I didn’t want to make this day just as a run ahead & thought to visit some nearby places even though I have already visited them during my earlier trips. Hence I took off towards Sigandur visiting Ikkeri. Rural roads were good enough along with serene natural beauty to enjoy my ride. Took a right diversion towards Ikkeri & went ahead only to see that gates are still locked. Ikkeri is a heritage site which hosts few famous temples.
“Yestu hottige open agutte?? (What time it opens???)” Was my question to another tourist group who were also waiting for the gate to be unlocked.
Instead of waiting here, decided to visit Sigandur & check this out on the way back. Road to Sigandur was blissful with green eco system surrounding youJ. Even the roads were super smooth to enjoy the ride without trouble from rain.
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| Road to Sigandur |
But the last 5 odd Kms of road turned out to be of Ladakh standardsL. Made it to Sigandur & got busy with clicks. Sigandur is a back water scenic place & there is ferry service to cross the back water. Tourists cross with the help of ferry to visit Chaudeshwari Temple on other side of the bank. As told before, since I had already done ferry experience here earlier, thought not to go for it & walked back to tea stalls after good amount of landscape clicks.
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| Ferry service for locals & tourists |
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| Awesome scenary!!! |
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| Beauty of backwater |
“Chitra anna, Puliyogare, Pulav, Idli Vada…. (Lemon rice, Tamarind rice, Pulav, Idli Vada….)” I heard every tea stall owners shout saying they have these as breakfast.
Man o man! What a luckJ Lemon rice.. Just entered one of those stalls & came back filling my stomach with 2 plates of Lemon rice. Was eagerly looking for this type of breakfast in this trip & at last I got them here.
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| Yummy to grab |
With complete satisfaction at least in terms of food, rode back to Ikkeri & there again a good amount of historical clicks flowed. I don’t understand how such temples can be so peaceful. The ambience was very calm & I just loved it a lot. Thought I should have spent some more time here but what to do?? Time machine was showing 10:15 AM already & I still had few places to visit.
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| Ikkeri at a glance |
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| Few stone carvings |
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| It was huge |
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| Carvings in line |
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| Temple walls |
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| Beautifully carved... |
Next in the list was Varadamula & it wasn’t anything interesting from outside. Hence didn’t even get down from my bike & took a U-Turn & back to Sagar.
“Sir, Keladi???” I asked this to few locals & was on right track after seeing a Karnataka Tourism department board.
Damn! I have visited this place earlier too I concluded only after getting in. But who cares about re visiting it when the temple is so calm & peaceful??? Got my camera out & clicked everything interesting I found. Keladi again is a heritage site with main temple being Rameshwara Temple.
“Sir illi photo tegi bahuda??? (Sir can I take the photos here???)” I asked a person present there being inside the temple.
“Yest bekadru tegiri! Namma desha dalli namage photo tegilikke illa didre artha yenu??? (Take how much ever you want! If we don’t have permission to take photos in our own country, then what’s the meaning???)” He responded extending the talk but I was not so keen to extend it.
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| Are you ready to attack??? |
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| Looks scary!!! |
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| Namaskar... |
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| Nice one... |
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| Oh yeah! It was self time in place.. |
After photo session, came back to lodge & bid bye to Sagar. After a little of enquiry, was on NH to Shimoga & man! It’s sunny hereJ. Wow! Rode tilting my bike to the core on curves & it was kinda fun to ride here. The non-stop speed run helped me cover good distance on time & on the out skirts of Shomoga, enquired the route to Birur, Kadur. Thanks to the by-pass road because of which I was out of Shimoga in hardly 15 mins time.
Rain trouble started after crossing Bhadravati but it didn’t accompany for long time like the semi good road I was riding on.
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| Getting into rains ahead |
Nearing Birur, saw a board which read ‘Kemmannugundi à 35 Kms’. Man, why can’t I visit this hill station & then move to Chikkamagalur I thought & in no time, I was on this route. Although the road wasn’t any good, was enjoying nearing hills again for Nth time in this trip. Last few Kms of climb was screwed up & damn! It started to rain & get misty as wellL. Had planned to get some good photos but its not possible now I said to myself but wanted to visit at least riding till here. At entry, I wasn’t allowed to get in with bike as the road work was in progress & hence had to walk in rain. After walking for a while, it got more raining & misty which made me change my decision to head back as I can’t get any good photos.
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| Hills nearing by.. |
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| Ride between estates :) |
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| Misty Kemmannugundi... |
Thought rain would be only on hills as it was when climbing up but this time, it followed me for around 50 odd Kms. Only last 20 odd Kms to Chikkamagalur was rainless & made it to Chikkamagalur by 7:10 PM.
“Sir! Soundharya lodge yellide?? (Sir! Where is Soundharya lodge??)” I asked a rick driver as on all my previous 3 visits, I had stayed hereJ.
Made it to lodge in few mins & settled in a comfy room. As I had skipped my lunch, was too hungry & grabbed 3 Maddur Vada’s & tea informing family about my safe arrival. Watched TV for a while, had dinner & slept tight with the thought of sleeping in my cosy bed at home tomorrowJ.
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