South Karnataka Trip

06/09/2014

It has been years since Belur started beckoning and always wondered whether R.K.Narayan's sketching of Jaganachari - the master craftsman who had to amputate his right arm for losing out to his own son as detailed in his short story tiled “The Image” - was for real and its striking similarity with our own Perunthachan story-though with another shift and climax.

The Karnataka Tourism site carried an item on this legendary sculptor recently and an urge to see Belur cropped up once again. Jaganachari , whom one would have had to place on a pedestal on par with  the likes of , say a Davinci or a Michaelangelo or Rodin.

Started off from Kozhikode by Parasuram Express on 6^th Sept 2014 (Uthradam) and the train  left the platform some one hour late. As for company- none else but the rain.The compartment was packed ,as it was First Onam and all and sundry were in a hurry to reach their homes, for the big day Thiruvonam the following day .

The journey via coastal Kerala as usual , wonderful as always ,replete with intermittent appearances of the Arabian Sea and its pristine coast lined with coconut trees. The hide and seek of train and sea with the accompaniment of rain is the usual stuff for a common traveler in this route this season.

By 9.15 pm it was at Mangalore Central (MAQ) ; hurriedly took a quick meal comprising hot chapathi and veg kurma from a restaurant and checked in to middle class Hotel Hindustan. Drizzling continued and most shops already downed their shutters thanks to the rains. Fruits ready in the bag could came handy for the rest of appetite, if needed.

07/09/2014

Started early / caught Dharmastala bound KSRTC (Karnataka) bus from Jyoti Bus Stop for the two hour journey. Reached the place by 7 am. Lined up for depositing luggage -free of charge - of course. Next it was for footwear safekeeping and hurriedly got in the maze of partitioned enclosures for darshan zig zag  “Q”- a popular sight in most temples.

The Manjunatha Temple attracts millions and the Bahubali monolith image on the opposite mountain too is a holy site of the Jains but equally regarded by other faiths also. Since Sravanabelegola, is on the list, preferred to overlook the climb to see Bahubali for now and eagerness to be at Belur prevailed.

Came out by 8.30 am and took a modest breakfast of idlis from a nearby restaurant, caught a bus for Ujire from where another one to Mudigere and a third one to Belur.

The time 12.30 AN.

Accommodation was arranged at Mayura Velapuri , Belur and the room was convenient.

Took lunch from their restaurant and walked straight to Chennakeshava Temple.

Oh, my. I have been waiting to reach this place for years and its really worth the wait.

Erected some 900 years back, the hard work of thousands of sculptors (who never went to any art schools for sure !) who had to toil incessantly for 103 years to make this masterpiece, which is yet to get its due from connoisseurs across the globe. The public in the periphery too seems unaware of its real worth, I suppose.

More was in the waiting in the late afternoon at Halebidu, some 16 kms from Belur for which buses are available from the KSRTC Bus station next to Mayura Velapuri Hotel.
A 30mts journey, one is at Halebidu . An extension of what we just saw at Belur but time was running out and Halebidu  holding out more and more well beyond one could chew.

What  is worth mentioning is the great work done and still being done by The Archeological Survey of  India in restoring most of the art work and in displaying many at Halebidu .

The mowed lawn grass , the restored Bahubali and the garden at Halebidu and the smiling faces of the locals leave a lasting impression. Once inside the sanctum sanctorum, with three Vishnu avtars on one's sides, with no one else but you for company, oh my.One would have to wait for hours to get a glimpse at Guruvayur.
The full size Krishna image with half closed eyes , the fingers on the flute in varying positions depicting different notes being played, the cows looking up from below and never in life can one get to see such an image with all the ornamentation. The artists probably might have had several saints for advice, lest such perfection seems unlikely.
The river which lay some 500 yards away too was beckoning, but had to return to the Hotel as daylight grew dim. Miles to go .. as Frost wrote..

Next time shall come with at least two days at least to spend at these two locations exclusively.

08/09/2014

Got out from the Hotel by 7.30 am and headed for Hassan in KSRTC.

The bus stations in Karnataka are good and there is facility for toilets at every station - free of cost.

The Indian mindset’s tendency to attend to nature’s call by the wayside can only be avoided if such facilities are arranged at all public places - free of cost, lest the cost we pay for ill fame might outweigh our efforts to bring forth our heritage for others to watch.

The KTDC Mayura Hotels are doing a good job as well by maintaining a chain of hotels with neatness and hospitality. Kerala Tourism should take a leaf out of Karnataka.

From Hassan to Chennarayapatna by Bangalore bound KSRTC  from where chain service non stop KSRTC buses are available for Sravanabelegola – Belegola for short.

The Jain Temples atop the huge rock and the other temples on the opposite mountain catch one's eyes even from a distance . The huge Bahubali statue, erected some 1000 years back, is worth a visit. One really feels puny and insignificant. Back to the foot of the mountain by 2.30pm ,after a hard climb and an equally or more arduous decent , the only feeling one has is  hunger.
A sign board Jain Bhojanalaya caught the eye. A  modest home it is and nothing but this signboard suggest it to be a hotel . A banian – dhoti clad man in his 60s with a broad smile takes one inside. Sat on a mat on  the cemented floor and had a vegetarian meal complete with chapatti , rice, papad , the usual curries and assortments. The walls had several pictures of Digambar Jain Sadhus. The meal was wholesome and good.

Back to Chennarayapatna and from there caught a Mysore bound bus for Srirangapatna of Tipu Sultan.

By the time checked in to the hotel, time was 4.30pm. At least 30 mts to get freshen up and next in the offing is Brindavan Gardens which is some 45 minutes by two buses. Though not on the heritage list, how could someone miss this garden about which everyone talks so much about in India .

No.307 KSRTC takes one to Pump House stoppage and from there its No.303 for Brindavan.

It was 6.30 by the time the garden came to view. It was OK.

Spent some 40 mts walking around and came back to Hotel to have a modest meal of just fruits, thanks to the tips by other travelers.

09/09/2014

Somanathapura is some 30 kms from Srirangapatna and normally the journey needed to be broken in half to suit KSRTC shedule , with the first stretch up to Bannur.

Those who had seen Belur and Halebidu get no surprises there, as most of the works look similar.The Archeological Survey people did a good job there as well. One may have to carry eatables from the city, if there is plan to spend more  hours.
Back to Bannur and from there to Mysore.

Mysore palace rather filled this visitors mind with anger most of the time. Such squandering of public wealth at a time when people never had even  two square meals a day !

Chamundi Hills was viewed from afar and St.Philomina Church's architecture appreciated with mouth agape. Really wonderful.

The Rail Museum was another anticlimax, with the Maharani’s toilet cabin among the other exhibits arousing the same anger from deep within and with that ended the Mysore round.

Could have spent more time at Somanathapura and felt really bad in missing out Gumbaz ( Tipu's tomb) and Dariya Doulat Palace and the beautiful garden in front of the palace at Srirangapatna. May be , next time.

10/09/2014

Boarded bus for Gudalur for which booking was done. The journey was worth as it was through Bandipur (Karnataka) and Mudumalai (TN) Tiger Reserves. Monkeys and deers were plenty and no elephants in sight as expected.

The roads on the Karnataka side is well maintained and the undergrowth on the sides cleared.

The less said about Tamil Nadu side - the better.

Reached Gudalur at around 12.30 AN and who wants lunch when one's home is as close as 3 hrs from the place, that too after a 5 day sojourn !

 *Courtesy :  Sri.Kamat for the photographs