BYLAKUPPE – A MINI TIBET IN SOUTH INDIA

 

Our stay in Madikeri was coming to an end. We had one free day as a cushion after completion of sightseeing before proceeding to our next destination, Mysore. The enchanting view of Nilgiris, cornucopia of flora and fauna, and the chilled weather impressed us with its aristocratic presence.

Our driver-cum-guide requested us to see one of the rarely visited places, just around 40 km from the headquarters of Coorg or Kodagu district called Bylakuppe. Since we had a whole day at our disposal; we accepted his request to utilize the spare day by exploring a new destination.

How is Bylakuppe

As we proceeded through the whispering woods, lush green meadows, our greed for a visit was enhancing in leaps and bounds. The meandering and undulating roads ultimately led us to a town that welcomed us with Tibetian prayer flags fluttering in tune with the gentle breeze on the sides of the road followed by the movement of monks in maroon and yellow robes. We just recollected our trip to Mcleodganj in Himachal Pradesh where His Holiness Dalai Lama resided after his exile from Tibet.

As we left the vehicle and started moving on foot, we found the entire new culture with tri-language signboards were written in Tibetian, English, and Kannada. The outlets were mostly managed by the Tibetian people where food, consumables, souvenirs, clothes, and dress materials were being marketed. The place was having a different aroma with happy faces of the population of different age groups, always smiling despite their horrendous past. They were found to be in a relaxing mood as if they had come out of all family knots, only devoted to their God.

History of Bylakuppe

Chinese attack on Tibet, in the early sixties, forced the local people to leave their place and settle in India and other parts of the world. His Holiness Dalai Lama with his disciples settled in Mcleoganj or Upper Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh which had been declared as the largest Tibetian settlement in India.

Since the settlement of Mcleodganj got saturated; the second phase of refugees came down to South India and settled in the hills of Nilgiris, converting the place into the second-largest Tibetian settlement in India. Though the settlement was restricted to around 12 sq km at the initial stage, later the periphery got extended with the increase of population. Despite the increase in population, the serenity and tranquility of the place did not get diminished; it rather flourished with a divine culture.

What are the places to see

Our first target was to visit Namdroling Monastery or locally popular as Golden Temple. It was the main attraction of the entire township. His Holiness 3^rd Drubwang Prema Norbu Rinpoche laid the foundation stone in 1963. It was consecrated by His Holiness Dalai Lama and the nomenclature was made by him. However, financial hardship delayed the work till 1979 and the personal and physical effort of Rinpoche converted to reality. The mesmerizing infrastructure and artwork attracted tourists from various corners of the world. The monastery started with just 10 monks now sheltered around 9000 monks and nuns. It had become a center of study on Buddhism. Buddhists from all over the world provided financial and moral support to grow it as a megastructure.

The center of attraction had helped to create few more monasteries like Drigung Kagyud Monastery, Sakya Monastery, Sera Je Monastery, and finally Tashi Lhunpo Monastery which was founded by His Holiness Dalai Lama in 2016.

It was not the concentration of monasteries that converted the location to a place with serene and tranquility, but the entire environment of the township seemed to be like holy land where the existence of sin, cruelty, misconduct could not be traced.

How to Reach

Bylakuppe is situated on NH-275 connecting Bantwal and Bengaluru touching Mysuru and Madikeri. The distance to Bylakuppe from Bengaluru is 222 km, Mysuru is 82 km and Mangalore is 172 km. It is also connected with Chennai and Kozhikode.

The nearest airport is Kannur which is around 75 km away from Bylakuppe and the nearest railway station is Krishnarajnagar which is around 58 km distance from the town. However, the major railway station is Mysuru. It is preferred to reach directly by road from Mysuru or Madikeri.     

Where to Stay

Plenty of hotels, hostels, homestays, and Airbnb rentals are available in the township which is of varied rates based on star ranking and facilities provided. The majority of the visitors especially pilgrims intend to stay near Namdroling Monastery, in the center of the town.  

My Experience

The beauty of a place was not the infrastructure, pomp, and gaiety but the manifestation of happiness of the people as seen in their faces. That was the reason for which Bhutan had been considered as one of the happiest countries despite their Gross Domestic Product or Per Capita Income was much below than that of the so-called wealthiest countries.

In other words, the place seemed to be a Vatican City of the Buddhist where the divine atmosphere persisted round the clock and the smiling faces would make you feel to have reached heaven where there was no existence of misery.

MURUDESHWAR - A SERENE DESTINATION IN KARNATAKA

 

The western coast of our country hosts beautiful beaches all along its border from Gujarat to Kerala. Generally, the footfalls of the tourists are limited to a few beaches of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala have become popular because of the promotion of publicity. But there are hundreds of beaches which remain unexplored and unnoticed but are equally good in comparison to the popular beaches.

How we came to know

While travelling through the western coast from Gokarna to Udipi by road, I got a telephone call from my friend from Karnataka asking about my location. When he learnt that our group was heading towards Malpe Beach of Udipi, he requested me to give a stopover at Murudeshwar. I categorically told him that I wasn’t interested in visiting any temple as I was in a beach hunting mood. But he insisted me to visit the place at least for an hour not for the temple but for the beach.

Since the vehicle was at my disposal for a couple of days, I thought of touching the place just to honour the words of my friend. But my driver was not keen to wait and he rather tried to ignore the advice of my friend telling me that there was nothing but a Shiva temple and there was no point in diverting the route and wasting time. But we remained stubborn and overruled his comments.

First Impression

From a long distance, we could see the huge structure of the temple and the deity of Shiva from the road itself. Reaching the main arena and the parking lot, we realized that we would have missed an important destination if we had ignored the advice of my friend. The temple with massive Gopuram (entrance) with a height of 240 ft stood along with its robust structure just on the beach overseeing the Arabian Sea.

On the right side of the main temple, a huge deity of Lord Shiva with a height of 123 ft was placed in sitting posture facing the east. The chanting of mantra praising Lord Shiva could be heard creating a religious environment in the entire area. It seemed that the waves of the sea were paying homage to God touching the base of both the structures.

Main temple

We were welcomed by two elephant structures at the main entrance that led to the main temple. The wonderful carving on the walls of Gopuram attracted the attention and we had to spend at least a quarter of an hour to stare at the small idols carved on the walls depicting the mythology. Having visited the main Shiva Linga, we proceeded towards the elevator for reaching the upper stairs of the temple.

The pilgrims were allowed to reach the 18^th floor of the Gopuram by elevator against the purchase of tickets. The breathtaking view from the top of the structure was really amazing. On one side the blue water with white foamy waves touching the shore and on another side the small township of Murudeshwar. It seemed that we were having a view from flight or helicopter. We could not help but took photographs from all possible angles to cherish our memories in the future.

History of the temple

Ravana, the monarch of Lanka wanted to attain immortality through the worship of Lord Shiva. He, by his devotion, was able to receive blessings from Lord Shiva. As per condition, Ravana was to carry the Atma-Linga to his place without dropping the Linga on his way back. It was advised that the Linga would get stuck wherever it touched the ground.  But other gods came to know about the hidden agenda of Ravana, that he wanted to destroy the other Gods through the boon he received.  Lord Krishna played trick through Ganesha and Ravana was misled. Ultimately, Ravana could not carry the Linga and it remained stuck as Mridesh Linga at Mrideshwar, later known as Murudeshwar.

Other tourist attractions

There was a huge sculpture of the battle of Mahabharata where Krishna was chanting Gita to influence Arjuna, instigating him to fight the war against his own family.

However, the major tourist attraction the sea beach beside the temple on both sides. It was a calm beach with gradual slopes ideal for bathing in fair weather. The beauty of the beach not only attracted the pilgrims, but also domestic and international tourists, who were found to be enjoying the dancing waves and cool breeze despite scorching sun rays in the afternoon.

Foreigners were found to be tanning their skins at a distance slightly away from the close vicinity of the temple either in the open air or under umbrellas or shacks.

Sea sports like kayaking, banana boat, water scooter is also available on the beaches for the enjoyment of gen-next population.

Pigeon Island located at around 10 nautical miles from Murudeshwar is an ideal location for snorkeling and scuba diving. The point has to be reached by hiring a private boat.  

Boarding and lodging

There are many hotels, homestays, lodges, and inns around the temple and also scattered in the temple town. The price range varies based on the distance from the temple and beaches. The budget hotels are also available within the price range of Rs.500/- per day for a double-bedded room.

Apart from the food available in the restaurant attached to the hotels, there was a huge number of restaurants around the temple where cuisines of various types were available at a reasonable price. The majority of the restaurants around the temple provided vegetarian food but non-vegetarian food was also available in restaurants slightly away from the temple.

How to reach Murudeshwar

The place is connected through railway and there is a railway station on the Mumbai-Mangalore route. The distance from Mangalore is 216 km and Udipi is 135 km and is well connected from both the places.

The temple and beach are located with a slight diversion on the main highway connecting Mumbai and Mangalore. It is located at 155 km north of Mangalore and 101 km north of Udipi.

The nearest airport is Mangalore which is directly and indirectly connected with all major cities of India.

My experience

The panoramic view from the top of the entrance of the temple had been really fascinating. The series of waves touching the golden sand could be seen in such a fashion as if designs were created on the blue waters of the sea. The gigantic structure of the temple and the deity of Lord Shiva and an episode of Mahabharata also attracted our attention. Though my intention was to make a stopover for an hour or so, I could not resist myself spending the entire day on the beach and then proceed to Udipi in the evening after an enchanting view of sunset in the Arabian Sea. I repented for not having spent a couple of days in Murudeshwar, rescheduling our programme.

I would suggest my traveller friends to include Murudeshwar in their itinerary during their travel to the west coast of India and I hope you will not find yourself to be a loser, once you reach the beach.  

 

 

GRASMERE – A PLACE WHERE DAFFODIL BLOOMS

 

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

 

When we recollect these lines, our mind floats to the distant place in the earth where the yellow flowers bloomed in the green carpet along the undulated terrain. The misty morning, drizzling at times, cool breeze touching our hair, and a sleepy village where laziness rolls us towards the afternoon without any haste.

It was not a fantasy, but a hard reality, that I witnessed, when I visited the village of Grasmere in England. It was the village where from one of the greatest poets of all times gifted us with his incredible composition that astonished the entire world.

It was the place where William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy Wordsworth spent eight years from 1799 to 1808 in Dove Cottage, Grasmere in the lake district of England with the motto of “plain living and high thinking”.

How to Reach

The village is located in the center of Lake District National Park. The distance from Edinburgh and London to Grasmere is 143 and 287 miles towards south and north respectively. The nearest railway station, Windermere is around 9 miles. Stagecoaches are available from Windermere, Kendal, and Keswick.

Where to Stay

There are hotels, some of which are overseeing the lake, Airbnb, hostels, and private accommodation in the village itself. A huge number of tourists visit the place round the year and the beauty of the place compels tourists to stay back in Grasmere for a couple of days, not only being attracted to the legendary poet but also the nature trails of the village itself.

What to See

The meandering road, keeping the lake on one side and lush green hilly terrains across the lake from Windermere to Grasmere beholds the spectacular beauty of the entire Lake District. The weather remains misty with monsoon clouds floating at the lowest level along the hills, often light rain makes the entire area feel like a heavenly abode.

There is an arrangement for boating, angling, and water sports in the lakes of Windermere and Grasmere. But strolling on the side of the lake, or laying back in a cafeteria, on the bank of the lake, with a hot cup of cappuccino make life more comfortable.

The major attraction is Dove Cottage, built in the early seventeenth century as an inn, later converted to a dwelling house is situated beside the main road at a slight elevation. The stone-paved path along the trimmed bushes leads to the main building constructed with local stone, lime-washed walls, and slated roof.

The building has been converted to a heritage building in 1891 after being taken over by Wordsworth Trust in the year 1890. The house has been kept unchanged since the period of stay of the poet and is being maintained with proper care to avoid any damage to the assets used by the composer. A separate Wordsworth Museum was opened in 1943 by the trust.

There are eight rooms, four on each floor connected by wooden staircases. The sizes of the rooms are not so big but can accommodate a couple with an optimum number of furniture.

The lower floor was occupied by Dorothy Wordsworth, beloved sister of William Wordsworth with reception, kitchen, and her bedroom. The upper floor was used by William Wordsworth, where he used to stay with his wife Mary and three children.

The furniture used by the poet and his family were kept intact and even some of the clothes were kept in the museum.

A trained guide was employed by the trust to explain the locations and history in detail which would help the visitors to get enriched with the background and life of the poet.  

The study of the poet overlooked the lake and meadows and it was presumed that the poet used to stare through the window of his study for hours together enjoying the breathtaking view of nature. A secondary dining parlor was constructed adjacent to the study of the poet to enjoy light meals. The cottage did not have any water connection inside the premises but had to fetch water from outside.

A small orchard around the cottage was maintained by William and Dorothy, which enhanced the beauty of the cottage many folds. The blooming flowers, neatly trimmed bushes, and trees, stone-paved paths and a toilet at the end of the garden still existed. A little mound or a miniature replica of mountains constructed by them showed their love for nature and natural beauties.

The museum in the cottage itself depicted photographs of eminent literary personalities like Robert Southey, Coleridge, Walter Scott, Humphrey Davy, Charles and Mary Lamb, Thomas De Quincy, who were regular visitors of the place and participated in the discussion on literature.

My Experience

My first impression of the place was that the entire environment of the place was extremely conducive for the composer to exploit the maximum of his capability as a poet. The lush green meadows across the lake, mountains hidden in the clouds, and droplets of rainwater shining on the fresh leaves of the trees and plants were definitely a catalyst to extract the stock of words from the heart of the composer. Though we could not see ten thousand daffodils, the yellow spots on the green carpet certainly added flavor to the taste of eternal beauty.  

Since my visit was during the day, I could not enjoy nature under the dark sky and shining stars, but I could visualize the lake in the dark, whispering meadows and the Milky Way, that carried the poet to a different world.

It was a place, where the serenity and tranquility of nature in the midst of solitude, the dancing daffodils would definitely remove the pensive mood and would fill the mind with joy.

And then my heart with pleasure fills

And dances with the daffodils

 

Photo Courtesy Kushal Ganguli 

 

Backlink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXE6htrzCZw

GOKARNA - A PLACE WITH IDYLLIC BEACHES AND PRISTINE WATERS

 

The serpentine road from the railway station leading to the resort took us to the town and further ahead to the seaside where the homestay was located. The oscillating roads along the elevation of the Western Ghat Mountains started giving a panoramic view of the clear blue sea meeting the horizon. The sea breeze, with the murmuring sound, tuned with the roaring sound of the waves welcomed us to the new location called Gokarna. 

Gokarna, once popular as a pilgrimage centre has turned into a sea resort since last decade where the hills of Western Ghat mountains and the waves of the Arabian Sea embrace each other. The cool breeze of the sea dances through the undulating landscape with a series of coconut trees along the beautiful beaches not only attracts the gen-next population but also the aged population as a pilgrimage.

Why called Gokarna

The word Gokarna means “Cow’s Ear (Go=Cow & Karna=Ear). The mythology behind the name was Shiva appeared from the ears of mother earth (in form of a cow) and the confluence of two rivers flowing through the region Gangavali and Aghanashini took shape of a cow’s ear.

How to Reach

The railway station Gokarna Road is on the Mangalore-Mumbai route is located around 10 km away from the main town.

It can also be reached through road from Mangalore (230 km), Panaji (154 km) and Karwar (59 km) through NH-17.

The nearest airport is Dabolim at Goa (147 km) and Hubli (153 km) which are also well connected.

Boarding & Lodging

Many hotels, homestays and resorts have come up along the beaches overseeing the Arabian Sea and the selection has to be made based on available logistics and price. Hotels are mainly located in the town where the pilgrims intend to stay to be near the temple and the tourists and travellers are inclined to stay in homestay and resorts near the beach.

   

Since there are regular foreign and also domestic visitors from various corners of the world and country, there are wide varieties of food available to the taste of the majority. However, Udipi types of food are found in abundance considering the local influence.

What to do in Gokarna

There are four major beaches in Gokarna that attract tourists. They are Kuddle Beach, Om Beach, Half Moon Beach and Paradise Beach. All the beaches are equally good and nature has been bountiful having provided clean sand, shades of trees, and clear seawater. A couple of day’s stay can cover all the locations including Mahabaleshwara Shiva temple in the town in a very relaxing mood.  

Majority of the local and foreign tourists have been found to be lying back on the beaches, cherishing the sea breeze and sunshine and in the totally reclining mood. There are tourists who want to enjoy both the advantages of relaxing and also sightseeing at the same time.

There are few cafes on the beaches which add to the flavour of enjoying the beauty of nature with a cup of tea or coffee along with snacks. Namaste Café on Om Beach and Ganga Café in Kuddle Beach is beautiful places to enjoy the holidays in Gokarna.

There are arrangements of a few sea sports especially for the young generation who want to have an adventure in the form of banana boat, kayaking and water scooters.

Tourists and travellers in groups are engaged in playing Frisbee, beach volleyball, football or chatting on the beach.

Some tourists were engaged in walking along the beach in the solitude and it seems that the entire beach is in their domain as no living creature can be seen on both sides.

The tourists interested in seeing Jog Falls can travel for 112 km towards south-east or Dudhsagar Falls can travel for 155 km in the north-west and can enjoy the robust beauty of both the falls.

There are a few temples in the town itself of which Mahabaleshwara Temple and Maha Ganapati Temple are very popular and there are frequent visitors. Mahabaleshwara temple has historic importance and the structure itself depicts the period of construction. The tourists can also spare a day visiting Murudeswar Temple which is around 80 km away from Gokarna towards Udipi. The waves of the sea touch the feet of Murudeswar Temple and the view from the top floor of the temple is simply captivating and one shall not miss the opportunity to have a bird’s eye view of the entire place.

But above all, the tourist must not miss the view of sunset on the horizon from any of the beaches of Gokarna. It is a really amazing scenery where the colour of the sea changes along with the colour of the sky. The chirping of birds returning to their nests creates the design of the army returning from the battlefield. The rhythm of waves matching with the rhythm of wind blowing through the leaves of coconut trees creates a lullaby requesting the world to go for rest.

My experiences

A photograph of Kuddle Beach, seen somewhere in the pages of a magazine, attracted my attention to visiting the place. Since I am from the eastern part of India; it took some time to make proper arrangements. My route was through Mangalore, having stayed there for a couple of days proceeded to Gokarna by train. Having reached the location, my first impression was “Wow”. It was more beautiful than I really expected. The virgin, secluded beach bewildered me with its vastness. I had a great time enjoying the hospitality of “The Coconut Tree Resort” on Kuddle Beach and enjoying every bit of nature, which was at its best.

I think a couple of days stay at Gokarna will definitely pressurize our mind to extend the vacation or to create fresh footprints on the golden sand.  

  

 

 Backlink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD0RAMkYMuI