Chickamagalur

Karnataka is a state that has been overshadowed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu, when it comes to tourism. And that is sad considering that it is one of India's most diverse and beautiful states. It is a state where history lies beneath your feet( Mysore,Hampi, Badami) and a religious aura pervades the air( Dharmasthala,Shringeri) . It is a state where culture(Mysore) and modernity( Bangalore) co exist. And few states in India have its natural diversity, be it the unspoilt beaches of the Canara region, the thick forests of Malnad and Mysore or the hill resorts of Coorg, K.R.Hills and the cascading waterfalls of Jog, Gokak. Add to it the forts,castles and monuments of North Karnataka, and you have a place which is truly a tourist paradise. Add to it a friendly and hospitable people who are highly knowledgable, and a pleasant weather, except for N.Karnataka. Unfortunately except for the Bangalore-Mysore circuit, tourist infrastructure in the rest of the state is very poorly developed,and neither does it have an extensive road and rail network like Tamil Nadu.

One of the more underrated places in Karnataka has been Chikmagalur. Situated in the foothills of the towering Baba Budan Giri range in the Western Ghats, the place is also called as "Poor Man's Ooty" due to it's pleasant climate and laid back lifestyle. Chikmagalur covers the Malnad area in Karnataka, a thickly forested hilly and plateau like area. This place takes it's name from a Kannada word meaning "Town of the Younger Daughter", from the legend that this place was given as a dowry to the younger daughter of the local chieftain Rukmangada. The twin town adjoining this is Hiremagalur Or "The Town of the Elder Daughter". In Indian history,Chikmagalur is often identified as the birthplace of the Hoysala Dynasty. As per legend, Sala the founder of the dynasty killed a tiger here, which is also the symbol in the Hoysala flag. The Amriteshwara Temple in this area was built by legendary Hoysala king Veera Ballala II. The area is however more famous for it's coffee plantations and along with Coorg, constitutes the Coffee belt of Karnataka. According to legend, coffee was introduced in this area by a Muslim sufi saint Baba Budan in 1607 AD, who bought the beans from Yemen, on the way back home after his pilgrimage to Mecca. The hills surrounding Chikmagalur are named in his honor in fact. In 1978, this place shot into worldwide fame, when Indira Gandhi won the bye election from here, and made a comeback into Parliament after losing from Rae Bareily in 1977.

The major attraction of Chikmagalur is the Baba Budan Giri hills located to the north. Also called as Chandra Drona Parvatha, this place has the tallest peak in Karnataka, Mullayangiri, at a heightof 1930 m above sea level. Located around 16 km from the town, this can be reached by a long winding road, narrow at place, but which does give you spectacular views of the Western Ghats. On the way one can also touch the Seethalagiri peak named after the saint Sidhi Seethalaya. Mullayanagiri itself contains 3 caves dedicated to 3 holy saints or siddhas. There is no road going up to the peak,and one has to trek for half an hour to reach there. But it is worth it. On a clear day, one could even see the Arabian Sea in the distance. The Baba Budan Giri Dattatreya Peetha is a holy spot revered by both Hindus and Muslims alike,though of late unfortunately this place also has fallen place to sectarian politics. The Darga is dedicated to the Muslim Saint, while the Datta Peetha is located in a cave here. In fact the rites of the Datta Peetha dedicated to the Hindu God Dattatreya,is conducted by a Muslim fakir. This spot is also famous for the Jathra or Urs, which is attended by large number of Hindus as well as Muslims. The Manikyadhara waterfall close to this site, is worth a watch especially for the pearly effect it gives when the water falls down. There are many trekking routes in this area which could be arranged too, the most popular being the one to Mullayangiri and Baba Budan Giri.

55 Km north of Chickamagalur is Kemmanugundi or also popularly called K.R.Hills. Located at a height of 1434 m, this hill town is relatively calm, unspoilt and has a lovely climate, which makes it the perfect spot for relaxation. Famous for the waterfalls of Kallathagiri and Hebbe. It is also the retreat of the Karnataka Governor, and one can get spectacular views from the Raj Bhavan here. The Horticulture Dept maintains some lovely Gardens out here, and the Rose Garden is famous. This area is also pretty good for trekking and a lot of routes branch out from here. However there are not much lodges here to stay, and one has to make a prior booking in Bangalore for the Horticulture Dept Guest House. Wildlife lovers could visit the sanctuaries of Bhadra around 38 km from here, this place also has Jungle Lodges and Resorts Lodge here and is famous for the birds. Bhadra is also a Project Tiger reserve, and has a good collection of wild animals too.

The Kudremukh National Park is again another worth watching site, famous for it's Lion Tailed Macaque. Shringeri,which is 90 km away from here, is famous as the site of the Saradamba Temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. The Vidyashankar Temple built by Vidyaranya Swami, the patron saint of the Vijayanagar Empire, is another famous one here, in the Hoysala style. The Sharadamba Temple is maintained by the Shringeri Sharada Peetham, founded by Adi Shankaracharya in 820 AD. This matha also maintains the Yajur Veda.

Chikmagaluru is worth a visit for its diverse natural beauty, and lovely climate. One could cover Chikamagalur and the Baba Budan Giri Hills, or the other option is Chikmagalur-Kemmanagundi. Problem is neither the town nor the districts have a proper road network. If you are trying to reach from Bangalore, you could take the route from Bangalore-Kadur-Chickmagalur via Arsikere or a longer route via Hassan-Belur, but the average time is around 5 1/2 hours. There is no train going there, so one would have to get down at Kadur from where its a 45 minute journey by Road. I would still recommed the road journey any time, though the drive itself is not that comfortable. Also there are a number of private lodges and resorts in the Chickmagalur to stay. So i would advise you to explore this beautiful area, it is worth it.

Karwar

It was the year 1916, when Rabindranath Tagore, was having a sojourn at the place. So entranced was he by the sheer natural beauty that he remarked "The sea beach is certainly a fit place in which to realise that beauty of nature is not a mirage of imagination, but reflects the joy of the infinite and thus draws us to lose ourselves into it." The story goes that this inspired him to pen his first drama also. The place in question is Karwar, one of the most beautiful and unspoilt sea side resorts you find in India. Karwar itself is the headquarters of the Uttara Kanara district, one of the most beautiful and verdant places in India. While it shares its border with Goa, it is bounded on the other sides by the districts of Shimoga, Udupi, Belgaum and Dharwar, and the Arabian sea on the West Side. The area is overwhelmingly upper caste dominated with Goud Saraswat Brahmins, Daivajna Brahmins and the Havyaka Brahmin community, comprising the major chunk. Some of the more popular people from this region are Ramakrishna Hegde( the former CM of Karnataka), the actor brothers Anant and Shankar Nag, Girish Karnad( though born in Matheran, he is basically a Konkani Brahmin), Amrita Rao( also Konkani Brahmin) and also many famous writers. The common surnames found in this area are Bhat, Hegde, Desai, Joshi, Kamath, Naik, Hebbar to name a few.

Karwar town has a sizeable population of Konkan Marathas, Bhandaris and Havyalik Gowdas. And also a strong Muslim, Christian community. During ancient times, Karwar was a port of trade for the Arabs, Dutch and Portugese. It was a part of the Maratha empire, before being ceded over to the British after the end of the Anglo-Maratha wars. In 1862, The British made it the district headquarters, and it was a part of the Bombay Presidency. After the states reorganization in 1956, the area came under Karnataka, but the Marathi-Konkani influence is still dominant. Konkani and Kannada are the main languages here. In fact there are more Konkani and Marathi speakers than native Kannada speakers in Karwar. What makes Karwar one of the most beautiful places is the topography of the town itself.

Bounded on one side by the Arabian Sea, and other side by the towering ranges of the Western Ghats, it has a breathtaking beauty to itself. Especially during the sunset and sunrise. In a way Karwar town, exemplifies the whole Uttara Kanara region itself. The district itself is split into two parts, the coastal plains, along the Arabian Sea, and the Malnad region, which has the woodlands, forests and mountains. And that makes this place a veritable treasure trove of natural beauty. While Karwar is accesible by road and is located on the Konkan Railway, i would recommend the 160 Km road trip from Hubli or even from Belgaum, which takes you through the lush verdant landscape covered with hills and valleys, as also some of the thickest jungles. This is one of the best ways to experience the beauty of the place.

The Kalindi River flows through Karwar town into the Arabian Sea and the place where the river meets the sea is a must watch. The Kali Bridge which is located at this point, is one of the town's major attractions, and people congregate here to witness the sunset and sunrise. It is one of the most beautiful experience, not just the sunset, but also the sun rays, painting the imposing Western Ghats bordering the town, in different shades of light. The Devbagh beach is one of the most beautiful, unspoilt beaches in India, which has not yet fallen to the ravages of tourism. Karwar is not a tourist hotspot like Goa, and has a more serene, laid back atmosphere. But that itself heightens the beauty of the place. The solitude and quite atmosphere is really soothing for the soul.

Apart from Devbagh, the other famous beach is the Rabindranath Tagore beach named in honor of the poet, who spent some time there. Karwar also has a lot of other famous places to be seen in it's vicinity. Yellapur which comes on the Hubli-Ankola road, has two beautiful waterfalls Satoddi and Magod. Yellapur is also the place where one turns towards Karwar while comming from Hubli. Kumta which is 60km down South of Karwar has a number of lovely unspoilt beaches, Gokarna being the most famous of them. Apart from being a beach Gokarna, is also a famous Saivite place of worship, famous for the Siva Temple here. Another worthwhile place is Dandeli , 117 km from Karwar, famous for its wildlife sanctuary. Sirsi is famous for the Marikambika Temple, while if you are the adventurous kind, you could try out Siddapur, from where the Jog Falls is a mere 20km away. Bhatkal has the Solesvara Temple built by the Chola rulers, while Murudeshwara has the tallest Shiva statue, as well as the tallest temple Gopura. Gokarna and Murudeshwar have the legend about Ravan obtaining Shiva's Atma Linga, and the Gods using Lord Ganesh to ensure that Ravan did not have possesion of it.

Though not a tourism hotspot like Goa, Karwar and its surrounding areas, need to be explored for their sheer natural beauty, the temples, the forests and the pristine unspoilt beaches. My suggestion would be to take the road trip from Hubli, and using Karwar as the base, explore the surrounding areas. There are a good number of hotels and resorts in that area. Karwar town itself takes hardly a day to go around, so after finishing it, you could either make a trip along the coast to Gokarna, Murudeshwar or to Dandeli. The other option would be to hit it out to Yellapura for the water falls or much better to Siddapur which could cover the Jog Falls as well as the surrounding trekking routes.

The Mahabharat in Today's World

Writing a post  on the Mahabharat or trying to explain its philosophy in a single article, is akin to gathering the waters of the ocean in your palm. Because the Mahabharat, is not just an epic, not just a poem, not just a story. It is something way beyond that. It is about philosophy, about life, about battles, about human beings. The Mahabharat is not about good and evil, it is about human beings, about their personal complexities, their insecurities. It is a veritable ocean, the more you explore it, the lesser you know about it. You could spend your entire lifetime studying the Mahabharat, but still you find that you know less. It is again a tale which can be interpreted in various ways. If Shakespeare’s plays were the basis of Western literature, then it can be safely said that the Mahabharat is the fountainhead of Indian culture, literature, art and tradition. Unlike the Ramayan, where the lines between good and evil were clearly defined, in Mahabharat it is not. This review of mine is not about the Mahabharat per se, but some of my thoughts on this book. What i really found fascinating about the Mahabharat is that quite a lot of the messages it gives are relevant in the real world even today. This in fact would be a two part series, and i would be sharing some more thoughts of mine in my next review, which incidentally would be my review no 350.

To Pardon a 100 Mistakes

One very fascinating tale in the Mahabharat is that of Krishna and Sishupal. The latter was Krishna’s own cousin, the son of his aunt. The story goes that Sishupal was born as a deformed child, with 4 arms and 3 eyes. And neither the omens were good too, jackals howling and lightning flashes. When Krishna came to visit his aunt, he took Sishupal in his arms, and miraculously he became normal. However Shishupal’s mother was worried, because it was prophesized that Sishupal would die at the hands of the very person, who bought him to his normal self. Seeing his aunt’s distress, Krishna vowed to her, that he would he would not harm her son, as long as the sins committed by him,did not cross 100. His mother was relieved, as she felt her son would not stray the path of virtue. Unfortunately as he grew up  Shishupal became vain and arrogant, aligning himself with the powerful king Jarasandha. He had no love lost for his cousin Krishna, especially after he eloped with his bride to be Rukmini. However the turning point came, when during the Rajasuya Yagna, Yudhisthir , gave Krishna the honor, on the advice of Bheeshma. This infuriated Shishupal, who asked why when more powerful kings were present, a mere cowherd like Krishna, should be given the honor. And he thus launces into a tirade against Krishna, insulting him, calling him names. He attacks the elders Bhismha and Drona , and mocks at the Pandavas as beggars.  When the Pandavas are wondering why Krishna does not stop him, he then tells the gathering of the promise he had made to Sishupal’s mother. And now that Sishupal had crossed the 100 mistakes, he is no longer bound by that, and sends the Sudarshana Chakra to kill him. The idea here is that we might get away with our mistakes or sins, at times, but some time or other in the longer run, those mistakes are bound to visit on us. There is no escaping the consequences of our actions.

Pride goes before a Fall

Was Duryodhan a singularly evil character? Or was he more sinned against than sinning? Like Raavan, he was more in the mould of a noble villian. he was learned, he was a man who never cared for the caste when he made Karna the king of the Anga region, inspite of his lowly upbringing. Nor do any accounts mention of him as being a tyrannical leader. And he was one of the greatest warriors. A much more superior warrior to even Bhim, something which his guru Balaram, mentioned. But his downfall was due to one main reason- excessive pride. Was it a pride based on his own feelings of superiority? Or was it due to his anger at having to bear the cross of being born to a blind father? Or was it the fact that he felt insecure of his own cousins, the Pandavas? Whatever the main factor was his own egoism. He had blind belief in himself and his Kuru army. Far from refusing to give back to the Pandavas what he had deprived from them, he refused to part with an inch of land also. Duryodhan always felt insecure, and he spent all his life plotting against the Pandavas. From the lac home to the game of dice to his refusal to part land which led to the terrible war. Both Raavan and Duryodhan in a way were victims of their own arrogance and their own ego. Their inflexibility to listen to sane advice, their  belief in their own superiority, which ultimately led to their downfall and the destruction of their empires.

A Half knowledge is a dangerous thing

One of the most fascinating tales in the Mahabharat is Abhimanyu and his fight to the death in the Chakravyuh. The son of Arjun,  Abhimanyu, was an expert archer and a great warrior like his father himself. Born to Arjun and Subhadra, he grew up mostly in the care of his mother, and his maternal uncle, Krishna, when Arjun was away in the forest on exile. During the Mahabharat war, he showed his valour and bravery, prompting even the admiration of Bheeshma. During the war, Duryodhan wished to capture Yudhistir, alive, and he asked the commander in chief Drona to help him out.  Drona in turn came out with the Chakravyuh, an impregnable battle formation, which was difficult to break through. The only person who knew how to break that formation was Arjun. So Duryodhan, diverted Arjun from the main battlefield, by sending a huge army to attack him. Helpless without Arjun and Krishna, Yudhistir turned to Abhimanyu for help. The problem was that while Abhimanyu knew how to enter the Chakravyuha, he had no knowledge on how to exit it. The Pandavas reassure that they would follow Abhimanyu, inside, once he breaks through the first cordon. Abhimanyu manages to break inside, but the Pandavas find their path blocked by Jayadratha, who had obtained a boon from Lord Shiva, that he would defeat all of them sans Arjun in a battle for one day at least. Inside the Chakravyuh, Abhimanyu finds himself totally trapped and cut off, and fights till the end, before being killed unfairly by the Kauravas, but not before inflicting a great damage. This incident reveals the dangers of half knowledge. Many of us at times rush headlong into a task  without having the full knowledge about it, and we find ourselves trapped and in all sorts of trouble, as we are unable to proceed further. 

Aswathama Hatha Kunjara
 
One of the more contentious issues in the Mahabharata is the killing of Drona. One of the mightiest warriors, the only way to defeat Drona would be to make him lay down his arms. Krishna knew that Drona loved his son Aswathama intensely, for him his son meant more than anything else. And that is when he adopts the strategy of using a half truth. He gets Bhim to kill an elephant named Aswathama, and asks him to utter it loudly. Drona is shocked on listening to this, and he asks Yudhistir whether this was indeed true. Drona has immense faith in Yudhistir and would accept whateve he says as the truth. And that is when Yudhistir utters the famous quote ’’Aswathama Hatha Kunjara’’ ( Aswatthama an elephant has been killed). Now here actually the Kunjara part is deliberately told by Yudhistir in a low voice not audible by Drona, and which is drowned out in the noise of the drums and conches. Drona really believes that his son is dead, and he lays down his arms, following which he is killed. What Yudhistir said was not a lie, but it was a far worse crime, a half truth. At times half truths can be much more dangerous than lies, becuase they contain an ounce of truth in them and people believe in them. Sometimes the results can be dangerous for humanity, as can be seen in the way Hitler’s half truths about Jews. And unfortunately we do not seem to have learnt from it, as political leaders, willingly utter half truths to come to power. So many times we find ourselves falling prey to the Ashwatthama Hatha Kunjara which our politicians utter.

The Right man in the Wrong Place. 

As a character, Karna, is the most fascinating in the Mahabharat. He is a person forever cursed by fate. Cast away by his mother Kunti on birth, he grows up in a charioteer’s family, though a Kshatriya by birth. He is cursed by his guru Parasuram, for hiding the origin of his birth, that he would forget the use of the weapons when needed. Shunned by the world, he finds a true friend in Duryodhan, when the latter mocks at the elders for saying he could not participate in the archery competition, because of his lowly background. He is given the kingdom of Anga by Duryodhan, and he latter becomes a life time friend and confidant. Karna is indeed a complex character, he readily goes along with Duryodhan in his humiliation of the Pandavas during the dice game. To the extent that he remarks about Draupadi saying that ’one who has 5 husbands, could not be a virtous woman, be ready to accept my friend Duryodhan as your 6th husband’. His rivalry with Arjun is legendary, and he is the only one who could match him in skills. Yet he is a noble soul, readily giving away anything, to the extent that he donates his life saving armor to Indra, knowing very well, that this could cost his life against Arjun. He promises his real mother Kunti, that he would not harm any of her sons, except Arjun. In the event that either he or Arjun dies, she would still have 5 sons. He refuses Krishna’s offer to switch sides, saying that he could never betray Duryodhan’s trust and loyaltly. Karna is an example of a right man in the wrong place. Quite often we find people who compromise with their values and conscience, because they are indebted to some one else.