World of Books and Travel

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It was a great day for me to have a darshan of Lord Krishna at Udupi, in Karnataka State. Udupi is just 60 kms away from Mangalore in the coastal region of Western Ghats. According to legends, Sri Madhvacharya, the great Sanskrit Philosopher and saint, installed the idol of Lord Krishna and sanctified the place in 13th century. The temple is built in Dravidian architecture. Learn more about Udupi Krishna temple here. After our darshan we decided to spend some time in the nearby beach - Malpe Beach. This beautiful beach is just 6 kms away.

Recently I had a visit to the famous Murudeshwara Temple of Karnataka. The huge idol of Lord Shiva and the tall rajagopura are amazing. Murudeshwara beach is another great tourist attraction there. This picturesque place is a marvelous tourist destination.

We reached Narasimha Jhara Cave temple Bidar (Karnataka) as early as 7.00 a.m. and waited there to open until 8 a.m. The shrine inside the temple (immediately after you get in) Inside the cave The cave is electrified and air-conditioned. We had to walk through water (above waist length) for about 300 meters, to have a darshan of the Lord at the end of the cave, which is believed to be swayamboo. It was really a thrilling experience. Lots of bats were flyling on the roof top of the cave. We were told that they do no harm to the devotees. Outside the temple - People waiting to have a holy bath in the spring which comes out through the Nandi's mouth. Entrance to the temple If proper maintenance is done this unique place can be developed into a great tourist spot and more people can have the thrilling experience of walking through the water, in the cave.

As our shadows lengthened we reached our next destination - Pattadakkal, a World Heritage Centre. All were with full excitement to be there. Pattadakkal, the second capital of the Chalukyan kings, is located 29 kms from Badami, along the bank of the river Malaprabha. Built in 7th and 8th centuries, Pattadakkal was served as the royal coronation site. Pattadakkal is a World Heritage Center today. The temple complex is dotted with 10 major temples representing both north and south Indian architecture. Pattadakkal is also famous for its Music and Dance Festival organized annually by the Government of Karnataka, held in in the month of January. Many renowned and upcoming dancers take part in this festival. The dances are inspired by the different inscription and images carved on the temple walls. During the festival, a craft mela is also organized.

Our next destination was Shivayoga Mandira at Badami, which is 11 kms away from Pattadakkal. Located in a serene place, Shivayoga Mandir is a great place to visit.

Another great place we visited was Mahakuta (Mahakoota) Kshetra, an ancient temple built by Chalukyas. Mahakuta is a small town surrounded by hills and cool atmosphere, located 14 kms away from Badami, in Bagalkot District. Mahakuta is renowned for the Mahakuteshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, built in Dravidian style. In the courtyard, there are 15 small temples with intricate sculptures. The temples, built by Chalukyan dynasty, are dated to the 6th or 7th century. Mahakuta was once a great center of shaiva cult. Now only in one temple poojas are performed. Another beautiful attraction is a natural pond called Vishnu Pushkarni. There is a small shrine in the centre of the Vishnu Pushkarni tank and in it is a Shiva linga (universal symbol of Lord Shiva) called Panchamukha linga ("five faced linga"), one face for each direction and one on top. This pond is now used as a relaxing joint by the visitors. This place is often called Dakshina Kasi because of its religious im...