The twists and turns of Malnad

 

A change in weather was much welcome after the balmy, humid time spent at the coast. The yearning to traverse the twists and turns of Charmady was quite strong. Instead of the straight route via Kudremukha – Kalasa and to Mudigere, the chosen path to reach our amiable home-stay was Karkala - Bajagoly - Ujjire - Charmady Ghat - Kottigehara - Mudigere - Belur road - KR Pete - Smarika Farms, covering 160 kilometres.

 

This mountain road comes alive in Monsoon with water cascading at the roadside flowing as scintillating waterfalls. By December, only a few of them survived to charm us. The incredible landscape, from vantage points, compelled us to stop, despite the boards announcing not to take photographs or selfies. The ascent to the Western Ghats begins after crossing the bustling traffic of Ujjire.  Omelette from a non-descript restaurant right after the town perked up our energy levels for the road ahead.  MalnadCafé is a customary stop when in the area. Based in Banakal, 5km after Kottigehara towards Belur, they serve scrumptious akki rotti with fresh filter coffee. The cordial owner Chandan is warm and welcoming. They are expanding the venture, and construction for a homestay is underway. Feeling at home in this part of Western Ghats – maybe because we lived in Kudremukha for 6 months, we were thrilled to be back in the familiar territory. 

 

Smarika Farms, located amidst the coffee and pepper plantation, is a short 5-minute drive from the settlement of KR Pete. The place offers various accommodation facilities targeted at both larger and smaller groups. The skilled chef who hails from a nearby locale prepares delicious meals. The kind owner Sanjay is passionate about hospitality. One of the treasured routes is Chikmagalur – Aldur – Koppa, where a family-run Harsha Café dishes out unrivalled Neer Dose. Another obligatory pit stop we never miss when in Chikmagalur.

 

Moving on, we settled on the route suggested by the locals to Mutthodi. Covering 150 kilometres, the day’s ride was: Smarika Farms - Aldur - Magodu – Kanathi Lake - Mallandur - Muthodi Nature Camp - Mallandur - Chikamagalur - KR Pete - Smarika Farms. The unceasing steep path lead us to a serene spot, abundant with greenery, and the reflection of which was seen in the tranquil water of the lake. Time stood still while we basked in the placidness of nature. When we joined the main Mallandur road, the dizzying twists and turns gave way to wider roads.  Certain spots in the last few kilometres of the route inside the forest are narrow and miserable. You will emerge at a junction that takes you to Dattapeetha once you cross the nature reserve.

 

After a restful night and interesting conversations with Sanjay, we bid adieu to Smarika Farms. Covering a distance of 2000 kilometres, the momentous road trip ended with our return to Namma Bengaluru. 

Malnad: Monsoon Magic

When is the best time for a motor cycle ride? "Monsoon"
Where is the best place to ride to ? "Western Ghats"

There are many who think along the same lines. Oswin was one of them and when I discussed about a monsoon ride to Chikmagalur, he was all game. He was inspired by the photos from our Kalasa ride. Staying at a hostel would be a new experience for both of us. The last time I slept on a bunk bed was during the college days. Zostel is an excellent choice for real travellers Rs 500 for a bed in mixed dormitory. Mostly young crowd, so not recommended for families with tiny tots.

Starting at 6.30am from NICE toll at ECity, we were going past many hordes of bullet groups and orange groups on a fine overcast Saturday morning. Western Ghats welcome you with its glory after Hassan and you feel like making many stops to enjoy the breath-taking landscapes. After breakfast, refuelling and photo-stops, we reached Zostel at 11.30am. 8km away from town, it is on Agumbe road just 500m from The Serai on the right side of the road.

We resumed our ride towards Lingadahalli, after offloading a bit of our luggage. We took a left turn at Kaimara towards Baba Budangiri Road. After paying the entry fee Rs 10, we enjoyed the surprises at each corner. We skipped the turn towards Mullayanagiri because there was not enough time.

The vivid colour of rolling hills, the bluish hue of rain clouds, the deep red soil - the sights at every turn is mesmerising. We couldn't help it, but stop many a times to soak in the beauty around. Roads are in excellent condition and that takes the pain off dealing with potholes. The best part was the road leading up to Baba Budangiri Peak or Manikyadhara waterfalls. "This is better than Scotland" was Oswin's comment. No offense meant, I know Scotland is far more beautiful, just a respite for less immortals who can't afford a vacation in Scotland.

We continued our ride after a stop at Hotel Sharanam at Mahal.  The owner lady was happy to see me again after 5months since my last ride in Feb 2018. Black tea and hot omelettes energized us.

"The forest guards stopped us. They won't let anyone go through the forest route to Kemmangundi" - The couple on a motorcycle told us on our way to Kemmangundi from Mahal. 

"What did they say?"

"They said they don't let anyone after 4pm"

"Let's  try our luck, if not, we will return "


The major goal of riding to Chikmagalur was to ride through the 13km forest route inside Bhadra WLS from Mahal to Kemmangundi. I was a bit sceptical if the guards will let us ride as it was already 3:45pm.

At the check post, the guards asked us our details and warned us about the knee-deep streams to cross. It could be the local parlance or our confidence, they let us go further. 7th time I was riding through this route since 2008 and I still want do it again. The enchanting beauty of green hills and thick forest with rivulets are calling me again and again. 


We took almost 40min to cross the 13km treacherous route filled with potholes and deep streams. Crossing many streams without getting stuck was pure luck and skill. But it was worth the effort.  We didn't ride back through the same route, instead we continued to Lingadahalli and rode back to Chikmagalur town in the evening.

After dinner at Siri Café and a hot shower, we crashed at the hostel bunk beds and slept like babies. 430km and almost 14hrs.  

Next day, we headed towards Agumbe, but didn't go until there. Instead we took a turn at Balehonnur and continued to Magundi-Balur-Kottigehara-Mudigere-Sakleshpura. On these roads, the lush dark green forest was really cool. We stopped at Malnad Café at Mudigere for lunch; akki roti at this place is delicious. 

Reached Hassan around 2pm and the ride to Bangalore was smooth until Nelamangala junction on Tumkur road. The traffic was at a standstill here. I took a long 20min break to cool down myself and overheated 200cc engine.


A handful of accommodation options in Chikmagalur:

Rainbow Comforts, Mob: 9449415019 ; 9845890876
PCS Serviced Apartment Lodge, Tel: 08262-236844 ; Mob: 9844168091 and 9972612551
Panchami Cottage, Mob: 9901712196 ; 9739710714
Lavasa Regency, Tel: 08262228877 ; Mob: 8762811527
Manjunatha Residency, Tel: 08262238111 ; Mob: 8277446111 and 8277338111

Shravanabelagola, Belur, Halebid and Kemmangundi

                                    UNWTO

People pay a fortune to spot wildlife when they go on jungle safari. No one would expect to spot a cheetah when they go on a pilgrimage!

It took us two hours to get past the Friday traffic of Bangalore and reach Nelamangala 49 km from Whitefield. Interestingly it took us same two hours to reach Shravanabelagola 114 km from Nelamangala with a dinner stop en route. The temple committee offers accommodation (dbl, Rs.210, Tel: 08176 257258).We reached at 9pm with Aby and Simi in one vehicle and snoozed off. Next morning we were welcomed by the story of Cheetah crossing just before the temple premises spotted by the Pauls who came at 11.30 in the night. Cheetahs often come to this village to feast on dogs, we were told.

Climb the hill in the early morning before it gets sunny. The rocks will be hot and almost impossible to walk if it is in the afternoon, as one has to climb the steps barefoot. You can munch on the free breakfast at the matha, you can visit Basadi next to matha, which has mural painting depicting stories from Jain literature. Bandhara Basadi is on the adjacent plot, explains story of Bahubali in English on flex prints.

 Shravana/ Shramana means a Jain monk, bili kola means a pond as pure as milk – this is how Shravanabelagola got its name. A place where there is a pond as pure as milk and Jain monks live, many have meditated here and attained salvation. Shravanabelagola is famous for the monolith statue of Bahubali (Gomateshwara) which was carved in the 10^th Century A.D funded by the king Chavundaraya. The statue which is 57 feet tall is on top of a hill – Vindhyagiri at 3,288 ft above MSL. Apart from the Bahubali statue there are several small basadi – jain temple on the hill. Vindhyagiri is also known as Doddabetta (dodda – big, betta – mountain).

Adinatha or Rishabanatha is the first of the Tirthankaras in Jainism. Bahubali is the son of Adinatha. Bahubali, in order to expand his kingdom will wage a war against his brother Bharatha. Instead of fighting a battle with soldiers and violence, the brothers fought in three different forms namely dristhi yuddha, jala yuddha and malla yuddha. Dristhi yuddha – is to stare at the other person’s eye without blinking as long as possible. Jala yuddha – standing inside the pond, they spray water at each other. Whoever will withstand without falling into water wins. Malla Yuddha – this is to test the muscle power, also known as Kushti-the traditional Indian wrestling. Bahubali wins in all the three, but soon realizes that everything is temporary and life itself is transitory. He then goes on meditating in the standing posture. The depth of his meditation is denoted by the anthills that are formed around him and the vines that have grown on him. It also implies his detachment from the world.

Once you reach the top of Doddabetta, just before entering the main area where you see the statue, there is a statue of old woman holding something in her hand. The board reads her name as Gulaganji Ajji. The story dates back to 10^th century when the king Chavundaraya built the statue. When the statue was completed and King Chavundaraya was conducting the abhisheka ceremony for the statue. The king was very arrogant as he had built one of the best and biggest statues in the world. It is said that in spite of pouring liters of milk it was not reaching the bottom of the statue. An old woman comes with some milk inside Gulaganji – known as jequirity or rosary pea, and requests the king to permit her to pour the milk she was carrying inside the small seed. All the populace will laugh at her; however King will permit her to go ahead. It is said when she pours milk on the statue the milk flows down till the feet and the pride of the king comes down. The old woman in disguise is thought to be Kusmandini Devi.

There is a small hill a little away from Doddabetta, known as Chandragiri or Chikkabetta (chikka – small, betta – mountain). On this mountain there are several basadis. Doddabetta became popular after the Bahubali statue was craved, where as Chikkabetta was popular much before the Doddabetta. Chikkabetta was preferred by Jain monks to meditate in the caves on the hill top. Today there are caves with footprints of the monks, who meditated here and attained salvation. 

Belur and Halebidu:

Belur 82km from Shravanabelagola, was the capital of the Hoysala dynasty, situated on the banks of Yagachi river. It took almost a century to complete the work on this temple, started in 1116 dedicated to Lord Krishna. Excellent carving can be found – Hindu deities, battle scenes, celestial nymphs adorned with the wealth of detailed make up and jewelry. 16km from Belur, Halebidu the latter capital of Hoysala dynasty boast a star shaped temple standing on an elevated platform. Every inch of the walls is richly carved with stories from the epics. Both Belur and Halebidu are striking from far, get closer and let your eyes rove over to admire the details and craftsmanship.

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Chikmagalur

It is believed that Baba Budan smuggled coffee seeds from Yemen and planted in Chikmagalur. Overlooking Baba Budangiri range, Chikmagalur district offers Western Ghats in microcosm -lofty peaks, trekking trails, captivating cascades, gushing streams, mighty rivers (Tunga and Bhadra originate here). Chikmagalur in Kannada means the youngest daughter’s town – refers to the youngest daughter of Rukmangada, the chief of Sakrepatna. Another part of the town is called Hiremagalur – elder daughter’s town. After Vijayanagara dynasty, Tippu Sultan enjoyed Chikmagalur as part of Mysore kingdom until British took over in 1799. The much awaited Chikmagalur railway line is nearing completion connecting to Kadur, the nearest railway station.

Many restaurants in Chikmagalur town offer gastronomical expeditions, Thyma for carnivores offering Arab Cuisine and Soundarya for herbivores, both on IG road. Hotel Rest Inn (dbl, Rs.500, Tel: 08262 234111, 236222) hidden in a cross road just opposite to Hotel Rajmahal offers parking facility, clean rooms and comfortable beds, though the Pauls continued their man-animal conflict with the cockroaches.

Kemmangundi 

50km from Chikmagalur at 4732ft above MSL, Kemmangundi is hidden inside Bhadra WLS. The Horticulture Dept. Guest House (Tel 08261-237126 to book between July 16- March 14), the best accommodation and restaurant in the middle of the forest are undergoing a complete makeover. You need to call at LalBagh, Bangalore (Tel: 080- 26571925, 26570181, 26570824) to book your rooms between March 15-July 15. The old ratty buildings have been razed off to replace with wooden clad buildings with mod-cons, expect to pay Rs 1500 or more for a double room, to be inaugurated in Oct 2013. We were lucky to find two old rooms for six of us with 3 beds in each, though the rooms were not maintained well. The makeshift restaurant cooks up whatever is in the store.

updated on 03.03.2017
Price for double bedroom Rs.1680/-, these spacious rooms have power backup, Television. Another double bedroom for Rs.756/- doesn't have power backup or Television and is for a budget traveller. They have rooms to accommodate bigger groups. 

Trekking to Hebbe Falls was our main agenda but abandoned, thanks to a hefty Rs 200 per head fee introduced by Forest Dept. We headed to Kalhatti Waterfalls- just don’t bother to go here, almost nude men take dips in a filthy area. Touts may approach you offering a jeep ride Rs 2000 or above to take you to Hebbe Falls. Ride on your own risk- it is illegal to go through forest or private plantations.

updated on 03.03.2017
On the other hand you can contact the friendly jeep owner Mahesha (8105164354, 9482643180), who will take you to Mullayanagiri, through the Bhadra WLS and come back from Chikmagalur making a round trip. He will charge Rs.5000/- and can accommodate 8 persons. 

Z-Point: 45min walk from the Guest House; Z Point is a vantage point offering panoramic views and could be the single most reason to visit Kemmangundi. After crossing the leech infested forest, removing the leeches with lemon juice was not so easy and many bloodstreams formed. Enjoying the scraggly geometry of the mountains, we trudged along the narrow path on the ridge of the mountain.  We did not expect the winds can be so furious during monsoon. What started as a light drizzle developed to a heavy wind with spells of shower drenched all of us. Just surrendering to the magic of rains, we had the revelation about the vulnerable humans living in no harmony with the mighty nature. The thrill of almost-floating in air was serendipitous as we clung to each other to keep our feet in place.

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Kemmangundi-Mullayanagiri route:

Driving this route is not for the faint hearted but is a must for nature aficionados if you have own vehicle. First 15km is very bad until a check post. It is worth the effort, lush green forest and deep valleys amidst fog entice you on this scenic route. During monsoon, it is worse with poodles of water on the way. You will reach Chikmagalur-Lingadahalli road after Mullayanagiri. There are a few home stays in this route. The better route to Kemmangundi from Lingadahalli (20km) is widened and constructed with concrete. So if you love your vehicle more than nature, return the same way. There are a few new home stays at Lingadahalli, so in case you don’t get a booking at Horticulture Guest House, you can find accommodation here. By mass transport you can reach Lingadahalli, you need to hire a jeep to reach Kemmangundi.

Kemmangundi - The picturesque hill station

 

Kemmangundi in the state of Karnataka, India, at a height of 1434m above sea level, is known for its valleys that plunge into deep lush bowls of tropical forest sprinkled by rains and waterfalls. This sprawling hill station was the summer house of King Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV and within Tarikere Taluk of Chikmaglur District. It is ideal place for trekkers, is about 250 km by road from Bangalore with impressive waterfalls, misty mountain peaks, natural streams, thick-pile carpeting of vegetation and a few insects -thirsty leeches and chirping crickets. Major attraction is Hebbe Falls: the descending narrow route of 8km will take us for views back up to the falls and cliffs, where water gushes down from a height of 168 meters in two stages to form Dodda Hebbe (Big Falls) and Chikka Hebbe (Small Falls).

 

Starting on a friday evening is ideal for Kemmangundi-Mulayangiri trip. We took NICE road from Bangalore city to reach Neelamangala and reached Chikmanagalur in 4 hours as there was no heavy traffic. Staying at Chikmangalur that night was more viable since driving to Kemmanagundi after dark hours is not advisable. there are a few lodges. Next day morning, drove towards Kemmangundi via Lingadahalli (45km) instead of taking the Mulayanagiri route. Locals will guide you to Mulayanagiri route, so ask for Lingadahalli on the way. Take a left turn just after an IBP petrol bunk on this road- last option to fill fuel tank.


Accommodation options are either at Horticulture Guest house (if you are lucky to get a booking) or the bigger Raj Bhavan. You need to call at LalBagh, Bangalore (Tel: (080) 26571925, 26570181, 26570824) to book your rooms. There are also limited home stay options. At the guest house, the once-pleasant rooms have some scuffing and bathrooms are stained. Bring your own bed linen or sleeping bag. Though tatty, these rooms are cheap and cost Rs 200 for a double room.There is a restaurant and it serves veg and non-veg food options but with a limited menu. The kitchen cooks up whatever it happens to have in stock. if you need more creature comforts there are a few home stays in and around Kemmangundi. We settled at Ozone Valley, a nice homestay which is on the way from Lingadahalli. This family-run homestay will stay and food at 1000/- per head. Negotiable during off-peak season, provides comfy sleeping options with clean attached bathrooms.

After rejuvenating at the water falls you can take a jeep back if you ran out of fuel, otherwise you can trek back. Jeep drivers charge you 400/- one way and it is a 4WD jeep track and the jeep will be tested its climbing skills at various point en-route. You may hit your bones against the metal inside the jeep. The walkaholics among us walked back and the exhausted took a jeep back. We had lunch at the guest house restaurant and they were ready to keep their 'CLOSED' board after 6 of us hogged most of the food available there. After resting for a while, we warmed up through the waving trees and mud roads to pit ourselves against Z-point. This is a must-visit place at Kemmanagundi - 2km from the Horticulture restaurant. Walking 30min through the winding route along the lip of the vast green mountain is the only way to reach here.

Raj Bhawan: RajBhawan is a better horticulture guest house - the best accommodation you can get at Kemmanagundi. This ideal honeymoon destination, offers a spectacular view of the surrounding hills. Sunset seen from this location is memorable. The Horticultural Department of the Kemmangundi maintains a beautiful rose garden here in Kemmangundi with a wide range of rose blooming in this garden. Raj Bhavan is at a further 15min drive from the guest house and the rooms are good value and nicer than the gloomy corridors and lobby suggest and this hard-to-beat option has helpful staff, zealous room service and superb food.

Mulayanagiri:Next day morning we started start to Mulayanagiri - this is a scenic drive but a tad dangerous due to the potholed roads . Bad tarmac and winding road- but the the view on your side is breathtaking. We took two hours to reach Mulayanagiri since we stopped often to enjoy the nature.The Mulayanagiri peak with a height of 1,930 metres (6,330 ft), it is the highest peak in Karnataka. Climbing endless steps was a test on our knees but the scenery is magnificent. After scaling this peak, it was time for lunch and we headed towards Chikmangalur town. Kemmangundi is amazing for its cool temperature and this was particularly realized when we reached sweaty Chikmangalur at 2pm.

What to carry: Some winter wear and trekking gear. A torch and umbrella will be handy and a pair of change clothes as the waterfalls are tempting.

Precautions: Salt, tobacco, Odomos etc for preventing leeches. Turmeric powder to stop bleeding and itching once you are bitten by a leech.

When to go: Any time when you feel you are stressed and need some cool and fresh air. Oct to Feb will be relatively colder. The maximum and minimum temperature range varies from 18 to 28°C

How to reach: There are two routes from Bangalore: Bangalore –Nelamangala – Kunigal- Hassan –Belur –Chikmagalur –Lingadahalli –Kemmangundi (Reccommended) Bangalore –Neelamangala- Tumkur-Karur-Kemmangundi. Either way it takes almost the same time. Hassan route - roads are good in surface and traffic is more whereas Karur-Tumkur road surface is bad but traffic is less.

 

By Bus: You will get KSRTC bus from Bangalore to Hassan and Chikmangalur, from there you have to take another bus to Kemmangundi. Owned/rented vehicle is more convenient as the public transport is not very frequent from Chikmangalur.