My visit to Kollur Mookambika - Part 3 of the original Mangalore/Manipal series

[theMAG]

The number of times I've visited the Mangalore-Manipal belt, I'm starting to think I'm from those parts. And I've loved every moment of those visits, which brings me to a common theme for me by now: my latest visit to a tiny hamlet off NH17 - Kollur Mookambika.


The story-boarding:

Again, a common theme thats made me visit the Mangalore belt in the past - a close friend's wedding. It seems my closest friends like to get married in that part of Karnataka. Maybe I will too - and have the evil pleasure of watching them curse their commute on NH17, or the last part of Shiradi Ghats or the stretch afer Shivmoga on the way to Bangalore.
Anyway, as it happens, this friend is a staunch believer in Kollur Mookambika and had arranged his wedding to be there.


The place:

Kollur (Mookambika) is a tiny hamlet situated in the middle of the forest, off the Kodchadri mountain range. Its temple was established by Shankaracharya hundreds of years ago and is said to be one of the holiest places for Hindus.


The planning (or lack of thereof):

We were to leave from the groom's house off HAL on Airport Road by 1030 am. We left at 715 pm. Now, after having spoken with Samurai the evening before for his advise on coming via Shivmoga as that would have been the shortest route, I was disappointed that we had to come via NH48 and Shiradi Ghats since we were to pick up the marriage flower decorator from Channarayapatna enroute. And for those you who know me personally, you know how I crib about not wanting to be within radar range from a bad road/stretch - I'm overprotective of my car.


The onward drive: Day 1: 21-Apr-08 :

Stopped at Nelamangala at 9 pm for a quick bite, and were off on the drive (finally) by 930 pm. Before I continue further, I would like to congratulate myself on my Racetech H4 6000K HIDs investment since they would become the confidence I picked up to do any night drives. Their performance, illumination quality, spread and throw were simply bloody brilliant; and from now on, I've decided that I'm going to do any Ghat drives in the night only.

It was starting to get humid by the time we reached Channarayapatna and out went the jeans and shirts to be replaced by bermudas and sleeveless T-shirts. I entered Shiradi Ghats by around 12 pm, and my passenger friend - who'd done it during its heydays a few months/weeks back, couldnt believe his eyes about the smooth tarmac that was laid till most of the way down. It was a breeze till about the last 15 kms during which I saw, up close and personal, the famed Shiradi road of yore. And I intend never to see it again. I pity those of you who've had to do this route in the past. All commercial vehicle traffic is banned with only personal vehicles being allowed.

Hit Gundya by around 145 am, pulled over for 10 mins to give my car a break, and resumed driving by 2 am. Right into the Dharmasthala route, and we're (me, car) positively ecstatic with this curvy smooth road with altitude changes. I loved it so much that we missed an obscure right deviation that would have taken us directly to Udupi and cut-short our travel time by more than 3 hours. Instead we motored on straight, oblivious, to hit Ujre, BC Road and Mangalore.

My first visit to MLR was 2 years back. When I saw the beginning of NH17 from MLR this time around, I was taken back in time to that first visit- nothing has changed. To call it a National Highway is an oxymoron, other monickers like Nonsense Highway, Nasty Highway or No Highway make more sense. The stretch from MLR is exactly the same from 2 years back - it resembles an archeological dig site with apparently ancient rooftops at multiple levels in the same stretch.

After MLR the road smoothens out till Udupi where sudden unmarked series road humps and invisible potholes are the order of the day. After Udupi the entire NH is relaid and can be called National Highway from here. All along this route are the maniac private bus operators who seem to think the NH17 is their ancestral property.

At Kundapur the NH leans right and a further 15 kms down, the 2nd right bearing into Kollur is taken. Note that a 1st right also goes to Kollur - but this route is said to be confusing and broken.

The road into Kollur is again smooth and twisty but narrows as it continues to the point where one vehicle will have to get off the road one side if 2 vehicles are approaching each other; and there's a 10-15 cms drop from the road shoulder to the mud . We had fun chasing a Santro since we didnt want to be the first vehicle to encounter an oncoming vehicle and the driver of that Santro lost some of his sanity seeing our Swift in his rear view mirror for 20 kms - he pushed and we accelerated, he braked and we slowed down He was sweating bullets when I overtook him just before Kollur when the road straightened out and risk of colliding with an oncoming vehicle dropped.

I'm uploading the following images from various internet sources since we didnt take any on the forward trip.

The arch to Kollur (Courtesy: Kollur-Goddess Mookambika blessed devine destination, Karnataka, India) :


The gold stupa and dome of the temple (Courtesy: www.aarshashilpa.com) :



Day 2: 22-Apr-08:

The groom had arranged for the marriage garlands to be airlifted from BLR to MLR Bajpe Airport onboard the last Kingfisher flight of the day at 830 pm. After sleeping in till afternoon, I called Samurai from a landline (Kollur has no Airtel signal) and off we left. Reached Manipal by 430 pm and went to Samu's office. I was seeing his office for the 1st time after it was fully completed - my last visit saw it under contruction. Its wonderfully done up now and the site of all his 4x4 Grand Vitara adventures. Its a perfect travellers stop-cum-tourist attraction (Samu included), and if you ask real nice, I'm sure he'll allow you to sleep in the unoccupied 2nd floor and he might even arrange for room service Did some 4x4 offroading with him in his GV across those places he's put up in his 4x4 thread - I must say the GV holds its own very easily. Met his lovely family, and followed them all in their GV to his parent's home in Mulki avoiding NH17 and through some of the famous photography sites. We had some refreshments there, bid our farewells and headed to Bajpe Airport via the Mulki deviation. By the time we reached Bajpe airport, it was closed with the last KF flight having taken off. We were welcomed with open arms by the few staff and 2 CRPF gun-touting police to use the facilities of the airport - I've never been welcomed into an airport like this - its like being welcomed to a house than an airport. Reached back to Kollur after midnight.


Day 3: 23-Apr-08: The wedding:

The wedding was at 330 am - I woke up at 630 am in time to watch the mangalsutra being tied, and went back to sleep. Woke up in the afternoon and the party headed to the temple for the marriage lunch.


Day 4: 24-Apr-08: The return:

This time I insisted that I head back in the Shivmoga route Samu had advised earlier. Finally started off from Kollur at 230 pm, along this route. This is where some of the meagre pics were taken of the Kodchadri range - I'll put them up after they've been downloaded from my friend's camera. The road through the forest is narrow and smooth with the drop from the road shoulder atleast 15 cms, and local jeeps are to be watched out. If you see one, come to a complete stop on the edge of the road without climbing down, and they'll get 2 wheels down and drive across : I followed this religiously. Else, you'll be the one with lot of broken parts underneath your car.

Lovely picturesque drive through an uninhabited route for many hours. Reached Shivmoga by 4 pm, pulled over for my lunch, and headed slowly across the next 30-40 kms where the road is very rough. Then on its smooth again, arrow straight and lovely frontal visibility of 3-4 kms. Watch out for unmarked speed breakers across towns, but the road is brilliant. Its not hard to see why this is the shortest route from BLR-Kollur : its dead straight!

Dropped speed to around 90 kmph after Arsikere since my neck had become stiff and immovable by then. Reached Tumkur by 915 pm and BLR by 1015 pm. Hit the sack in my house by 11 pm with a permanent respect entrenched for my Swift - she was brilliant, unconditional and beautiful all along this drive.

[Samurai]

Oh, I was under the impression that you took Shimoga route while coming down. Nice and short report there.

Where did you have your dinner while coming back from the airport, and how much did it cost? I remember you were rather poor that day.

[theMAG]

Yup - flatter than an ironed cloth: we had Rs 400 between us with our wallets left behind at Kollur: they say gyan always hits after the event has passed. The irony is the Airport Hospitality Manager with whom we'd interacted earlier on the way, had said the Airport restaurant would be open by the time we arrived. I'm now convinced he was a dyslexic.

We found all the restaurants closed at Mulki. Then while we were left ruing our hungry turn of events, we found this dhaba just after Mulki, on the right, opposite the police checkpost. That wise gent who said not to judge a book by its cover surely must have meant this dhaba -I'll go on record in saying its food quality and taste humble those in all Bangalore restaurants. Its price - well, I'm now thinking of relocating next to that dhaba: Rs 110/- for 5 rotis, 2 veg gravies, 2 veg rice items and the sweetest natural water I've ever tasted.

I also got talking with the truckers who'd also pulled over there for dinner: they were heading to Mudhol. Nice camaradarie, and some jokes later we went our seperate ways.

PS: What was your family's feedback when you showed them the HIDs as I was backing out of your parents' house ?!

[ramkya1]

Hai,

That was nice, short and seet.

Is useful to me as I am also planning to travel that route some time in June. We are also big divotees of Mookambika, incidentally.

Will take Samurai's help for latest updates near 1st week of June. Looks like the surface is good and relaying has been OK.

How much time did it take you to reach from Mangalore to the turn off to the temple. ?

If say one starts from Kundapur to Mangalore @ 5 am in the morning (assuming rain would not spoil the party) how much time would it take to cover that distance? Once you get into Kerala, the trauma would start.

Happy Driving,

=Ramky
=======

[theMAG]

Originally Posted by ramkya1

How much time did it take you to reach from Mangalore to the turn off to the temple. ?

About 2 hours from the start of NH17 in MLR, including a 20 min break near Udupi.

Originally Posted by ramkya1

If say one starts from Kundapur to Mangalore @ 5 am in the morning (assuming rain would not spoil the party) how much time would it take to cover that distance?

Assuming you're a fast driver, 1-1.5 hours should be the maximum time taken, excluding any breaks. But, you still cant exceed 80-90 kmph safely on NH17 due to varying road surface, road humps and it being a single carriageway.

[indfo]

Can you share more snaps? Looking at doing this trip after the sun cools a bit

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by theMAG

My first visit to MLR was 2 years back. When I saw the beginning of NH17 from MLR this time around, I was taken back in time to that first visit- nothing has changed. To call it a National Highway is an oxymoron, other monickers like Nonsense Highway, Nasty Highway or No Highway make more sense. The stretch from MLR is exactly the same from 2 years back - it resembles an archeological dig site with apparently ancient rooftops at multiple levels in the same stretch.

More I see this road, more it justifies my GV purchase. Yesterday I did 100+ Kms in some internal roads which has very rough roads and I could cruise at 60kmph on them without anybody complaining. Lighter vehicles would fly off the road at the speed and have terrible ride.

Originally Posted by theMAG

we found this dhaba just after Mulki, on the right, opposite the police checkpost. That wise gent who said not to judge a book by its cover surely must have meant this dhaba -I'll go on record in saying its food quality and taste humble those in all Bangalore restaurants. Its price - well, I'm now thinking of relocating next to that dhaba: Rs 110/- for 5 rotis, 2 veg gravies, 2 veg rice items and the sweetest natural water I've ever tasted.

That's the famous Bittu's Dhaba, he is very famous, all my relatives around the place do takeouts from there.

Originally Posted by theMAG

PS: What was your family's feedback when you showed them the HIDs as I was backing out of your parents' house ?!

I don't think they noticed boss, they are not car people.

[yogi1771]

Yeah Bittu's Dhaba remember the good old days after getting sloshed we used to drive or ride down from mglore to have grub over there good veg food

[rjstyles69]

Mahesh nice trip blog there mate. I think you should stop being a miser now and invest on buying a decent P&S camera atleast.
Now that you work in one of the worlds largest corporates and that you have a 6 figure sal' it shouldn't be too heavy on your pockets.

Frankly you are the only guy I have known who gets accessories for his car after the 25th of every month, while a few of us here are eager waiting for the next pay cheque .