Muttoor, the village of about 2,000 inhabitants, is located about 8 km south of Shimoga. The Tunga river flows gently on one side of the village. Its fame as the Sanskrit Gram has spread far and wide. Sanskrit is the spoken language of over 95 per cent of the people here. Soft and dulcet, a conversation sounds like a Vedic recital. Though it is a journey, which began about 500 years ago, Sanskrit has been modified as per the modern needs here by Samskrit Bharati. As one enters the village he is greeted with " bhavatha nam kim? (What is your name?), "coffee va chaayam kim ichchhathi bhavan? (What will you have, coffee or tea?). The pronunciation of "Hari Om" instead of ‘hello’ and "katham asti" instead of ‘how are you?’ are common here.
Shimoga is a colorful district with attractive landscape, waterfalls, green forests, river valleys and beautiful fields. The district is situated in the center of karnataka. It is located at a distance of 275 Kms from Bangalore, nestling at an altitude of 640 m above sea level. Tunga, Bhadra, Sharavathi, Varada and Kumadvathi rivers have made this district a rice bowl in the state.
According to history the name is derived from 'Shiva-Mukha' - Face of Shiva , 'Shivana-Mogu' - Nose of Shiva, 'Shivana-Mogge' - Buds of flowers meant for Lord Shiva. It is also believed that Sage Durvasa lived here, he is known for his temper. He used to keep on the oven a pot boiling with sweet herbs. Once, some cowherds happened to taste the sweet herbs, and called the place 'Sihi-Moge' (sweet pot).
Shivamogga is known as cultural capital of Karnataka.
History
In 1881, two early stone-age tools were discovered in a Shingle bed at Nyamati, at a short distance from the Tungabhadra river. They were bi-facial pebble tools made of quartzite, one with a rounded working edge and the other with a pointed working edge. Some Neolithic sites were noticed and also uncovered.
Kadambas, Gangas, Chalukyas, Rastrakutas and Vijayanagar Kings ruled this region. The Keladi Nayakas was the most important ruler among the ruling families. Shimoga became famous all over the world. From the late 17th century onwards, the city was a part of the Kingdom of Mysore until the independence of India in 1947, when Mysore merged into the Republic of India.
Tourist Attractions
Shivappa Nayaka Palace
The summer palace of Shivappa Nayaka of Nagara is an archaeological monument situated right in the heart of the city.The palace is neatly maintained by the Archaeological department, preserving relevant historical details.The palace is entirely built of rose wood, which has a collection of stone carvings and antiquities of the Keladi period.
The palace, located adjacent to Kote Seeta-Rama Temple, it is around 4 km from central bus station and can easily be reached by auto.
Sacred heart cathedral
The Sacred Heart Cathedral is one of the major attraction of the town.The architecture of the church is in Roman graphic style. The church is said to be the 2nd largest church in India. The church is about 18000 square feet in area with a big prayer hall. Which has the capacity of 5000 peoples. The attractive statue of Jesus attracts tourists and pilgrims .
The cathedral is situated on the side of B.H. Raste (road). Being just 3 km from the central bus stand, it can be reached either by city buses or by auto rickshaw.
Tyarekoppa Lion Safari
This Safari is located at Tavarekopoa 10 Kms away from Shimoga on B.H Road (N.H 206), Sagar route. Forest department has set-up the Shettihalli Lion Safari, where we can see some Tigers, Lions, Cheeta, Bear, Deer and rare migratory Birds.The safari is spread around an area of 200 Hectares of dense forest.
Children recreation facilities are available. Timing 9 A.M to 5 P.M everyday except Tuesday is a holiday. Almost all buses to Sagar will stop here.
Jog Falls : Jog Falls is situated on the borders of Shimoga and North Kanara, 100 Kms from Shimoga city. The Western Ghats gives rise to the Sharavati river that plunges from a height of 829 Feet in four magnificent Jog falls from view pointcascades namely Raja, Rani, Rover and Rocket.
more..
Elephant Camp (Shakrebyle)
Elephant camp is 13 Kms from Shimoga on Thirthahalli Road, located on the banks of the Tunga reservoir, every morning all the elephants take their bath and proceed to near by forest for their rounds after 10 A.M. You can also see elephants being trained by training professionals. Elephant from the adjoining forests bathe at this spot before they re-enter their forest abode.
Tourist should reach this spot before 9 A.M. City buses are available at 7.30, 8.30 and 10 A.M daily.
Koodali
It is 16 Kms from Shimoga on Holehonnur, Channagiri Road. Rivers Tunga and Bhadra join here, hence the name Koodali. The rivers Tunga and Bhadra were born here. It flows overwellemingly from here.
Koodali is also a religious center. It is also called as Varnasi of the south. Shankarcharya Mutt is here which is 600 years old. The inscriptions of Hoysala and Ikkeri Kings are found here.
Mandagadde
It is 32 Kms from Shimoga on Thirthahalli Road. It is a Bird Sanctuary on Tunga River. Birds like Egret, Carmorant Darter, Snake Bird are found here.The place is surrounded by dense lush green forest and the flow of river Tunga has created a small island which adds to the beauty. The dense trees on the island provides shelter to migrating birds which migrate from different parts of the world during may season for breeding A high platform is built on the edge of river Tunga for bird watching. Boats are available for a closer watch.
There is a watchtower in the premises, which makes bird watching more convenient and frequent. The best time to visit Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary is in August, which is the peak season for migration. During this time there are more than 5000 birds in the sanctuary.
Tunga Anecut
10 Kms from Shimoga city on the way to Thirthahalli, you can find a place called Gajanur. The Tunga dam is situated here. A ideal picnic spot for the people around. Boat ride in the lake is the favorite activity that tourists like.
The dam is open from 10 A.M to 5 P.M on all days.
Getting Here
By Air: The nearest airport to Shimoga is at Hubli which is at a distance of 165 Km. Other airports accessible from Shimoga are Mangalore (200 Km) and Bangalore (274 Kms). In near future, an airport at Sogane is expected to open. It is around 6 Km from Shimoga.
By Rail: Shimoga has its own railhead and is well connected to Bangalore and Mysore by regular trains. Though connection with other cities of India is less.
By Road: Shimoga is connected by NH 206 to the capital city Bangalore. Distance between the two cities is 274 km and can be covered in about 6 hrs. There are regular buses between the two cities. Shimoga can also be approached from Mangalore and Udupi. The entire route is quite picturesque. Luxury coaches run by KSRTC are the most convenient way of commuting.
Local Transportation: To move around in the city, auto rickshaws are the most common form of transportation. Taxis are also available for hir
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Monday, January 11, 2010
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Kumbh Mela 2010
Alternatively organized in the holy cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik, the Kumbh Festival or the Kumbh Mela features the largest human gathering in the world. The religious festival invites devotees, sadhus, rishiks, yogis and tourists from almost every corner of the world. Hindus believe that the waters of the Ganges turn into nectar on the auspicious occasion of Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. And that a holy dip in the divine waters of Ganga eliminates all the evil and past sins from an individual's life.
The most surreal scenes can be witnessed on the riverbanks of the Ganges during Kumbh Mela. From dawn till dusk, rites and rituals continue while Naga Babas, a big attraction for all, keep themselves busy meditating and practicing different yogic postures.
History of Kumbh Mela
The religious history of Kumbh Mela remains associated with numerous legends. There is an interesting legends which relates to the origin of the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Hindus believe that Lord Brahma gave gods a piece of advice to rid them of their weakness, caused during the creation of the earth. Following Lord Brahma's advise, the gods began to churn the ocean to obtain amrit from its waters. As the task was quite tough, the gods sought the assistance of demons. The gods, in return, made a deal with the demons that the latter could have half of the nectar that was to obtained from the ocean. The demons agreed to it.
However, after the gods became successful in procuring the nectar, they tried to run away without sharing half of it with the demons, as was promised in the deal. The gods feared that if the demons got their share of nectar, they might put it to some wrong use. Irritated and angered, the demons ran after the gods to receive their promised share of nectar.
Finally, when the demigods came to the rescue, they hid the nectar in four different places. While doing so, the demi gods happened to spill a drop of this nectar fell down on earth. Blessed by this drop of nectar, four sacred sites came into being, one among these being Haridwar itself. Therefore, astrologers also have the belief that the water of the Ganges attains nectar-like properties during the Kumbh Mela season in Haridwar.
* 14 January 2010 (Thursday) - Makar Sankranti Snan - First Snan (bath)
* 15 January 2010 (Friday) - Mauni Amavasya and Surya Grahan ( Sola Eclipse) - Second Snan
* 20 January 2010 (Wedesday) - Basant Panchmi Snan - Third snan
* 30 January 2010 (Saturday) - Magh Purnima Snan - Fourth Snan
* 12 February 2010 (Friday) - Maha Shivratri - Pratham Shahi Snan - First Royal Bath
* 15 March 2010 (Monday)- Somvati Amavasya - Dvitya Shahi snan - Second Royal Bath.
* 24 March 2010 (Wednesday) - Ram Navmi - Fifth Snan
* 30 March 2010 (Tuesday) - Chaitra purnima sna
* 14 April 2010 (Wednesday) - Baisakhi - Pramukh Shahi Sanan.
* 28 April 2010 (Wednesday) - Shakh Purnima - snan
How To Reach
Positioned at 214 km from New Delhi (India's capital city), Haridwar has easy accessibility from all key tourist destinations in northern India. Though Haridwar can also be accessed by air route, the easier option is to travel either by road or rail. For more information on reaching Haridwar by air, rail or road, read below.
Rail Connectivity
If you want to make a rail journey to Haridwar from India's capital city, you can catch a train either from Delhi or Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station. Other key places that remain connected to Haridwar by rail route include Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Chennai, Howrah, Puri, Chennai, Ujjain and Varanasi among others.
055/2056 New Delhi-Dehradun 4309/4310 Ujjain-Dehradun 9019/9020 Bombay-Dehradun
4041/4042 Delhi-Dehradun 4265/4266 Varanasi-Dehradun 3009/3010 Howrah-Dehradun
2017/2018 Delhi-Dehradun 4113/4114 Allahabad-Dehradun 5005/5006 Gorakhpur-Dehradun
4319/4320 Dehradun-Kathgodam 2687/2688 Dehradun-Chennai 9265/9266 Dehradun-Okha
National Highway 45 that passes through Haridwar provides good road connectivity to the town. Frequent public and private buses are available from Delhi to reach Haridwar. The road journey from Delhi to Haridwar takes around 4-5 hours. Other major cities in northern India are also quite well connected by road to Haridwar.
Delhi-214 Agra-386 Ambala-168 Badrinath-325 Dehradun-52
Kedarnath-250 Saharanpur-81 Nainital-286
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Tirupati
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Tirupati, one of the richest temples in the country, is the most venerated Vaishnavite shrine of Lord Venkateswara. It was patronised by the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Vijayanagar kings. 130 kms from the city of Madras (Chennai), this temple is located in the southern Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Tiru' in Tamil means `Sri'. Hence Tirupati translates to Sripati or Sri Maha Vishnu.
According to the Puranas, the range of Tirumala hills represent the body of the serpent Adisesha, on which Lord Vishnu, the protector of the world, rests. The seven hills represent the seven heads of the serpent.
History
Tirupati was developed mainly by the contributions made by kings during their rule. Almost all the kings from great dynasties of the southern peninsula have paid homage to Lord Sri Venkateswara in this ancient shrine of Tirupati. The Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th century AD), the Cholas of Thanjavur (a century later), the Pandyas of Madurai, and the kings and chieftains of Vijayanagar (14th - 15th century AD) were devotees of the Lord and they competed with one another in endowing the temple with rich offerings and contributions.
During the rule of the Vijayanagar dynasty contributions made to the temple increased enormously. Krishnadevaraya had statues of himself and his consorts installed at the portals of the Tirupati temple, and these statues can be seen to this day. There is also a statue of Venkatapati Raya in the main temple at Tirupati.
Pilgrimage Attractions of Tirupati
Tirupati Tirumala Balaji Temple
The ancient and sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is located on the seventh peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of the Tirupati Hill, and lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini.It is by the Lord's presidency over Venkatachala, that He has received the appellation, Venkateswara (Lord of the Venkata Hill). He is also called the Lord of the Seven Hills.
Padmavati Devi Temple
In Tiruchanur, 5-km from Tirupati , is this large temple dedicated to goddess Padmavati, the consort of Lord Venkateswara or Venkateshwara (Balaji). It also known as "Alamelumangapuram" and it is said that a visit to Tirumala is fruitful only after visiting the Sri Padmavati Devi temple.
The deity, Sri Padmavati Devi is seated in 'Padmasana', holding a lotus in both of her upper hands. Her lower hands are in poses of 'Abhaya', fearlessness, and 'Varada', benediction. Also in this temple are the Deities of Sri Krishna, Balarama, 'Sundararaja Swami', and 'Surya-Narayana Swami'. It is traditional to first worship Sri Krishna and then to take darshan of Sri Padmavati. Only Hindus are allowed in the temple.
Sri Govindarajaswami Temple
One of the very important temples in Tirupati , Sri Govindarajaswami Temple was consecrated by Saint Ramanujacharya in 1130 AD. It is located in the heart of the Tirupati.
The Main Shrines
In this temple there are two main shrines. In the northern shrine is 'Sri Govindaraja', who is Lord Vishnu lying on 'Ananta'. He is considered to be Lord Venkateswara's brother. The other main shrine has Deities of 'Sri Parthasarathi' (Krishna as the charioteer of Arjuna), 'Rukmini' and 'Satyabhama' (Krishna's wives). Few parts of the inner shrine date back to the 9th and 10th centuries. The original temple had Sri Parthasarathi on the main altar. 'Sri Ramanuja' added the Sri Govindaraja deity around 1130.
Kodandaramaswami Temple
Located in the centre of the Tirupati town; the presiding deities over here are Sita, Rama and Lakshmana. Chola king built it during the 10th century AD. The temple of Anjaneyaswami, which is directly opposite, is a sub-shrine of this temple.
Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple
Situated about 3-km to the north of Tirupati, at the foot of the Tirumala Hills, is the only temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, in Tirupati. Annual Brahmotsavams and festivals like Vinayaka Chavithi, Maha Shivaratri, Skhanda Shasthi and Annabhishekam are performed in a grand manner. The sacred waterfall called "Kapila Teertham " (also known as "Alwar Teertham") is located here.
Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple
12-km to the west of Tirupati at Srinivasa Mangapuram one can find Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami temple, where it is believed that Lord Venkateswara stayed here after his marriage with Sri Padmavati Devi, before proceeding to Tirumala.
Tirupati, one of the richest temples in the country, is the most venerated Vaishnavite shrine of Lord Venkateswara. It was patronised by the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Vijayanagar kings. 130 kms from the city of Madras (Chennai), this temple is located in the southern Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Tiru' in Tamil means `Sri'. Hence Tirupati translates to Sripati or Sri Maha Vishnu.
According to the Puranas, the range of Tirumala hills represent the body of the serpent Adisesha, on which Lord Vishnu, the protector of the world, rests. The seven hills represent the seven heads of the serpent.
History
Tirupati was developed mainly by the contributions made by kings during their rule. Almost all the kings from great dynasties of the southern peninsula have paid homage to Lord Sri Venkateswara in this ancient shrine of Tirupati. The Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th century AD), the Cholas of Thanjavur (a century later), the Pandyas of Madurai, and the kings and chieftains of Vijayanagar (14th - 15th century AD) were devotees of the Lord and they competed with one another in endowing the temple with rich offerings and contributions.
During the rule of the Vijayanagar dynasty contributions made to the temple increased enormously. Krishnadevaraya had statues of himself and his consorts installed at the portals of the Tirupati temple, and these statues can be seen to this day. There is also a statue of Venkatapati Raya in the main temple at Tirupati.
Pilgrimage Attractions of Tirupati
Tirupati Tirumala Balaji Temple
The ancient and sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is located on the seventh peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of the Tirupati Hill, and lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini.It is by the Lord's presidency over Venkatachala, that He has received the appellation, Venkateswara (Lord of the Venkata Hill). He is also called the Lord of the Seven Hills.
Padmavati Devi Temple
In Tiruchanur, 5-km from Tirupati , is this large temple dedicated to goddess Padmavati, the consort of Lord Venkateswara or Venkateshwara (Balaji). It also known as "Alamelumangapuram" and it is said that a visit to Tirumala is fruitful only after visiting the Sri Padmavati Devi temple.
The deity, Sri Padmavati Devi is seated in 'Padmasana', holding a lotus in both of her upper hands. Her lower hands are in poses of 'Abhaya', fearlessness, and 'Varada', benediction. Also in this temple are the Deities of Sri Krishna, Balarama, 'Sundararaja Swami', and 'Surya-Narayana Swami'. It is traditional to first worship Sri Krishna and then to take darshan of Sri Padmavati. Only Hindus are allowed in the temple.
Sri Govindarajaswami Temple
One of the very important temples in Tirupati , Sri Govindarajaswami Temple was consecrated by Saint Ramanujacharya in 1130 AD. It is located in the heart of the Tirupati.
The Main Shrines
In this temple there are two main shrines. In the northern shrine is 'Sri Govindaraja', who is Lord Vishnu lying on 'Ananta'. He is considered to be Lord Venkateswara's brother. The other main shrine has Deities of 'Sri Parthasarathi' (Krishna as the charioteer of Arjuna), 'Rukmini' and 'Satyabhama' (Krishna's wives). Few parts of the inner shrine date back to the 9th and 10th centuries. The original temple had Sri Parthasarathi on the main altar. 'Sri Ramanuja' added the Sri Govindaraja deity around 1130.
Kodandaramaswami Temple
Located in the centre of the Tirupati town; the presiding deities over here are Sita, Rama and Lakshmana. Chola king built it during the 10th century AD. The temple of Anjaneyaswami, which is directly opposite, is a sub-shrine of this temple.
Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple
Situated about 3-km to the north of Tirupati, at the foot of the Tirumala Hills, is the only temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, in Tirupati. Annual Brahmotsavams and festivals like Vinayaka Chavithi, Maha Shivaratri, Skhanda Shasthi and Annabhishekam are performed in a grand manner. The sacred waterfall called "Kapila Teertham " (also known as "Alwar Teertham") is located here.
Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple
12-km to the west of Tirupati at Srinivasa Mangapuram one can find Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami temple, where it is believed that Lord Venkateswara stayed here after his marriage with Sri Padmavati Devi, before proceeding to Tirumala.
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