[snaronikar]

Trip to Temple town: Melkote on 11.04.2009

The planning started from the previous day. We had 3 days of holidays and was getting bored sitting in house for 3 days. I had thought of making the trip to Melukote long time back and was postponing this trip from past 1 year or so. Called up my elder brother and he informed his is ready to come for this trip. Spoke to my younger brother also. He was also prepared to come. So, there we are. One of the main things is already settled down (who all are coming).

Next step was to find out the directions to Melukote. I knew that hotstuff had done this trip around couple of months back. Searched for his travelogue and found it. It was a good guide for me. Just noted down the details of route and what all to see there and this was also settled.
Bought some of snacks the previous day and put the petrol in the car (full tank),checked the tyre pressure and the vahana was ready for another trip.

So then came the d-day. My younger brother dropped out reason was he had gone for a party the previous day night and was not in a mood to come to this trip.

Called up my elder brother and told him about this and asked him whether he can advance his plans of starting early. He informed it was possible and the time was fixed that we will be leaving at 8.00 am in the morning. Got ready and got the kids also ready. Went to near by darshini and packed the b/fast as I did not want to waste the time in Kamat Lokruchi or Shivali's. It would have taken anywhere between 45 mins to 1 hour if I had visited these places (Previous experience).

We went to my brother place and they were also ready and took out his cat (Indica Petrol). So, our journey began. We joined the Mysore road near Kengeri and went on that route for around 3 kms and we experienced the first traffic jam. (near rajarajeshwari hospital). The jam was due to heavy police barricading and checking of vehicles (maybe due to election and people were carrying money and liquor in their cars to distribute it to voters in villages). I saw most of the high end cars like Honda Accord, Camry etc stopped for checking. After clearing the jam, I carried on maintaining the speed of around 80-90 kmph. My brother is not
used to highway driving in India. Hence I told him I wll be driving in this speed and he has to follow me. My next pit stop was after Shivali's resturant. We stopped (under some tree) and had the b/fast which was packed and bought along with us. It was for around 1/2 hour and then again we started. We reached Pandavapura around 11.00 am and from there you need to take the right turn for going to Melukote. Ultimately reached Melukote at 12.10 pm.

Lord Cheluvanarayanswamy temple:



Lord Yoga Narsimha Temple on top of the hill:




To be continued with story and pics..

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

To be continued with story and pics..

Waiting...

Story of a Srini icon in a Shiny ikon

[akroy]

After Hotstuff's Melkote trip its now turn for Srini. Wonderful start.

Want some more shiny pics and travelogues.

Abhi

[gowda79]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

[b]

Went to near by darshini and packed the b/fast as I did not want to waste the time in Kamat Lokruchi or Shivali's. It would have taken anywhere between 45 mins to 1 hour if I had visited these places (Previous experience).

We stopped (under some tree) and had the b/fast which was packed and bought along with us. It was for around 1/2 hour and then again we started.


To be continued with story and pics..

Srini, i guess instead of carrying the food, you could have easily stopped at Shivali's or any other hotel and finished your breakfast.

When you see it is same time consumed.

Now post the pictures waiting for them.

[snaronikar]

Attaching few more pics of reaching upto Melkote.

Traffic Jam near rajarajeshwari hospital:


Mysore road pics

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Attachment 124597

Attachment 124599

Attachment 124600

Pics taken from all angle - Edha than Suthi suthi padam pudikiradhunu soluradha!!!

[arin_12]

Did you tried the temple on the Top of the Hill? Last yr I visited this place in my Bike. But could not go to there
due to time constraint as my Bike got a Flat :(

There is also a very good lake just before the Melkote Hill.

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by mjothi

Pics taken from all angle - Edha than Suthi suthi padam pudikiradhunu soluradha!!!

Yes. Was practicing photography. You see i'am not a professional,

Originally Posted by arin_12

Did you tried the temple on the Top of the Hill? Last yr I visited this place in my Bike. But could not go to there
due to time constraint as my Bike got a Flat :(

There is also a very good lake just before the Melkote Hill.

Yes we went to top of the hill and had darshan of Lord Narsimha. We could not go to the lake due to time constraint for returning back.

[snaronikar]

Here is the next set of photos Only 4 this time. Will post more in my next post. Have to rush for a meeting now.

Mysore road


Railway crossing and pile up of vehicles while going to Pandavapura


Roads from Pandavapura to Melkote




You will find these type of boards through out the stretch till you reach Melkote

to be continued...

[hillram]

Nice write up.I didnt know such place like Melkote existed.
Does South Indian actor Shankar Melkote hail from this town,which means he is a kannadiga?

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by hillram

Nice write up.I didnt know such place like Melkote existed.
Does South Indian actor Shankar Melkote hail from this town,which means he is a kannadiga?

Thanks. It is very famous in southern part of karnataka. These temples are built by Hoysala Kings. Regarding Shankar Melkote, i'am not sure. Since his surname ieds with Melkote, he may be from this place.

[snaronikar]

Some pics of Chaluvarayasway temple at the bottom of hill.

Pics of temple pillars (carvings of pillars)








Gopuram of temple


Idols broken by some miscreants




Resting place outside the temple for visitors.


to be cont....

[snaronikar]

Timings for darshan for both the temples:


Lord Narsimha temple while climbing








My daughter on top of the temple


View from top of the hill


Temple gopurams

[snaronikar]

Parked the car and went inside the temple and lo it was horrible. The rush was too much (maybe because of saturday or they had the festival at the temple on 04/04 and it was going to end on 12/04). Anyways, we were not able to take the darshan of Lord Cheluvaranarayana. Hence decided to go to the temple of Lord Narsimha at the top of hill which was closing at 1.30 pm. For this you need to climb the steps (around 240~250 steps). Some of them are very steep. Reached the temple by 12.55 pm and it also closed down for alankara and naivaidya. The archakaru informed that it will open at 2.00 pm. We roamed around the temple and took some rest till 1.50 pm and again went for darshan. By this time, even here the people had accumulated and it was heay rush again. Some how stood my ground in bwteeen the crowd for around 15 min. I was sweating from every part of my body. The temple door opened at 2.10 pm and we went inside the temple and had darshan of Lord Narsimha and came down. While coming down we had "butter milk" it was so refreshing. Then took some photograpohs from top of the hill and climbed down again. By the time all this happened, it was around 2.30 pm. Our stomach was rumbling for food. We went to some iyengar's mess and had tasty Puligore, curd rice and sweet pongal. The food was tasty. I had 2 plates. Freshened up and then I thought since we had come all the way till here why not try once again going into the temple of Lord Chaluvnarayana and check out whether we can get darshan. Proceed towrds temple and it was almost empty and we had the darshan of Lord and were back.

Lord Narsimha in Gopuram


View of Kalyani from top of hill


We waiting for temple to open




Many of these type of gopurams (8~10) were found while climbling up/down the hill


Pic showing how steep the steps were in some part while climbling up/down the hill.


to be continued....

[P1tBull]

Nice photos. My family comes from Melkote, but I've not been there since I was a little child.

My wife keeps badgering me to take here there, so with some inspiration from this thread, I'll make it a point to visit soon,