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| In and Around |
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Chikmagalur
Chikmagalur literally means ‘younger daughters town’ in local lingo. The same way that Hiremagalur (a town a little distance away) means elder daughters town. Of the two Chikmagalur stands out due to its virtues of surrounding western ghats, pleasing weather and ample flora and wildlife.
Baba Budan Giri
Legends surround Hunkal Woods, like the one of Baba Budan Dev where 2 shrines, 1 Hindu and 1 Muslim, stand side by side. Inside the Muslim shrine lies the tomb of Shah Hazrat Jamal, who first brought coffee to India. The Hindu temple is dedicated to Dattatraya Peeta. This god of the Hindu Pantheon has 3 faces: Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara.
Ahead of BabaBudan Giri lies the Manayakdhara Falls, famous for washing away your sins, more if you leave an item of clothing behind. As a result there is a huge pile of discarded clothes near these falls. Since the falls make their way through the forest, the water is supposed to be rich in nutrients and has healing powers.
Further away, on a tall hill, is a temple which King Wodeyar visits every Diwali to seek audience with Goddess Kali. A huge bonfire is lit to signal this celebration which is visible on a clear day even from Chamundi hills in Mysore.
Mulyangiri Peak and Kemmanagundi
The prettiest place around Hunkal Woods with astounding views and a fascinating drive is the tallest peak of Karnataka- Mulyangiri. Make sure to also visit the temple where Sita spent a part of her exile with Rama, the temple of Seethlayangiri, which is on the route. From here the road suddenly narrows and ascends to a point to park from where a steep short walk takes you to a view you’ll never forget. Don’t miss the sunset from this point.
Kemmanagundi used to be the King of Mysore’s summer residence till it was opened to the public a while ago. With a road that twists through the ghats and suddenly vanishes into the clouds, this is any tourists favourite spot. Unfortunately all the attention also makes it crowded, especially during the weekends.
Eight kms away are the Hebbe Falls that drop from a height of 600 ft. Also on the route are the Kalhatti Falls, unique for their walkways across the river that lead to cave temples of ancient origin.
There is also the Hiremagalur temple which is most unique in the country, since it’s a temple dedicated to lord Hanuman with no idol either within or outside its premises. This also has a 1200 year old history apparent in the structure and design fo the temple.
Belur and Halebid
The Chennakeshava temple in Belur is astounding for history buffs and you can spend hours taking in dancers and scenarios frozen in stone for eternity. Only 16 kms. Away is Halebid, the capital of the Hoysala dynasty. The Main attractions here are the Hoysaleshwara and Kedareshwara temples.
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