[snaronikar]

Ahh! just what I wanted and the thread on Bangalore-Mantralaya-Bangalore is here. Unfortunately, most of the temples in and around are in the same state of affairs. The management does not care s damn about the cleanliness and they take this for granted though they get lakhs of rupees as donations and grants.

Planning to visit this place during the long weekend in mid of Aug. Thanks Pavan for bringing in this.

[blue_pulsar]

Congrats on visiting Mantralayam, Kadam. God Bless! We are followers of Raghavendra Swamy and my parents aim to go there every year. It has been almost true for the last 5 years. Not sure about this year's visit though.

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

A BIG WORD OF CAUTION

All through from Bangalore to Mantralaya, be sure that you guys will not get a morsel of food that is clean.

This is one BIG GROUSE and really makes the pilgrimage a difficult affair.

Absolutely true! The food problems become even worse if you are a PURE vegetarian and you or your family members don't eat in a place where meat is served. You really need to pack lunch. You can have breakfast at Chickballapur.

Originally Posted by Altogether

About place: Temple Administraton is failed to maintain the cleanliness.
No hotels are having parking places.Police will not allow you to park the vehicle infront of the hotels. They have provided parking places behind some buildings which is very dirty and no security. Mutt's guest houses have some parking place.

Accomodation: Don't expect luxury. Hotels charges Rs 1000 for A/C, works only when there is power, else you have to satisfy with fan if it works. Udupi residency is having generator backup. There is no reciept for the payment.
Better carry bedsheets and pillow covers, they don't change the bedspreads.bathroom was just ok. Mutt's administration also provided A/C accomodation, charges Rs 1000 for Suite. Bathrooms were not clean. room was ok. good for group of 3-4 peoples.

Food: Food is horrible in Manthralaya. No hotels provide you the clean and hygienic food. quality is below the standard. A meal cost Rs35, serves 1 chapati,2 curries,1 bowl rice, Rasam, Sambar.

About Darshan: There are genaral and VIP queue for darshan. For VIP Darshan, Gents should go with panche/shalya (White Lungi/shawl), Ladies with sari only. For general darshan, there are no restrictions. For VIP darsha, you need to take Rs 1000 worth reciept or just spend Rs 100.
taking bath in river is not advisable b'coz the place is not clean.

Remark: Your takeback should be just Darshan and blessings. nothing else.

While coming back to Bangalore, I visited Puttaparthi. It was just three days the Baba's Samadhi was opened for public. Well maintained place. Very calm and courteousness people around.

I do agree that there aren't good lodges for the price you pay, but, I don't agree when you say that the mutt is not cleanly maintained. Of course, it isn't a rich place like Tirupati, but a holy and clean place nonetheless.

Originally Posted by Fauji

Thanks Altogether. We have been visiting the place for many years and the place though improved is stil not well managed from cleanliness and parking perspective. Food and acco were never high points of this place. The best food is possibly the meals served in mutt. Unless you are doing some sevas which need you to stay there overnight it is better to drive back to Kurnool and stay there and club the trip with avisit to Srishylam and Alampur. Now that roads are good we have started doing as day trip.l

I'll tell you guys about food. Do not go in search of "plate meals". There is a stand-and-eat place right opposite to the mutt gate. Its called "MTR" not to be mistaken with the famous MTR of Bangalore. This place serves awesome Idly and Vada. Puri and Upma are decent too. We normally fill ourselves with food from this place. If you are not comfortable with the place, you can always get the food packed to your rooms. My experience says other restaurants are hopeless. And this place also makes good pongal in the morning. We normally pack the pongal on our way back, since nothing is available till we reach Chickballapur. Hope this helps you guys on your next visit.

[raj_srini]

right after the exit of the temple, there used to be a small tiffin joint which used to serve idlis, pongal and dosa. No place to sit guys(you need to have the tiffin standing).

They were not too bad compared to the so called udipi hotels there. If you need to survive through the day, this tiffin joint and the meals inside the mutt would see you through.

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by blue_pulsar

I'll tell you guys about food. Do not go in search of "plate meals". There is a stand-and-eat place right opposite to the mutt gate. Its called "MTR" not to be mistaken with the famous MTR of Bangalore.

Originally Posted by raj_srini

right after the exit of the temple, there used to be a small tiffin joint which used to serve idlis, pongal and dosa. No place to sit guys(you need to have the tiffin standing).

with you guys. It is darshini type.

If you are travelling from bangalore and looking for some where to eat on the way, there is a "GHAR" dhabha joint in HP petrol bunk on Anantpur Bye pass which is the decent. Else you have to drive into Anantpur town which has better options for pure veggies.

[Altogether]

Originally Posted by blue_pulsar

Congrats on visiting Mantralayam, Kadam. God Bless! We are followers of Raghavendra Swamy and my parents aim to go there every year. It has been almost true for the last 5 years. Not sure about this year's visit though.


Absolutely true! The food problems become even worse if you are a PURE vegetarian and you or your family members don't eat in a place where meat is served. You really need to pack lunch. You can have breakfast at Chickballapur.


I do agree that there aren't good lodges for the price you pay, but, I don't agree when you say that the mutt is not cleanly maintained. Of course, it isn't a rich place like Tirupati, but a holy and clean place nonetheless.




I'll tell you guys about food. Do not go in search of "plate meals". There is a stand-and-eat place right opposite to the mutt gate. Its called "MTR" not to be mistaken with the famous MTR of Bangalore. This place serves awesome Idly and Vada. Puri and Upma are decent too. We normally fill ourselves with food from this place. If you are not comfortable with the place, you can always get the food packed to your rooms. My experience says other restaurants are hopeless. And this place also makes good pongal in the morning. We normally pack the pongal on our way back, since nothing is available till we reach Chickballapur. Hope this helps you guys on your next visit.

------------------ ----------------
It is not matter of rich or poor, I am just talking about the cleanliness!! I am seeing this place from the past 10 years, there are no improvements in terms of facilities to the devoties.

[chandras]

Anyone did this trip recently? I'm planning between Bangalore & Mantralaya this Friday/ Saturday.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by chandras

Anyone did this trip recently? I'm planning between Bangalore & Mantralaya this Friday/ Saturday.

Had been there in september. Go via Bangalore->Ananthpur->Gooty->Aspari->Adoni->Yemmignur->Mantralaya. Good Roads .You can cover the distance in 6 Hrs without break

[chandras]

I went to Mantralaya & Returned back yesterday.

Leg 1. Bangalore to Mantralaya --> Started @ 9 30 pm. Hebbal - Ananthpur - Gooty. Excellent road. Roads from Gooty are not so great. Too many speed breakers, bad patches, good roads, all mixed. Reached Mantralaya @ 4 30 am. Had shower, got ready for the dharshan @ 6 am. No crowd, went thru' so smooth... Spent some time there, had breakfast @ MTR.
Toll charges : 60+75+75

Leg 2. Mantralaya to Nava Brindavan --> Started from Mantralaya @ 8 20 am. Road conditions are too bad.
Travel from Mantralaya to Adhoni. Before Adoni (3kms before), there is a road that goes to Siruguppa, Sindhanur, Gangavathi & Anegundi. Had Lunch @ Hotel Lalith Mahal before 9 kms to anegundi. Good Veg hotel with three star accomodation. Meals costed just 50 bucks. Very good quality and too cheap for a tourist destination. Reached Nava brindavan @ 12 45 pm.
Waited for the boatman, got into the boat and visited the brindhavan. Good religious place to be visited.

Leg 3. Nava Brindhavan to Bangalore --> Started around 2 30 pm. took a long route but all good roads. Nava brindhavan --> Gangavathi --> Hospet (bye-pass), Kudligi, Chitradurga, Tumkur. NH toll road from Chitradurga. (App 380 kms)
Toll Charges: 45 (Chitradurga)+45(Elsewhere)+29(Tumkur)+15(Nelamang ala)

Overall : 950 Kms .

[NPV]

Originally Posted by chandras

I went to Mantralaya & Returned back yesterday.

Leg 1. Bangalore to Mantralaya --> Started @ 9 30 pm. Hebbal - Ananthpur - Gooty. Excellent road. Roads from Gooty are not so great. Too many speed breakers, bad patches, good roads, all mixed. Reached Mantralaya @ 4 30 am. Had shower, got ready for the dharshan @ 6 am. No crowd, went thru' so smooth... Spent some time there, had breakfast @ MTR.
Toll charges : 60+75+75

What was the distance on Leg 1 route ?

[royalcruiser]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Had been there in september. Go via Bangalore->Ananthpur->Gooty->Aspari->Adoni->Yemmignur->Mantralaya. Good Roads .You can cover the distance in 6 Hrs without break

How different is this route from Gooty->Aspari->Adoni->Madhavaram-> Mantralaya?
I'm planning to head to Mantralaya this weekend and any tips on the road conditions would help! Especially wanted to know which route to take from Adoni.

Tia!

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by royalcruiser

How different is this route from Gooty->Aspari->Adoni->Madhavaram-> Mantralaya?
I'm planning to head to Mantralaya this weekend and any tips on the road conditions would help! Especially wanted to know which route to take from Adoni.

Tia!

The madavaram route is shorter but full of pot holes and multiple villages. The road is horrible. Best to avoid this route

[royalcruiser]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

The madavaram route is shorter but full of pot holes and multiple villages. The road is horrible. Best to avoid this route

Thanks a lot! So should I switch to Adoni->Yemmiganur->Mantralaya?

Alternately, from the maps I can see another route: instead of Gooty, drive further on to Veldurthi on NH7. From there move on to Kodumur->Yemmiganur->Mantralaya. This route seems around 20kms more as per Google maps.
Anyone tried this route?

[roamingrao]

Originally Posted by royalcruiser

So should I switch to Adoni->Yemmiganur->Mantralaya?

instead of Gooty, drive further on to Veldurthi on NH7. From there move on to Kodumur->Yemmiganur->Mantralaya. This route seems around 20kms more as per Google maps. Anyone tried this route?

Yes, please drive on Gooty ( Gutthi ) - adoni - yemmiganur - Mantralaya road. adoni - madhavaram is narrow and bad.

have tried the veldurthi - kodumur route in Jan 2011. the road till kodumur is very narrow, bad and confusing - passing through many villages. a small bridge before gorantala was in very bad shape. however, kodumur - yemmiganur - mantralaya road is good. be aware to take the right turn at kodumur town


more discussions on this sector - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...antralaya.html

[royalcruiser]

Originally Posted by roamingrao

Yes, please drive on Gooty ( Gutthi ) - adoni - yemmiganur - Mantralaya road. adoni - madhavaram is narrow and bad.

have tried the veldurthi - kodumur route in Jan 2011. the road till kodumur is very narrow, bad and confusing - passing through many villages. a small bridge before gorantala was in very bad shape. however, kodumur - yemmiganur - mantralaya road is good. be aware to take the right turn at kodumur town


more discussions on this sector - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...antralaya.html

Thanks! Will post the road status in the thread you mentioned next week.

[chandras]

Originally Posted by NPV

What was the distance on Leg 1 route ?

Approximately 400 KM