My TripAdvisor Review No.379: Sharada Temple, Sringeri, Chikmagalur. Dedicated to the Presiding Deity of Sringeri, Sri Sharadamba

This is another one of the beautiful temples we visited in Sringeri Mutt. It is the first temple in the Sringeri Mutt as you enter from the Rajagopuram. It is dedicated to the presiding deity of Sringeri, Sri Sharadamba. It is considered very sacred for children to be initiated into ‘Aksharabhyasam’ (practice of learning) in the temple premises as Goddess Sharadamba is the Goddess of Learning. During the festival season of Navaratri, special poojas are performed to the Goddess by the Jagadgurus themselves.

The temple structure is in granite, with polished granite walling around the sanctum. The Mahamandapam has huge stone pillars exquisitely carved with deities like Durga, Raja Rajeshwari, Dwarapalakas and Devis which are all sculpted according to the Shilpa Sastras practised in Tamilnadu. The entrance to the sanctum sanctorum has doors covered with gold and looks like a marvelous piece of art. The murti of Sri Sharada radiates grace and blessings.

After visiting the Sri Sharada temple, we paid homage to Sri Shankaracharya, who established the Sringeri Mutt in the 8th century AD, then visited the Torana Ganapti and the Sri Vidya Shankara temples. We then partook in the free prasad at the Prasadalya, which was very tasty and satisfying.

We felt very privileged and blessed after visiting the Sringeri mutt, which is set in very beautiful and serene surroundings on the banks of the River Tunga.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.378: Torana Ganapati Temple, Chikmagalur. Dedicated to Lord Ganesha.

This is another one of the wonderful temples we visited in Sringeri Mutt. It is located further on the left of Sri Sharadamba temple, and a little inside near the Prasadalaya. We visited this temple after doing darshan of Goddess of Learning, Sri Sharadamba, and paying homage to Sri Shankaracharya, who established the Sringeri Mutt here, and to Sri VidyaShankara, the 10th Jagadguru of the Mutt.

Lord Ganesha, engraved on the Torana, popularly known as Torana Ganapati is considered very powerful and as per tradition the Sringeri Jagadgurus offer worship at this temple before embarking on any tour. The present Jagadguru Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamigal built a separate shrine for the Torana Ganapati and performed the Kumbhaabhisheka in June 2014.

As luck would have it, we got to meet the two temple elephants of the Mutt as soon as came out of the Ganapati Temple. Then we proceed to the Prasadalaya where we partook in the free lunch, offered as prasad to all the devotees.

It was a very good experience for us.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.377: VidyaShankara Temple, Sringeri, Chikmagalur district. Dedicated to the Jagadguru VidyaShankara.

This is another one of the wonderful temples we visited in Sringeri Mutt. It is located further on the left of Sri Sharadamba temple besides the River Tunga, and has very beautiful stone carvings and sculptures all around it. It is dedicated to the 10th Jagadguru of Sringeri, Sri VidyaShankara, and was built in the year 1338 AD.

The temple is so constructed that the morning rays of the sun falls on the pillar representing the relevant zodiac for the month, for that entire month. There are 12 such pillars corresponding to the 12 zodiac signs and the phenomenon speaks volumes of the architectural mastery. It is a unique monument built entirely of stone combining both Hoysala (Chalukya) and Dravidian architectural styles. The central ceiling is an excellent piece of workmanship with lotus and pecking parrots. The vimana over the garbagriha rises magnificently with sikhara, mahapadama and stupi. The basement is elaborately sculpted with animals, puranic stories, Shiva, Vishnu, Dasavatara, Kali, Shanmuka and so on. To the student of Hindu iconography this temple is a veritable storehouse of sculpture.

Buddha is depicted as one of the incarnations of Vishnu here. From across the river the temple looks seated like a majestic swan. Darshan timings of this temple is from 7 am to 1 pm, and evening 5 pm to 8.30 pm. Devotees can also partake in the free meals offered at the Prasadalaya from 12.15 pm to 2.30 pm (lunch), and from 7.15 pm to 8.30 pm (dinner).

The VidyaShankara temple is definitely a beautiful temple, and worth a visit if you are touring in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.376: Adi Shankara Temple, Sringeri, Chikmagalur District. Dedicated to the Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya.

The Adi Shankara Temple is one of the temples in the Sringeri Mutt, which we visited recently. The temple is dedicated to the 8th century philosopher and saint who established the doctrine of Advaitha Vedanta, Sri Adi Shankaracharya. While on his travels, at Sringeri, Shankara saw a frog being protected from the sun’s rays by a snake spreading it’s hood, and decided this to be an ideal place to set up his mutt. Thus at Sringeri he established the Sri Sharada Peetham.

The Adi Shankara Temple is located to the left of the Sri Sharadamba temple. This is a very unique and the biggest temple dedicated to Adi Shankaracharya. The murti of the great Acharya is very beautiful and striking. There is also a murti of Lord Shiva outside the temple, and statues of two elephants at the steps.

We visited the other temples as well, the Torana Ganpati and the Vidya Shankara temples besides it. Then we went to the Prasadalaya where we were served lunch of sambar rice and payasam as prasadam.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.375: Sringeri Mutt, Chikmagalur. Abode Of Divinity And Serenity.

We drove about 54 km from Thirthahalli to reach the Sringeri Mutt in Chikmagalur district. Sringeri exudes divinity and serenity and mother nature is at her most beautiful here. It is nestled in Western Ghats with the winding River Tunga flowing through it, and one feels really at peace among the imposing temples in the natural surroundings.

There is a huge parking lot for cars and buses, as the mutt gets devotees from all over India throughout the year. Just across the river is a hanging bridge leading to the Guru Niwas, the ashram of the Jagadguru. We were told that we can meet the presiding Jagadguru only at certain specified times in the morning or afternoon.

The 4 main temples are situated in a large compound with the river flowing around it. The main temples are 1) Sri Sharadamba Temple, dedicated to the goddess of learning and the presiding deity of Sringeri, 2) Sri Adi Shankaracharya Temple, dedicated to the Jagadguru who established this mutt more than twelve centuries ago, 3) Sri Torana Ganapati Temple, dedicated to Lord Ganesha, and 4) Sri Vidya Shankara Temple, dedicated to Jagadguru Vidya Shankara, the 10th pontiff of the mutt.

We entered the temple complex through the large gopuram, after depositing our footwear in the stand outside. There was an information counter at the entrance, where a pujari politely replied to all our queries and guided us. He told us that we could take snaps outside, but not inside the temples so as not the disturb the sanctity of the sanctum sanctorum. We met the two temple elephants just as we were exiting the Ganapati temple. After doing darshan of all the temples we went to the Prasadalaya where all the devotees were given the free prasad. We were served sweet sheera, rice, sambar, rasam and buttermilk. We had to sit on the floor and were served on plantain leaves from stainless steel pails.

We were very happy to have visited such a beautiful, scenic and holy place where the peace and serenity is palpable and almost tangible.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.374: Bananki Homestay, Devangi, Shimoga Dist. Experience The Malnad Way Of Life.

We had planned a road trip from Bangalore to Goa, and decided to spend a few days in the Malnad region of Karnataka, somewhere near Agumbe or Shimoga. We picked on Bananki Homestay instead of staying in a regular hotel, and it turned out to be a very pleasant experience for us.

Arpitha welcomed us at her doorstep, with her two little daughters in tow. She offered us a choice of two rooms in the main house, one upstairs attic room and another nice bedroom on the ground floor. We chose the latter. They also have some cottage rooms out in the plantation with a beautiful forest setting amidst the greenery. The dining room is located in a garage next to the kitchen. The main house, cottages, out-houses, store rooms are all set in a beautiful areca nut plantation, with additional banana trees and pepper crop. The main house itself is a heritage structure built many years ago.

The room itself was very homely with period furniture, large wooden bed with round polished corner posts, built-in cupboard, dressing table & stool, a clothes rack and a large CRT TV (which we did not use). The windows were covered with mesh to keep the creepy crawlies out during the night. The monsoon climate was pleasant and we did not require ac. The bathroom was also well equipped with hot water available in the morning.

Our package for three days included all meals; morning tea, breakfast, lunch, dinner and high tea. Breakfast would consist of fresh fruit, fruit juice, dosa, paddu, eggs, corn flakes or muesli followed by tea/coffee. At lunch we would be served methi chapattis, ragi or akki rotis, local bean curries, bamboo vegetable, dal, rice, sambar, curd, and papadams, and a variety of other vegetables on other days. There would be a chicken and a fish fry or gravy dish for dinner in addition to the vegetable dishes. We really enjoyed the immense variety and taste of the local Malnad cuisine.

The hosts, Arpitha and Rachan along with the elders in the family were very friendly and welcoming. Arpitha would guide us about the interesting place to visit in Sringeri, Agumbe and Shimoga. She prepared a packed lunch for us on 2 occasions, which we enjoyed with our sight-seeing.

I would definitely recommend to someone with their own vehicle to stay at Bananki rather than in a star rated hotel.

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• Stayed: September 2018, travelled as a couple
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My TripAdvisor Review No.373: Sakrebailu Elephant Camp, Shimoga, Karnataka. Have Fun With The Elephants.

Sakrebailu Elephant Camp is on the route from Bangalore to Shimoga. It is in a forest area next to the Tunga River, and there is also a jungle resort run by Jungle Lodges and Resorts, Karnataka State, where you can spend a few days and make friends with the pachyderms.

On the way to Shimoga we passed a caravan of the elephants going for their lunch away from the camp. By the time we reached the camp it was closed. They are very strict about the visitors timing which is from 8.30 am to 11.30 am. We have to pay ₹30 for entry, ₹100 for bathing, and ₹75 for a ride on the elephant. We got to see the camp but the elephants had all disappeared for their meals, as we saw on the way.

It is a good place to visit in the forest, and interact with the elephants up close and personal.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.372: Kamat Upchar Restaurant, NH66, Ankola. Roadies Can Relax, Refresh, Refuel and Resume.

This is an excellent pitstop for roadies on NH66 located between Kumta and Karwar, about 3 km after Ankola. We were travelling from Jog Falls to Goa and reached here at lunchtime. In is next to an Indian Oil Petrol bunk so we could refuel as well, before settling down for a relaxed lunch. There is a dedicated parking lot and a CCD as well.

Like all restaurants in the Kamat Upchar chain, this one also had clean washrooms, nutritious Udupi and Malnad cuisine, very good service standards, and a relaxing ambience at very reasonable prices. They serve pure vegetarian food.

We ordered some buns with chutney, and a plate of puri-bhaji followed by a cup of curds. Thalis or meals were also available but we chose the ala carte as we did not want to stuff ourselves and then feel sleepy for the onward journey.

Feeling refreshed we resumed our drive to Goa.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.371: Jog Falls, Shimoga. Spectacular Sight.

Jog Falls are located in the north west part of Karnataka, about 110 km from Shimoga, and about 30 km from the town of Sagara, on NH206 highway which goes to Honnavar on the west coast. We had to take a left turn off the highway, on to a bridge over the Sharavathi River and drive another 2 km to reach the viewpoint from where we could observe the falls in all its glory. There is a parking fee of ₹30 with sufficient parking for many cars and buses. If you are travelling by train then the nearest railway station is at Talaguppa, 13 km away, from where you can take a bus. We were staying overnight at the KSTDC Mayura hotel, which is located inside the compound, so we did not have to pay the parking fee.

The falls make for a spectacular sight in the rainy season from July to September. Sometimes mist and clouds obscure the view for a bit, but add to the magic. The water falls from a height of about 250 meters into a plunge pool down below. There are many viewing points constructed by the state tourism department from where we get a wonderful view of the falls. The flow is divided into 4 distinct streams called the ‘Raja’, ‘Rani’, ‘Roarer’ and ‘Rocket’. There are 1400 steps leading down to the bottom of the falls, but the path was closed when we visited due to the heavy rains and the risks of slipping on the wet surfaces. We could see a rainbow at the bottom, but were not allowed to go for the pot of gold!

The best time to visit the falls is between July and September, as the flow gets reduced to a trickle in the dry season. KSTDC’s Mayura Hotel has got rooms facing the waterfalls and we spent an enchanted night here watching and listening to the falls from our room window. They also run a restaurant nearby which is open to the day trippers as well.

Jog Falls is a place worth visiting and one of the most popular tourist spots in South India.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.370: Hotel Mayura Gerusoppa Jogfalls. Armchair View of Jog Falls From Our Room.

KSTDC run Mayura Gerusoopa is located at a vantage point overlooking the Jog Falls in Shimoga District of Karnataka. All the rooms have a large sliding glass window facing the falls and we could sit in the armchairs provided and gaze at the waterfalls all day long. Sometimes the fog and passing clouds would cover the falls, but even that was worth watching.

We stayed overnight in one of the non ac rooms. Being the rainy season it was very pleasant and we did not need ac. Rates are a bit lower during the weekdays compared to the weekend. The room was quite spacious and the furnishing was adequate. There was a small dressing room with wardrobe and dressing table and chair. There was an lcd TV with satellite channels. WiFi was available but there was no signal most of the time. Of course, our favourite spot were the two armchairs provided with the coffee table.

The only drawback of the resort was the restaurant which was situated about 250 meters away from the rooms, and we had to walk in the rain to reach it. They close early and you have to order dinner by 8 pm. The menu is limited though the food was reasonably cheap and good.

The sound of the water falling is faint but audible if you keep the window open. I would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting to visit the Jog Falls and spend a night enjoying one of the wondrous sights of nature.

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Room Tip: All rooms have view of the falls, but some rooms face a public washroom block. Avoid them if possibl...

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• Stayed: September 2018, travelled as a couple
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My TripAdvisor Review No.369: The Pavilion Restaurant, Benaulim, Popular Restaurant in Benaulim.

We visited The Pavilion one evening for dinner. It is located on the main road leading to Benaulim Beach, about few hundred metres before reaching the beach. From the number of cars parked outside the restaurant we reckoned that the place is very popular with the local people who love to dine out themselves.

At first we ordered a plate of Tuna Fish Salad but after a while we were told that it could not be prepared because they had run out of pineapple, so we had to settle for Greek Salad instead, in which they forgot to add mayonnaise. We then tried their Fish and Chips and Rawa Fish Fry with Kingfish. Both these dishes were good and well cooked and we enjoyed it. Prices were on the higher side. Service has to be improved as they took a while to inform us about the unavailability of an item.

We noticed quite a bit of crowd in the restaurant and a group of men were having a raucous time at the bar, which proves that it is quite popular with the locals. The restaurant serves buffet as well.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.368: Three Kisses Bar & Restaurant, Benaulim. Cozy Shack Opposite Taj Exotica.

Three Kisses is in a small lane leading to Calvaddo near Benaulim Beach. It is a cosy shack-like cottage with a thatched roof, just outside the Taj Exotica Resort. Parking can be a problem as the lane is very narrow, but about three or four small cars can squeeze in and park next to the bikes. Bigger cars may have to park down the lane to the beach. Since it is not on the beach the place is open all year round.

The restaurant is modestly furnished with plastic chairs and tables, and they have outdoor seating as well if it is not raining. There is a good selection of Goan and Tandoori food and the prices are reasonable. Service is friendly but a bit slow. Cleanliness can be improved.

We ordered our favourites Prawn Curry Rice and Tuna Fish Salad. We were surprised to find some ladyfingers vegetable along with the prawns in the curry, but it tasted nice. Tuna Fish salad was good too. Quantity of food was sufficient.

We enjoyed our drinks and meal at Three Kisses and would rate it as Four Stars; worth another visit.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.367: Betty's Place, Cavelossim. Excellent Goan Cuisine and Ambience.

Betty’s Place is one of the best Goan restaurants in South Goa. It is located in Cavelossim just opposite the Holiday Inn Resort, and a little off the main road with sufficient parking space besides the restaurant. We first walked past the restaurant and the quaint bungalow to enjoy the scenery on the banks of the River Sal where Betty’s Catamaran were moored. The boat can be hired for short cruises and dolphin spotting trips in the sea.

We returned from our short walk and settled down for drinks and lunch. The place has a very relaxed atmosphere with a lot of greenery around. The restaurant is nicely decorated with wooden tables and chairs and is covered by a cane and bamboo roof. Service was friendly and courteous. Prices were reasonable compared to some of the other fine dining restaurants nearby.

We had fish fingers as starters with drinks. I enjoyed their prawns balchao with rice. The gravy was a little sweet, a little spicy and a little tangy and blended excellently with the steamed rice. We tried their tuna salad which was also good.

All in all we had a very satisfying meal in the quiet and peaceful ambience of the Goan countryside, and would love to visit again.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.366: Traveler's Bar & Restaurant, Varca, Goa. Decent Beach Shack Opposite Emerald Palms.

Traveler Bar & Restaurant is located inland, just opposite Club Mahindra’s Emerald Palms in Varca. It is a decent shack offering drinks and all kinds of food from North Indian, Goan, Chinese and Continental. They open early around 8 am and even serve breakfast. Since it is not located on the beach they are open all year round, even in the rainy season.

We were staying at Emerald Palms so we just walked across for dinner and to have a Goan shack experience. The restaurant was dimly lit but nicely decorated. There were cane chairs and tables, even the roof was made of cane and bamboo, and the dining hall was enclosed by a wooden fence giving the place a magical countryside ambience.

We tried out their fish curry rice, which was pretty good, and their Al Tono Pizza, which had tuna fish in the topping. Service was friendly and helpful with the manager giving us his suggestions when we were ordering. Prices were a bit on the high side. They accepted card payment.

This is a good alternative for tourists staying in the 5 stars around the restaurant, to try out Goan shack dining in the lush green countryside.

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