Sunday, December 18, 2016

Shivaganga Trekking, Tumkur

Shivaganga is a small hillock located near Dabaspet in the Tumkur District of Karnataka in India. The hillock looks like a Shivalinga when seen from one of the sides and spring water found here is believed to be the sacred water from Ganga and hence the place got the name Shivaganga. Shivaganga is a place where trekking and religion comes together

Nandi Statue on top of Shivaganga hill or shivaganga betta

Nandi Statue on top of Shivaganga

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Monday, November 7, 2016

Shravanabelagola

Shravanabelagola is a historical temple town and pilgrimage center located near to Channarayapatna of Hassan district of Karnataka in India. Shravanabelagola is famous for the Bahubali Statue which is supposed to be the tallest monolithic stone statue in the world with a height of 58 feet carved out of a single block of granite. The largest number of Digamber Jain Basadis in India is found at Shravanabelagola. Shravanabelagola is also famous for the largest number of rock inscriptions, concentrated at a single center.

Gomateshwara / Bahubali Statue at Shravanabelagola

Gomateshwara / Bahubali Statue at Shravanabelagola

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Friday, August 26, 2016

Panchakuta Basadi - Kambadahalli

Panchakuta Basadi is a Jain temple located in Kambadahalli village of Mandya district in Karnataka. It is 18km from the famous Jain Temple of Sravanabelagola. The name Kambadahalli means a village with pillar. Panchakuta Basadi and Shanthinatha Basadi are the two important temples in this village. This temple complex was built by the kings of Western Ganga dynasty in 900-1000CE. It is believed that there were 72 Jain temples in Kambadahalli village. The monument is protected by the Archeological Survey of India as a National Monument

Panchakuta Basadi jain temple in Kambadahalli

Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli

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Sunday, July 10, 2016

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary also known as Pakshi Kashi of Karnataka is a bird sanctuary in the Mandya District of Karnataka in India. It is the largest bird sanctuary in the state. The Sanctuary includes six islands on the banks of river Kaveri and was declared a bird sanctuary in 1940. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is an important nesting and breeding ground for the thousands of bird species

Painted Stork in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Painted Stork, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

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Friday, May 20, 2016

Rajiv Gandhi Memorial - Sriperumbudur

The Rajiv Gandhi Memorial is a memorial located in Sriperumbudur District of Tamilnadu state, to commemorate the death of former Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. The town was the place where Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in a bomb blast in 1991. He was killed at this place by the LTTE using a human suicide bomber while campaigning for the local Loksabha candidate. Rajiv Gandhi is the former Prime Minister of India (1984 – 1989).

Tamil Nadu Government donated around 12.19 acres of land to build the memorial. The Central Public Works Department constructed the memorial at a cost of around INR21.15 crores.The construction of the memorial started in June 1994 and on 10th October, 2003, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former Indian President, dedicated it to the nation.

Rajiv Gandhi Memorial located in ninaivagam, Sriperumbudur

A long view of Rajiv Gandhi Memorial

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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Barachukki Falls, Sivanasamudra

Barachukki is a waterfall situated near the island town of Shivanasamudra in the Mandya district of Karnataka. A twin water fall Gagana Chukki (90 meters) is located near to Barachukki. The island of Shivanasamudra divides Kaveri River into two parts that form these two waterfalls, Gaganachukki and Bharachukki. The eastern branch of the waterfall is known as Barachukki while the western branch is known as Gaganachukki.

Barachukki Falls during a coracle ride

Barachukki falls during a coracle ride

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Sunday, March 6, 2016

Belur - Chennakeshava Temple

Belur was the early capital of the Hoysala Empire. It is one of the major tourist destinations in Karnataka. The main attractions in Belur is the Chennakesava temple complex which contains the Chennakesava Temple (chennakesava means handsome Vishnu) built by King Vishnuvardhana, surrounded by the Kappe Chennigraya Temple built by Shantaladevi, queen of King Vishnuvardhana and Sowmyanayaki Temple (form of the goddess Lakshmi)

Things to See

  1. Darpana Sundari (Lady with Mirrior) carved on the walls
  2. Intricate sculptures of Elephant,Lions,Horses
  3. Sculptures of episodes from the Hindu mythological epics
  4. Sculptures of Dancers(Shilabalikas)
  5. Ornate Pillars inside the temple
  6. Narasimha Pillar

A full view of chennakeshava temple in belur

Chennakeshava Temple

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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Talakad - A Land Buried in Sand

Talakad or Talakadu is a desert-like town on the left bank of the Kaveri river 45 km (28 miles) from Mysore and 133 km (82 miles) from Bangalore in Karnataka, India. It once had over 30 temples, most of which now lay buried in sand

Among the temples of Talakad, the Pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, Vaidyanatheshwara and Mallikarjuna temples, the five Lingams believed to represent the five faces of Shiva, form the Pancha pathi and have become famous. In honor of these five Shiva temples, a fair is held once every 12 years called Panchalinga Darshana, last held in 2009.

Talakad is famous by the curse of Talakad - by Alamelamma of the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore - "Talakadu Maralagi, Malangi Maduvagi, Mysooru Arasarige Makkalagadirali"- the female Alamelamma cursed this way. (translation- "May Talakadu be filled with Sand, Malangi be a Whirlpool and Mysore Kings shall not have offsprings")

Things to See

  1. Vaidyanatheshwara Temple 
  2. Maruleshwara Temple 
  3. Pathaleshwara Temple 
  4. Arkeshwara Temple 
  5. Mallikarjuna Temple
  6. Coracle Boat ride in Kaveri river

Vaidyanatheshwara Temple in talakad

Vaidyanatheshwara Temple, Talakad

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Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Melukote - The Temple Town

Melukote in Pandavapura Taluk of Mandya District is one of the Sacred places in Karnataka. It is Known for Cheluvanarayan Swami Temple and Yoga Narasimha Temple. The Raya Gopura of Melukote is famous shooting spot. Films like Padayappa, Guru(Hindi), Sivaji etc was shot from this area. Melukote is famous for the Puliyogare which you can have from Subbana Mess in Melukote.

Things to See

  1. Yoga Narasimha Swami temple
  2. Kalyani
  3. Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple
  4. Akka Thangi Kola
  5. Rajya Gopura

Mantapa near to Kalyani in Melukote

Mantapa near to Kalyani

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