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Showing posts from April, 2013

Madhya Pradesh Trip-3: Visit to Chitrakoot

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Watch the full video here Overview: I first heard about Chitrakoot while watching the TV series Ramayan in the 1980s. Then later read several books and heard from different people how important Chitrakoot is in Indian history. I reached Chitrakoot from Gwalior at around 4am in the morning, and I had booked the Retiring room at Chitrakoot Railway station for my accomodation. But unfortunately after reaching ChitrakootDham railway station, I found the Retiring room in a shabby conditon and in complete darkness. People were sleeping on the platform and there was nobody to guide me on the retiring room. So finally I decided to move out of the station and look for accomodation. I managed to get a single room just opposite the Railway station for Rs 800. There are several options for stay near the railway station, and since I had my next train past midnight, I preferred some place quite close so that I can just walk to the train station. I got freshened up and at around 7:30am, I ventured ou
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Talakad: A dynasty lost beneath layers of sand

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  Talakad, a small village in Mysore District, was the capital of the Gangas in the middle of 2nd century. They built many temples around Talakad and this place was later taken over by Cholas of Tamil Nadu. In the later part of 14th century, the Hoysalas defeated the Cholas to rule over Talakad which was then passed on to the Vijayanagara kings. During the rule of the Vijayanagara kingdom, the king at Srirangapatnam got struck with a deadly disease and went to Talakad to get this disease cured by offering prayers to the Lord, but later when his wife Rangamma, who was taking care of the kingdom, learnt that the king might not live too long, left the throne in the hands of the Wodeyars of Mysore till she was supposed to return back. The Wodeyars, having an eye on the nose-jewel of the Rani, attacked Talakad. Rangamma, furious with this, threw the jewel into the Cauvery and cursed the place of Talakad to be submerged under sand and the Maharajas of Mysore fail to beget heirs. The town
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Chikkatirupathi & Kalkunte: An interesting circuit

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Overview: Wondering what to do on a Sunday, I decided to take my in-laws for a trip just out of Bangalore. We decided to go to Chikkatirupathi. It was overcast but little chances of rain. So we set off in our car. We went through Outer ring road, Sarjapura via Wipro campus, from Sarjapura village took the Chikkatirupathi road. We enjoyed the countryside and the nice cool weather complimenting it. It took a little over an hour to reach that place. Being a holiday, the temple was a bit crowded. There was some special puja happening inside the temple. We had the darshan of the Lord and offered flowers. The temple is not a very huge one but had lovely colourful gopurams. This place is known as Chikkatirupathi as it has the deity of Venkataramanaswamy and is like a miniature version of the temple in Tirupathi. We roamed around the market area around the temple and proceeded to Kalkunte Agrahara.     At Kalkunte there is a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Ranganatha Swamy in its in
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