[mjothi]

I am sure you would be wondering what is Chandramukhi doing in this travelogue. Will update you as I move along to that in this travelogue.

The destination of this travelogue, Mysore, is a well known and the routes are all discussed extensively in this forum.

Route taken : Bangalore - Maddur - Shivasamudram - Talakad - Mysore.

The road from Maddur - Shivasamudram is excellent when compared to the one from Shivasamudram to Talakad. I pity those living and commuting those roads.

My friends family from Chennai wanted to have a visit here during the Long weekend. So, we planned for a 3 day trip around Bangalore. We started with Coorg, Bellur, Shirdi etc and finally decided for Mysore at the last minute.

We started from Bangalore around 6Am on 24th Jan 2009. Went to Murugespalya, picked up my friend and his family and headed to Mysore through the city at 6:45am.

We were 4 Adults, and 3 Kids. With both the families luggage over flowing the Aveo's back, I was much worried to take those Talakad route. But later decided to see how much abuse my Aveo can take.

This is the first visit to my friend to Mysore on road. Usually he takes train from Chennai for his visits. So, the first thing he mentioned was, we stop where we want to, and we rest when we want to. Ok, points noted and we do a whole day trip to reach Mysore.

The traffic was just starting and we managed to get to cross them and reach Mysore road at ease. Once we crossed the Rajarajeswari nagar junction, the drive was much better. We decided to stop at Kamat for the breakfast and halted there. As my expectation, there was huge crowd since it was a long weekend.

Entrance of the Famous Kamat


Waited for our turn, had a good Idli, vada and Akki roti. Then started back on the track to Shivasamudram. Once you cross Maddur, you need to take the left turn. There are clear signs, so no worry. From here the roads are not so good, but drivable. We reach Shivasamudram around noon and to our disappointment, there was no water. There was just one stream of water. But the view from there was very nice. It showed why I should return here during monsoon.

Then had some coffee break and started to Bharachukki falls. But that was even worst. We cant see even droplet of water anywhere over there.

Just rocks, rocks and rocks. With huge disappointment, we headed to Talakad. The roads to Talakad is very bad and I have no clue how long I was driving in those bad roads.

Entering Malavalli

My friend from Chennai. [One the way to Dindigul - Oh, I was only on the way, not going there. Lol]

Entrance to Shivasamudram

This is what we see!!!



We saw many of these roaming around

What a trip without a pics in front of the falls

As dad, is son!

This was taken in Barachukki near the Darga.

Hoping to see some fun in Talakad, we head towards the place.

Contd...

[mjothi]

While we were returning to the main road to take the Talakad route, we see some people enjoying in the river cavery on Coracle. We decide to have a look. This was just below the bridge that connects Barachukki and Main road.

We park the vehicle and get down to the river. The site there was really great. Initially we thought of the pillars as some remains of old temple, then later realized that it is nothing but a old bridge construction.

We had a ride on the coracle and spent some good time relaxing there in water. Lots of fish also found in water.

We loved this place, since it had real good shade and breeze. One can sleep in few seconds under those trees. It so lovely place to rest.

Some more pics

A temple on the way.

Normally we see these Nandis standing in front of Lord. But around this region, I see that they are just starring in differnet angles and locations. Not sure if it was any specific reason or just like that.
Views from Coracle



Me, relaxing. Have no heart to step down from this.

Fishes

Below the bridge.

View from below the bridge


My Ride


Contd...

[deadguy25]

Nice pics and description.
On a lightger note, above pic 5 you say "i dint feel like stepping out this", mate trust me: its good you dint feel like stepping out of it, had you felt like stepping out, you would have been wading through.

[deepclutch]

LakaLakaLaka - Alamelamma to Chandramuki, Mysore Maharaja to Vetaiyapura Vetaiyaraja

what is the meaning?

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by deadguy25

On a lightger note, above pic 5 you say "i dint feel like stepping out this", mate trust me: its good you dint feel like stepping out of it, had you felt like stepping out, you would have been wading through.

Now I understand your avatar and handle

Originally Posted by deepclutch

what is the meaning?

Oh, that's a famous dialogue in one of the movie called Chandramuki in south.

[akroy]

First thing I wanted to ask was what does the heading mean? Now that you have mentioned it is taken from Chandramukhi, my next question is "Write the meaning please so that I can take the pleasure from the line?"

Mahesh Anna, My observations:
1) Well written and photographed travelogue. I know there is many more to come.
2) Never seen such a dry Shivasamudram Falls. It is just rocks. Hope your talakkad exp was better (not the road but the destination). Did you bathe there?
3) How come your friend look so older than you? What is the secret behind your youthful appearence (tumhari sehat ka raaz kya hai)?

Waiting for more.

Abhi

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by akroy

First thing I wanted to ask was what does the heading mean? Now that you have mentioned it is taken from Chandramukhi, my next question is "Write the meaning please so that I can take the pleasure from the line?"

Mahesh Anna, My observations:
1) Well written and photographed travelogue. I know there is many more to come.
2) Never seen such a dry Shivasamudram Falls. It is just rocks. Hope your talakkad exp was better (not the road but the destination). Did you bathe there?
3) How come your friend look so older than you? What is the secret behind your youthful appearence (tumhari sehat ka raaz kya hai)?

Waiting for more.

Abhi

Ok, I have visited some spot where these Chandramuki movie and those famous lakalakalaka songs was shot. And Alammelama is other character in one of the place I visited - Its Talakad. Hope you got it now?

While I answer the first 2 in the oncoming travelogue, here is the answer for the 3rd.

Simple, try to make friends mostly with older people than you as I have now

Jokes apart, he is working in RBI and I use to be resident engineer in RBI, NCC in Chennai for couple of years back in 1997. And even now I visit these places when I happen to be in Chennai and meet all the people there. Out of them some are too close with my family too. One among them is whom you are seeing here.

It really makes you so happy to re-visit the places you worked previously and say hi to all. Isn't it?

[pulsar56]

Had been to Sivasamudram fall when I was a kid. It was the same 'No water' scenario then too.
Seeing so many stops in many Travelogues at Kamat, I am now tempted to visit this place. Next time I am in Bangalore, will drive to Kamat for breakfast!

[Bubby]

Hey Mahesh,

Nice travelouge and really nice pictures.

So how did the AVEO behaved with the kind of loads you were carrying in it. 4 adults, 3 kids and a filled boot. I am sure AVEO wouldnt have let you down.

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Mahesh! Good one as usual and I should definitely take a cue about travelogue writing from you. Once again, Nice pics and surely looks like a good trip. Cheers

[akroy]

What is Vitaipura Vitairaja (last 2 words of your heading?)
Ans yes I think I have heard this laka laka song somewhere. Sounds nice.

Originally Posted by mjothi

It really makes you so happy to re-visit the places you worked previously and say hi to all. Isn't it?

Ya, I was simply pulling your leg.

Common!! Eager to read the rest of your travelogue. When are you posting it?

Abhi

[mjothi]

From here we join to the road that goes to Malavalli. Once you cross the bridge, you need to take the left to go to Talakad.






We reached Talakad just after noon, and took a guide. He was briefing the story and name reason for these Talakad.

Talakad - Main Temple


The story goes like this,

Hunters who lived in this forest used to have a cow which they allowed to roam around the forest for gazing. Everyday when it returned, it would not give milk. Angered hunters followed the cow one day and they found that this cow was pouring the milk to a Shivlinga. The hunters got wild and threw the axe to cut the head (Tala) of the cow. I missed and hit the Shivalinga. The shivalinga broke into 4 pieces and fell in 4 different locations. The Shivalinga was bleeding and hunters, realizing what they did, helped to stop the bleeding.

When asked for what they want in return, they requested this place to be named after this incident as Talakad.

And all the four places where the Shivlinga fell, started to appear Suyambu lingam. (Natural lingam). Pathaleswar, Maruweswar, Malleshwar, and one more I could not recollect.

When we parked the car, we were in normal terrain, and just few yards from there, we see huge sand hills with long trees. At first site it is really surprising to see such sands on those place.

The second part of the story for this sand desert goes like this,

The King of Srirangapatnam died of some disease and the King of Mysore sent soldiers to capture the queen. But she managed to escape only to kill herself. While she had no option to escape, she jumped into the Manavali river and did suicide. While doing so, she cursed the king as below

"Talakadu managali, Malangi madwagali, Mysooru arasarige makkalu aagadirali” which translates to “May Malangi become a whirlpool, Talakad turn into a desert and the Rajas of Wadiyar not beget male heir”.

Seems this is true to current date.

Honey - its Honey!!!

Entering the forest

View of the Main temple from top of those sand desert.

Casual Walk


Excavated temples of the 12th Century.



Entrance block of the Keerthi Narayana Temple - [Remains]

Behind that temple, you have the Muruleswar.

Anyway, one has to visit to see these 12th Century beauties. After visiting the Pathaleswar, we went to the Keerthi Narayana temple. The main Gopuram of this temple was damaged when recovering from sand. So, the Idol is taken and kept in the entrance. The idol is so big, I think height is more than the one in Tirupati.

More on this soon...

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by pulsar56

Had been to Sivasamudram fall when I was a kid. It was the same 'No water' scenario then too.
Seeing so many stops in many Travelogues at Kamat, I am now tempted to visit this place. Next time I am in Bangalore, will drive to Kamat for breakfast!

Yes, its worth it. I know people here go just for the lunch and come back. :

Originally Posted by Bubby

Hey Mahesh,

Nice travelouge and really nice pictures.

So how did the AVEO behaved with the kind of loads you were carrying in it. 4 adults, 3 kids and a filled boot. I am sure AVEO wouldnt have let you down.

It really did well. Only issue was with some of the speed breakers. With so many people and luggauge, it scraped several times. Especially towards the KRS dam road. I wonder how come such a central tourist spot has one of the worst road - if you can call so.

With these weights & not so good roads, still I ended up getting 14kmpl. Seems the FE is almost constant. I get same on my Bangy-Chennai trip too.

Originally Posted by VJ_MAVRICK

Mahesh! Good one as usual and I should definitely take a cue about travelogue writing from you. Once again, Nice pics and surely looks like a good trip. Cheers

Haha, thanks buddy.

Originally Posted by akroy

What is Vitaipura Vitairaja (last 2 words of your heading?)
Ans yes I think I have heard this laka laka song somewhere. Sounds nice.

Ya, I was simply pulling your leg.

Common!! Eager to read the rest of your travelogue. When are you posting it?

Abhi

Its actually vataiya pura maharaja, name of the character who does this lakalakalaka.... in that movie.

[sbala]

Good travelogue Mahesh... waiting for the Chandramukhi place

[mjothi]

These temples are controlled by ASI. They are still in the process of excavation of these places. But temporarily stopped due to finance. This is what the guide informed. Its up to individual to buy it or not

The remains itself shows the amount of determination the people had when working on these pillars, sculptures etc. So precisely carved and constructed. I wonder how they really build. After seeing the recent bridges and flyover that falls even during the construction, these are standing even after like 700-800 years.

If you start thinking about those periods you will start wondering more on how these was possible. No super cements, no JCBs, no cranes and nothing. But still they were able to construct that can withstand centuries. Great!!!

Some more pics from the Talakad temples.

Current Keerthi Narayana Temple



The idol has all 10 avatars of Vishnu engraved on the sides. Sridevi & boothevi are on both side of the idol.

The pillars that was taken from the remains of the temple.





Yaana mela ambari - Elephant Safari


Again, Nandhi Placed out of line from Shivlinga!!!

Rest after those loooong Walk.


Actually, we also saw one Devi temple. This place is the one where the Devi killed the younger brother of Mahisaruren.

The poojari said that the right leg of the devi has some chakra and if you pray to her for any good things thinking of this Chakra, it will definitely be taken care by her.

Some more pics of these beautiful temples follows soon...