the journey continues…

Seems like a travelling season for me !!. This week we are in Mumbai,the financial capital of India.
It was a business trip for my husband and I thought of accompanying him as well. We booked Service Apartments this time as I was not much interested in staying at the hotel all alone. I also feel service apartments provide a good and cheaper service compared to 5-star hotels.
As this was my first time visit to Mumbai, I was little excited about the city as they show in movies..Mumbai a city of dreams…But as soon as we started entering the city, my excitement levels came down very fast.80% of the city is full of slums and these slums have become a part of the city. People are so used to these slums, they will continue to live like this further 10 more generations and hardly would ever think of removing slums from the city.I remembered Slumdog Millionaire !!

A day evening we went to Gateway Of India. Whole of the Mumbai has been connected by taxis and local trains.Taxis are very costly compared to trains. They have meters for these taxis which starts from 0.When we reached GateWay Of India from Marol the meter showed 22. We had no idea whether the meter shows the kilometers,rupeese nothing. The taxi driver took a card from his pocket and asked us to pay 350. I didn’t understand the logic behind these cards!!.Also these taxi drivers are very smart. If they come to know that you are not from Mumbai they will show one more card which says 500Rs for the same kilometers!!

Mumbai

Gate of India was very crowded as it was a weekend. You get boats from here to go to Elephanta Caves.We couldn’t make it to the caves due to time constraint.
In front is the Taj which reminds us the terrorist attacks of 26/11. They are still renovating some parts of the building.We enjoyed a nice chariot ride here.Horse Chariots are very common here as they would be used for weddings.The old guy who was running the horse said,One good horse costs around 1,50,000.If he gives it for a day he will earn around 3000/day.Everything is business here..people will sell anything to get money here..I was surprised to see people were selling mats for sitting in the Beach ..10rs each!!

A few kilometers from India Gate is Marine Drive.Marine drive is 3km long stretch along the natural bay of the Arabian Sea.People sit,speak,eat,walk ,sleep on this.
Next point is Chowpatty beach.Beaches in Mumbai are famous for eating than swimming and sunbathing.A part of the beach area would be occupied by stalls which sells bhel puri,pani pur,pav bhaji,faloodas and paans [Remembers Amitabhs' famous Paan song ] etc.You can see people sitting on mats and eating in a group.When we went to Chowpatty it was 10:30 in the night.But beach area was filled with people.Mumbai is 24/7 active city.You get taxis ,cabs all the time.Only thing is they should come to the place where you want to go!.
If you have enough time and energetic enough to walk,then you can start walking from Gateway Of India , stroll down to Marine Drive then to Chowpatty Beach.Its a beautiful stretch to walk in the evening times.
My itinerary would be really incomplete without temples in it. Where ever we go inside/outside India I make it a point to visit temples there.Its a kind of feel good factor for me! .So one evening we visited the famous SiddiVinayaka Temple of Dadar. Security is very high here and you are not supposed to carry cameras,handy cams etc.They scanned my bag and didnt allow me to enter the temple as I had camera.There was no locker facility for keeping the camera. Logu started convincing them that we have come from far but policemen there did not have the minimum courtesy to talk to him properly.They will never speak in English even though they knew and above that a bad behavior.I smelled this rudeness and unfriendliness in everybody, from taxidrivers to businessmen.Thats there in Mumbai’s air I feel!!!.
Still we went inside the temple & saw the god as Logu kept the camera in his hand only !!!.
Continued…..

Recently we had been to coorg and chikmagalur. Both the time we stayed in homestays. Somehow I felt homestays are better choices compared to Hotels as they would be having homely atmosphere and you can have home food which you will miss always .
So in Coorg we stayed in a home stay called Palace Estate.Its a pretty nice place in between the woods maintained by a Coorg family. The place is very remote and is entirely sorrounded by greenary and there is no network also.So if you want to spend a weekend without any traffic noise,mobile calls this is the best place to go !!!

HomeStay

Balcony

Have a cup of coffee in the morning , take a walk amidst the coffee plantation,have a shower in the private falls [ which was awesome ] and relax.They also gave a nice breakfast,lunch and dinner mostly prepared in coorgi style.
10 mins from the homestay there is a palace called Nalkanad Summer Palace where you can see some of the old paintings. This palace was built by a Kodagu King named Lingaraja and now it has been protected by ASI.

Palace

Waterfalls

“Thadiyandamole” which is the highest peak in Coorg is 6km from here and is a very good spot for trekking.Top of the hill provides a scenic view.
Padi Igutappa Temple which is a very auspicious temple for Coorgis is 7 km from here.

My Favt dew drops

Woodys

They have a website of their own where you can find more details
www.palaceestate.co.in.
Make sure you book in advance before going there.

Few weeks later we visited chikmagalur,there also we stayed in a homestay called Woodways.
This homestay is also remote and sorrounded by coffee plantations.You can take a coffee tour,do trekking,
bird watching etc.This place fills with you so much positive energy and makes you feel fresh.
You can stay here for a weekend and visit places like Kemmanugundi,Bababudangiri,Mullayyanagiri etc. which are near by. Pics are below

homestay

front view

coffee with cam

Kallur Mahalakshmi Temple which is in Manvi Taluk is around 20 kms from Raichur.Kallur is also called as second Kollaphur where Goddess Mahalakshmi dwells.The temple has statues of both Lord Venkateshwara and Mahalakshmi.The temple has a great prominence as both Srinivsa and Lakshmi ( husband and wife) are situated together in this place.We know that Lord Srinivasa is located in Tirupati and Mahalkshmi in Kollaphur.This is the only place where you can see both of them together.

The temple is very auspisious for marriage.They have a procedure here to pray for that.You need to tie a coconut in the temple praying for marriage and after the marriage you should visit the temple. Priest also said that if you call/mail him if will pray and tie the coconut on behalf of you.After your wish is fulfilled you can visit the temple.

Gopuram

anjaneya

There is a link for the temple in the wikimapia : http://wikimapia.org/12207668/Kallur-Stop
Address and contact number of the temple:
ಅರ್ಚಕರು
ಶ್ರೀ ಮಹಾಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿ ದೇವಸ್ತಾನ
ಕಲ್ಲೂರು
ಮಾನ್ವಿ ತಾಲೂಕು 584118
ರಾಯಚೂರು ಜಿಲ್ಲೆ
ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ
(Sri Mahalakshmi Temple,Kalluru,Manvi Taluk,Raichur District,Karnataka PIN-584118)
Ph:08538-262001,09480218833
You can also contact the archakas of the temple …
Devarajachar Archak on 9481546901

Priest also gave me a piece of paper containing the shlokas/mantras which are helpful for marriage and getting child.I am sharing it below.The procedure is everyday after taking bath you should chant them with belief and faith in goddess Mahalakshmi.

(For marriage)
Kathyayini mahamaye maha yoginyadhishwari |
Nanda gopa sutam devi pathim may kurute namaha||

ಕಾಥ್ಯಾಯಿನಿ ಮಹಾಮಾಯೆ ಮಹಾ ಯೋಗಿನ್ಯಧೀಶ್ವರಿ |
ನಂದಗೋಪ ಸುತಮ್ ದೇವಿ ಪತಿಮ್ ಮೆ ಕುರುತೆ ನಮಹ: ||

(For child)
Devaki Suta Govindam Deva Deva Jagatpate |
Dehime tanayam krishna Twamaham Sharanam Gata ||

ದೇವಕಿ ಸುತ ಗೋವಿಂದಂ ದೇವ ದೇವ ಜಗತ್ಪತೆ |
ದೇಹಿಮೆ ತನಯಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ತ್ವಮಹಂ ಶರಣಂ ಗತ ||

Thanks to Mr.Ashok (contact_ashok@hotmail.com) who has recently visited the temple and gave me updated phone numbers and other details of the temple.

1. The Archakas’ post is rotated on annual basis amongst their families and this is called ‘Paryaya’.
2. Devotees can offer Naivedyam pooja or just have ‘Darshana’. Those (males) who offer Naivedyam pooja will have to wear ‘veshti’ (traditional white cloth similar to ‘lungi’ but not ‘lungi’) during lunch which is served like ‘prasadam’. It is preferable for women to wear sarees. This is to be noted imporantly by those devotees who wish to offer ‘Naivedyam’ pooja.
3. There is no fixed charges for Naivedyam pooja. It is upto people’s wish to give any amount of ‘dakshina’, which is an honorarium given to Archakas for their Archaka (service). Definitely Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi will be pleased if we serve those who serve Her.
4. There is no provision to get a lodge/stay facility in Kallur. The nearest place would be Raichur.
Devotees who come from far off places can go to Raichur and come to the Temple after having bath, food etc.
5. Devotees who wish to offer Naivedyam pooja should reach the Temple by 10:00 AM. It would be good if they speak to the Paryaya Archaka on phone before they plan their journey. This will help them to know the conditions regarding travel, weather etc.

Below are the Kallur Mahalakshmi stotrams :
(click on the images to get larger and clear view)

When ever we go to Mantralaya, we will try to visit Hampi also.Its around 150kms from Mantralaya.
You would need complete 3 days to visit whole Hampi.There are good accommodations available in hospet which is around 12km form hampi.Summers would be very bad here. August – January is the best time to visit Hampi.
Hampi, the capital city of Vijayanagara Empire, was founded by two brothers Harihara and Bukkaraya (more popularly known as Hakka and Bukka), under the guidance of their Guru Vidyaranya. The markets in Hampi were always crowded with merchants from all over the world to barter their goods in exchange of spices and cotton, grown abundantly in the area. Rubies, diamonds and all precious stones were sold on the streets in the scale of seers.

As the saying goes, everything that goes up must come down. It was true in case of Hampi also. After seeing its golden period, Hampi fell down to the attacks of the five Sultans of Deccan – Bidar, Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar and Berar . The city was looted for a period of 6 months. The temples were destroyed and the markets were plundered. The golden empire had come to an end.

Virupaksha Temple,Hampi

Virupaksha temple is the oldest and the principal temple in Hampi.This is the only one temple which has been survived from the attacks of Muslim kings.The reason is that Royal Emblem of Vijayanagara Kings has a pig in that and it has been carved in the entrance of the temple.Pigs are considered to be auspicious for muslims and they stepped back from here.So every temple/structure has been destroyed by Muslim Kings in Hampi except this.

Royal Emblem of Vijayanagara Kings

Below picture is shows a bull/nandi which had 3 heads.

3 headed nandi in Virupaksha Temple,Hampi

Can you figure out the pig in the royal emblem?

Royal emblem

Mantapam inside the temple

Apart from many architectural places, Hampi is also famous for Ramayan History.
We can see a small hill where Sugreeva used to stay during the period of Ramayan.Also there is a small river which is called Chakrateertha.

Chitrakoota,Hampi

Chakra teertha,Hampi

There are 2 main temples to visit here.One is Kodandarama temple and the other one is Yantroddharaka Anjaneya Temple.My mom is a great devotee of Yantroddharaka Anjaneya and we will never miss a visit to this temple.The temple has a very interesting story behind its origin which you can find in this link.

http://ashwini.logukrishnan.net/2010/05/24/yantrodharaka-hanumantahampi

Kodandarama Temple,Hampi

Yantrdharaka Hanumanta Temple,Hampi

Kadale kalu Ganesha,Hampi

Akka Tangi Kallu,Hampi

Ugra Narasimha,Hampi

Badavi Linga,Hampi

Lotus Mahal,Hampi

Elephants Stable,Hampi

Mahanavami Dibba,Hampi

Vijaya vittal temple is one of the key attaractions in Hampi.Its built by KrishnaDevaraya.
The temple has around 56 musical pillars. When tapped gently, these pillars produce musical sounds. These pillars are popularly known as Musical Pillars or SaReGaMa pillars.
Inside the vijaya vittal temple we can find the stone chariot.We can find only 2 stone chariots in India one is in Hampi and the in Konark Sun Temple,Bhuvaneshwar.

Vijaya vittala Temple,Hampi

Musical Pillars,Hampi

StoneCart,Hampi

Stepped Tank,Hampi

There are several useful links about Hampi where you can get all the information.
http://www.hampionline.com/
http://www.hampi.in