PAYANIGA

I Was Here: Windsor Castle

2009-11-11T23:27:12Z

I sit everyday to write down the pending travelogs, stare at the monitor trying to bring out the thoughts into words. Minutes passes by & screen stays blank. Got to get out of this block. Hope to come out of this blockade soon.

Till that time here is a photo from Windsor Castle taken during my visit in last week of September. More images from Windsor - here.

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Desktop Calendar: November 2009

2009-11-02T20:44:27Z

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Background photo: Ryde Beach, Isle of Wight.

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‘Clicks’ - new photo blog

2009-10-10T00:12:15Z

Here is a small announcement from my side, I’ve started a new daily photo blog - “Clicks“. Hop in there every morning for a new image and don’t forget to drop a line or two. :)

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Desktop Calendar: October 2009

2009-10-01T13:10:41Z

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Background photo: Some where near Newport, Isle of Wight.

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I Was Here: Chembra Peak

2009-09-28T22:08:23Z

Lean period continues for me. Not much options other than armchair travelling, pondering over my good old travel days and browsing through my photo archive.

Photo: En route Chembra peak, Wayanad captured during my visit in Dec 2006.

Desktop Calendar: September 2009

2009-08-28T23:49:59Z

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Another image from Loch Ness, with parts of ruined Urquhart Castle in the foreground, Scotland.

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I Was Here: Southend-on-sea

2009-09-23T22:13:26Z

Looking forward for brighter days ahead. Last few weeks had been a completely hectic period. With just a day trip to Southend on Sea beach, travelling has come to a standstill and so is my writing.

On a brighter side, I am off to Isle of Wight tomorrow for a three day trip. A much needed break - just to sit down on a beach & watch the waves from dawn to dusk.

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Desktop Calendar: August 2009

2009-07-30T12:31:03Z

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Background Photo: Avebury, Wiltshire, England.

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Dawn and Dusk at Kodachadri

2009-07-12T14:37:38Z

I camped at Kodachadri peak last December. I managed myself to be at the top well in time & also managed to get up early to witness sunset & sunrise at the peak. Hereare few photos which I took during that time.

To be honest, both sunset & sunrise weren’t that great for me. I didn’t get to enjoy it. May be beacuase of the huge crowd. There were atleast 150-200 people on the peak to witness the sight. I need to go there again when not many people around!
Well, detailed trek log to follow soon. :)

A Visit to Avani Betta

2009-07-05T23:45:52Z

One peculiarity of being in Bangalore is each road going out of the city leads you to a different countryside after a journey of an hour or two (assuming you are not stuck in traffic jam). Last year around this time on an early morning I, with couple of friends took a road leading towards the Sun. Road leading to Kolar (Old Madras road) to be specific. As you move out of Bangalore and beyond Hosakote, countryside changes completely. Density of trees reduces, dry lands welcomes you. Further down the road, trees get replaced by boulders - heaps and heaps of boulders. Small hillocks scattered on either side of the road with more rocks than trees on them, but each one having their own story to narrate. Of so many hillocks we stopped at Avani betta near Mulabagilu for few hours. And we weren’t disappointed.

Avani betta, name because of the village Avani at the foot of the hill, has its roots linked to Sage Valmiki, Ramayana, and the legendary war between Rama & his sons Lava-Kusha. A legend says that sage Valmiki’s ashrama was at the same hillock and hence Avani betta is also called as ‘Valmiki Parvatha’. The story which is linked to Avani starts after Ravana gets killed and Rama & Seetha move back to Ayodhya. It’s said that the story after Seetha is sent out of Ayodhya to forest (referred as ‘Uttara Ramayana’ happened here) - birth of Lava & Kusha, defeat of Rama’s army by his own son & then the legendary war. For each place described in Uttara Ramayana there is an equally comparable place here in Avani betta - to name a few are the place where the horse of Ashwamedha yaaga was tied, place Seetha & her sons lived and the place where Seetha witnessed the war between her husband & her sons. The cave which is said Seetha gave birth to Lava and Kusha is considered as sacred. And now the cave is a huge ditch as every devotee who visits the place grabs a fistful of mud while leaving.

On top of the hill there is a small temple of Goddess Parvathi, which makes devotees & few monkeys are the only visitors to the hillock, barring people like us. Another common sight at this place is one gets to see stacks of small stones usually three in each stack. There is a general belief at this place that if the brides stack stones, the newborn baby will be a healthy one.

Though Kolar and surround area is dry and devoid of greenery, there are many interesting places nearby - Antaragange, Kaivara, Kurudumale, Markandeshwara betta - to name a few. Thanks Srik for taking back in time to Ramayana. Now I need to plan to visit other places nearby.

Desktop Calendar: July 2009

2009-06-29T14:26:26Z

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Background Photo: Loch Ness, as seen from Urquhart Castle, Scotland.

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I Was Here: Siddaganga

2009-09-23T22:13:26Z

The first family (God & his family) - Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvathi & Lord Subrahmanya - captured at Siddaganga Mutt, Tumkur. During my day trip to Mandharagiri and Kaidala, I paid a brief visit to Siddaganga in July 2008.

PS: It’s been a quiet month, void of any travel for me. Except that I’m back in London. I’ll try my level best to write all pending travelogs.

Kaidala & Jakanachari