One year with my bike, Nandi - Part 3

Sep2-5, 2016- Amruthapura, Sirsi, Yaana, Siddapura

It was the time of Ganesha Chaturthi and my ride plan was to in and around Sirsi. Initially planned for a solo ride. Mean while, Prashathi messaged in the Whatsapp group "Weekend trekking" asking about any plans for weekend. When I said I am going to Sirsi in bike, he said he also would like to join. So, I got a companion and asked him to come down to my home.We both stays in different corners of Bangalore. Since there was Karnataka bandh on Sep 2nd, and he took lot of struggle to reach my place.

It was around 6 PM we started from my room. Believe me, we did not had any route plan, where to stay , where all to visit, nothing at all. I thought will ride till Shivamogga over night and take rest some where there and will continue our journey. By the time we reach Tumkur road, traffic was huge since it was long weekend and also bandh was ended just few hours back. So we decided to go via Kunigal road, then from Chennaayapattana to Arasikere.

Whenever I ride in the Bangalore-Mangalore highway while going to native or during any ride, I visit Yediyur temple. I convey the same to Prashasthi, immediately he said he also wished to visit it. So we turned towards Yediyur Siddalingeshwara temple. Already it was time to close the temple. After having darshana there, we had food(prasaada) at temple's Dasoha nilaya (Dining hall) only. It was already 8:30 PM and still we haven't thought of staying or other plans. Then I thought will stay in my granny's home near Kadur. And after discussing with him, I called my uncle and said we both are coming for staying.

The highway was almost empty and we were riding in the night. From Yediyur, we reached Chennarayapattana.From there took diversion to Arasikere which connects Bangalore-Honnavara highway. Around 12:30 mid night we reached my granny's home Chomanahally in the foothill of Hemagiri hills. Next day, we started early morning from there and stopped at Preethi canteen, Birur for breakfast. Dose here is very nice and I never miss having Dose in this canteen whenever I am travelling in this road.

Preethi Canteen, Birur

From there, we were riding towards Tarikere . Prashasthi saw the sign board towards a Hoysala temple, Amruteshwara temple, Amruthapura. He insisted to go there, as even I am interested in Hoysala temples and architecture, and although I had already visited it but said Yes and we turned our bike towards Amruthapura. 

Amruteshwara Temple, Amruthapura

After seeing the temple, we started towards Shivamogga. From there, we reached Sirsi around 3 PM. We did not had any plan to visit any places.On spot we decided to go to Sahasra linga which is around 15 kms from Sirsi in Sirsi-Yellapura road. 

Sahasra linga

Wooden bridge near Sahasra linga

From Sahasralinga, we started towards Shivagange falls after taking route map from some local person there. He suggested some short cut route after crossing the hanging bridge near Sahasra linga. From there we reached Vanalli, then Shivagange falls. 

Shivagange falls

Though we tried to get down till falls, we couldn't since there was no proper route and many trees were fell down.Also, it was getting dark and nobody were there around.It was like a remote place. Then we came back and from there we went to Ganeshpal, where a small temple is there which will be completely immersed in water during rainy season. During the season we visited, it was surrounded by water and we did not go to other side to visit temple.

The road ends here. Need to go i mud road to reach Ganeshpal

Ganeshpal

I ride my bike in this kind of terrain too

From Ganeshpal, we decided to go to Sirsi and stay there in some lodge. While coming back from Ganeshpal, we decided to visit Sonde swarnavalli matha and then to Sirsi. By the time we reach Sonde, it was already around 8 PM. We got to know that we can stay there, hence we both decided to stay in Matha itself and will start our journey next day early morning.

It was time for evening main pooje by Swarnavalli Sri. We got a chance to witness the last mangalaarathi of the temple there. After this pooje, they will serve food in the matha similar to daasoha in Yediyur we had a day before. Since we were tired of riding around 400 kms since morning, we desperately needed a rest. 

Sonde Swarnavalli Matha

Missiles at Sonde Fort

Shiva temple at Sonde fort

Next day again early morning we got ready,and started our journey. First, we visited Sonda fort belongs to Sonda dynasty which is near to Sonda math. 

Our next destination was Yaana. From Sonda fort, we reached Sirsi, had breakfast there and started towards Yaana in Sirsi-Kumta highway. Earlier, people use to trek for around 6 kms to reach Yaana , but now small vehicles will go almost near to the temple.

There are around 90 shikhara of stones there in Yaana, out of which Chandika shikhara and Bhiraveshwara shikhara are bigger ones. There is a Shiva statue in Bhairaweshwara shikhara. After walking around the Bhairaveshwara shikhara, we continued our ride to Vibhooti falls near to Yaana.

Chandika Shikhara

Bhairaveshwara Shikhara

Entrance of Yaana

Vibhooti falls

Vibhooti falls was stunning and road from Yaana to Vibhooti falls in the middle of forest, bends and down together, sometimes up and bends together. Ride in this route was the one I enjoyed much in whole trip. 

From,Yaana we planned to go to Benne hole falls. After some suggestion from local person, decided to go via Manjuguni and from there in short cut we can connect to Sirsi-Yellapura road where we can go to Bennehole falls.

Manjuguni Temple

Bennehole falls

This was the route to reach Bennehole falls

Manjuguni, name came to this village bcoz this whole village will be covered with fog (Manju in kannada), it was called as Manjuguni, some local explained it. By the time we reach there, it was closing time for temple. Then we had a very delicious food which includes Paayasa, rice, tambuli, butter milk, curd in the daasoha in temple. After witnessing the nice architecture of temple built in 9th century, we started towards Bennehole falls.

To reach bennehole falls, have to connect to Manjuguni cross-Karase-Bandala. From Bandala, again ride 3 kms to reach small village called Kasage. From Kasage again continue in same road for around 1 km and take diversion to reach bennehole falls. Since the sign board was also gone, we were confused about the route. Then after confirmation from some local people, we started in mud road for around 5 kms from highway till bennehole falls. Not even a single person we saw in that road till falls. 

After some 3 kms of ride in mud road inside the forest, there was a diversion. We were confused to go in which road to reach falls. Fortunately, we found some small board there and took diversion towards right to go to falls. Reached near by falls, parked bike and had to trek for around a km to reach the falls. Its least explored, unpolluted falls near Sirsi. Pray God that let it not get polluted with more tourists.

From, bennehole falls we came back in same mud road, and then we decided to go to Unchalli falls. Again came back to Bandala., from there again got a short cut from localaites. We reached place called Kanchikai, then Heggarane. From Heggarane Unchalli falls is about 4 kms.

Unchalli falls is also known as Lucington falls since some British officer found it. Also, localites calleD it as Keppa joga meaning Deaf Joga. One more fact about this falls is, a famous Kannada movie 'Nammura mandaara hoove' by Shivaraj kUmar, Ramesh was shot here.

Unchalli falls

After enjoying the beauty of Unchalli falls, we started our journey towards Siddapura. Again got the route from localities and started towards Siddapura. Came across a junction called katri (Scissor) as locals call it there where 4 roads connects. Though we took short cut, since some bridge was collapsed in that route and was not repaired since an year, we took different route after asking people there and reached Sidapura then Sagara around 8 PM and stayed in Prashasthi's home 'Prashanthavanam'. As the name says, really it was Prashantha vana, calm place.

Confused at Katri, a junction of 4 roads

Next day it was Ganesha chaturthi. Had breakfast at his home and it was my wish to visit Varadashrama at Varada hally near Sagara. Could not visit this ashrama when I had been to Sagara earlier, So I conveyed my wish to visit there, then we went to Varadasharama where Sridhara swamiji lived. After a blissful visit to Vradasharama, came back to Sagara.

Prashasthi wished to stay in his home for another day. So, I started my journey to Bangalore from Sagara. On the way met my friend Kumar at Shivamogga and then visited my cousin sister Ashamma's home at Bhadravathi. Since, it was festival, had nice feast at sister's home and started my journey. One of my uncle got to know about my trip and he asked me to visit his home on my way back to Bangalore. So,I visited my uncle's home at Siddaramanahally near Kadur on the way. Since, I was riding alone now, and my uncle asked my another cousin who was also coming to Bangalore to come with me, After having another feast, we started our journey to Bangalore.

A ride of 1250 kms all together ended.

More details about this bike trip can be read in Prashasthi's blog as well.

1. http://prashasti-prashantavanam.blogspot.in/2016/09/SahasralinigaShivagangaGaneshfallsSondamatha.html

2. http://prashasti-prashantavanam.blogspot.in/2016/09/SondaFort.html

3. http://prashasti-prashantavanam.blogspot.in/2016/09/Yaana.html

4. http://prashasti-prashantavanam.blogspot.in/2016/09/VibhutiFalls-manjuguni-Bennehole-unchallifalls.html