Karnataka, India

Hello All

I had to start blogging some day. Two years ago, i had opened an account on this very site and had created a topic. And then, i never ever typed anything on that.

I am visiting my space here again and thought of really putting together some of most "close to heart" topics and things i know quite well about. I have always wanted to open a website on Karnataka and its enchanting beauty and its culture, its many amazing tourist locations, locations which are still not on the map and stuff like that.

May be, i will do it now.

Bangalore is my home town, and this is the place where i was born, did my schooling, college, and my work place. So i know Bangalore very well. (I really think so). I would want to speak about the different facets of Bangalore some other day. Its a whole topic in itself.

Karnataka was created as a seperate State in 1950. This was the land of Tippu Sultan during the 1700s, Mysore Maharajas after that, until the 1900s.

Hoysala dynasty prospered here and there is a lot of its culture and heritage that can still be seen only in the form of temples (Hoysala architecture).

Lets speak about what a traveller from another country needs to see in Karnataka. And what really is usually missed by most travellers in Karnataka. Usually, the travellers are driven by the most popular places rather than the most beautiful/exciting places. This gap, if bridges can make Karnataka pretty close to Kerala which is the official "Gods Own country". I believe, The GOD owns a part of Karnataka too!

To begin with, see below a list of places and its importance and wat a traveller can find there.

1. Kudremukh

Kudremukh is in the heart of an Ever Green Reserve forest range, which is known for its shola forests(dense forests in the valleys of the mountains). Kudremukh is very very rich in Wildlife and Flora and is definitely a Wildlife Enthusiast's dream location.

You can plan trekking over trodden trails to the peaks near by. Most of them are a day's trek. Among them, "Kudremukh peak" is the most popular. You can book the forest department's guest house or tents at Bhagavathi Nature camp and make that as a base camp.

Kudremukh town was a IronOre mining area untill 1990s, but was stopped taking into account the damage that was caused to the sensitive ecosystem because of the mining activity.

Others places around Kudremukh : Kalasa temple, Karkala, Udupi, Horanadu.

2. Agumbe

Agumbe is the wettest place in India after Assam (Cheerapunji & Mausinram). This place is a dream King Cobra territory. Even renowned Herpitologist Romulus Whittaker has set up a Rain Forest research station at Agumbe to understand the remaining Rain forests in this part of the world better and analysing its relation to Kingcobra as a flagship species.

At Agumbe, one can visit the famous Sunset point. Also there is another peak, highest in this region from where both the Sunrise and Sunset can be watched.

On a clear day, one can watch the Arabian sea from Agumbe. Staying at ARRS (research station) should be a very memorable experience. One can see the Kingcobras kept in this location and also speak to the researchers on the details on the program. But just the experience of staying overnight in the midst of the Rain forest knowing that there are Kingcobras around is a good enough reason to visit Agumbe.

Places around Agumbe : Theerthalli (small town in the midst of western ghats). Visit a local's house and have traditional Malnad style lunch :)

Also visit "Kuppalli" -- A renowned Poet Kuvempu's home town (a small village with superb nature around, which enlightened him to write literary).

This is what i call proper travelling (The lonely planet way).

I will cover a few more places in my next article.