The rocky splendor of Rayalaseema

Hyderabad - Kurnool - Mantralayam - Orvakallu - Belum Caves and Gandikota circuit

After a successful road trip to Hampi, which unexpectedly led us to visit the famed Kishkinda, it was time to the highway again. After days of deliberations I finally decided on the Hyderabad - Kurnool - Mantralayam - Orvakallu - Belum Caves and Gandikota circuit that was to be completed in two days. So one fine Saturday morning we set out on this journey. We left Hyderabad at around 6 am with a quick stop over at Jadcherla for breakfast.

Our work horse for this trip was the trusted Hyundai Grand i10, which offers just the right power and pickup for spirited highway driving. Though we drove at a leisurely 80kms/hr we reached kurnool in about 4 hours (speaks volumes of the immaculate Hyderabad - Bengaluru highway). At the entrance of Kurnool town we took a right towards Mantralayam via Yemmiganur town. The road was a bit rough at places as it's a state highway. Surprisingly as we approached the holy Mantralayam town, the road turned out to be silk smooth, which is a far cry from the narrow dusty road some 5 years ago. It took us about 2 hours to reach Mantralayam from Kurnool. Since we reached Mantralayam in the afternoon the temple, which is home to the Samadhi of Guru Raghavendra Swamy, was pretty empty. It is usually crowded with devotees from neighboring Karnataka.

After darshan of Sri Raghavendra Swamy (according to custom we must first visit and pray to Manchalamma Devi before entering Sri Raghavendra Swamy's temple) we had lunch at Mantralayam and returned to Kurnool and checked into Hotel Suraj Grand for staying overnight.

We set out to explore Orvakallu, a rock garden close to Kurnool later in the evening. Orvakallu is just beside NH 40 that takes you to the town of Nandayala. It's a large area with a different interesting rock formations as well as a small gorge that offers a pleasant outing.

Few pics from Orvakallu

Day 2 - Belum - Gandikota and back to Hyderabad

We set out to Belum Caves from Kurnool the next day morning via NH 40. The drive took us through breathtaking valleys and lush fields, which really made me wonder "is all the hype around Rayalaseema being a violent land just an exaggeration?"

Beautiful drive from Kurnool to Belum

Water reservoir in between Kurnool and Belum

 

We reached Belum caves after a good 3 hours drive. It was interesting to note that many people in this region depend on granite quarries for their livelihoods. It also made me feel sad that we humans are ripping apart the planet for our livelihoods.

Belum Caves

Belum Caves is a popular picnic spot with many visitors. It is written that an explorer by name Robert Bruce Foote recorded the presence of these caves in 1884 and in 1982 a German explorer HB Gebauer explored it. The caves take you deep inside the earth and at places it becomes quite suffocated and it gets real hard to breathe despite the presence of large ventilator fans. The caves are well lit and its worth exploring them.

Gandikota

We started off for Gandikota, the prized destination of our trip, from Belum at about 2 in the afternoon. We took NH 67 that took us via the town of Jammalamadugu. After a good 2 hour ride we reached Gandikota fort. One needs to walk through the fort to see the magnificent Gandikota gorge. The gorge is truly breath taking and rewarded us well for all the efforts we had taken to drive to this remote land.

This is place mesmerizes you and is worth spending an evening here. I rue the fact that we could not explore the gorge fully as we had to head back to Hyderabad that evening it self.

I shall come another day for this place haunts me.

Glory of Mysore

If you are looking for a quick weekend getaway from Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India, Srirangapatnam and Mysore are ideal destinations. The Bengaluru Mysore expressway offers a smooth ride; however, traffic, especially on weekends, slows you down a little bit. A number of dhabas offering a variety of cuisines dot the expressway, so one can start very early from Bengaluru and not worry about breakfast. Lush greenery greets you as soon as you leave Bengaluru. The fresh whiff of early morning air refreshes the early morning traveler.

Paddy Fields on the Way to Mysore


The first attraction on the way to Mysore is the town of Channapatna, which is famous for wooden toys. A number of toy shops are located just beside the highway, which makes it easy for the time-crunched traveler. The next stop is Maddur, which is famous for the lip-smacking Maddur vada. This town is a must stop for foodies. Mandya is the next major town on this route. It is the home town of Ambarish, a veteran Kannada hero. Mandya also ranks amongst the top 15 cleanest cities in India.

Srirangapatnam

The historical town of Srirangapatnam, the capital of Tipu Sultan's empire, is magnificent. The town derives its name from the famous Ranganatha Swamy temple. This ancient temple is awe-inspiring. The architecture and carvings on the main Gopuram makes one stand back and admire the skill of those ancient masons. Ranganatha Swamy, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is the presiding deity of the temple. The Lord presents Himself lying on Adisesha, the great serpent God.
 
Ranganatha Swamy Temple

Death Place of Tipu Sultan

Tipu Sultan was killed by the British at Srirangapatnam. The place where he was found killed is marked by an epitaph.

Tipu Sultan's Museum 
 
On the outskirts of Srirangapatnam is the summer palace of Tipu Sultan, which currently is a museum, showcasing the achievements of the great warrior. The museum is located amidst a sprawling garden, which is a wonder in itself.

    
Several artifacts, including Tipu Sultan's guns, swords, dresses, cutlery etc. are displayed in the museum. The numerous wars waged by Tipu Sultan are depicted in the form of wall paintings. A 3D painting of a young Tipu Sultan is a major attraction in the museum.

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

The Ranganathittu bird sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Mysore city. This beautiful bird sanctuary refreshes one's soul. Unfortunately, I could not see many birds though I could hear chirping of birds from the tree branches above. The cool environment and the greenery of the sanctuary made up for the lack of bird sightings. 

Mysore

Mysore palace, the former home of the Wodeyar clan, is a grand spectacle. At the entrance, visitors are greeted by canons, which take one back to the time of the Rajahs and Ranis. The central hall of the palace is spectacular with a number of beautifully designed pillars. Paintings by Raja Ravi Verma adorn the walls of the palace. One of the major attractions in the palace is the 750 kilo golden howdah, which is used to carry the idol of Chamundeshwari Devi on an elephant during Dusshera festivities. One cannot describe in words about the grandeur of the Mysore palace.

Chamundeshwari Temple

Chamundeshwari Temple is located on top of the Chamundi hills. The presiding deity of the temple is Chamundeshwari or Goddess Chamundi. The Gopuram of the temple stands tall adorned with beautifully sculpted images of Gods, Goddesses and characters in the Hindu mythology. One can have spectacular views of Mysore town atop Chamundi hills.

Brindavan gardens is another major attraction in Mysore. Unfortunately, I could not make it there as I had to head back to Bengaluru the same night.
     
 
 
  

Udupi - An Unexplored Gem

Udupi is a charming little town located in southern Karnataka along the Konkan coast. Most of us are familiar with the ubiquitous Udupi restaurants and cafes spread all across the world dishing out piping hot Dosas and Idlys but not many know what Udupi has to offer as a holiday destination.

Backwaters, renowned temples, pristine beaches and the famed educational institutions in Manipal (which is around 5 kms from Udupi) and the lip smacking food is what one is treated to in this idyllic town.

Temples

Udupi is home to several temples but the most famous is the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple. The cheerful atmosphere around the temple accentuated by the songs and dances of the devout is something that one must experience. Locally, the temple is known as Sri Krishna Mutta. A number of other Muttas namely Pejavar Mutta, Kaniyoor Mutta, Palimaru Mutta, Adamaru Mutta, Puttige Mutta, Sodhe Mutt and Krishna Pura Mutta are situated close to the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple. Each Mutta is headed by a Swamy and all the Swamies serve Lord Krishna in a time bound manner. For instance, if the Swamy of Pejavar Mutta takes up the responsibility of serving the Lord in 2015 he relinquishes his duties after 2 years and passes the responsibility to a Swamy of another Mutta. A grand ceremony called Paryaya is held to commemorate this event.

Udupi Sri Krishna Temple

Bathing Ghat at Krishna Temple

Kannarpadi Jaya Durga Parameshwari Temple and Ambalpady Mahadevi Temple are the other renowned temples in Udupi town. There are a number of temples within 100-200 kilometers from Udupi. The most famous are:

• Dharmasthal Manjunath Temple, Dharmasthal
• Kollur Mookambika Temple, Kollur
• Vinayaka Temple at Anegudde
• Kukke Subhramanya Swamy Temple near Mangalore

Backwaters

 

Udupi town is surrounded by surreal backwaters, which are a visual delight. Unlike the backwaters in Kerala, there are no house boats here, hence one is treated to miles of calm, clean waters and occasional fishing boats.

 

Backwaters Near Kallianpur Village

 

Coconut trees on the banks of the backwaters add to their charm.

Beaches


Udupi town will not disappoint a water sports fan. Malpe beach (around 10 kms from Udupi) is not only clean and tidy but also offers a number of water sports such as paragliding, water scooters and boating. If you are not an avid fan of water sports just sit back and relax on the golden sands of the beach and enjoy the sunset.

Malpe Beach

55 kilometers north of Udupi is a spectacular beach known as Maravanthe. This beach is just beside the national highway that connects Panvel to Edapally and offers a brilliant view while you drive across it. The main attraction of this beach is that a river flows opposite to the beach separated by the highway. So, on one side of your window you will see a river and on the other side you will see the beach.

Marvanthe Beach

 

 

The other must visit beaches near Udupi are Kaup Beach and Ullala Beach, Mangalore.

 

The atmosphere in Udupi town itself is soothing to the soul. Clean and green, one can really enjoy taking long walks in the town.

 

Morning Sight in Udupi 

Want a break to embrace nature, put up Udupi on your travel itinerary.