Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)

asethi · 23rd August 2010, 00:01

Finally, yes finally after almost 2 years and numerous discussions and convincing sessions, I came back from my trip to Chikmagalur. Also covered Belur while going and Halebedu on the way back. As expected, the trip was awesome! We couldn't explore Kemanugundi and other adjoining areas as it rained very heavily yesterday, and most of the roads were blocked by landslides. Heard many people got stuck on the way, so didn't take any chance.
I stayed at the Taj, and it was a fantastic experience, and the awesome weather added to the charm. First time in my life I realized how good it feels to do swimming in the rain!

To start with, here are a few teasers. Rest later as I'm feeling very sleepy after a long drive!

Belur Temple panaroma:

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-20082010150.jpg

Pool view panaroma at the Taj:

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-21082010152.jpg

Halebedu Temple panaroma:

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-22082010199.jpg

My ride enjoying the classic scenery:

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-img_0229.jpg

Nokia Ovi Maps on the service, they are really good, except for no knowledge for 1-ways, as a result got caught by the police... but that story later!

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-img_0233.jpg

And yes, I met another fellow BHpian Anup on the way back during a stopover at CCD, next to Kamat. Really feels good to meet you guys even while away from the base!

MX6 · 23rd August 2010, 00:14

Excellent panoramas you got there. The lighting played up a bit in the first shot with a sunny shot in the middle of other cloudy ones. But the taj pool looks damn inviting.
And one needs to be very careful with one-ways at CKM.
Waiting for this pal. Roll it out.

khoj · 23rd August 2010, 00:17

Hi asethi,

Great to see the panoramas, especially the landscape behind your ride. The clouds look menacing in Belur and at the Taj but after the ongoing downpour here in Delhi since last Wednesday I am ready, so bring on the deluge of photos, photos more photos and then some.

idlebrain · 23rd August 2010, 02:53

Fantastic panos..my pick is Halebedu temple. If you would have avoided the people in that pic with just temple alone (of course not possible all the time) that would be more wonderful pic.

The second pic within Beluru pano is more brighter than the rest

ampere · 23rd August 2010, 06:46

@Khoj's persistence has paid off! Congrats to ........ Khoj !

Jokes apart Amazing panoramas! Waiting for more snaps. Even I had been to CKM in this period.
As you said weather was just too good and add to it the Taj hospitality. It was an awesome time.

Worst come worst, I had forgotten my camera home. Taj guys helped get one simple film roll camera on rent!

khoj · 23rd August 2010, 17:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

@Khoj's persistence has paid off! Congrats to ........ Khoj !

Bus kar yaar, kahin tere high current se mera fuse hi na ud jaaye

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

Jokes apart Amazing panoramas! Waiting for more snaps. Even I had been to CKM in this period.
As you said weather was just too good and add to it the Taj hospitality. It was an awesome time.
Worst come worst, I had forgotten my camera home. Taj guys helped get one simple film roll camera on rent!

So, where are the photos?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

@Khoj, By any chance you an Iron Maiden fan?

Nope, the end of my signature and the name given to their world wide tour is just a coincidence

ampere · 23rd August 2010, 17:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by khoj

Bus kar yaar, kahin tere high current se mera fuse hi na ud jaaye

Quote:

So, where are the photos?

Let Sethi bhai, post his stuff and then will add some of mine (If Bhai permits!).
Mine would not be as good as these!

asethi · 23rd August 2010, 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by MX6

Excellent panoramas you got there. The lighting played up a bit in the first shot with a sunny shot in the middle of other cloudy ones. But the taj pool looks damn inviting.
And one needs to be very careful with one-ways at CKM.
Waiting for this pal. Roll it out.

Yeah, but this was the first time I was playing with the panaromas, so realized this after taking the shot! And all these panaromas are from my E72 phone camera!

Quote:

Originally Posted by khoj

Hi asethi,

Great to see the panoramas, especially the landscape behind your ride.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

Jokes apart Amazing panoramas! Waiting for more snaps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by idlebrain

Fantastic panos..my pick is Halebedu temple. If you would have avoided the people in that pic with just temple alone (of course not possible all the time) that would be more wonderful pic.
The second pic within Beluru pano is more brighter than the rest

Thanks! Yeah, but that was not possible. I waited for sometime, but the crowd went on growing!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

Let Sethi bhai, post his stuff and then will add some of mine (If Bhai permits!).
Mine would not be as good as these!

You are always welcome! C'mon, photos are never good or bad, they just reflect the mood and beauty of the place!

More pics will follow after I reach home, as I don't have them on my ofc laptop!

ampere · 23rd August 2010, 18:10

Man you are then really good at snapping! Those are really nice ones from an E72!
(I am not saying E72 is bad, but a traditional camera would still be better right! And you could do this with a cell cam!)

sami316 · 23rd August 2010, 22:56

Wow asethi,

Amazing pics. Just did the Chikmagalur trip last month. Awesome place, unfortunately couldnt cover Belur-Halebedu. Waiting for more.

asethi · 24th August 2010, 00:16

So here it comes!

We started from Bangalore on friday morning, quite late at 8.30, and got stuck in the morning office traffic till we touched the NICE road. As soon as we took the turn towards Hassan from Neelamangla, broken tarmac greeted us. And after sometime, we witnessed a tragic accident. A Innova cab having a driver and a family of 4 overtook us just after Neelamangala, and after almost 10 mins was lying in the middle of the road after colliding head-on with a KSRTC bus. The driver died on the spot, but rest of the people miraculously escaped with injuries.

Anyhow, gathered some courage and continued the journey but never crossed 80 during the whole journey. We took our first break at the first CCD that came on the way, and it was quite refreshing.

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-20082010123.jpg

Then during the further journey, we took our stopped at our first destination Belur. The first pic is taken as we entered the temple complex, it was just mesmerizing!

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-20082010124.jpg

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-20082010128.jpg

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-20082010129.jpg

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-20082010134.jpg

Inside the temple:

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-20082010135.jpg

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-20082010141.jpg

Another panaroma of the temple back side:

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-20082010142.jpg

Scenery after Belur towards Chikmagalur:

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-img_0223.jpg

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-img_0224.jpg

MX6 · 24th August 2010, 00:21

the last set of photos don't look like it's from nokia. It looks more like a good point and shoot! Excellent work there with your nokia if it was the nokia you used.

asethi · 24th August 2010, 00:25

A few more:

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-img_0225.jpg

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-img_0227.jpg

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-img_0228.jpg

The lovely road greeting us:

Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-)-img_0232.jpg

prince_pervez · 24th August 2010, 00:25

Nice set of pictures. Waiting for more. Congrats on finally achieving what you have in mind since so long.

asethi · 24th August 2010, 00:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by MX6

the last set of photos don't look like it's from nokia. It looks more like a good point and shoot! Excellent work there with your nokia if it was the nokia you used.

You got it right! But only the last few photos (scenery pics) are from my Canon digicam! Rest all pics in the temple are from Nokia!

23rd August 2010, 00:01	#1
asethi BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 449 Thanked: 219 Times View My Garage	Finally, Chikmagalur is off my wannabe list! :-) Finally, yes finally after almost 2 years and numerous discussions and convincing sessions, I came back from my trip to Chikmagalur. Also covered Belur while going and Halebedu on the way back. As expected, the trip was awesome! We couldn't explore Kemanugundi and other adjoining areas as it rained very heavily yesterday, and most of the roads were blocked by landslides. Heard many people got stuck on the way, so didn't take any chance. I stayed at the Taj, and it was a fantastic experience, and the awesome weather added to the charm. First time in my life I realized how good it feels to do swimming in the rain! To start with, here are a few teasers. Rest later as I'm feeling very sleepy after a long drive! Belur Temple panaroma: Pool view panaroma at the Taj: Halebedu Temple panaroma: My ride enjoying the classic scenery: Nokia Ovi Maps on the service, they are really good, except for no knowledge for 1-ways, as a result got caught by the police... but that story later! And yes, I met another fellow BHpian Anup on the way back during a stopover at CCD, next to Kamat. Really feels good to meet you guys even while away from the base!
	() Thanks

23rd August 2010, 00:14	#2
MX6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: City of seven islands. Posts: 2,877 Thanked: 231 Times	Excellent panoramas you got there. The lighting played up a bit in the first shot with a sunny shot in the middle of other cloudy ones. But the taj pool looks damn inviting. And one needs to be very careful with one-ways at CKM. Waiting for this pal. Roll it out.
	() Thanks

23rd August 2010, 00:17	#3
khoj Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Dilli Posts: 2,718 Thanked: 1,287 Times View My Garage	Hi asethi, Great to see the panoramas, especially the landscape behind your ride. The clouds look menacing in Belur and at the Taj but after the ongoing downpour here in Delhi since last Wednesday I am ready, so bring on the deluge of photos, photos more photos and then some.
	() Thanks

23rd August 2010, 02:53	#4
idlebrain BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Atlanta, US Posts: 117 Thanked: 16 Times	Fantastic panos..my pick is Halebedu temple. If you would have avoided the people in that pic with just temple alone (of course not possible all the time) that would be more wonderful pic. The second pic within Beluru pano is more brighter than the rest
	() Thanks

23rd August 2010, 06:46	#5
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,948 Thanked: 12,935 Times View My Garage	@Khoj's persistence has paid off! Congrats to ........ Khoj ! Jokes apart Amazing panoramas! Waiting for more snaps. Even I had been to CKM in this period. As you said weather was just too good and add to it the Taj hospitality. It was an awesome time. Worst come worst, I had forgotten my camera home. Taj guys helped get one simple film roll camera on rent!
	() Thanks

23rd August 2010, 18:10	#9
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,948 Thanked: 12,935 Times View My Garage	Man you are then really good at snapping! Those are really nice ones from an E72! (I am not saying E72 is bad, but a traditional camera would still be better right! And you could do this with a cell cam!)
	() Thanks

23rd August 2010, 22:56	#10
sami316 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 484 Thanked: 45 Times View My Garage	Wow asethi, Amazing pics. Just did the Chikmagalur trip last month. Awesome place, unfortunately couldnt cover Belur-Halebedu. Waiting for more.
	() Thanks

24th August 2010, 00:16	#11
asethi BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 449 Thanked: 219 Times View My Garage	So here it comes! We started from Bangalore on friday morning, quite late at 8.30, and got stuck in the morning office traffic till we touched the NICE road. As soon as we took the turn towards Hassan from Neelamangla, broken tarmac greeted us. And after sometime, we witnessed a tragic accident. A Innova cab having a driver and a family of 4 overtook us just after Neelamangala, and after almost 10 mins was lying in the middle of the road after colliding head-on with a KSRTC bus. The driver died on the spot, but rest of the people miraculously escaped with injuries. Anyhow, gathered some courage and continued the journey but never crossed 80 during the whole journey. We took our first break at the first CCD that came on the way, and it was quite refreshing. Then during the further journey, we took our stopped at our first destination Belur. The first pic is taken as we entered the temple complex, it was just mesmerizing! Inside the temple: Another panaroma of the temple back side: Scenery after Belur towards Chikmagalur:
	(1) Thanks

24th August 2010, 00:21	#12
MX6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: City of seven islands. Posts: 2,877 Thanked: 231 Times	the last set of photos don't look like it's from nokia. It looks more like a good point and shoot! Excellent work there with your nokia if it was the nokia you used.
	() Thanks

24th August 2010, 00:25	#13
asethi BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 449 Thanked: 219 Times View My Garage	A few more: The lovely road greeting us:
	() Thanks

24th August 2010, 00:25	#14
prince_pervez Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Redwood shores, CA, USA Posts: 4,210 Thanked: 51 Times View My Garage	Nice set of pictures. Waiting for more. Congrats on finally achieving what you have in mind since so long.
	() Thanks