Saturday 2 February 2013

Melokote Over Rided

Hill Top
Road Map

Bangalore -> Mandya (~105km) -> Right turn after Mandya city ( Land Mark Railway crossing)-> Melukote (~42km).


Starting Early morning from Bangalore(Bike-Ride) Reaching Melukote around 12noon. The Journey was little tiring but as we had taken pit stops regularly it was tolerable! Lush green beauty between mandya and melukote was  staggering, with paddy fields, Raggi Flowers, masses of sugarcane fields and Traditional way of Jaggery making units. Made us to forget the technology, Laptops, I-pads, smartphones, smart company as well.




Panaroma shoot from top of hill
Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple

There are steps that lead to the top. Steep and quite a climb, but should not take too long. You should finish it under 20-300 minutes even if you are pretty unfit. If in case, you plan to visit in the evening and spend more time at the top Do take a torch with you.

Yoga Narasimha Temple
Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple

The Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple is built on the foothills of Yadugiri and is situated about 145 kms from Bangalore and about 50 kms from Mysore. The temple is dedicated to Thirunarayana or Cheluva Narayana. On the top of the hill there is a temple for Yoga Narasimha. There is also a beautiful stepped tank at the base of the hill. It believed that the famous Srivaishnava Saint Ramanujacharya resided here for about 12 years in the 12th Century, thus making it a prominent place for Srivaishnava Sect and also home to the Academy of Sanskrit Research.
Vairamudi Brahmostava is an annual festival which attracts more than 3-4 lakh devotees of Lord Cheluva Narayana.

Sculpure on pillars of temple

View of YogaNarasimha Fron RayaGopura













Kalyani or Pushkarani
The beautiful pond near the Cheluva-narayana swamy temple. It has an unrivaled appeal to it. Early morning spent here can be very peaceful.
Pushkarani
 Raya Gopura
Neighboring folks say that it was built in a night. Unfinished but interesting structure of large and heavy stone blocks. Local guy hanging out there mentioned a few movies shot in the area – Padayappa, Guru, Shivaji, etc.
RayaGopura
Akka Thangi Kola
Literally translates to elder and younger sister ponds. Located next to each other, just below the Raya Gopura.

D Boyzz in front of RayaGopura
Last but not the least Melkote is incomplete without discussing Puliyogare (tamarind rice) and the delicious Sakkare pongal (sweet rice dish). My not-so-exhaustive research tells that Subbanna mess is the best place to eat both of them along with their special Mango chutney. 

Paddy Fields

Traditional Jaggery Making
                                         

                              “The world is a book, Those who do not travel read only a page”



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