Stress buster!!

TaureanBull · 19th July 2010, 19:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by MX6

True. Pandavs have stayed in Coastal gujarat. They've stayed in caves of maharashtra, they've stayed in jungles of kerala! That's why we call them Mythology. There's huge myth surrounding where all they could have been. And in between they have to engage in battles, they have to go to Devaloka (to hide, fall in love with apsaras, meet their respective fathers, get some boons etc etc).

One more place is in MP, named Pandava Falls near Kanha national park.

Like Ashish said seems like lots of places but can not recollect any more at the moment.

vrprabhu · 20th July 2010, 12:42

TaureanBull, Pandavas seem eponymous (is that the right word?) all over our country. Because, you have just reminded me of "Pandava Caves" between Igatpuri and Nashik, where they have reported to have stayed.

Since Nashik has connection to Surpanaka (nose cut

), and the "Kalaram" mandir, "Panchavati" etc. in Nashik seem to affirm this, may be the caves have been named appropriately...

If I may digress - hope AP and MX6 read and throw some light on this -

there is a place behind (geographically) Ghoti (Igatpuri) - called 'Takhet'.

There is a small temple here - forgot the deity. The uniqueness?

(a) There is a round stone (ghota) within a small hole in the temple. The hole allows one to insert one's hand into it, the purpose being to lift out the stone.

Ever read about catching monkeys by putting peanuts in a bottle with a narrow neck? The hand goes through the narrow mouth, but when the peanuts are grabbed, the fist with the peanuts can't come out! Being greedy, monkeys don't let go of the peanuts. Exactly similar. (I thought the monkeys would have been intelligent enough to shake out the nuts out of the bottles by holding it upside down! :-) )

When you catch the stone in your hand, you can't bring your hand out ( a la the monkeys above!) - except at a certain angle and holding the stone in a specific manner.

Now for the myth part -

it is believed that only those who are blessed (or to be blessed) with male children can lift the ghota out!

Well, I managed to lift it out - but my wife couldn't. (Don't read anything between the lines

- we have only a daughter!)

(b) This is a much better myth.

Behind the temple, you'll see a small flow of water coming out of a rock (it appears as if to come from nowhere).

If you get closer, you'll notice a small crack in the stone, through which the water spouts!!

The myth? Remember Jatayu? Ravana slew him while abducting Sita?

In his dying moments, Jatayu wanted water. Lakhsman quenched his thirst by shooting an arrow into the earth.

Right? Takhet is the place where Lakshman shot his arrow and water came out and continues to do so till today!!

Put 'b' and 'Pandava Caves' and 'Nashik' together - what is a myth, what is a fable, what is history gets blurred....

There were bhp-ians who wanted to visit Ratangad - this place is quite closeby. And you have a fantastic ghat road to drive!!
MX6, change your travel plans and visit this place in rains.....

ASHISHPALLOD · 20th July 2010, 13:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

1]If I may digress - hope AP and MX6 read and throw some light on this -

2]it is believed that only those who are blessed (or to be blessed) with male children can lift the ghota out!
Well, I managed to lift it out - but my wife couldn't. (Don't read anything between the lines

- we have only a daughter!)

1] I was not aware about such interesting place earlier.

2] I have not read anything between lines but can imagine.

arindamray · 20th July 2010, 14:57

Surpanaka, Panchavati, Jatayu are from Ramayana, whereas Pandavas are from Mahabharata.

MX6 · 20th July 2010, 15:36

Thanks for the pointer VRP. I've not known of the Takhet place. But then, I don't want to mix up photos of my Mahalog stuff in your stress buster logue. Nasik and Panchavati will unfurl over there.
No change of plans to Malsejh now. This weekend is Harihareshwar - Dive agar - Srivardhan.

@Arindamray. VRP is like Hanuman. There is no separate Ramayan or Mahabharat for him. Remember Hanuman came to meet Bheem!

vrprabhu · 20th July 2010, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

I have not read anything between lines but can imagine.

May be wife will agree with you, and.... 2nd chance

Quote:

Originally Posted by arindamray

Surpanaka, Panchavati, Jatayu are from Ramayana, whereas Pandavas are from Mahabharata.

That's what I said - everything is getting blurred!!

Let me get back to my saga!

Quote:

One of the few pictures with my family in it - so they and place were quite photogenic!!

The answers to this riddle is - this is the path leading to Kaup Beach (we call it 'kapu' - fondly!!)

The early morning start became more like late afternoon - had to yield to the commands of our hosts...

The idea was to take in the local sights, as I had written yesterday. BTW, that is today's quiz, pictures follow shortly.

However, Ullal onwards the impact of the monsoon was very much apparent on the roads. Plus, there were quite good number of people out to enjoy their day, and show off their driving prowess!

Alto, A-star, Swift, Santro even an M800 seemed to be hell bent on reaching an unknown finish line. It was irritating - you allow the guy race ahead, and after five minutes you see him driving at a sedate speed. Overtake him, he's after you again....

And, another missed turn (there was a HUGE sign on NH announcing it, but who the heck thought that there would be a by-pass?). Saw some funny by-passes, BTW - they were meant for heavy vehicles only!!

And, reaching Kerala meant.... yes .... FOOTBALL!!

There were huge boards of the teams - Argentina and Brazil were the favourites (Spain - and its supporter, my daughter - had the last laugh

)

A sample -

"Aayiram Messi-kku Arre Kakka"

Please decipher yourself - if you can't ask a malayali friend...

Seeing all these signs on the way, could do only this halt - daughter and wife voted against any more beaches and temples!!

If anyone can stitch 1, 2, 3 & 4 there will be beautiful scene - much better than what is seen in 'mid'...

This is how (or better) the stitched pictures should look like... The river flows into the sea here - and see the ripples on river water created by waves!

We are in God's Own Country.... a place like this, you could just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet the full day, any day! (Plenty of cheap fermented refreshments available close by!)

vrprabhu · 20th July 2010, 18:14

Since we skipped the visits, we made good time and reached Calicut before 8 PM.

Wifes' family was very happy - their grand-daughter and son-in-law were visiting after a gap of one year.

Planned to take it easy for the next couple of days. Daughter is fully on the football matches now...

The return trip is to be charted out as also the date of departure.

Speaking of the places we missed visiting, this one of them -

(picture taken from another site, which by the way is also pretty interesting. Think it was 'wordpress.org' or something like that)

And, we passed through another place enroute - made famous by one of its inhabitant. Hint - 'missed by a cat's whisker'!

sirajbose · 20th July 2010, 19:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

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...

Is this the Kapu beach? Man this brings back so many memories of my time at Manipal from 92 to 95. I have yet to go through all the snaps. Hope that you have some of Manipal as well. Cheers!

vrprabhu · 23rd July 2010, 15:37

Sorry to all those following this thread. Been neglecting it.. too immersed in work and my car problems.

And, by the time I realised, the deadline for the repeat trip is here!!

Leaving for Manipal / Mangalore / Calicut again tommorrow morning.

Will be returning only by 2nd August.

Resume my travels tales (and the travails of the earlier return trip!) after that...

Quote:

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Speaking of the places we missed visiting, this one of them -

(picture taken from another site, which by the way is also pretty interesting. Think it was 'wordpress.org' or something like that)

And, we passed through another place enroute - made famous by one of its inhabitant. Hint - 'missed by a cat's whisker'!

The picture is that of the Bekal Fort.

The 2nd one - let me leave it hanging! I am adding another hint - the name has some remote association with a travel mode!! Not easy to drive, either - as MX6 affirms....

MX6 · 23rd July 2010, 15:43

Wow. You off on another drive. You are living large man!
I visited Bekal fort thinking there'd be someone running up to me when I sing Uyire (thu hi re). I rode pillion on a bike to Udupi (from Manipal), then took a bus to Mangalore, then a truck across to Kasaragod, then another bus to Kanhangad then from there to bekal only to find that summer is not the best place to go there!

MX6 · 23rd July 2010, 16:08

@VRP. If you find that Honnavara route cut off or flooded, I'd suggest you to proceed to Sagara - Thirthahalli - Agumbe - Manipal. Agumbe is a shorter climb down. The last time I drove, Someshwara to Hebri was good and Hebri to manipal was ok. Sagara to Thirthahalli was good too. It's longer, but then I'd prefer that against NH17 through the route you are planning. Don't want to give away your clue!

vrprabhu · 28th July 2010, 11:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by MX6

Wow. You off on another drive. You are living large man!

Thanks to Manipal and my daughter

Quote:

Originally Posted by MX6

@VRP. If you find that Honnavara route cut off or flooded, I'd suggest you to proceed to Sagara - Thirthahalli - Agumbe - Manipal. Agumbe is a shorter climb down. The last time I drove, Someshwara to Hebri was good and Hebri to manipal was ok. Sagara to Thirthahalli was good too. It's longer, but then I'd prefer that against NH17 through the route you are planning.

Don't want to give away your clue!

Thanks for the trip - probably try out the next time (Sept / Oct. Yup, one more trip!!). Fortunately, the NH17 was kept open and made it to Udupi in one piece. I was thinking of Sirsi - Sagar - Agumbe, but the intensity of the rains made me think twice...

As regards the clue -

?
Meaning - I don't know what is the answer you have in mind..

After a couple of days break, the journey resumes tommorrow - so can update everything only after 3/8.

@praful - your dream road has turned into a nightmare :-(

vrprabhu · 3rd August 2010, 12:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

The 2nd one - let me leave it hanging! I am adding another hint - the name has some remote association with a travel mode!! Not easy to drive, either - as MX6 affirms....

Quote:

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

As regards the clue -

?
Meaning - I don't know what is the answer you have in mind..

After a couple of days break, the journey resumes tommorrow - so can update everything only after 3/8.

Back as promised....

Know what, the way the things are going, I have to remove "end if", so that this thread goes in an endless loop - because next five years I have to go up and down this route - so this travelogue will continue eternally

Anyway, coming back to the present, the second place I had in mind was "Payyoli" - anybody remembers India's Golden Girl - P.T. Usha? She runs a academy at this place and used to train at the Payyoli beach..

The second leg of the journey -

Options were (a) proceed to Coimbatore and return to Pune via Bangalore; or (b) go to Coimbatore and return by train (leaving the car behind at Calicut) and then return to Pune by road....

Option 'a' was chosen, as I had to go in advance and wife + daughter to follow a little later...

A few places snapped from the train -

Kadalundi bridge - see the rain clouds? By the time I traveled about 60 odd kms, they disappeared!

The new bridge in place of the old which we talked about earlier..

I am now at the border - crossed the silent valley and witnessing the change of scene.. No rain clouds, no sign of wetness in the fields....

vrprabhu · 3rd August 2010, 17:56

Wife and daughter were to join me at Coimbatore after 3 - 4 days.

But, the Tamil Conference at Coimbatore was attracting huge crowds and there were restrictions on the vehicle movements at the place where I was staying. So told them to drop their plans of visiting Coimbatore and I will return to Calicut and we will start our return trip by Saturday, so that by Sunday night we will be in Pune.

Saturday - felt lazy. And, the whole city was going ga-ga over the meet. Went around to the place where the meet was going on - crowds drove me crazy. Told my wife to check the car and get ready for departure on Sunday.

Reached Calicut on Sunday and decided to leave by afternoon.

Packed everything. Wanted to top up the fuel and check air.

Inserted the key to unlock the door - the central locking didn't click.

Happens once in a while, so thought that the week's idle time made the car lazy!

Inserted the key in the steering column and turned it.

Nothing - no lights on the dash

Battery completely dead!!

Can't believe this. Had told my wife to do a general check and start the car, and now a flat battery?

The following scene unfolds -

Me to Wife - Did you start the car?

Wife - Yes.

M - Well, then...

W - Well, what? (Angry stare, hearing my tone....)

M - I mean, did you notice anything strange?

W - What do you mean?

M - Like, the telltale (red) lights on the dash, starting trouble...

W - Nothing (angry glare, as if I am treating her like a novice..)

M - Ahem, did you switch on anything? AC, headlights.. (Knowing fully well that when you pull out the key in Palio, all these switch off...)

W - You told me to start the car, I did. Now don't blame me. I know you care more for the car than me, and I took much more care than you take.... (this is leading to dangerous territory now!)

M - OK, OK. I am only trying to find out what must have gone wrong.

W - How do I know that the battery will fail after I (emphasised I) started the car??? And it started with the first crank, idled for 2 - 3 minutes and shut down after I switched off....

M - (muttering to myself) Is she happy (more time to spend with her parents!) or angry (car is not OK and future problems while driving down?)

W - What? Can't understand what you are saying....

M - Nothing, nothing. (Scratching my head), does your brother know anybody to help us?

W & B-i-L (Brother-in-Law) - Blank Look!

M - I mean, where do you service your car (to B-i-L, who owns an Alto)

B-i-L - At M.A.S.S.

M - They won't help. Know anybody else?

B-i-L - Let me see....

I get fed up. Because Sunday afternoon in Calicut - not a chance of getting help.

There is no Batmobile (Exide) Service. The help-line number simply rings and rings and rings....

Sudden brainwave.

I call my daughter.

M - Start the broadband and login (to daughter)

D (confused) - What?

M (slowly) - I want to surf the net!

D - Aha, I get it. You want to go to t-bhp for solution...

M -

(to be cont'd...)

idea1979 · 3rd August 2010, 18:52

Indeed great photos ! Can you please post a Geo Map indicating your travel points?

20th July 2010, 12:42	#137
vrprabhu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: ?? Posts: 1,281 Thanked: 1,105 Times View My Garage	Pandavas... TaureanBull, Pandavas seem eponymous (is that the right word?) all over our country. Because, you have just reminded me of "Pandava Caves" between Igatpuri and Nashik, where they have reported to have stayed. Since Nashik has connection to Surpanaka (nose cut ), and the "Kalaram" mandir, "Panchavati" etc. in Nashik seem to affirm this, may be the caves have been named appropriately... If I may digress - hope AP and MX6 read and throw some light on this - there is a place behind (geographically) Ghoti (Igatpuri) - called 'Takhet'. There is a small temple here - forgot the deity. The uniqueness? (a) There is a round stone (ghota) within a small hole in the temple. The hole allows one to insert one's hand into it, the purpose being to lift out the stone. Ever read about catching monkeys by putting peanuts in a bottle with a narrow neck? The hand goes through the narrow mouth, but when the peanuts are grabbed, the fist with the peanuts can't come out! Being greedy, monkeys don't let go of the peanuts. Exactly similar. (I thought the monkeys would have been intelligent enough to shake out the nuts out of the bottles by holding it upside down! :-) ) When you catch the stone in your hand, you can't bring your hand out ( a la the monkeys above!) - except at a certain angle and holding the stone in a specific manner. Now for the myth part - it is believed that only those who are blessed (or to be blessed) with male children can lift the ghota out! Well, I managed to lift it out - but my wife couldn't. (Don't read anything between the lines - we have only a daughter!) (b) This is a much better myth. Behind the temple, you'll see a small flow of water coming out of a rock (it appears as if to come from nowhere). If you get closer, you'll notice a small crack in the stone, through which the water spouts!! The myth? Remember Jatayu? Ravana slew him while abducting Sita? In his dying moments, Jatayu wanted water. Lakhsman quenched his thirst by shooting an arrow into the earth. Right? Takhet is the place where Lakshman shot his arrow and water came out and continues to do so till today!! Put 'b' and 'Pandava Caves' and 'Nashik' together - what is a myth, what is a fable, what is history gets blurred.... There were bhp-ians who wanted to visit Ratangad - this place is quite closeby. And you have a fantastic ghat road to drive!! MX6, change your travel plans and visit this place in rains.....
	() Thanks

20th July 2010, 14:57	#139
arindamray BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 750 Thanked: 91 Times	Surpanaka, Panchavati, Jatayu are from Ramayana, whereas Pandavas are from Mahabharata.
	() Thanks

20th July 2010, 15:36	#140
MX6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: City of seven islands. Posts: 2,877 Thanked: 231 Times	Thanks for the pointer VRP. I've not known of the Takhet place. But then, I don't want to mix up photos of my Mahalog stuff in your stress buster logue. Nasik and Panchavati will unfurl over there. No change of plans to Malsejh now. This weekend is Harihareshwar - Dive agar - Srivardhan. @Arindamray. VRP is like Hanuman. There is no separate Ramayan or Mahabharat for him. Remember Hanuman came to meet Bheem! Last edited by MX6 : 20th July 2010 at 15:37.
	() Thanks

20th July 2010, 18:14	#142
vrprabhu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: ?? Posts: 1,281 Thanked: 1,105 Times View My Garage	First leg done... Since we skipped the visits, we made good time and reached Calicut before 8 PM. Wifes' family was very happy - their grand-daughter and son-in-law were visiting after a gap of one year. Planned to take it easy for the next couple of days. Daughter is fully on the football matches now... The return trip is to be charted out as also the date of departure. Speaking of the places we missed visiting, this one of them - (picture taken from another site, which by the way is also pretty interesting. Think it was 'wordpress.org' or something like that) And, we passed through another place enroute - made famous by one of its inhabitant. Hint - 'missed by a cat's whisker'!
	() Thanks

23rd July 2010, 15:43	#145
MX6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: City of seven islands. Posts: 2,877 Thanked: 231 Times	Wow. You off on another drive. You are living large man! I visited Bekal fort thinking there'd be someone running up to me when I sing Uyire (thu hi re). I rode pillion on a bike to Udupi (from Manipal), then took a bus to Mangalore, then a truck across to Kasaragod, then another bus to Kanhangad then from there to bekal only to find that summer is not the best place to go there!
	() Thanks

23rd July 2010, 16:08	#146
MX6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: City of seven islands. Posts: 2,877 Thanked: 231 Times	@VRP. If you find that Honnavara route cut off or flooded, I'd suggest you to proceed to Sagara - Thirthahalli - Agumbe - Manipal. Agumbe is a shorter climb down. The last time I drove, Someshwara to Hebri was good and Hebri to manipal was ok. Sagara to Thirthahalli was good too. It's longer, but then I'd prefer that against NH17 through the route you are planning. Don't want to give away your clue!
	() Thanks

3rd August 2010, 17:56	#149
vrprabhu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: ?? Posts: 1,281 Thanked: 1,105 Times View My Garage	Choo cha's!! Wife and daughter were to join me at Coimbatore after 3 - 4 days. But, the Tamil Conference at Coimbatore was attracting huge crowds and there were restrictions on the vehicle movements at the place where I was staying. So told them to drop their plans of visiting Coimbatore and I will return to Calicut and we will start our return trip by Saturday, so that by Sunday night we will be in Pune. Saturday - felt lazy. And, the whole city was going ga-ga over the meet. Went around to the place where the meet was going on - crowds drove me crazy. Told my wife to check the car and get ready for departure on Sunday. Reached Calicut on Sunday and decided to leave by afternoon. Packed everything. Wanted to top up the fuel and check air. Inserted the key to unlock the door - the central locking didn't click. Happens once in a while, so thought that the week's idle time made the car lazy! Inserted the key in the steering column and turned it. Nothing - no lights on the dash Battery completely dead!! Can't believe this. Had told my wife to do a general check and start the car, and now a flat battery? The following scene unfolds - Me to Wife - Did you start the car? Wife - Yes. M - Well, then... W - Well, what? (Angry stare, hearing my tone....) M - I mean, did you notice anything strange? W - What do you mean? M - Like, the telltale (red) lights on the dash, starting trouble... W - Nothing (angry glare, as if I am treating her like a novice..) M - Ahem, did you switch on anything? AC, headlights.. (Knowing fully well that when you pull out the key in Palio, all these switch off...) W - You told me to start the car, I did. Now don't blame me. I know you care more for the car than me, and I took much more care than you take.... (this is leading to dangerous territory now!) M - OK, OK. I am only trying to find out what must have gone wrong. W - How do I know that the battery will fail after I (emphasised I) started the car??? And it started with the first crank, idled for 2 - 3 minutes and shut down after I switched off.... M - (muttering to myself) Is she happy (more time to spend with her parents!) or angry (car is not OK and future problems while driving down?) W - What? Can't understand what you are saying.... M - Nothing, nothing. (Scratching my head), does your brother know anybody to help us? W & B-i-L (Brother-in-Law) - Blank Look! M - I mean, where do you service your car (to B-i-L, who owns an Alto) B-i-L - At M.A.S.S. M - They won't help. Know anybody else? B-i-L - Let me see.... I get fed up. Because Sunday afternoon in Calicut - not a chance of getting help. There is no Batmobile (Exide) Service. The help-line number simply rings and rings and rings.... Sudden brainwave. I call my daughter. M - Start the broadband and login (to daughter) D (confused) - What? M (slowly) - I want to surf the net! D - Aha, I get it. You want to go to t-bhp for solution... M - (to be cont'd...)
	() Thanks

3rd August 2010, 18:52	#150
idea1979 BANNED Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 234 Thanked: 0 Times	Indeed great photos ! Can you please post a Geo Map indicating your travel points?
	() Thanks