Trip Date: 3-Feb-2022
Start Time [from Blore, Near Arekere]: 3 AM
Team: Me, Wife + 2 kids [1 kid of 8 years, another kid of 3 years]
Travel time to Mantralaya: 5 hours 50 minutes
Route: Via KH Road -> Bangalore Hyderabad NH 44 -> Turn left onto Chennekothapalli Road/ Hyderabad - Bangalore Gooty Village Limits -> Reach Gooty Pattikonda Adoni Road -> Turn Right onto Chinna Hulti - Billakal Road -> Turn right onto Kurnool Bellary Road -> Turn left onto Billekal Yemmiganur road -> Turn Right onto Adoni-Yemmiganur-Mantralaya Road -> Reach Mantralaya
Distance: 385 kms
Best Time to visit: July to Feb
We started to Mantralaya early in the morning, to beat city + highway traffic.
NH 44 is quite good overall, however, just before crossing Lepakshi, there are few un-marked dividers which we tend to miss and if the driver is not cautious, there is every chance that he will drive directly into the divider. Also, there are numerous 'rumble strip' markings on this highway and after few markings, we indeed come across them and in few cases they are simply NOT present. As a driver, I got confused quite a few times and slowed down to find out that the speed breakers were just not there! Just after taking deviation onto Gooty village from NH 44, I took a small bio-break and then almost immediately re-started the journey. Note that, the roads are virtually non-existent through Gooty village and since we would have driven on Highway before taking this deviation, it is advised to completely slow down and be very cautious of the road + villagers riding, driving recklessly. Once we crossed Gooty, we hit the Pattikonda Adoni Road, then proceeded to Kurnool-Bellary road. This stretch is quite fine too. Drive on this road, if travelled early, will be un-eventful. I then took deviation to Billekal Yemmiganur and proceeded to connect to Adoni-Yemmiganur-Mantralaya Road; again roads are newly laid out and good and drive will be un-eventful, if driven early in the morning.
Note that, if you want to stop for breakfast, any place on highway till Anantpur is a good option, since after that, options are limited. We did not stop for breakfast, since it was really early in the morning and we were NOT hungry. Also, there were no proper rest-rooms available, especially for ladies/small kids.
We reached Mantralaya at 8.50 AM, paid Rs. 50/- to Town Panchayat for vehicle [received receipt too]. Then proceeded to book a room at the Mantralaya Temple office situated just before the temple. Note that, you may book your rooms in advance by visiting the website [
https://srsmatha.org/srsbook/srsbook_rooms.php]. It is advised to book atleast 4 days in advance. But, in some cases, booking online wont guarantee that you will be allotted a room with running hot water. Hence, I asked them to provide us with a room where hot water is available. While booking online, if there are ladies and small kids, it is advised to book an AC room [where there is running hot water]. Non AC room tariff is Rs. 500/- per day and that of AC rooms is 1350/-. They will charge double the amount and refund half the amount once we check-out. Though our room was spacious, toilets were not hygienic enough. Also, after my kids' bath, there was a power cut; I and Wife decided NOT to wait any further and make do with lukewarm water itself for our bath. Post bath, proceeded to Darshan at 11 AM.
Darshan:
People visiting Mantralaya, please ensure to First visit Goddess Manchalamma Temple and ONLY then proceed to visit Sri Raghavendra Rayaru. These days, due to various restrictions, entry inside Goddess Manchalamma temple will ONLY happen by entering from inside the Raghavendra Swamy temple [take right from main entrance after entering Rayara temple] via a small door. An Archak will usually 'control' the crowd and if he is 'pleased' he will let you in. Since I was with Wife and Kids, we were 'allowed' inside, were even made to perform 'Aarti' to Goddess Manchalamma. During exit, we need to 'Thank' the 'Archak' with some cash who let us inside the temple.
Seva to Raghavendra Swamy:
There is a Seva ticket counter with board prominently displayed. Visit here for list of Seva that can be perfomed on any day:
https://srsmatha.org/lifetime-seva.php. Devotees need to note that, we need to be present BEFORE 7 AM if we wish to be present during the Seva. If it crosses 9 AM, though we can still take tickets, the Pooja will be conducted on the subsequent day in our name. However, Prasadam will be given on the same day [when we would have taken tickets for the Seva].
We took 2 Seva tickets and were proceeding to the queue when another 'Archak' spotted us and welcomed us to a 'Special Entry'. He was kind enough to even collect our Seva tickets and told us that by the time we are done with our darshan of Sri Anajaneya and Sri Rayaru, he will arrange us with Prasadam. In fact even before we were done with Darshan of Sri Anjaneya, he gave us the Prasadam. Note that we need to 'Thank' them with some 'Cash' for such acts. [More on this later]. I thought that since, we were having Seva Tickets, we were being allowed a special entry. It was only after my wife nudged me to 'Thank' the Archak by paying some cash that I realized why we were given 'special entry'. We proceeded towards Darshan of Sri Rayaru. It was a seamless darshan and I and family could even get to witness the 'Brindavan' for a good 10-15 seconds via this 'Special Entry'. We prayed and exited the Sanctum Sanctorum of Sri Rayaru and by that time, temple Bhojana Prasadam had started for which we proceeded to Annapurna Dining hall. Post lunch we returned to our room, took 1 hour rest [much needed for me], vacated the room, handed over the keys at the Mantralaya room booking office, collected half amount back and then started to 'Panchamukhi'.
Panchamukhi:
This place is around 20 kms from Mantralaya and it is believed that Sri Anjaneya gave His Blessings to Sri Rayaru at this place. Roads are quite ok apart from the last 2-3 kms. This place is quite small and there are numerous monkeys. Avoid carrying even a hat, small bags like Vanity bag or covers with Banana, Coconut, etc. The monkeys will simply snatch it from your hands. Also, be very wary of thieves/robbers at this place. It is best to quickly join the queue, complete the Darshan and start off ASAP from this place. We finished off the darshan in about 20 mins and headed back to vehicle at 3.45 PM.
Though Google maps showed us the way back via a different route, since the route I had taken in the morning was really good, I put the map back to Mantralaya and then via Adoni bypass via Gooty and ensured that I took the same route back to bangalore which I had taken in the morning. On the way back, I refueled at an IOCL pump at Gooty. I drove non-stop till the time we reached 'Sri Vaishnavi Grand' just before Chikkaballapur [this was a mistake, since food was average and rest rooms were Not Hygienic]. For people traveling with family, ensure you stop over to grab a quick bite and bio-break just before or just after Anantpur. 'Pure Veg' options post Anantpur is difficult. We re-started the journey post dinner and reached back home at 11.25 PM.
Other Points:
Like many religious places in India, Mantralaya has also been heavily commercialized, meaning, people [temple and non-temple staff] literally ask you for money at every stage. I was asked money for the Darshan of Goddess Manchalamma, Special entry to Sri Rayara Brindavana and even while vacating our room [cleaners, house keeping staff]. If you deny them, they will see you as stingy or some will even give you an earful. I have visited Mantralaya 2-3 times earlier and compared to those times, I could clearly see this difference and I am really disheartened by this fact. People visit holy places to relieve their hearts of sorrow, seek Divine intervention in their lives or even to pray and stay connected with religion/God. Devotees need to get a sense of Divinity, Sacredness and the staff at such holy places play a very important role in maintaining the overall sanctity of such places.
Popular Kannada actor Vijaya Raghavendra was also present in the temple during the same time when we started our darshan. People were flocking him for selfies with scant regard to Corona guidelines. We thought it best to 'leave him alone' and were satisfied with having a glimpse of him from far off. He seemed quite a 'nice guy', obliging each and every photo request from the people present there.
We were also witness to a Pravachan session from Sri Subudhendra Teertharu inside the temple premises itself. At the end of the Pravachanam, we even received His Blessings too!
Conclusion:
Overall, it was a 'hurried trip' since, we had to be back the same day owing to my daughter's school and my office work. We were grateful that our Darshan of Goddess Manchalamma, Sri Rayaru and Sri Anjaneya at Panchamukhi happened smoothly.
May Rayaru Bless us All.