[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

I tell the same to my wife that Mangalore and adjoining places have a long association with Mumbai/Pune and hindi is never a problem at all. Ironically, Most of the restaurants I have visited in Pune and Mumbai, I somehow have managed to speak in Kannada/tulu and become more happier and when I share that I am closely associated with DK and Udupi, it makes them happier as well!!

How true! I too do the same thing - try to talk in Kannada and build a relationship!! But our hotel outings are far and few in between, and my Kannada is getting very rusty. In fact, I found that many of the pan/cigarette shopwallahs in Pune are from coastal karnataka and and are happy if you talk to them in tulu - which is unfortunately I can't speak.

The moment I reached Ankola, I started using Konkani also freely (my mother tongue). It worked like a charm.

I guess all over our country, for people their native place holds a special charm - especially when they are far away from it.

Sorry to throw a dampener on the pictures - I tried to transfer the pictures from the memory card to USB drive, half-way during journey. Virus infection destroyed quite a number of files. Could salvage only 50%.

[MX6]

That is a real dampener. Please have extra memory cards to go in to your cameras on such trips in future.

[TaureanBull]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Sorry to throw a dampener on the pictures - I tried to transfer the pictures from the memory card to USB drive, half-way during journey. Virus infection destroyed quite a number of files. Could salvage only 50%.

Oh..thats really sad. I have lost pics before so I know it really hurts.

Some brilliant pics. Do look like stress busters! Be careful about the balance half.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by lohithrao

the bamboo shots is between Sagara and Shimoga right, looks nice when its cloudy and love the twisty road on bike

How did the Palio behave in the entire trip?

Can I take liberty of assuming you as "rao mam"?

Your guess is slightly off the mark... But this was what I saw somewhere in that area


Palio + New Yoko A300 shoes = Brilliant. But I had a bit of a 'choocha' - remind me to recount it when I wind up!

Originally Posted by pjbiju

I believe a part of your route is what I have been planning to do sometime this year. And what remained only on paper for you, I have got converted to reality. My wife has already driven around 300 km on NH4 and the Mumbai-Pune expressway.

Good Luck and Best Wishes, Biju!! Kudos to your wife too...


Well, tommorrow is destined to be a big day - a forceful volunteer for an annual event (tamasha, IMHO).

So what was kept aside, is unfolded now -

Had to do some off-roading here. Winding roads in poor condition, dense jungle, sparse traffic - thank goodness that it didn't fall on someone or block the road. In fact, there were a couple of people going on a bike to set right the fallen (telephone / electric ?) cables enroute..


The light house must be give away. But what a place. No camera can capture the force of the waver breaking against the rocks here - nature at its best...


A couple of easy ones -

Must have been noticed by everyone traveling on this road. The real question, what else is more prominent in this place?


This one is for paragsachania. By the time we reached here, the gates were closed. And, had to miss the darshan of the lord as well. So the question is not about the picture, but about the lord whose darshan we didn't get. Anybody giving a little historic background of it will earn my gratefulness...


This is a piece of cake. But am I right if I say that I can't enter this way? And please answer my earlier question on the same topic

[Bigzero]

Wonderful photos, eagerly waiting for the trip report to come up!

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by MX6

Minimum toll of 5 bucks reported in kerala. So you didn't cross the sharavati on NH17? That's 5 bucks too!

Hmmm - seem to have misplaced that one. I did cross the Sharavati. Is there any other way?

BTW, there is a nice interest building up. So let me use this golden opportunity -

I have to go to Manipal again. Essential that I visit Hubli. So, besides Hubli-Yellapur-Ankola-Honavar-Bhatkal-Udupi route, is there any other worthwhile route?

Because, I have seen a route - Hubli-Harihar-Shimoga-Agumbe-Manipal. Now Agumbe = RAINS. Is it advisable to use this alternative?

[MileCruncher]

VRP, nice travelogue. I'm hooked.

Having studied in Manipal, I have a special fondness with DK. Reliving my Manipal days through your travelogue.

As regards to Express buses between Mangalore - Udupi / Manipal, the least said the better. I still remember my first time on that route with my dad and we were hanging on for dear life. And things haven't changed much now either. And with the Volvo's it becomes even more dangerous in the night. One needs to be very careful in the Mangalore - Kundapura stretch on NH-17.

Please let the pictures continue.

Cheers

[MX6]

I'm planning a trip in this route.
Hubli - Yellapura - Sirsi - Jog - Sagara - Thirthahalli - Agumbe - Someshwara - Manipal - Udupi.
And I'm planning this when the rains are max. Hopefully mid August should give me some good time in this route.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MX6

Minimum toll of 5 bucks reported in kerala. So you didn't cross the sharavati on NH17? That's 5 bucks too!

I remember paying 2 rupees between Vaikam and Kumarakom!
Hope that has also increased!

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by MX6

I'm planning a trip in this route.
Hubli - Yellapura - Sirsi - Jog - Sagara - Thirthahalli - Agumbe - Someshwara - Manipal - Udupi.
And I'm planning this when the rains are max. Hopefully mid August should give me some good time in this route.

Good luck, mate

The way you have planned things, I am reminded of "MADMAX" - sorry, no offense meant.

Originally Posted by ampere

I remember paying 2 rupees between Vaikam and Kumarakom! Hope that has also increased!

Two bucks? When was this?

Speaking of toll, at three toll booths, while giving changing they conveniently used 2 cadbury eclairs everytime! At first, felt like collecting them and returning it back on the return trip.

Secondly, there is no real toll after Belgaum (actually saw a correct road sign which read "ROAD USER FEE" instead of toll).

Whatever fee / toll was collected thereafter was for bridges (as MX6 said) or for the by-pass (Hubli-Dharwad).

The stretch of interior roads between Mysore and Tumkur were great and no tolls at all!! In fact, wanted to go down upto Sira, but this road was cutting across the NH (don't remember its number - just before Yeddiyur) leading to Neelamangala. Thought I would gain time, but unfortunately work was going on, so didn't gain anything. After half-way, diverted towards Tumkur - (Kunigal Road).

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Two bucks? When was this?

Last year. 2009 December.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Good luck, mate

Speaking of toll, at three toll booths, while giving changing they conveniently used 2 cadbury eclairs everytime! At first, felt like collecting them and returning it back on the return trip.

Happens at almost all the 4 toll booths once you enter Maharashtra from KA side on NH4. I ensure that I always carry change. I should've had a box of eclairs by now. During the nights the taswade and Kini booth also give you receipts of another vehicle (Happened to me twice) or try to strike a deal with you that pay half and no receipt and have cut the barricade in a way that they lift it and you pass below that.

In fact, wanted to go down upto Sira, but this road was cutting across the NH (don't remember its number - just before Yeddiyur) leading to Neelamangala. .

Must be NH48.

Anybody giving a little historic background of it will earn my gratefulness...

King Veera Pandya, at the insistence of his Guru Lalitakeerti, the pontiff of Karkala Jaina Math, installed a large statue of Bahubali on the rocky hill of Karkala. The date of the installation has been ascertained as February 13, 1432. This is the icon of the town. Veera Pandya also installed the Brahmadeva Pillar in front of the statue in 1436.
Source - Wikipedia

[paragsachania]

(had to create a new reply since it was over 20 mins when I managed to find the below inputs)

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

A couple of easy ones -

Must have been noticed by everyone traveling on this road. The real question, what else is more prominent in this place?

Varur Digambar Jain Navagraha Tirtha which is on the left hand side towards Bangalore on NH4 soon after the 4 laned road starts after Dharwad-Hubli bypass exit.

Just a few kilometers further is a village called 'Dhundshi' no one must miss this place. Check my log below, the pictures should do the talking:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/1375421-post28.html

What I recall:

Had been to my friend's farmhouse in Shiggaon (On NH4 after Bankapura towards Pune before Hubli) in 2009 and learnt from his father that a very humble artist and a group of his students (Master of Fine Arts) were building a life sized museum that would replicate a cowshed, Market place, Forest and more.

This is the same person who's also one of the man (or the only, not sure) behind the Siddhagiri Math in Kolhapur.

http://www.siddhagirimuseum.org/

The place is now almost 100% done with the sculptures painted (It wasnt painted if you see my logs) and if anyone wishes to visit this place, let me know and I can let you know the directions as its right there on NH4 between Shiggaon and Hubli and just 35 Kms from Hubli.

[paragsachania]

Information: NAVAGRAHA TIRTH NEAR HUBLI

(Source: http://www.jainheritagecentres.com/j...inavoice33.htm)

The concept of Navagraha of Jainism differ from that of Hinduism. The Tirthankaras embodying with individual graha (planet) is uniquely observed among the Jains. A unique stone of this type found at the Kamala Basadi in Belgaum has drawn the attention of the devotees. The statue with a similar bearing of Navagrahas is being carved out on a huge stone at Varur (Dharwad district).

The new Navagraha tirth will be constructed near Hubli i.e. at Varur, 14 Kms from the city. This is undertaken as per the intusion of Yuvacharya Sri Gunadharanandi Maharaj. The idol of nine Tirthankaras placed on nine pedestals will be erected. Also a statue of Bhagawan Parshwanatha (57 feet) will be installed as the main deity. A huge granite stone severed from a huge hillock of Koyara village near Devanahalli of Bangalore district weighing about 300 tonnes has been selected and shifted to Varur.

The stone has been transported from Bangalore through Hospet and Hubli in a huge trolley bearing 138 wheels. The work is in fast progress under the able gudiance of Sri Omprakash Nata. Padmaprabha (sun), Chandrprabha (moon), Vasupujya (Mangala), Mallinatha (Budha), Mahavira (guru), Pushpadnatha (shukra), Munisuvratha (Saturn), Neminatha (Rahu) and Parshwanatha (mula) idols will be installed.

Varur situated on the national highway 4 will be converted into a place of pilgrimage providing all the amenities for the pilgrims. Swasti Sri Dharmasena Bhattarakha of Amminabhavi has joined hands with Yuvacharya Sri Gunadharanandi Maharaj and directed this venture

[SDP]

@VRP,
Good snaps and fantastic tidbits!
Keep them flowing.