Trip to Kukke Subrahmanya

KUKKE SUBRAHMANYA:

Kukke Subrahmanya is a place of pilgrimage, which lies in Western Ghat covering Kumara Parvatha hill and Bisle Ghat. It is 290 km South West of Bangalore. It takes around 8 hrs to reach there from Bangalore. We took a night bus from Bangalore to Mangalore, we got down at a place called Gundal Check post. From there we took a State bus to Kukke. This was the first time in our life, We experienced the bus travelling in a river, because of the bridge under construction. While crossing the river, the bus silencer hit a rock under the river, from then on the bus sound was like an Jet plane. After sometime bus breakdown in middle of a rubber plantation. We relaxed there and took some photos around the plantation, till the arrival of next bus to Kukke.

AROUND KUKKE SUBRAHMANYA:

Places around Kukke Subrahmanya is a trekkers delight. Kumara Parvatha hills stand 4000 feet above sea level, is one of the difficult trekking route in Karnataka. A 30 km upstrech trek into the deep forest from Kukke Subramanya town takes you to the top of the hill. It will take at least two days for a beginner to complete this trekking route.

BISLE GHAT:

Bisle ghat, to reach this place you need to travel 28 km uphill from Kukke Subrahmanya. We took a jeep from Kukke to Bisle ghat for Rs.700. It takes at least 2 hours to reach the top, because there was so much to see on your way to Bisle ghat. The first stop was a Kali temple. People who travel through this ghat, believe that you have to first worship the goddess Kali in this temple before traveling further for a safe journey( from Wildlife and accident).

After few hairpin bends, we reached a bridge. Water flows down under the bridge forming a stream. We spend around an hour under the bridge taking photographs and enjoying the nature around us. There were honey bees, different types of plants and fruits in the surrounding areas.

After few kilometers of traveling from the bridge, we reach a small tower from where we can view the valley. We were actually travelling this place in the hot summer month(June), but none of us were tired, because of the fresh breeze and breath taking view of the ghat. Our jeep driver told us, if we are in the same tower in the winter season, then you will be touching the clouds.

The forest department has constructed a bridge at the edge of the mountain on top of the ghat, from where you can see the gigantic Kumara Parvatha hills and beauty of bisle ghat.

The view from the bridge is breathtaking. A river was flowing underneath flourishing the area around. Our jeep driver told us you that can sight minimum five waterfalls if we come here during the monsoon. And if you are lucky you can even spot animals drinking water from the river. But we were lucky enough to spot a couple of cows grazing in the meadow. The trip to the Bisle ghat inspired us enough to scale the Kumara Parvatha hill in our forthcoming trip.

SUBRAHMANYA TEMPLE:

The Subrahmanya temple is situated in the bottom of the Kumara Parvatha hill, surrounded by greenery. It is the first destination for childless couples in Karnataka. The temple was built in Kerela style. Rules are all the same as you find in the kerela temples. Male devotees can only enter the temple bare chested.

WHERE TO STAY:

Kukke Subrahmanya is a small place so don’t expect a five star accommodation there. There are only few places to stay, so book well in advance. Hotel Mayura Residency is a good place to stay. By the time we went almost all the hotels in the town were filled. We had no other options except to stay in a hotel(so called house), which charged us Rs. 500 per day.

WHERE TO EAT:

Hotel New Mysore Cafe and GuruKrupa on the temple road offer delicious udupi tiffin. Apart from that they served a falooda type desert named “Gutbutt”, which energized our tired mind and soul in an instance.

SRAVANABELGOLA:

Next day, we boarded a bus going to Bangalore around 9 a.m. Since it was a day travel, we thought of cover a place called Sravanabelgola on our way to Bangalore. So we got down at the place called Hassan, from there you get bus to Sravanabelgola every 30 minutes.

Sravanabelgola is a important pilgrimage centre for Jains. A world famous giant monolithic statue of Gomateswara, 60 feet high, carved out of granite in 981 AD.

To see this status you have to climb the hill called Vindhyagiri Hills, Which is very tough and hot in the summer months. So if you have any plans to visit this place, I strong recommend to go in the winter season.

Trip to Wayanad

Wayanad, is situated in an elevated picturesque mountainous plateau in Western Ghats.

Duration: 3 days

Group: 3 persons

Trip Cost: Rs. 1700/-per person

Getting there: Wayanad is accessible from all parts of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamilnadu by road.

Mysore – 140 kms, Kozhikode – 72 kms.

We took Mysore Express from Chennai to Mysore. We reached there at 8:00 a.m. After finishing our breakfast(Mysore Masala Dosai) at a hotel near by bus stand, we took a bus to “Sulthan Bathery” via Gundlapet. The road from Gundlapet to Sulthan Bathery was picturesque, which pass through Muthunga Wildlife Sanctuary. We were lucky to spot elephants taking bath in a pond on the roadside. After 3.5 hours of journey we reached sulthan bathery. We took a 3-bed room for just Rs. 200 in a place called Alfa Tourist Home, the room was clean with basic facilities.

Day1:

Meenmutty Waterfalls:

We had our breakfast in a small hotel in sulthan bathery, and took a bus to Vaduvanchal via Ambalavayal to reach Meenmutty Waterfall(Distance: 28 kms).

After an hour of interesting 4 km trekking in the jungle, off the main Ooty Road, we reached the main fall.

The route to meenmutty is extremely slippery and steep, you have to be very careful. In the end of the trail, all your efforts will be rewarded with beautiful view of the waterfalls.

Meenmutty is the largest and most spectacular waterfall in Wayanad. A unique feature is that water drops about 300 metres over three stages. On the way back, we had buttermilk from a hillside shop, which was refreshing for our tired and dehydrated body. We reached back to sulthan bathery around 9 p.m.

Day2:

Muthunga Wildlife Sanctuary:

We wake up early in the morning, took an auto from Bathery to Muthunga WLS(fare: Rs. 100). We got the permission from the forest office and booked a jeep(Rs. 250), which took us inside the forest. To venture into the forest you need to accompanied by an experience guide(fee: Rs.100). The guide helped us spotting deer, bear, herd of elephants, malabar squirrel, peacock, monkeys.

Chembra Peak:

After light breakfast, we took a bus to Meppadi via Kalpetta from SultanBathery. From Meppadi we took a auto(Rs.70) to Chembra peak. Before heading to Chembra peak you have to get permission from the forest office located just 1 km. from meppadi. The auto driver took us to the base of Chembra peak. The route to the base via Chembra tea estate was a beautiful bumpy journey, surrounded by tea plantation. We saw a tamed elephant given a scrubbed bath in the pond on our way. At 2100 meters, the spectacular Chembra Peak located towards the southern part of Wayanad is the tallest summit in the region.

Climbing this peak is a easy for beginners and would take a full day. After 2 hour of trekking we reached a heart-shaped lake. Climb from the lake to the top of the peak is too steep. The view of the valley from the top is breathtaking.

It was a sunny day, we almost cleared all our water bottles that we took with us. while we are returning down to the peak's bottom, it took 1 hour 30 minutes to reach there.

Sentinal Rock Falls or Soochipara:

From Chembra peak we directly headed to Soochipara waterfall, which is around 18 km from Meppadi town. You have to walk 2 km from the car parking area to reach the falls, passage is paved with stones. When we reached the falls it was almost around 6 p.m., so very less group of people were there near the fall. We took a refreshing bath in the falls, all the tired of climbing the chembra peak vanished in a minute. We reached meppadi town around 8 p.m., from there we took a bus to manathanvady via kalpetta.

Day 3:

Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary:

Started off at 8 a.m. from manathanvady to Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary by bus. We reached the sanctuary at 9:00 a.m. Visitors must be accompanied by a guide. We were not lucky to spot many animals there, but the scenery inside the forest was a visual treat. we saw langoor monkey, bison, buffalo, malabar squirrel. After one hour of jeep safari into the forest, we finished our delicious breakfast in a small shop there and took a jeep(Rs. 25) to a small town called “Kutta” in karnataka which is just 5 km. from the sanctuary. From Kutta, we took a jeep(Rs. 170 to and fro) to Irpu falls.

Irpu Falls:

Irpu falls is 8 kms away, and is inside the Bhrahmagiri wild life sanctuary. The jeep took as to the Forest check post, where we have to get the tickets to visit Irpu falls. You have to walk 1 k.m. in the forest to reach Irpu falls, which was in less force in summer. To see Irpu falls at its best, you have to plan your visit between july to september, just after monsoon. You also have lot of home stay options near Irpu falls which serves traditional coorgi food. After our visit to Irpu falls, we directly headed to Mysore via Gonnikoppal->Hunsur.