Blogs from Hassan, Karnataka, India, Asia - page 2

Another short drive as we arrived in the ancient city of Mysore around midday and dumped our bags at the hotel I had booked the previous evening, it is clean and comfortable and within just a few minutes’ walk of the palace. We decided that we would go visit the further afield sights immediately then dismiss the driver as we will be staying for a few days. The first of these sights was the star shaped Kesava Temple built 1268 in Somnathpur some thirty three kilometres east of Mysore, which was totally covered in carved soapstone figures from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita some quite pornographic. I found the temple fascinating, it's a shame the Indians don’t build anything so pretty anymore. On the way back we visited the temple on Chamundi Hill not ... read more

On Sunday morning, Rosy and I went for a hike from Halebid, through the nearby pastoral areas and villages. The area appears extremely fertile, with coconut trees, cabbage patches, tomatoes, potatoes, green bean, some sort of lentil/bean, sugarcane, rice paddies, and other produce we couldn’t identify. We climbed up several hills, each of which is topped with a temple, so there is a system of trails of sorts, and we didn't feel we were trespassing on private property. The Sunday afternoon bus rides back to Mysore were peaceful idyllic uneventful, my favorite way to travel. ... read more

After a tiring week, we were rewarded with a long weekend: Saturday is always a day of rest, and Sunday was a moon day. So roommate Jessica, Rosy from Thailand, and I headed off for a 3-day excursion to see some nearby heritage sights. First was Sravana Belagola, a small rural town that is the site of a couple of Jainist temples set high up on rock outcroppings arising from an otherwise flat arid landscape. We reached this town in three stages: a city bus to the Mysore bus station (15 minutes); a bus to Chanarayaputna (2-3 hours), then the bus to the village (20 minutes). We had a seat on each bus, though they were all crowded, hot, dry, and dusty. The main accommodation in Sravana is a complex of guesthouses operated by the temple ... read more

Mist veils the woods and the road. At Sakleshpur, we are suddenly jerked out of alcohol-induced slumber; the Ghats start here. Unable to resume the party, we gaze at the whiteness outside the van. After abrupt turns and altitude change, we are no longer sleepy, but sick. Slowly, a reassuring green emerges out of the waning white. People have already started their chores. Women and girls return home with pots of water. Men have taken place at roadside bunds and tea shops. Marketplaces are coming alive. I search for the river Harish has promised. Kashi, our driver, pulled over the van ahead of a checkpoint. Bisle: the board put up by the forest department reads. A guard allows us in. Another one offers to be our guide. On either side of the road are two houses. ... read more

Bahubali's search for truth ended in Paudanapura, where he was frozen in meditation. Chamundaraya's search for the golden statue in the mythical land ended in Shravanabelagola, where he erected a gigantic staue in the likeness of his vision. Endless pilgrims start their spiritual journey from the footsteps of the gentle giant atop the Vindhyagiri. Ascent is a prayer here. Naked monks with peacock feathers overtake obese pilgrims on the hewn stone steps. Lean men with 'dolis' wait for passengers to carry up and down the hill. Priests with red turbans straight from history wait for devotees with wads of notes. The majestic monolith presides over all these. Two years later you will have to pay a fortune to reserve your place on the hill, when pots and pots of milk and water will flow over Bahubali's ... read more