Sakleshpur for kukke Subrahmanya you can only see green. If you drive to subrahmanya in the rains, you might just find, every so oftern your breath catch in your throat. The munificence of the monsoon on display all around will make egos realize why nature is alive as a woman. Kukke Subrahmanya is a place of pilgrimage.

In Karnataka the first destination for childless couples is kukke subrahmanya, where special naga pujas are undertaken to seek the blessings of the snake god, who dwells here along with the son of Shiva, Kumaraswamy and his wife Devasena. Legend has it that the sepent king Vasuki had undertaken a penance on kumara Parvatha nearby. When Lord Kumaraswamy or Subrahmanya came here after winning a battle against the demon Tarakasura, Vasuki prayed that the lord would stay here with him permanently. His wish was granted and Vasuki enjoys all the pujas and reverences Lord Subrahmanya is entitled to. Both the serpent king and the lord were brought down the hill in a basket.

The Subrahmanya Temple is set against the backdrop of the kumara Parvatha hills with shops and temple choultries lining the road leading to the temple. Kashikatte, the main entrance, is lined by shrines of Hanuman and Ganapahi. A huge quadrangle leads you to the main deity Sri Subrahmanya with the perpent god protecting.

Biladwara

Literally meaning the door of the hole this is a cave about half a kilometer from the main subrahmanya Temple. Legend has it that Vasuki the serpent king, hid in this cave to protect himself from the onslaught of Garuda, the golden bird king and vehicle of Vishnu, and undertook a penance to invoke divine protection.

The Tirthas

These are the bathing ghats about 1 half km from the temple, where pilgrims can take a dip in the kumaradhara River. The brindavan of the swamis of the Subrahmanya Mutt are also here.

Trekking Trip

Kumara Parvatha 5 km

Kukke subrahmanya and its surroundings are indeed a trekker’s paradise. The majestic hills stand 4,000 ft above sea level their green folds sending a seductive invitation to trekkers to explore their rocky terrain and thick forest belts. Kumara Parvatha is a 5 km walk from town. At the end of Bisle Ghat, where the borders of Coorg, Dakshin Kannada and Hassan districts meet, a difficult 25 km trek through the forest takes you to the top of kumara Parvatha.

Halfway up the peak, at 2,000 ft is Girigaddhe where Girigaddhe bhatt lives with his family. Three generations of the family have stayed here in the sole house on the hill, which offers rest to trekkers.

Yedukumeri

Trek along the green trekking route along the temporarily silent railway track from Sakleshpur to Kukke Subrahmanya. Lose yourself inside the blanket of the Konkan forest that drapes the hills of south Canara. The 56.8 km stretch has 110 curves, 58 tunnels and 109 bridges. To the left the mountains stretch with more than 25 waterfalls and several small streams running across. Trekkers usually start from the Dhonigal Point and trek along Yedukumeri and Shirivagilu, marching along to the whispers of the swaying branches and soft gushes of the waterfalls. When you turn that curve and first see Yedukumeri Station.

Kakkabe is nature’s laboratory it can transform a boring natural science class into an exciting practical tour. The heavy ranforest cover gives the region a rich bounty of rare orchids, plants and birds. Scenic treks take you to Mallamma Betta, soma Male and Kabbe Pass from where you can spy sun-kissed clouds caressing Kerala’s hills. However the prize catch is undoubtedly Thadiyendamol.

Thadiyendamol

Thadiyendamol at 5,730 ft, is the highest peak in coorg and the second highest in Karnataka after Mullaiyanagiri in the Baba Budan Range. Thadiyendamol lures trekkers with the promise of a glimpse of the coastline on a clear day. For the most part the trek is gentie, but the last quarter is a steep climb. The 2 1/2 hours climb one way from palace estate is shorter but the longer 31/2 hour climb from Honey Valley passes through thick rainforest and more scenic terrain.

Igguthappa Temple

The Igguthappa Temple not only is you handed prasad on a platter you are given a three-course meal of payasam rice and tow types of sambar with wild mango pickle to boot. Worshiped as the one who gives grain iggu is kodava for grain thappa means to give Iggathappa is the de facto rain god. The temple is 2 1/2 km from the jeep stand at Kakkabe. Get onto the road to Madikeri. Take a left under the arch. After a kilometer take a right to the temple that passes through the arch.

Rock Climbing and Treks

A 1 hour walk to Nilakandi Waterfall, 3 km away is one of the shorter treks. Apart from barking deer, pangolins, flying squirrels it is a good place to spot the honey loveing south Indian marten. There are many other routers of varying difficulty. Suresh Changappa of Honey Valley has marked out 28 of them. Place Estate has the ideal terrain for trekking, streams and a 50 ft waterfall.

Around Kakkabe

Karada 11 km

This town is on the way back to Virajpet. Keep a close warch or you may drive right past. The turn through a temple arch on your left takes you 1 km inside to what is considered the best ain mane ancestral home in Coorg. You might get a closer glimpse if you are polite to its owners the Nadikeriyendas. Beyond it the road forks to the right a range of peaks lies on one side a view right to Madikeri on the other.

Kadanga 16 km

If you are an avid birdwatcher or if you want to unearth the mysteries of coorg, you must meet sheroo subbiah at kadanga who indentifies birds not by sight but by their call.Which offers a room to stay in and home cooked food, is in arapattu a short way off the virajpet kakkabe road 2 km from kadanga. Turn right opposite the nalnad palace to make your way to this beautiful estate by a rivulet. Apart from birdwarching and trekking to kabbe pass, you can swim a dangle in the rivulet.

Madikeri Fort

Originally a mud fot, Tipu Sultan rebuilt this fort with stone. Tipu ruled briefly over this region in the 18th century. Inside the fort is the palace of the Lingayat rulers, a simple structure that’s a pale reflection of the palaces seen else where in Karnataka.

Abbi Falls

Abbi in Kodava means falls. This beautiful waterfall is a mere 5 km from Madikeri inside a privately owned coffee estate and a big hit with locals and tourists alike.

Raja’s Seat

This was where the Kodagu kings would view the sunset. The view encompasses emerald valleys, green paddy fields and in the distance the grey blue ghats.

Omkareshwara Temple

Built by the Kodagu king Lingaraja in 1820, the temple is remarkable for its mosque like style, with an impressive central dome and four minarests, which are surrounded by Basavas, or sacred bulls. On the top of the dome sits a gilded ball, with a weathercock. A large tank in front of the temple enhances the serenity.

Madikeri Adventure

Coorg is a trekker’s paradise, so get hose boots on an dget moving. Up and down hills, through coffee and pepper plantations, alongside the graceful Cauvey, whether it’s a leisurely ramble or a purposeful trek, it’s most satisfying.

Headquartered in Madikeri, the Coorg Wildlife Society promotes environmental conservationand organizes treks to pushpagiri. Brahmagiri and other areas of Coorg.

Around Madikeri

Talacauvery 48 km

Talacauvery is the birthplace of the Cauvery and therefore has immense religious significance. It is situated on the slopes of the Brahmagiri Hills. On the auspicious Tula Sankaramana in October the goddess Cauvery makes her appearance in the form of a gushing spring here.

Siddapur 19 km

The work of some divine had has blessed Siddapur with optimal rainfall and gently undulating terrain which in turn has made this town the heart and soul of Coorge’s Coffee country. The drive to Siddapur from Madikeri is wonderfully scenic an dthe road beyond no less the winding road to Ammathi, 8 km beyond, twists and turns past coffee estates. A further 10 km drive takes you to the planter’s paradise, Pollibetta 12 km from Siddapur by a short cut.

Dubare Elephant Camp 30 km

Elephant training camp in east Coorg sandwiched between the south banks of the Cauvery and the Dubare Reserve Forest a place to watch elephants in different states of euphoria. The camp being developed as a wildlife adventure camp is home to 14 elephants. Jungle Lodges plans to build riverside tents and develop sport fishing in the second phase. For now the cam serves as a practical info center on anything to do with elephants. The tariff includes tea and anacks, the services of a naturalist who will enlighten you about elephant conservation an elephant ride and close interaction with the tuskers.

The northern mountain forests of the Western Ghats around a remote village named Nersa in Belgaum District. These are phrases for regulation game parks where the safaris are by jeep and the sights are almost orchestrated. Nersa is raw and stark in its aggression, naked and uninhibited in its attitude and as wild as a forest can get.

The Bats of Talevadi

The forest here has a variety of life forms ranging from the gaur, deer and bear to snakes and birds and even a herd of elephants that has moved in from nearby Dandeli recently. But Nersa is all about the bats, the kind that are found in the woods and not made of them.

The Bats of Krishnapur

Beyond Talevadi lies an area called Krishnapur in the Mahadai Valley, home to dolomite outcrops. They have been living in a three-tiered cave for eons. The ancient forest has never ever come under the axe.

Bird Watching

As many as 276 species of birds have made this part of the Western Ghats their home. From the funniest looking Ceylon frogmouth to the wonderfully plumaged paradise flycatcher you’ll see them all. But you’ll have to be keenly observant as the foliage is thick and the birds have an obviously effective set of camouflage.

Kemmannagundi is planted with enough compelling road sings to waylay innocent tourists into some other, seemingly more tempting holiday. But if you stick firmly to your path, skirting the tangential charms of Halebid and Belur, the Chikmagalur coffee estates and the distant road to Kudremukh, you will reach a hill that was once preferred by a monarch.

Kemmannagundi’s compact charms views, waterfalls, gardens all in a day’s work make it one of the most fun-filled short holidays from Bangalore. Depite the fact that it has few amenities and food that breaks the dam on hostel memories, every Saturday morning families and those college students burst upon this royal getaway that still carries the grand title of Krishna Rajendra Hill Station.

Still the 4,705-ft high Krishna Rajendra Hill manages to provide its visitors almost everything a fly-fledged hill station does. There is the Rock Garden within the guesthouse premises maintained by the Horticulture Department. The Kallahati Falls 10 km, also known as Kakahasti Falls, descend from a height of 122 meeter and are quite pretty. It’s a lovely place for a picnic lunch. You could take a short trek to the Hebbe Falls 8 km, but don’t attempt swimming here. They are even more spectacular, with the water cascading down from over 500 ft. And then there is Z point a good place from which to watch sunsets.

Around Kemmannagundi

Chikmagalur 58 km

Chikmagalur has the topography of an ironing board but hills rise all around it, growing coffee in the mottled shade of silver oaks. Most of these are vast farms run by owners who have only recently realized that they grow some of the world’s best coffee coffee that’ll stand substitute for prayer on any day. Stop by Panduranga on MG Road for coffee beanse or freshly ground powder.

Mullaiyanagiri

The highest peak in Karnataka is 6 km from Chikmagalur. Its 6,000 plus ft height is employed mostly to watch sunsets. Another good stop on the way to Bhadra Sanctuary is Nature Craft. It’s around 9 km out of Chikmagalur and sells artifacts fashioned from coffeewood.

Dattatreya Peeth

A laterite cave on the Baba Badanagiri Peak en route from Chikmagalur, 32 km before you hit Kemmannagundi is considered holy by both Muslims and Hindus. The peak gets its name from a legend coffee farmers love to relate. The story goes that coffee was introudeced to India by the Muslim saint Baba Budan in the 16th century who smuggled in seven coffee beans in his belt from West Asia and planted them here.

Railway Station – Kadur 40 km 1hour 30m. Taxi to Kemmannagundi is Rs 400. Hassan 60 km 1hour 45m is a better-connected station.

Road This is the best way to get to Kemmannagundi from Bangalore a beautiful drive up the Baba Budanagiri Hill from Chikmagalur.

The swirling waters of the Lakshmana Teertha bounded over rocks like a frolicking mountain goa, overjoyed at having done with the 60 m leap that people knew as Irpu falls. It was such a shame. Most visitors to Irpu ventured past the Ishwara Temple only as far as the falls. During Shivratri streams of devotees vying to cleanse their souls replaced the flow of honeymooners and picnickers. The water had darkened perhaps just a shade after years of washing away people’s sins. Or may be it was the thick rainforest cover. No one could tell. The answers lay trapped high up in Brahmagiri and an ancient trail ached for the soft caress of fresh footprints.

Irpu acts as a gateway to the Brahmagiri Range and a climb though strenuous, ushers in a whole new point of view. Brahmagiri has been identified as one of the major hotspots of biodiversity in Coorg and the altitudinal variation unravels a myriad wonders with each step. The mountain teems with rare orchid’s medicinal herbs, butterflies of every hue and exotic birds like the Malabar trogon. The trail that passes through Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary fans out towards a range of peaks each with its own mythology. If you find the whole exercise too daunting you can park yourself in any of the home stays at Irpu and gaze at brahmagiri from the safe perch of your armchair. The Ishwara temple and Irpu Falls ought to be less taxing.

Ishwara Temple

The Ishwara Temple also known as the Rameshwar Temple since Lord Rama him-self consecrated the Shivling, is one of considerable importance. Its popularity ratings skyrocket during shivratri because of its power to redeem a person of his sins. It is customary to pay your respects here before you take a dip in the Lakshmana Teertha. Through the rest of the year the temple follows the rest of the year the temple follows its puja schedule with clinical precision. It is important to know this as the temple gates remain closed 1 pm to 6pm and if you land up at an odd hour you’ll be left sipping your tea very very slowly at the chaistall next to the temple. From there a trail leads on to Irpu Falls and beyond.

Irpu Falls

As with most waterfalls the beauty of Irpu Falls too is heightened after the rains, when the rainforest is glossy green and the 60 m drop is a raging torrent. If you go at any other time you are likely to be disappointed. Scarcely 1 km from the Ishwara Temple, the well marked out trail to the falls winds past a sacred banyan tree before disappearing into the forest. Technically, you would be within the outer limits of the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, but you don’t need permission to go to the falls. If you are planning to go any further, it makes sense to stop by at the Reserve Forest Office at Srimangala before you take the diversion to Irpu so that you don’t have to backtrack later.

Brahmagiri Sanctuary

Spread over 181 sq km the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary stretches in a wide arc from kutta to Makutta 5 km from Irpu Falls. The diverse habitat ranges from lowland rainforests in Makutta Wildlife Range to high altitude shoal grasslands in the Srimangala Wildlife Range. The sanctuary is contiguous with Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary in kerala an da densely forested corridor punctuated by coffee plantations, connects it to wayanad an dnagarhole. The forests abound with gaur, sloth bear, elephants, barking deer, a host of felines like tigers, leopards, jungle cats, lepard cats an dprimates like the lion tailed macaque, bonnet macaque an dNilgiri Iangur. Brahmagiri is also a great place for birdwarchers and if you are really into it you must follow the trail to pakshi pathalam. The best time to visit the sanctuary is between October and May.

On the route to Kudrekukh it is a good idea to keep the driver caffeinated, though it will always be the scenery that will wake up the senses here. As you go beyond Chikmagalur and to the windward side of the Malnad coffee hills, spring would have already reached there. Coffee trees that still await the first shower in chikmagalur are drenched in white blossoms in Kudremukh. With no apparent effort, the land here grows coffee arecanut palms fragrant cardamom and mango all at the same time, with quite a few hills also given over to mosaic-like emerald green tea plantations.

Kudremukh is a landscape designed entirely by rain and there is an ease to life in these parts that is obvious in the freshly painted villages and the clean streets. Laying on the southern edge of karnataka’s border its beauty makes an apt foreword to kerala.

Kudremukh town was set up entirely by the kudrekukh Iron Ore Company Limited. Built like an American town with wide open spaces and low buildings it’s a pleasant place to stay but doesn’t have very many tourist spots. Most places to see around have their won dots on the disrict map which means a lot of driving. So this holiday is best done with your own car. If you are hiring one go for a sturdy vehicle as roads are bad in parts.

Kudremukh Peak

At 6,250 ft this peak whose name means the horse face hill falls before the town and requires a small hike up. On a very very clear day the blue edge of the Arabian Sea is visible from there. The peak is closed to visitors in the forest fire season.

Lakya Dam

The dam just outside kudremukh was built by kiocl to deposit the red sludge from its mines. It has a stark industrial beauty and is a great place for an evening walk. Though there is a guard to post all warnings, under no circumstances climb over the rocks because the sludge is like quicksand it swallows everything including grazing cows that venture too near.

Interestingly to protect animals and the forests of the kudremukh National Park the park authorities had filed a case against the Kiocl which is now disputing the Supreme Court order to stop mining by the year 2005. Timings Weekdays 4.30 am to 6.30 pm, Sundays 9.30 am to 6.30 pm.

Kudremukh National Park

The park 10 km from the town consists mostly of evergreen rainforests and is extremely beautiful. But forests here are so thick that big game sightings are rare inside the park 1 km from the Mangalore Kalasa Road, you can stay at the kudremukh forest department’s Bhagwati Nature Camp.

Around Kudremukh

Kalasa 20 km

Kalasa is a small town encircled by a host of interesting places to visit. Topping the list are the Panchatirtha the five sacred ponds. Rudra Tirtha is 5 km from silent valley resort, next is Vasishtha Tirtha at 6 km Amba Tirtha is 8 km, Varaha Tirtha 30 km and Amba Tirtha is a huge boulder called Bheemana Kallu, which bears a Sanskrit inscription stating that Sri Madhavacharya founder of the Dvaita School of philosophy brought and placed it here with one hand. Duggappana Katte, a viewing point is 5 km from silent valley resort and at a similar distance is kallubhavi an unusual well dug out of rock which goes quite deep.

The Kalasa trip is done easiest if you are based at Silent Valley Corporate Resor a hotel set amidst natural surroundings also a good base for visits to kudremukh. The Bhadra River is just 4 km from here. All the rooms here are individual ethnic cottages quite pretty and self-sufficient and the huge restaurant overlooks the pool.

Horanadu 28 km

The Annapoorneshwari Temple in Horanadu 8 km from Silent Valley is surrounded by great natural beauty. The Kaleshwara Temple dedicated to Shive is on a hillock 4 km away. Half a kilometer from there is the Girijamba Temple. A 3 day festival celebrating the marriage between kaleshwara and Girijamba is helf here just after Diwali.

What can you say about a place where the local deity is a wandering spirit who wears outsized sandals? And a region so wild that the milestones are painted yellow and green for fear of marauding elephants for some obscure reason wild elephants in these parts get so peeved by white milestones that they pull them out and fling them around. The forest Department recently pulled one of these specimens out of a tree. Welcome to BR Hills.

BR Hills used to be a mere temple on a hillock with a rarely visited wildlife sanctuary nearby. That’s until Jungle Lodges transformed it into the wildest vacationing spot in Karnataka. The range stretches for about 16 km and takes its name from the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple, which stands atop its highest point. Though Biligiri in kannada means white mountain the name is a misnomer. The area is a thick forest of green dotted by deciduous trees and patches of shoal rainforest.

BR Hills is an excellent area for wildlife, trekking and adventure activities. The forest cover is thick with a wide range of flora and fauna on view.

Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple

This centuries-old temple is dedicated to Lord Rangaswamy an dis perched atop a hill reached by 150 odd steps. Nearby is a 1,000 ft drop to the forest. Recently a steep road was constructed that offers spectacular views all around. The only time the trickle of locals to this secluded temple becomes a deluge is during the Ratha Festival that takes place every April.

BR Wildlife Sanctuary

Spread over an area of 525 sq km of undulating hills, BR Hills is a treasure house of varied animal life. The sanctuary, spread over the Biligiri Rangaswamy and Male Mahadeshwar ranges, forms an important link between the Eastern and the Western Ghats of India. Trek up on foot or opt for jeep safaris or elephat rides. Make sure you take prior permission from the forest depatment at chamrajnagar.

Dodda Sampige Mera

Literally the Big Champak Tree this is a 2,000-year-old giant tree that still flowers in season. The soliga tribals believe it is the abode of Lord Rangaswamy. It’s believed that other deities also reside here, represented by 101 stone lingams.

The presence of the Cauvery and mumerous water bodies makes it a haven for amateur fishing, coracle boat rides and river rafting. The lush Iandscape is ideal for trekking an doutdoor camping. Jungle safaris and elephant rides will leave kids as chirpy as the numerous birds that abound.

Nandi Hills is a craggy range squatting obstinately on the absolutely flat surrounding plains just outside Bangalore. These are not gently rolling hills but a giant 2,000 ft granite monolith towering over you that seems to appear from nowhere. The effect is megical.

The hills get their name from the beautiful statue of Nandi standing guard outside the yoganandeeshwaran Temple atop the hills. Elsewhere peaks give birth to the rivers Arakavati, Pennar and Palar. Nandi Hills has for long attracted a loyal following among royalty and commoners alike. Tipu Sultan, who ruled Mysore in the late 18th century, came here to recover from the din of battle. Nandi Hills and made it his summer haven. The Brits took over Nandi Hills, looking for the salubrious climate of their homeland. Sir Mark Cubbon, former commissioner of Bangalore, made it his official summer residence. Many bungalows the Brits built still pepper the hills, Dignitaries, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Queen Elizabeth have since visited. The point of all this name-dropping is that with cobbled paths leadingup to hills full of birdsong, Nandi Hills is a good getaway for you and your family too.

Reaching the top is easy as there’s a good, motorable road going all the way up. If you are in need of a drastic workout, take the steep flight of 1,175 steps from the base of the hills to the top. Nandi Hills is the place where laziness can be perfected into an art from. The most strenuous activities here are long ambles along the walkways meandering along the hills.

Tipu’s Drop

Tipu’s Drop a near 2,000 ft-high sheer cliff has a gory past. It is the place form where convicted prisoners would be hurled to their death by Tipu Sultan’s decree.

If you want to get the best out of Tipu’s Drop wait until the last tour bus departs with its cargo of noisy day-tippers. Then watch the dusk paint the horizon in vibrant colours. As the dusk melts, the light of Bangalore becomes visible in the distance. The city spearkles beneath you like a giant rangoli decorated with diyas.

Yoganandeeshwara Temple

This temple the abode of Shiva the ascetic at the top of the hills was built by the cholas. The tow dwarpalakas guarding the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum merit quite some attention. This ancient temple also has an inscription in the name of Sambhaji son of chhatrapati Shivaji.

Amrita Sarovar

This large tank is fed by perennial springs and is called the lake of ambrosia, Visit it at night when it shimmers in the moonlight. Nearby lies the chabootara or platform where Tipu Sultan used to pray.

Bhoganandeeshwara Temple

This temple at the base of the Nandi Hills dates back to the period of the Bana Dynasty but was rebuilt over the centuries by Chola, Hoysala and Vijayanagara kings. The Nandi here is massive. Locals refer to Bhoganandeeshwara as the doddu Nandi and Yoganandeeshwara as the chilkka small Nandi.

Around Nandi Hills

Muddenahalli 12 km

This is the hometown of Muddenahalli Vishveswaraya whose creations include architectural masterpieces like Bangalore’s Vidhana Soudha and the Brindavan Gardens. His house near the park and Tirnahali Bs stop in Muddenahalli has been converted into a museum. On the way out of Nandi Hills, keep going straight for Muddenahalli instead of taking the right halli instead of taking the right turn back to Bangalore.