South Indian Saga I [Start of the Expedition]

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

~ Robert Frost

Having completed two bike expeditions, driving through Central India and the deserts of Rajasthan in the western India, I was preparing myself to explore South India because of its beautiful nature, culture and people. I prepared myself driving through Western Ghats and to reach the south most point of India, Kanyakumari. I planned to leave on 12^th February, the night before I hardly slept to dream anything; I was rather preparing myself to add wings to my dream which will begin to fly in the morning.  Got up very early and nudged my friend to get up, but as usual he woke up sometime later. Pavan, he is my partner for next 9 days and will accompany me in my ride. With all swiftness I got ready and went to get my bike ready. We were carrying tent and couple of sleeping bags. I prayed to Goddess Patallama for a safe journey, temple which is outside our building. Finally wheels of our marvel machines begin to role as we set out our adventurous ride to South India.

I choose to drive through NH-48 and reach Hassan as early as possible as I set maximum ride on first day. We reached the outskirts of Hassan and took route towards Halebidu and reached there around 11 am. While sun had already started showing his presence, I saw a beautiful structure standing in front. We relaxed our bags and after having a light breakfast we set to explore the monumental city. Halebidu literally means ruined city. This name is given because this city was ruined two times by Bahmani Sultanate. Halebidu was the 12th century capital of the Hoysalas. It enshrines Hoysaleswara and Shantaleswara, named after the temple builder Vishnuvardhana Hoysala and his wife, Queen Shantala. Astounded by the temple architecture, I was thinking of the people who carved these structures with lots of dedication and hard work. Temple is still worshipped with Lingam inside the temple, guarding the temple is the huge monolithic sculpted Nandi. The temple complex comprises two Hindu temples, the Hoysaleshawara and Kedareshwara temples and museum. The walls of the temple are covered with an endless variety of depictions of Hindu mythology, animals, birds and Shilabalikas or dancing figures. I have a habit of speaking to local people, giving a smile or sometime getting into some conservation on something related to the places nearby, I read about the Jain Basadi and asked about it. Local person said its half kilometer from the Hoysaleshwara temple. We visited the Basadi and pleased to see it. Just a few distance from it was Kedareshwara Temple, we reached and the gate keeper took us inside the temple. This temple is again an architectural excellence. Still with sculpture around in my head, we reached Belur. I could see a huge temple gopuram at a distance of about a kilometer away, I was gazing the temple riding the bike till I reached the entrance. The temple complex contains the Chennakesava Temple (dedicated toChennakeshava, meaning handsomeVishnu) is the centre piece, surrounded by the Kappe Chennigraya temple built by Shantaladevi, queen of king Vishnuvardhana. The credit of carving most of the sculptures goes to Jakanachari. A legend says that Dankanachari (son of Jakanachari) found that the main statue of Lord Vishnu was faulty and had frog inside it. Jakana, shocked to believe this, cuts his right hand. He began build the other temple and contemplates the task. Later, the old temple (which had faulty statue) came to be known as kappechennigaraaya's temple (kappe=frog).

After a brief lunch we set to hit the Ghats of Charmadi. Drive through Charmadi Ghats was amazing, rubbing my shoes to road all through the stretch. I stopped to enjoy a tea when Ghat ended and waited for Pavan. He reached to stall sometime later. We headed to Ullal, thinking I can halt in the beach in our tent, after our attempts to sleep in tent in beach went in vain during my Gujarat expedition. Ending up late in the evening in Ullal, we decided to rest in a lodge. I called off day one, waving good night to my bike, I hit the bed.