents to us the tremendous knowledge of the temple designs along with their artistic finesse during the reign of the Hoysalas.

A Traitor's Tomb - Ghulam Ali's Tomb at Srirangapatna

(This article was published in Deccan Herald - Spectrum on 24-Dec-2013)

We literally asked as many people as possible in Srirangapatna for the tomb of Ghulam Ali. No one had heard of him and almost all pointed us towards either Gumbaz(the mausoleum of Tipu Sultan and his family) or Dariya Daulat Bagh(Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan). Tired and battered we rested for a nimbu-soda(aerated soda with lemon) outside the Gumbaz and asked the soda-wallah if he knew anything about the tomb. And what followed next was the spurt of knowledge from this road-side vendor from whom we least expected.

He claimed that Ghulam Ali or famously known as Langda or Gumchi, was a traitor and no one worshipped, let alone care for him. He was buried under a dome-like structure where pigeons flocked and littered the entire place with their excreta. The soda-wallah was careful enough to point that no pigeon drop would even a spoonful at Gumbaz whereas we would find buckets of excreta at the tomb of Ghulam Ali. He also told us that the place was cursed and no one, not even the muslims, visit there. Nevertheless he was pretty excited about the prospects of we visiting there and asked us to venture there with care. His directions to the tomb were carefully etched in our memories now and our adrenaline levels shot upto new levels, as we picturized the non-decrepit structure housing the remains of Ghulam Ali.

As we drove along the mud road, padded with paddy and sugarcane fields, we soon saw a structure overlooking the paddy fields on the right. The ruins were clearly visible and the large dome clearly demarcated the green fields from the blue skies.  As we drove along the road, laden with crushed grass and dried up sugarcane, we soon stumbled on a gate which was otherwise to be the entrance to the structure. A few dogs came running by and we were too scared to leave our car. The mystery surrounding this place increased as we saw the canines standing between us and our goal. Determined not to back out, we shoo-ed them away and shouted for someone to open the door. A watchman emerged with whom we had to haggle a lot to let us in.

View of the tomb from the kuccha-road

Entrance to the Tomb of Ghulam Ali, Srirangapatna

We were enthralled by the structure that was standing in front of us. Highly decrepited, and shrouded with foliage and an air of mystery, the dome looked imposing despite being in shambles. The structure was built in two levels and had beautiful crafted mini-minarets at the corners. The arches at both levels were classic of Islamic architecture.  It was disheartening to see the overgrowth all over the structure and we had to placate ourselves not entering it for the fear of getting bitten by a snake or some rodent or insect. Parts of structure seemed to have been vandalized or fallen down with the brick work being exposed in what looked like an otherwise very strong building. The dome has a stronger linear demarcation compared to the Gumbaz and also is bigger than the latter.

I was in for a larger surprise when I started doing the post-travel research to know more about Ghulam Ali and why he was called as a traitor and to know more about this tomb. Loads of research on the Internet and the experience of Prof.Karimuddin of Srirangapatna helped in crafting a story around this entire episode and his persona.

Ghulam Ali was the head vaqeel of Tipu Sultan and was also the home minister under his Kingdom of Mysore. He also is supposed to have led a delegation to Constantinople and also faced Viraraja of Coorg in the battle of 1789. He was also to travel to France, but did not end up going. Given all these, he definitely sounds a person of immense importance but what was interesting was the fact that he was called a ‘traitor’ by the locals. It is believed that Ghulam Ali stole many gifts from his travels which were supposed to be for Tipu and the Kingdom. Ghulam Ali was even jailed for it and was released later due to the magnanimity of Tipu. He was also given a substantial pension by the Britishers post their siege of Seringapatanam and hence it is very much possible that he had federated with the British. Locals call this pension as ‘namak-haram’ pension.

Ghulam Ali's Tomb

Next was to understand why he was called ‘langda’. The painting by Robert Home on “The reception of the Mysorean hostage princes by Marquis Cornwallis” depicts Ghulam Ali seated on a silver palanquin while all others are seen standing. Though there is a claim that he suffered from sciatica, Prof.Karimuddin points out that Ghulam Ali did not want to stand during the reception in the court when Tipu approached it, for he believed that Tipu was much younger to him and did not mandate the respect. He feigned a false limp and created an excuse in such a way that he did not have to stand when the King approached.

The Reception of the Mysorean Hostage Princes by Marquis Cornwallis, 26 February 1792 , by Robert Home
Source : BBC

Next quest was to understand the importance of the structure in itself which looked beautiful in this scenery. It is believed that Tipu had this constructed for his parents initially, but the experts pointed out that the architecture had some remnants of Shia style and hence was not suitable for a Sunni Muslim like Tipu. Also, the river Kaveri had almost flooded the structure once. Because of this, Tipu moved his plan for the tomb to the present day Gumbaz and later Ghulam Ali bought this from him.

Closeup of the structure

A note by John Thomas mentions that Ghulam Ali was a Senior Mysorean military commander and lived from 1758 to 1863 and died in 1863 at the age of 105 at Krishnagiri and is buried there. This claim seems to be put to rest by Prof.Karimuddin who did mention that Ghulam Ali did die somewhere else, but his body was interred under this present day decrepitated structure and not in Krishnagiri. Sunni muslims have a distinction between the tombs of male and females and here too destiny seems to have played its game, as the tomb of Ghulam Ali resembled that meant for a female. This theory puts the rest to the fact that the tomb was not constructed by Ghulam Ali for his wife (and hence no resemblance with the love story of the Taj Mahal). We also found three bodies buried in the same compound with no enclosing structure and with no epitaph and sans ornamentation of their tombs. These are the relatives of Ghulam Ali.

Tombs of relatives of Ghulam Ali

The quest for Ghulam Ali and the secret behind his tomb finally seemed to have found an end as the stories and the folklores around him started making sense. The structure still stands isolated from the tourist frenzy and away from any hussle-bussle in a private farm. With parts of it crumbling due to the travails of time and sheer neglect, this beautiful structure will soon be part of the earth.

Crater Lake at Lonar, Maharashtra

(This article was published in The Hindu's supplement Metro Plus on 14-Dec-2013)

A meteorite weighing 2 million tones and approximately 100 meters in diameter, travelling at a speed of 18 kilometers per second crashes onto Planet Earth. This impact, in the present day  village of Lonar in Buldhana District, Vidharbha region of  Maharashtra is believed to be equivalent to a 6 megaton bomb. Did this phenomenon obliterate life on Earth during the Jurassic era or was it just one of the many meteorites that crashed into our planet at regular intervals? Scientists claim that this was probably a Martian meteorite that crashed just 50,000 years ago. They classify this crater as a Hypervelocity Impact Crater that has been formed in Basalt rock, a one of its kind with the terrain resembling the Moon’s surface. A recent discovery of a particular bacteria (‘Bacillus Odysseyi’) from the crater site resembles or probably is the same as the bacteria reported by the Odyssey spacecraft on Mars’ surface.

Many theories have been proposed and dismissed regarding the origin of this crater, but agnostic of all, here I was standing at the rim of a crater, gaping at the breathtaking view in front of my eyes, on an overcast day. This should be one of the most important landmarks in the Geological Map of India. Water had collected at the base of the crater and had formed a lake. The greyness of the skies reflected in the water in the lake, and the lush green foliage all around were only the two colors that were visible today. I had managed to sneak past a broken fence and there lay an unobstructed view of this magnificent crater. 

Lonar Crater Lake

Earlier in the day, I had arrived at Aurangabad Main Bus Stand at 3am and took another bus to SIDCO bus stand from where buses operate in the Vidharbha region. Luck favoured me, and even before dawn had broken. Another connecting bus to Sultanpur and I finally arrive at Lonar at 9am after another short ride. I assumed that I would be one of the first visitors given the early arrival but soon was proved wrong as I stepped past the official entrance to the lake. A temple like structure with what looked like a perennial stream of water from a snout greeted me. Many pilgrims were already there taking a quick bath under the clear waters. My first view of the crater-lake was from here, at the Gomukh Temple, as I could see the lake ensconced from all sites by a tapered landmass with rich overgrowth.  Approximately 15 temples dot this crater-lake, near the base and also along the rim and at higher elevations. Looking for alternative higher vantage points I glanced upwards only to see people busy with their morning ablutions. 

Gomukh Temple. Check out the snout at the mid-bottom and the stream gushing out

I walked on the road surrounding the crater rim looking for a vantage point for a complete panoramic view of the lake and this is how I ended up at my interim resting spot. There was nothing else to be done from this point than just soak in it and savour the scenery. The chill breeze was the only companion that I had for the time being, before a herd of buffalos came by and sat under the shades of the bushes. The crater is supposed to be 1.8 kilometers in diameter, 7 kilometers in perimeter and 150 meters deep. It is not difficult to imagine the  whole act of the meteorite crash at this very place given the setting. 

I headed towards the village wherein I was told of a beautiful temple that also had a record of the cause of this crater. Opposite the village school, Daitya Sudan temple wore a non-descript look and stood guarded by a 2 feet wall and lots of foliage around it. Sitting on top of a pedestal, the architecture resembled that of a Hoysala temple, but the comparison ends there. The roof looks unfinished and there are no ornate pillars inside the temple. A weak wooden door separates the outer world from the inside of the temple. 

Daitya Sudan Temple

Interior of Daitya Sudan Temple

There are three chambers inside, with the first chamber having a naked ceiling with the brickwork visible supported by huge arched pillars devoid of any sculptures. Darkness pervades the sanctum sanctorum and only a torchlight is of help for now as there is no electricity to power the tubelights inside. The ceiling looks like a patchwork of bricks and the walls are devoid of any murals. A 4-foot tall idol of Lord Vishnu sits alone in the darkness inside the sanctum-sanctorum. There are no signs of any worship or rituals being performed to the idol. The entrance to the sanctum-sanctorum has some carving on the door frame made of stone. A small frieze on the top of the ceiling in the middle chamber shows a deity crushing an asura by his foot. And this purportedly was the origin of legends of why this place was called as Lonar. 

Lavanasur(In Sanskrit, Lavana means salt and Asura means demon), a demon, used to terrorize the people in this region. He had a special boon, which made his death to be unlike those of the ordinary. Lord Vishnu took on the responsibility of eliminating him after the requests from the people in the region. Lavanasur hid in a lake covered by a hill. Lord Vishnu kicked the hill away and twisted his toes by placing it on the demon’s navel and the oozed blood became the reason for the saltiness of the water. The crater symbolizes the demon’s navel while the shore is his body.

Though the temple looks extremely well preserved from a few meters away, on closer inspection, one sees that almost all the sculptures on the exterior walls are broken. Most of them have lost a limb or leg, and none of them are in complete shape.  Some of carved figures on the exterior walls are evocative of erotica showing couples in different sexual practices. There are also different deities, apsaras and humans in different forms on the walls, all of which are broken. It was extremely disheartening to see the state of the exterior walls.

Exterior Walls of the Daitya Sudan Temple

The crater-lake place has also been referenced as Panchapsar Sarovar, which was sage Mandakarni’s ashram in the Dandaka forest in Ramayana. The sage stayed in the waters of the lake for 10,000 years and consumed air alone.  Legend has it that Lord Indra, threatened by the sage’s devotion and ascesis, sent five of his apsaras to distract the sage and cause a hindrance in his prayers. The apsaras ended up being his wives and serving the sage. And hence the pond became known as Panchapsarotataka(‘Lake of Five Nymphs’).  

Many broken. Amorousity!

Slaying of the Lavanasur inside the temple - on one of the sides of the ceiling. Was lucky to spot this in the utter darkness inside.

The lake also finds mention Ain-i-Akbari. Ain-i-Akbari is the third part of Akbarnama and records Akbar’s empire, in the form of the modern day gazette, and mentions that Lonar lake with its brackish water was used for making glass and soaps yielding substantial revenue.

In the modern world, the crater-lake has been a subject of immense interest to the geologists and scientists. NASA has conducted many experiments here. Despite being fed only from rains, the water is extremely salty. A plaque reads that the pH value of the water is 11 which is extremely high. But there are fears that the behavior of the water is changing due to the pollution from the village and the water seepage from the nearby farms. Water mixed with fertilizers and chemicals is changing the alkanity of the water, and also the gradual increase in the inlets to the crater-lake is causing the water level to rise, in the lake and changing the behavior even more; not to mention flooding the temples near the lake. The sides of the crater-lake are supposed to be extremely diverse with different birds and animals inhabiting it. Listing the crater at Lonar in a World Astronomical Monuments roster along the lines of World Heritage Sites would be extremely useful in safeguarding and furthering research at this beautiful geological structure.

Ship Building Town of Mandvi

(This article was published in the Deccan Herald's supplement Sunday Herald on 1-Dec-2013)

I got down from the bus in the middle of the night to be greeted by a chill breeze. The bus-stand wore a non-descript look in the darkness of the night and there were only 3 passengers along with me who got down from the bus. The small bus-stand with its flickering tubelights and a few people sleeping and snoring on iron benches looked like a scene from a documentary movie. My spine yearned for some rest and I joined the sleeping brigade after I found an empty iron bench. Uncomfortable as it was, getting up was the best thing to do.

Deserted roads with the sodium-vapour lamps greeted me as I walked outside the bus-stand. The deathly silence and the chill breeze were my companions as I walked along what appeared to be a main-road in this town, searching for lodging options for the night. Roaming the streets in the darkness of the night was something that I had taken a liking to during my travels, but I was not prepared to absorb what I was going to witness next. It was a full moon night and as I walked more, silhouettes of some structures with their shadows extending to the road, appeared on my left. The silhouettes were huge and I couldn’t take my mind off them. With not a soul in sight, I wasn‘t sure if I had stepped into Mordor and was to be introduced to the flying Nazguls. Fear was normal under these circumstances and I was no Elf to hide it. Faster strides were automatic, and I soon stumbled on a board that advertised of a hotel. It was locked and I had to bang the door a couple of times before I woke up the caretaker of the hotel who offered me the only vacant room which I graciously accepted and retired.

The morning wake up call came not from the chirping of birds but from a few people talking loudly outside my room. As I stepped outside the hotel, I saw huge ships on the other side of the road, almost touching the road. On the other side, the whole length of the road was littered with huge wooden ships. I had never seen such a scene in my life. Curiosity had always been my best friend and stumbling on this town by chance was probably the best thing that could have happened to me, if not for anything else, I would just watch these ships being built and spend a vacation. A cup of hot chai was perfect to watch the scenery unfold in front of me while the sun slowly rose.

Soft dhokla being sold on a pushcart was an added bonus for breakfast. I gobbled up a few plates, followed it up with one more round of chai as I kept watching this scenery. I crossed the road and stood agape in front of one of these ships. This was the first time I was standing eye to eye in front of a naked ship made of wood. The structure had no decorations or paint, but only planks of wood joined together by what appeared as almost a foot long nails. It was as if this giant pile of wood was commanding me. I circumambulated it and saw an opening by the side. Few workers were working inside the ship and I requested their permission to get inside.

I was transported to a totally different work in here. This was a dreamland made in wood. The huge hollow space inside the ship despite its emptiness had its own aura. Saws, hammers and nails, the size of which I had never seen before, were being used to construct this practical art in wood. A ladder was kept in the middle and appeared to connect to a different world.  I slowly ascended it and was taken to a different level inside the ship. This level, again was completely empty and a ladder alone stood in the middle of this emptiness. I ascended that too and was presented to the deck of the ship. I could almost see the whole ship building yard from here. Many ships were being constructed, while some were being broken down. Some with a rich layer of algae on it looked abandoned. The half-broken ones looked extremely terrifying, as if lighting from Zeus or the hammer of Thor had broken the ship into two.

I stepped out of this ship and walked along the perimeter of the ship-building yard. Small temporary houses next to these ships looked like rats in front of giant monsters. I still had not seen any crane or heavy vehicle inside the ship building yard. A quick chat with a laborer resting there told me that this was a very old ship building yard and primarily ships are constructed out of wood and almost all the tools are used by hands. Despite the outer world using the newer generation of tools, this community was sticking to the age-old tradition of building wooden ships by hand. Though many ships were being used for domestic purposes like fishing in the deep sea, they had an active export industry and were building ships for many foreign clients.

In the evening, I returned and walked till the end of the yard. A watchman suddenly stopped me and told me that I was entering a restricted area in the port and cautioned me not to take any pictures. I promised him and went till the end of the jetty. Sun was slowly setting down along this west coast. There was absolute stillness but for the lashing of the waves on the jetty. I could see a few small boats and catamarans returning back to the shore from here. I felt like the last man standing at the tip of the Earth as the orange and red hues covered the western sky. The watchman signaled me to get back and I found another spot along the yard from where I could see the moon rise slowly and illuminate the whole ship-building yard.

I could remember Soren Kierkegaard’s words when he writes “People commonly travel the world over to see rivers and mountains, new stars, garish birds, freak fish, grotesque breeds of human; they fall into an animal stupor that gapes at existence and they think they have seen something.”  After visiting this town, I am not sure whether I can claim that I had one of the unique experiences ever, but the first sights of the ships casting their shadows in the moonlight was etched into my memories forever.

Did I forget to reveal the town’s name? Well, tucked along the westernmost part of India facing the Arabian Sea, lies one of the most beautiful and uncharted spots, often seen missing on the tourist's map, is the ship building town of Mandvi, in the state of Gujarat.

Gaurishwara Temple, Yelandur

( This article was published in the Deccan Herald - Spectrum dated 22-October-2013 )

At a distance of 30kms from Thirumakoodalu Narasipura(popularly known as TNarasipura) lies the town of Yelandur that falls under the Chamarajanagar district. The road from TNarasipura was patchy at a few places and we had to literally slow down to a bullock cart’s pace in order to save the chasis and the shock absorbers of our car. The only saving grace was the lush and green fields on either sides, and soon hit the town of Yelandur. I  had expected this town to be a tiny village sporting a few houses and an old temple ensconced in some corner with an equally patchy road. But I was presented to a thrawling town with a reasonably big bus terminus and pretty vibrant crowd, and that too, early in the morning.

The Gazetteer of Mysore records that the fertile black soil so valuable here that there was not a single acre of uncultivated land, excepting on the hills. In “Mysore and Coorg”  By Benjamin Lewis Rice notes that ‘Yelandur appears to have been the seat of a wealthy principality at the time of the Vijayanagara sovereignty’ which is reinforced by the factor that the region was irrigated by the river Suvarnavati and the rich and fertile soil made agriculture extremely profitable. The hills also contributed to the wealth of the region as they were the home to many valuable trees like sandal, teak etc. But now Yelandur looked like any other small town.

In the present day, roads in Yelandur are narrow but are paved well and just as we crossed a corner, did we notice a small campus with some old structures jutting out a few feet below the road level. One could have easily missed this as there are no signboards or any other clear landmark. The campus houses the Gaurishwara Temple that is one of the few landmarks in this little town. The temple is dangerously close to a corner and any heavy vehicle with failed breaks can easily crash on it and destroy this symbol of our history.

A beautifully carved mantapa, Mahadwara, is presented as soon as one enters via the small(and only) gate into the campus. The temple and the mahadwara face east. Beautiful rings made of stone(with no joins) hang on corners, and hence this mantapa was called as ‘bale-mantapa’(bale in Kannada means bangles). Figures of Vali, Sugriva, Naramsimha swamy adorn the pillars of this mantapa while highly intricate carvings of Andhakasura vadha, Dakshinamurthy, Kalinga-mardana, Shiva, and other gods occupy the exteriors. Lord Shiva wearing slippers with heals and sporting his hair loose, being overlooked by kirthimukha is just too beautiful to be ignored. There is also a motif of a monkey drinking from a coconut.

The majestic mahadwara sets the expectations of an even greater and impressive temple inside the premises, which is only shattered as we step past it. Two temples, without any gopurams, stand surrounded by trees inside the campus. The architecture of these two temples are totally different from the bale-mantapa. Though the bale-mantapa seems to have been inspired by the Hoysala architecture, as can be seen by the running friezes on the exterior walls, the temples sport a distinct Vijayanagara architecture, as can be seen by its simple pillars and lack of any ornamentation. The sanctum-sanctorum is guarded by a wooden door, while the hall outside lacks any walls and is open from all three sides.

On the South side of the campus, a stone with inscriptions in hale-kannada stands in a small pit covered by a small structure. A Nandi, which seems to have been recently painted, sits on top of this structure. It is believed that this temple was constructured by a prince called Singadepa(who was also known as Devabhupala) in 1550AD. They belonged to the Hadinadu dynasty(also known as Padinadu) and were the feaudatories of the Vijayanagara dynasty. The beautiful entrance, known as bale-mantapa, was erected in 1654-55 by  his great grandson Mudduraja(also known as Muddhabhupa).

In December 1807, Yelandur was gifted (as Hereditary Freehold or inam)  to Dewan Purnaiyya for his ‘extraordinary’ services rendered to the Mysore Kingdom. A building, whitewashed in yellow paint, stands at the backside of the temple. This is probably the only highrise in the town and is the bungalow of Dewan Purnaiyya. Yelandur is strategically placed near Coimbatore and Mysore, and with natural riches during its hey days, it is believed that it was an obvious choice for Purnaiyya as he could be close to the Wodeyars of Mysore from here. Restoration and some renovation work was in progress during our visit and hence we couldn’t enter the bungalow.

Rajasthan - Galtaji Ka Mandir or Monkey Temple

(This article was published in The Hindu dated 21-September-2013)

“I want nothing new, if I can have but a tithe of the old secured to me. I will spurn all wealth beside. Think of the consummate folly of attempting to go away from here! When the constant endeavor should be to get nearer and nearer here!” noted Henry David Thoreau in his journal.

Located around 10-20km away from Jaipur, towards the east, along the Jaipur-Agra Highway, it is one of the most beautiful and uncharted locations in Jaipur’s landscape. Earlier in the week, when we asked about the Monkey Temple, we were directed to a lonely small temple at the top of a hillock. Despite the wonderful scenery here, there were just not adequate monkeys for it to be given the title of ‘Monkey Temple’. We searched and searched and finally an auto-rickshaw guy decided to help us and we had to literally ask for directions along the highway to discover this temple. When approaching via road, one visits the Sisodia Rani ka Bagh(gardens laid out by Sawai Jai Singh II) in what seems to be like the gatekeeper to the temple. A few hundred meters of climb along the road, and a beautiful yellow gate lay in wait to welcome us in.

As one enters the temple complex, a huge courtyard with domed terraces on either sides welcomes you. Built using pink sandstone, the temple walls and ceilings have beautiful paintings that resemble a palace. The beautifully carved pillars and the colored walls take one to a different realm altogether.  The walls are laden with frescoes and murals, with many of them losing their charisma with the travails of time and begging for restoration. The temple pavilions and holy kunds make the entire complex look more like an ornate fort or a haveli than a temple.

Along with the majestic architecture of the structures surrounding you, you cannot miss the playful monkeys all around you. The highlights of this temple campus, except for the palatial mansions, are the Monkeys. Close to around 5000 monkeys reside in this campus and entertain the pilgrims and tourists as they roll and play in the courtyards, gardens, pools and by the side of the mountains. The hordes of rhesus macaques and Hanuman langurs have been featured in National Geographic channel's 'Rebel Monkeys' and 'Monkey Theives'. One can spend a few hours just looking at them. Though most of these monkeys are harmless, it is better to avoid carrying food items openly and tempt them

A flight of stairs takes one to the main temple that is constructed in multiple levels. The temple looks like it is sitting between the mountains and is crunched for space. The temple is supposed to have been constructed in the 18th century by Sawai Jai Singh II’s courtier Kriparam Diwan Rao. As Sage Galava is supposed to have performed penance here, the temple took the appellation of ‘Galta’. The holiest of the 7 tanks, that store water, here is also called Galta Kund. A temple of Ramgopal is present here and is it believed that Lord Ram gave darshan to Goswami Tulsidas here.

There is a face of a cow on the wall and water keeps pouring out of it, and hence like many other spring sites, this is called as Gaumukh(Cow's mouth). And hence the water in this kund is believed to be the manifestation of Ganges itself. Water from the natural springs accumulates in the kunds at multiple levels inside the complex. The green color of the water in the kund lends a beautiful charm to the hills that surround it on one side.  A dip in the kund on the holy day of Makar Sankranti(mid January, during Pongal) is said to rinse out the sins. This temple is of immense importance to the Hindus and is an important pilgrimage site. The temple dedicated to the Sun(Surya) is supposed to be second only to the one at Konark. There is a small diya inside the Hanuman temple that supposedly is burning continuously for more than 400 years now.

The entire geography of the site is in such a way that it lends its own unique charm to even the mountains that cast a shadow on the cascaded and rounded rooftops. There is a sense of sereneness in this place that is not present in many temples and the whole campus exudes tranquility. We visited this place again the very next day to soak in more of the scenery and enjoy the calmness surrounded by the rugged landscape of the Aravalli mountains.

Getting There: Galtaji-ka-Mandir is a 10km ride from Jaipur. Take the Jaipur-Agra highway and ask for Khaniya-Balaji.

Staying/Eating: There are no options to stay or eat in or near the Galtaji ka Mandir. Prefer staying in Jaipur and visit the temple by car or auto-rickshaw. Carry some snacks to eat as the place is a perfect spot for picnic, but be careful of the monkeys.

Tip: Prefer leaving Jaipur around 3-4pm so that you can spend the evening in the temple campus.

Mallikarjuna Durga and Hogenakkal Waterfalls

(This story was published in Deccan Herald's supplement Sunday Herald on 8-Sept-2013)

Monsoon has been good this year. Arrive it did a bit late but has shown no signs of relenting since then. Dark grey clouds that were a rarity last year are almost a daily phenomenon and the Sun God peeps out occasionally at noon. Many regions of India have been flooding and there is just ‘water, water everywhere’. Newspapers carry the flooded villages on one page and on the other is a beautiful photo of water being released from Dams or the water from the falls cascading down majestically.

One cannot just keep watching from one’s couch and not be a part of this scenery. We decided to drive to Hogenakkal and witness this for ourselves live. Though there were apprehensions of the place being overcrowded and causing chaos in an otherwise stunning scenery, we did take our bets and drove on.

Hogenakkal Falls is on river Kaveri in Dharmapuri district situated around 180kms from Bangalore. Though the route via Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri is rather easy, straight and with good roads, we decided to drive via a more scenic route via Denkanikottai and Anchetty . The hot and tasty pongal at Ganesh Bhavan in Denkanikottai was a perfect starter for the trip and we drove via a narrow road with lush green trees on either sides. This route is also shorter than the one via Krishnagiri. We stopped at a few points and enjoyed the views. Soon we stumbled on Mallikarjuna Durga, a hillock on the right of the road near Anchetty.

There are no clear stairs to the top of the hillock but one can climb pretty easily via the boulders and reach a small temple at the top. We stopped intermittently during the easy climb and sampled in the views. Patches of land were in orange and some were lush green. The land was yearning for a good monsoon before the seeds could be sown. There is Shiva temple at the top. This was closed for renovation when we reached here. There were remnants of an ancient wall on the top of the hillock, but no other signs from ASI informing about the importance of the place. The nandi that was placed outside the sanctum sanctorum was beautifully carved and looked relatively new. The construction workers told us that they were constructing a ‘diya’ on the top  so that a function similar to the one in Thiruvannamalai can be performed here. A few teens who were from a village at the base were enthusiastic enough to talk more about the life there but had no clue about the historic significance of this hillock or the structure on top of it.

The winds were getting strong and it started to drizzle slightly, when we decided to hike down and continue onwards to Hogennakkal, as the rocks become very slippery once wet. The rains played hide-and-seek and soon stopped. The narrow yet scenic roads continued for a few more miles and we soon hit a tri-junction with a Ayannar temple on the side of the road. Ayannars are village gods who protect the village from any evil. The beautiful and large statues of the twin village gods offered a perfect photographic moment. The statues of police with their companion dogs guarding the entrance to the open-air temple was interesting to look at. Cameras clicked and after a quick break we hit on a patchy road that would continue for 10 odd kilometers.

We could spot the river Kaveri flowing at a distance and were wondering whether we would hit the base of the falls or the top. We continued and saw ladies by the side of the road selling fishes lathed in red chillies and spices. We were yearning to hit the waters and after a quick lunch and negotiations with boatmen decided to do a coracle ride followed by massages and soaking in the waters.

One can go in the coracle to the base of the waterfalls when the water levels are low , but since this year the monsoon has been phenomenally great, the boatmen informed us that reaching the bottom of the falls was not allowed, though one can see from the top. An auto was arranged that would take us upstream and then we would float in the coracle before taking us to a view point on the Karnataka side. The view from bridge was simply spectacular and one could see the whole panoramic view of the waterfalls at its best. At a few places the waterfalls wore a muddy look, though bulk of it was like milk gushing out from the rocks. The sound of the water falling on the rocks eclipsed almost everything else and the mist formed due to the thrashing gave an enigmatic look to the whole scenery.

The crowd was relatively less as we had reached post noon and by this time many of the tourists were heading back. We soaked in the scenery and took the coracle to a ghat wherein we would get the best oil massage that this area has to offer and relax our spines and body in the waters.

The weather so far had been great and we enjoyed every bit of it. A few tried their hands at the local cuisine –fishes deep fried in oil and coated with spices and chilly powder whereas a few continued to be immersed in the waters and be transported to a dreamland.

The day was well spent as we drove back again via Anchetty than taking the Krishnagiri route, as we preferred the scenic route to the highway tarmac that would be filled with weekend traffic returning back to Bangalore.