My TripAdvisor Review No.423: The Coffee Grove Restaurants & Resorts - CG - ALA, Vythiri, Wayanad.

Cosy Restaurant, Good Food.

We visited this restaurant for lunch on the way back from Banasura Dam to Vythiri in Wayanad. It has a very nice cosy ambience inside, and looked like a pretty homestay bungalow from the outside. There is sufficient parking space outside the restaurant.

They had veg and non veg food on the menu, including Kerala Thali. We tried out their Veg Schezwan Fried Rice which was quite tasty. After the meal we had their special coffee, which they make from the coffee grown on their own plantation.

We picked up some spices and home grown coffee powder from their small store next to the restaurant. Even though it is a few kilometers outside Vythiri town, it is worth dining here at least once.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.422: Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

Part Of The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

We drove through two ranges of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary during our Wayanad trip. As soon as we crossed the border between Karnataka and Kerala on the Mysore to Sultan Bathery route, we crossed over from the Bandipur Tiger Reserve into the Muthanga Range of the Wayanad Sanctuary. We saw elephant on two separate occasions from the highway itself, once as it had just crossed the road, and on the other occasion it was grazing quite deep in the forest. Deer sightings were quite common.

On the return trip we returned via the Tholpetty and Kutta (in Karnataka) route, after visiting the Thirunelli temple. To visit the temple we had to drive deep into the Tholpetty Range of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. Since it was afternoon we did not get any animal sightings, but we did see a lot of elephant dung along the roadside. The Tholpetty Range is contiguous with the Nagarhole Wildlife Sanctuary of Karnataka.

Driving through the dense forests of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is a wonderful experience in itself. To explore deeper one must stop at a Jungle Lodge and take a Jeep or Elephant Safari into the jungles. Besides Wayanad, Nagarhole, and Bandipur, the Madumalai Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu is also a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.421: Thirunelli Temple, Wayanad.

Ancient Vishnu Temple.

If you have planned to visit the excellent temples in the Wayanad district of Kerala, then the Thrissilery Shiva Temple and the Thirunelli Vishnu Temples are two of the most divine places to visit. According to the traditional custom you must first visit the Thrissilery temple and then proceed to the Thirunelli temple. Both the temples are located in the midst of the hills of the Western Ghats, near the town of Manathavady, in North Wayanad, but separated by a distance of 19 km.

We visited the Thrissilery temple first, and then drove to the Thirunelli Temple, through deep jungle and forests. Unfortunately, the temple doors were closed when we arrived around 1 pm, and we could not enter the sanctum sanctorum. However, we got a darshan from outside and did a parikrama around the ancient temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Maha Vishnu. It is located on the southern side of the Brahmagiri Hill in Kerala, very close to the border with Karnataka, surrounded by lush green forests and mountains.

About 1 km northwest of the temple is a holy mountain stream called the Papanasini. Pilgrims bathe here as they consider the waters of this stream washes away their sins. The temple offers services to immerse cremation ashes in the sacred mountain stream, which then flows to the Kaveri River and into the Indian Ocean.

After our parikrama of the temple we went down to the base of the hill where there were some Udupi food joints which served lunch and snacks. We enjoyed some puttus and wadas with spicy chutney for lunch.

The temple timings are: Morning 5.30 am to 12 noon. Evening: 5.30 pm to 8 pm. Try to go there early morning or late evening, with more chances of spotting wild elephants, gaur, and deer in the forests, if you are driving through the Tholpetty range of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.420: Thrissilery Shiva Temple, Wayanad.

Divine Temple.

If you have planned to visit the excellent temples in the Wayanad district of Kerala, then the Thrissilery Shiva Temple and the Thirunelli Vishnu Temples are two of the most divine places to visit. According to the traditional custom you must first visit the Thrissilery temple and then proceed to the Thirunelli temple, in that order. Both the temples are located in the midst of the hills of the Western Ghats, near the town of Manathavady, in North Wayanad, but separated by a distance of 19 km.

We decided to visit the temples on the way out from Vythiri. It is about 45 km from Vythiri (about 35 km from Kalpetta). It was difficult to find the temple, as we were offline as we got nearer to the remote place where the temple is located. We reached the temple after an almost two hour drive from Vythiri, enquiring the route from the locals.

The temple is very secluded and surrounded by an ambience of peace and tranquillity. At mid-day we were the only pilgrims to visit the temple, and the priests themselves took us around for darshan. To enter the sanctum sanctorum and perform a guided puja I had to remove my shirt and vest and only then allowed to enter. We had to do a circumambulation of the sanctum in a well defined path which is marked on the ground.

Though it is a Shiva temple there are also idols of other deities which are worshipped. These include Lord Vishnu, Goddess Saraswati, Lord Ganesha, Lord Muruga and Lord Hanuman. Located behind the temple in a water body, is a small shrine of Jala Durga. This perennial water body originates from the Papanashini River near Thirunelli. Locals believe that the shrine was installed by Lord Parasurama, an incarnate of Lord Vishnu.

We felt very blessed after visiting this temple. We collected holy prasadam from the temple office, and continued our journey to the Thirunelli Vishnu Temple.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.419: Banasura Hill, Wayanad.

For The Hardcore Trekkers.

We could see the Banasura Hill from the Banasura Sagar Dam. It is the second highest peak in Wayanad, after Chembra Peak, and is part of the Western Ghats mountain range of India.

The Banasura Hill trek is a long excursion for the trekking enthusiast. First, permission has to be obtained from the North Wayanad Forest Division office located in the town of Mananthavady, about 25 km from Banasura. Treks start from near the Banasura Hill Resort, about 2.5 km from the dam. You will be accompanied by a guide, after paying a fee at the Forest Office.

The hill trek is quite strenuous and only young or experienced trekkers should attempt it. It can take about 8 to 9 hours to trek to the peak and back to base, and is best attempted in the winter months between November to February.

An added bonus of the trek is a chance to visit the thunderous waterfall along the way, which the locals call Meenmutty Falls.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.418: Thariode, Wayanad, Kerala.

Rural Wayanad.

Thariode is a pretty little village in rural Wayanad, about 10 kms from Vythiri and Kalpetta, on the route to Banasura Dam. It is surrounded by hills with plenty of greenery and tea gardens. There are many temples, churches and mosques in the town, and all the communities live in perfect harmony.

We passed the impressive looking St. Mary’s Church, and clicked a snap with my cellphone. It is a model rural town of Wayanad, with an idyllic setting surrounded by nature, and there are many resorts and home-stays nearby. Maybe we will stay at one of them on our next visit to Wayanad.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.417: Banasura Sagar Dam, Wayanad, Kerala.

Speed Boat Rides.

The Banasura Dam is closer to Kalpetta rather than Vythiri. It took us about 45 minutes to drive the 24 km to Banasura Dam from Vythiri town. The drive was quite scenic through a lot of greenery and forested areas. It is the largest earthen dam in India, and the second largest in Asia. It is one of the best picnic spots in Wayanad.

One can either trek up to the top of the dam or hire a jeep. We opted for the bus which charges ₹10 per person. It is easy to trek down. Parking charges are ₹30 for a car, and entry charges are ₹30 per person, and extra is charged for still and video cameras (no charges for cell-phone cameras).

We got a spectacular view of the lake when we reached the top of the dam. There is a lot of greenery around the lake shore, which can be better explored by hiring the boats. Speed boats, Pontoon boats, Cycle boats, Coracles and Kayaks are available from 9 am to 5 pm. There is a nice garden where we relaxed for a while. It is better to visit in the early mornings or evenings. It was quite hot at noon when we visited.

After reaching back to the base, we stopped at the Banasura Dam View restaurant for lunch. There are some food stalls near the parking lot as well.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.416: Chain Tree of Karinthanandan, Vythiri, Wayanad.

A Ghost Story.

The legend behind the Chain Tree near Vythiri reads more like a ghost story. It is said that a tribal youth, Karinthanandan, guided a British engineer in making a road through Wayanad’s forests. The engineer, however, decided that he did not want to share the glory with his guide and killed the poor young tribal. The dead man’s soul would haunt travellers who passed by the area, until a priest chained his soul to a ficus tree.

The tree is located about 2 km from Vythiri, just before reaching Lakkidi, but we missed sighting it as we were driving to Lakkidi View Point. On the way back we had to make use of G-maps to pinpoint the exact location otherwise we would have missed it again. Then we saw the chain tied and hanging from the tree. Besides the tree there is a small compound with a temple. There is also a wayside tea stall nearby.

One can stop here and pay homage to the poor young tribal man, so that his soul may rest in peace.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.415: Lakkidi View Point, Wayanad, Kerala.

Sheer Drop from High Range.

Lakkidi View Point is a place on the Kozhikode Bangalore Highway (NH-766, earlier NH-212) from where we can get a bird’s eye view of the plains below, from the high ranges of Wayanad. It is about 7 km drive from Vythiri village.

We drove down from Vythiri, and just after crossing the town of Lakkidi we exited the district of Wayanad in Kerala. There is a narrow parking area by the side of the highway from where we could see the sheer drop down to the coast of Kerala. From this point we got a panoramic view of the valley below, with the serpentine road winding down the mountainside like a coiled snake. A few kilometres below we could see the vehicles wending their way up through the Wayanad Churam and Thamarassery Churam (mountain passes).

Many people stop by at this point just to admire the sheer beauty of the scenery unfolding before them, and to take some pictures. On a cloudy day the atmosphere may become hazy, making it difficult to see much, but one can still enjoy the rising mists and moisture laden breeze. During the monsoons one can also enjoy the many waterfalls trickling down the hillsides.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.414: Pookot Lake, Vythiri, Wayanad, Kerala.

Pretty Lake with Boating Facilities.

Pookot Lake, also known as Pookode Lake, is a very pretty fresh water lake just 3 km from Vythiri village in Wayanad. There are boating facilities available at the lake. Row boats can be hired for ₹350 for half an hour, and pedal boats for ₹200 (4 seater), and ₹100 (2 seater) for 20 minutes. There is also a nicely wooded walking track encircling the lake. Snacks and souvenirs can be bought from the shops at the entrance.

We had to park our car in the paid parking lot (₹30), from where we had to walk half a kilometre to the entrance gate of the lake garden. Entry charges are ₹20 per head, and still camera charges are also ₹20, which is ridiculous, as there are no charges for phone cameras.

We spent about half an hour taking a stroll around the lake beneath the shady trees. There were some flowers on the lake surface, making it look like a pink carpet covering the lake. It was cool and serene, as there was not much of a crowd on the weekday morning. We bought some souvenirs from the curio shop and enjoyed a hot cup of Kerala filter coffee.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.413: Chandragiri Hill, Shravanabelagola.

Memorial of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.

Chandragiri Hill is the smaller of the two hills in Shravanabelagola, Vindhyagiri and Chandragiri. While the Vindhyagiri Hill is better known because of the giant 58 foot statue of Gommateshwara, the Chandragiri Hill is also considered as holy for the Jain pilgrims, because this hill is where the Emperor Chandragupta Maurya breathed his last. Chandragupta, the founder of the Mauryan Empire, became a Jain ascetic before relinquishing his throne. His tomb is located on this hill, as well as the cave of his guru, Bhadrabahu.

Getting to the top of the Chandragiri Hill involves another climb up another 200 hundred steps. It is not as arduous as the 600 step steep climb up the Vindhyagiri, but after doing the Vindhyagiri we were simply too tired to do the Chandragiri as well. Maybe if we had more time or did the Chandragiri first it may have been possible.

We did get to see a good view of the Chandragiri Hill and the Jain Basadis situated there, from the top of the Vindhyagiri Jain Temple, but decided to spend at least another day at Shravanabelagola on our next visit, so that we could climb the Chandragiri Hill as well.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.412: Shravanabelagola Jain Temple, Karnataka.

Hilltop Temple of Lord Bahubali.

The giant 58 foot statue of Bhagwan Bahubali at Shravanabelagola is housed within the courtyard of the Shravanabelagola Jain Temple atop the Vindhyagiri hill. The statue is the tallest monolithic idol in the world. It is one of the holiest pilgrimage places for the Jain community attracting millions of devotees annualy. The word ‘Shravanabelagola’ literally translates to ‘the white pond of Shravana’ in the local language Kannada. There is a beautiful pond situated at the centre of the town by the same name.

To reach the temple one has to trudge up more than 600 steps from the bottom of the hill. We had to leave our footwear at the stand where the attendant gave us a token on payment of a small fee. There is no other entry fee. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to go up the steps, stopping many times on the way, as the incline is quite steep. It is better to start the trek up early before the sun starts heating up the ground and baking your feet. There are railings along the way, which helped us to pull ourselves up when the legs got tired. The old and infirm should avoid the climb, but there are palanquins available, carried by 4 porters, and they will carry you up for a fee.

The temple is very good, and there are many idols and carvings of the Jain Tirthankaras inside the temple. The statue of Bahubali is the centre of attraction. Photography is not allowed inside. Jain monks perform their rituals and penance in absolute silence at the temple. Every 12 years a ritual known as the ‘mahamastaabhisheka’ is performed, in which the Lord is adorned with thousands of liters of milk, ghee, curds, saffron and gold coins, by thousands of devotees. The last one was in February 2018, and the next one will be in 2030.

The view from outside the temple compound is very beautiful. We could see the lovely rectangular pond, and the Chandragiri hill on the other side of the town of Shravanabelagola.

Restaurants and food stalls are located at the base of the hill. Drinking water and toilet facility is also available. It is best to drink some tender coconut water before and after your trek.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.411: Vindhyagiri Temple, Shravanabelagola.

Temple of Lord Gommateshwara.

The giant 58 foot statue of Bhagwan Bahubali at Shravanabelagola is housed within the Vindhyagiri Temple atop the Vindhyagiri hill. To reach the temple one has to trudge up more than 600 steps from the bottom of the hill. We had to leave our footwear at the stand where the attendant gave us a token on payment of a small fee. There is no other entry fee.

It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to go up the steps, stopping many times on the way, as the incline is quite steep. It is better to start the trek up early before the sun starts heating up the ground and baking your feet. There are railings along the way, which helped us to pull ourselves up when the legs got tired. The old and infirm should avoid the climb, but there are palanquins available, carried by 4 porters, and they will carry you up for a fee.

The temple is very good, and there are many idols and carvings of the Jain Tirthankaras inside the temple. The statue of Bahubali is the centre of attraction. Photography is not allowed inside. This temple is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for the followers of the Jain religion. Jain monks perform their rituals and penance in absolute silence at the temple. At the exit you will be asked for a donation, and you may contribute at your discretion.

The view from outside the temple compound is very beautiful. We could see a lovely rectangular pond, and the Chandragiri hill on the other side of the town of Shravanabelagola.

Restaurants and food stalls are located at the base of the hill. Drinking water and toilet facility is also available. It is best to drink some tender coconut water before and after your trek.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.410: Bhagwan Bahubali (Gommateshwara) Statue, Shravanabelagola, Karnataka.

One of the Seven Wonders of India.

The 58 foot statue of Bhagwan Bahubali at Shravanabelagola was voted by the readers of the newspaper ‘The Times of India’ as the first of the Seven Wonders of India on August 5, 2007. Now there are statues taller than this in India, but when you think that this statue was sculpted more than a thousand years ago, and is still considered to be the World’s tallest monolithic statue, then the title seems more befitting to this colossal rock-cut statue of the Lord Gommateshwara Shri Bahubali. The town of Shravanabelagola is one of the most important tirthas for the Jain community.

We had just visited Halebeedu and were returning to Bangalore so we decided to stop at Shravanabelagola on the way. It was an 80 km drive from Halebeedu, and took us an hour and a half. It is best to visit early in the morning as there are more than 600 steps to climb, without any footwear, so you can end up with roasted feet. 10 am is the outer limit in winter, but even earlier in the summers. It takes between 30 to 45 minutes to reach the top of the Vindyagiri Hill where the statue is located. There are palanquins carried by four porters for the old and infirm devotees, though I would feel ashamed to be seen in one.

There are some monuments and temples on the way up, and you get a beautiful view of the surroundings from the hilltop. Photography is not allowed but many tourists could be seen taking snaps with their cellphones and cameras. The statue itself was covered by bamboo scaffolding due to maintenance being carried out since the last ‘Mahamastabhisheka’, which was in February 2018. It is held once every 12 years, and the next one will be in 2030.

The statue is worth visiting at least once in your lifetime, but many more times if you are a follower of Jainism. There is no entry fee, but you have to pay for a token at the footwear stand, and the monk in the temple will ask for a voluntary donation, as per your discretion.

Shravanabelagola to Bangalore was about 145 km, and took us about 2 hours 30 minutes to drive.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.409: Sri Veeranarayana Temple, Belavadi, Karnataka.

Amazing Temple.

The Sri Veeranarayana Swamy Temple is located at Belavadi, a sleepy village about 12 km from Halebeedu, and 29 km from Chikmagalur, in the Indian state of Karnataka. The temple is one of the largest Hoysala temple monuments. Belavadi village is also said to be the place where the Pandava prince Bhima killed the demon Bakasura and protected the village and its people.

The Sri Veeranarayana Temple is more than 800 years old and was built by the Hoysala King, Veera Ballala II. While the temples at Belur and Halebeedu are known for their sculptures, this temple is known more for its architecture. This is a three shrine, alternately known as ‘Trikuta’, Vaishnava temple with images of Lord Vishnu in three different avatars, Sri Veeranarayana in the centre facing East, Sri Venugopala facing North, and Sri Yoganarasimha facing South. The temple pujari himself guided us around the temple and helped us have a nice darshan. The temple is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.

One of the unique properties of this temple is that on the day of the summer solstice, 23rd March every year, the morning sun directly enters the Garbagriha from the entrance door, which is at a distance of 270 feet. The pillars of the temple are lathe turned and have a shiny appearance.

Many tourists visit the main temples of Belur and Halebeedu, but very few care to visit Belavadi, firstly because it is a bit off the main tourist circuit, and secondly very few know about it. So there are no crowds at this temple, and we got a very good experience of the peaceful village life in Karnataka.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.408: Belavadi, Chikmagalur District, Karnataka.

Sleepy Village With Amazing Temples.

Belavadi is a sleepy village about 12 km from Halebeedu, and 29 km from Chikmagalur, in the Indian state of Karnataka. This small village has two amazing temples, the Veeranarayana Temple, which is one of the largest Hoysala temple monuments, and a Ganapati temple, the main deity of which is known as the Udhbhava Ganapati. Both these temples are worth visiting. Belavadi village is also said to be the place where the Pandava prince Bhima killed the demon Bakasura and protected the village and its people.

The Veeranarayana Temple is more than 800 years old and was built by the Hoysala King, Veera Ballala II. While the temples at Belur and Halebeedu are known for their sculptures, this temple is known more for its architecture. This is a three shrine Vaishnava temple with images of Lord Vishnu in three different avatars, Sri Veeranarayana, Sri Venugopala and Sri Yoganarasimha. The temple pujari himself guided us around the temple and helped us have a nice darshan. The temple is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.

We then walked down to the Udhbava Ganpati Temple, a couple of hundred metres from the Veeranarayana temple. It is a small Ganpati temple, with a natural rock formation in the shape of a Ganapati which has manifest itself (swayambhu), and is still growing slowly (udhbava). Here also the temple priest helped us have a good darshan and performed a puja for us. This temple is maintained by the Sri Shankaracharya Mutt of Sringeri.

There are many other smaller temples dotting the village. The atmosphere of the village is calm and serene, with many trees and farms surrounding it. The villagers were busy with their farming and processing activities, and taking their livestock down for grazing. I could not resist the temptation to take some pictures of the quaint but clean little village of Belavadi.

Many tourists visit the main temples of Belur and Halebeedu, but very few care to visit Belavadi, firstly because it is a bit off the main tourist circuit, and secondly very few know about it. So there are no crowds at Belavadi, and we got a very good experience of the peaceful village life in Karnataka.

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Date of experience: December 2018

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