A Trip to Kodachadri....

Date : 29 – 31 December 2007 and 01 Jan 2008
Location : Kundapur District and Kodachadri
People Involved : Myself and Nagesh. The Sony HandyCam and The DigitalCam

Yet Again its time for us to usher in the New Year and bid a farewell to the past retaining sweet memories. So we decided to end the year on a good note and decided to go to Kodachadri.

On the 29th about 19:45 hrs we boarded The Durgamba bus (KA01 B5924) to Kundapur, (about 425 kms). It was a sleeper and we got upper berths. The bus had a stopover @ Swati Hotel in Seshadripuram, we bought 2 Cans of KF Draught and chips, mint during the stopover. Now we started the real party and `the real spirit of travel rose'.

Around 02:00 hrs on the 30th the bus had a flat tyre and had to stop by a cemetery for replacing the tyres. Nagesh was fast asleep by this time, had to wake him up to notify him of the cemetery and click a few pictures there. The tyres were replaced in about 25 min and started on our journey. caught some sleep. Reached Tirthahalli around 05:00 hrs, had Tea and Buns ( a Mangalorean delicacy) and started towards Kundapur. Reached Kumbashi by 08:00, Kundapur is about 10 kms from here. Clicked a few stills and videos on the way.

We disembarked at Kumbashi and reached the AaneGudda Temple and hired a room there, refreshed and went to Kundapur to have our Breakfast and reached back to find Vinayaka – the presiding deity out there and offered pooja (the avalakki prasadam was the main reason for attending the pooja, but don't tell this to anyone). Had our stomach full of the `Brahmana oota' and hired an auto to take us around. Time was about 15:00 hrs.

There again started our TeerthaYatra. Visited Kota, Saligrama, Koteshwara and a few other temples. Was concentrating more on the few paintings and architecture there. One of the temple @ Koteshwara has a roofing made out of Huge stone slabs which dates back to 2000 years. And as claimed by the localites Huge Men had carried those stones (- JCB's and Cranes of these days) on their heads and shoulders to place them for roofs. While renovating the pond in front of the temple a few years ago they say, had found big sandals ( sized approx 25) which those men wore out there. Just imagine how huge those men must be....!!!!

By now it was 17:00 hrs and we decided to go towards Marvante beach to watch the sunset and also play in the waters for some time. On the way to clicked a few stills and videos of `The Arabian Sea, The Back Waters and those Small Islands'. Reached Marvante by 17:30 and played in the water for some time and had a few shots of the `Sun set @ Sea'.

On our way back the auto driver Ganesh drove us to another place called HattiAngadi. Again that was a TeerthaYatrae, and again a Vinayaka Temple. Dont know how this guy Vinayaka exists in all these places, had counted about 5 by this time and all of them have `Real Power' and can create wonders. Time by now was 20:00 hrs and we proceeded towards Kundaput to have our dinner. The hotel close to the Abus stand was pretty decent and served good food and beverages. Had our fill and on the way to the Lodge had been to a Pandal playing `Yakshagana' (a folk art popular in this belt.). Watched the play for some time and Nagesh was busy taking Video and Photos of the mela. And by now we had found out that Ganesh was `Comedy Time Ganesh in a different Incarnation'.

Reached the Lodge by 22:30 hrs and didn't even know when Sleep took over Us. Managed to wake-up by 05:00 hrs on the 31 Dec 2007.

Comedy Time Ganesh picked us from the Lodge by 05:45 hrs and dropped us @ Kundapur, where we boarded a bus to Kollur and then Hired a Jeep to Kodachadri, reached the Peak by trekking for a few kilometers and capturing the breath-taking scenic beauty on our cameras. On our way encountered Mr. Vinayaka for the N th time in the last 2 days, this time he was in a cave seated atop a snake, (very unlikely for him), had a whiff of spices on the way, bought 3 Quart bottles of Honey from the Villagers there, who claimed that it was pure honey collected from the forest. Reached the Peak and saw the Ugamasthana of River Souparnika, and started on descent from the Sahyadri Hill. The greenary wasn't lush and that appealing. So have decided to visit the place again sometime during August or September unmindful of the blood-sucking leeches with few more people. Had `so called lunch' @ Kollur. Later found forgoing food was better.

Started back to Kumbashi and reached by 19:00 hrs, freshend up and started back to Bangalore. Boarded a bus from Udupi. And again the sleeper, the party, Calling in the Year 2008 in bus with a fizz of KF Draught happened. Though the road back to Bangalore was S**t, was happy that it was a router which passed through `Moodigere' – The Place where one of my favourite author lived and was laid to rest, Belur, Hassan and Bangalore. Reached bangalore by 09:30 on the D-Day 01 January 2008 to meet those guys who missed out the exciting travel by a few whiskers.

Highlights of the trip....

# The numerous Mr. Vinayaka's

# Numerous Botis on the HighWay.

# The Omlettes on way to Kodachadri.

# Mr. Ganesh - The Auto Driver.

Visit The Link for Photos : http://picasaweb.google.com/srinidhi.ps/Trip2008