Pepper Vines Homestay - Chikkamagaluru

Trip to Chikkamagaluru was planned for family get together & it was our first trip with kids 😊

We wanted to go for a trip from some time, but could not execute our plan. This time finally we managed to plan for something and execute it. To avoid last minute change in plan we booked Homestay well in advance - Pepper Vines Homestay near Mudigere

This home stay is around 8 Kms from Mudigere and 250 Kms from Bengaluru. 

We started early morning from Bengaluru and stopped near Yadiyuru for breakfast. We have enough options for breaks in this route. We stopped near Kichhana Halli Mane for breakfast. 

Since we didn’t had any specific plans for our trip, stopped near Beluru Chennakeshava Temple. We thought since its a weekday there won’t be much crowd and we can click some nice pics of the temple, but our assumption was wrong! There were lot of people who were marching towards Dharmastala stopped near this place for rest and temple was over crowded 😞

Spent some time in this temple and headed towards our destination. It took more time than usual to reach Mudigere because of traffic and finally we managed to reach homestay by 1.00 PM. 

It’s a very nice place, in first look only I liked this place very much🙃. After having lunch relaxed for a while and headed towards Devaramane view point to see sunset. Devaramane view point is around 30 Kms from this homestay but took more than one and half hour to reach the place because of road condition. 

It was totally a different experience compared to my last visit to Devaramane, the pond infant of temple is renovated and didn’t liked it at all. 

After parking our vehicles near by tea shop went to view point, its a simple climb took 15 minutes to reach from parking place. Spent some time in clicking pics.  

We could not wait till sunset since it was getting cold and little children’s were around so we declined soon and headed back to homestay.  While coming back it even took more time, close to 2 hours to travel 30 Kms!! 

Finally reached homestay around 8.30PM. Delicious food was waiting for us by the time we reach homestay.  

Because of our experience driving around we decided to spend time near homestay only. Visited one waterfall near by homestay (during summer it will be a small stream). Quite good place for children’s to play in water.  Spent some time and headed back to homestay. 

After lunch it was time for photo session 😎

Spent some relaxing time around playing with kids 😊

Final day before we vacate Homestay, went for a Jeep drive around the estate and could see one more stream spent some time in taking pics around and headed back. It was time to say good bye to beautiful place. 

Especially I have to mention, this is one of the best Homestay’s I visited in recent days. Hospitality was too good and should mention about Mani who was taking care of our requirements. He was very kind and use to quickly serve the items which we requested for.  Very beautiful place and kind people. Very good place to visit with family and friends 😊

Chandramouleshwara Temple - Arasikere

Visit to Chandramouleshwara temple was a last minute plan during our ride back to Bengaluru. After exploring Amrutheshwara Temple Tarikere initial plan was to take hosadurga route and join NH-4, but we changed our plan and decided to take Arasikere route and visit this beautiful temple. 

Location: Arasikere is around 70 Kms from Tariikere, but it took 2 hours for us to reach the temple because of bad road condition. This place is around 170 Kms from Bengaluru and 45 Kms from Hassan. 

History: Like all Hoysala constructions, this east-facing temple was built with soapstone and is an ekakuta shrine (single shrine or cella) with two mantapas, one open and one closed. The ceiling in the closed mantapa is divided into nine compartments or 'bays' by the four lathe-turned pillars. Unlike other temples, to have a darshan of Lord Shiva inside the garbhagriha, there is no direct straight access, since this particular mantapa is star-shaped. Instead, there are two lateral entrances at north and south of the mantapa.

The temple is considered the most complex in architecture among surviving Hoysala monuments because of its ground plan – a 16-pointed star-shaped mantapa, in addition to an asymmetrical star-shaped shrine, whose star points are of three different types making the design complicated and unusual.

We spent around 30 minutes near the temple and headed towards Bengaluru. 

Things to remember: 

• Would be difficult for Motor bike riders since we don’t have proper parking place where we can leave our luggage tied to your bike
• Entry to this temple is free.
• Open for visitors all the day from 6.30 AM too 6.30 PM

Travel Tips

Distance from Bengaluru	–	170 Kms
Road Condition	–	Not good (when I visited)
Nearest Town	–	Arasikere
Fuel Station	–	Plenty of options available
Near by places to visit	–	Chikka Tirupati, Amrutheshwara temple Tarikere.

Amrutheshwara Temple

Amrutheshwara temple near tarikere was in my bucket list from quite some time. Listed some of the Hoysala temples around this place, but could not visit any of the temples till date. During our ride back to Bengaluru from Thirthahalli planned to visit this place. From the place we stayed it was around 88 Kms, started early morning and decided to stop near tarikere for quick break and explore the temple. It took close to 2 hours to reach the place because of road condition. 

The Amrutheshwara temple is located in the village of Amruthapura, 67 km away from Chikkamagaluru district. Located 105 km from Hassan and 50 km from Shimoga on NH 206, around 260 Kms from Bengaluru. 

History: Amrutheshwara Temple is one of the finest example of Hoysala architecture. Temple was build during the end of 12th century by Amrutheshwara Dandanayaka under Hoysala King Veera Ballala II. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and has a Shiva Ling made of Saligrama, a black variety of stone brought from River Kandikevale which is in Nepal.

The architecture of the temple is no less than any other Hoysala temples. Equally beautiful and filled with rich art. Its quite small in size compared to other temples. There is an open ground around the temple. 

We spent around 30 minutes near the temple and headed towards Chandramouleswara Temple Arasikere. 

Things to remember: 

• No proper sign board to reach the temple, but we can relay on Google map
• Entry to this temple is free.
• Open for visitors all the day from 6.30 AM too 6.30 PM

Travel Tips

Distance from Bengaluru	–	260 Kms
Road Condition	–	Not good (when I visited)
Nearest Town	–	Tarikere
Fuel Station	–	Plenty of options available
Near by places to visit	-	Bhadravati, Chandramouleswara Temple Arasikere

Tunga Bridge - Thirthahalli

Tunga Bridge in Thirthahalli, is the one of the oldest bridges constructed across the Tunga River. 

This bridge is over 75 years old and it was designed by, and built under supervision of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya.  The bridge connects the area Kuruvalli with Thirthahalli. Tunga Bridge is also called Jayachamarajendra Bridge.

The Tunga Bridge draws many visitors, especially on weekends to see the uniqueness of the bridge. 

After visiting Kavaledurga morning we had enough time to relax for the day. I thought of a quick ride across the Bridge which was around 5 Kms from the place we stayed. 

The place was very quite and not much people were around the place. We can play in water if some one wants to 😊 

Spent some time clicking pics around and thought of riding on the bridge and capture few pics on the bridge. 

This place is very good to witness sunset.