A Ride to Siganduru

Quote written on the closed shop at Jog falls

When I went to Jog falls on Feb 2010 one the quote written on the small tea shop attracted me very much a according to this “Caution: We prayed Sri Siganduru Goddess against theft in this shop”, here first time I heard the name of Siganduru. After returning home just for a curiosity google searched the word ‘Siganduru’ and the result was this tour…….

On the way to Moodubidri

Temple car at Thousand Pillar Basadi

I had planned the route for this tour on November 2010 but unable to go due to busy schedule. On first week of April 2o11 I called up my friend Raviraj and briefed the route, at the spot he is agree to join me. So we fixed the date on 16^th and 17^th April 2011. Ravi’s friend Santhosh also willing to join us on his glamour and Udaya who was our company in Jog ‘Jog Falls’ tour and one of his friend decided to join. But after two days Santhosh had withdrawn due to special duty of ‘Vishu’ Festival. So finally we four people with two bikes ready for the tour.

Raviraj in front of the pillars

Carving on Pillars

Inside the doom

Worshiping Idol

Day One

0500hrs I left home with my TBTS to join Ravi who is residing near Badiyadka, When I was reached there I got the news that Udaya and his friend are unable to join us due to some problem. So finally, 0630hrs we two along with my Blackbird headed towards vittala on SH 31. Around 0700hrs stopped for fueling at Vittal, our next destination was Moodubidri 43 Km from vittal. At 0830hrs we reached Moodubidri via, Kalladka, and B C Road. First we search for the food, after taking Masala dosa and a cup of tea we went the famous Thousand Pillar Jain Basadi (temple) of Moodubidri, this Basadi is also known as Chandranatha Basadi, it was built in 15th century. The temple faces the east and opens onto a superb monolithic pillar in front of the doorway.

It has a wide collection of jewel-encrusted metallic images of Jain teerthankars and superb monolithic columns in the Jain tradition, each with a different carving. Near the main temple entrance, there is a Jain Mutt which has a library containing some beautiful 12th and 13th century palm leaf manuscripts.

When we start clicking the photos a man rushed and told us we have to take permission for taking photos inside the Basadi by making payment of Rs. 100 Basadi, as soon as we paid the Rs. 100 he told us now you can photograph as you like and also he had directed us the best angle of coverage. After clicking some photograph we headed towards Karkala just 16 KM from Moodubidri.

The temple Bell

Painting

Tried and trusted HM

Ravi Posing on TVS

Way to Karkala

Rock cut Steps

At exact 1000hrs we reached near the Adobe of Bahubali. It was massive 42 feet monolithic statue of Bahubali or the Gomateshwara, the son of the first Jain Tirthankar, believed to have been built around 1432 AD.

This is a male figure in a naked posture approached by a number of rock-cut teps. Bahubali, a local prince who trounced his brother in a war to win the kingdom, renounced worldly pleasures of life and spent 12 years in meditation; by that time climbers grew all over and around him. Veerapandya Bhairava Raja built this monolithic statue in his honor.

A festival with all mighty known as Maha Masthakaabhisheka, sacred bathing of the statue with saffron paste, milk and water, held in every 12 years. During this period thousands of Jain devotees visit this place to carry out the Mahamastakabhisheka.

This statue issan awesome site and is the second tallest in the state. Behind this huge statue there are many small thirthakaras statue also built. From the top of the hill view is really superb.

Inside the temple

Adobe of Bahubali

After spending half an hour we headed towards Agumbe via someshwara wild life sanctuary it is a protected area this Sanctuary has semi-evergreen and evergreen forests. The sanctuary includes of two unconnected parts, the smaller part being situated to the Southwest of the major part. The Kudremukh National Park lies to the Southeast of this sanctuary.

Bullet and Bullock carts never die.....

Entry to Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary is open to visitors between 06:00 and 18:00 hrs.. From someshwara one has to travel 11KM to reach Agumbe. It is small village located in the thirthahalli taluk of Shimoga district Lying in, Agumbe is among the places in India that receive very heavy rainfalll earning it the sobriquet, "Cheerapunji of the South" and It is also called thecapital of King cobra. It is home of the Agumbe rain forest research station, the only permanent rainforest research station in India.

At Someshwara wild life sanctuary

A beautiful bus stand shelter on the way

An area near Agumbe has been converted into a protected area for Medicinal Plants to help in their conservation. Shankar Nag’s famous television serial “Malgudi Days” was also filmed here. The Ghat section is most beautiful and challenging also.

Scenery from the Agumbe view point

To maintain study pace of my TBTS constant gear shifting between second and third was required and max gear used on this area was third gear, in every hair pin turn 1^st gear is must otherwise it won’t turn because the road is very narrow and curve is very sharp. One top of the ghat there was a view point built and from here one can watch sunset.

Agumbe ghat section

Totally it’s a fantastic ride. Around 1230hrs we reached Agumbe Village our first always our first preference is our stomach so we manage to find Kamath Hotel, a decent lunch with Malanadu type Boild rice, sambar,rasam, upkari, pickle, curd, buttermilk and papad just 30 bucks per person.

From the top of ghat

When we enquired about Jogigundi which was our next destination the boy who served lunch for us advised not to go there because day before yesterday somebody met accidental death in that place.

It is just 5KM far from the Agumbe village but located inside dense forest, after parking our bikes at forest we have to walk little to reach falls. After taking some photographs we went back. When we started walking inside the forest Ravi made a strange noise and says that the forest peoples are making such a noise its really awful, if you want to know how, ask him because only forest people can match to the forest people.

Our next destination was Kundadri hills which was located on the way to Thirthahalli to reach here on has to travel 9 KM from main road, it is a pristine hill station in Karnataka. It is popular with those who are enthusiastic about mountain trekking. This hill station is a large monolithic rock formation towering 3200 feet above the seal level, it is shrouded with dense evergreen woods.

Way to Kundari

Entrance of the hill

A 17th century Jain temple is to be found atop the hill enveloped in calm possible only in the mountains. Along with the temple are to be found two lotus pools. The word Kundadri has derived from the Jain monk, Kundakundacharya.

Steep Ascending

Welcome to Kundari temple

The latter is believed to have undertaken severe penance here. Winding snake like narrow tarmaced road takes top of the hill, total hill climbing is 5KM, and last 2KM are exclusively for first gear run. After taking some photographs we started to descend the hill at 1430hrs and headed towards Shimoga.

View from the hill top

Lake on top of the Kundari hill

Jain temple

On the way to Thirthahalli

Mirror View

Road was in good condition easily one can stretch the machine around 70KMPH. Around 1600hrs we stopped at Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary, which was famous for Snake bird, Median Egret and Little Cormorant but April is off season so we couldn’t find any birds only met some of our ancestors and continued our ride. On the way we find a Jain squirrel like animals on top of the tree. Next stop was Sakrebayalu elephant camp. Elephant rides are provided to the tourist only at morning. After drinking tender coconut we continued the ride.

Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary

Watching tower

Near Gajanuru

Next stop was at Gajanur Upper Tunga Dam which was one of the famous dams of Karnataka. And it was one of the famous picnic spot also. From here Shimoga was only 12KM, we decided to take room at Shimoga. After taking the room freshened ourselves and went a walk around Bustand. Around 7:30 PM Ravi got a call that some of his friends from Bangalore coming to meet him because 17^th is his birthday. They already left Bangalore and their plan was to visit Ravi’s house at Badiyadka. When they a heard that we are in Shimoga they changed the plan and directly reached over there around 17^th morning 3:30 AM by TATA Indica..

Well maintained road

Squirrel

Elephant near Sakrebayalu

Two boys posing to the camera

Boating inside elephant camp

Upper Tunga Project Dam

View from the dam

The Gajanuru Dam

Palm oil field

Day Two

At 0500hrs Ravi and me on TBTS and his friends on Indica headed toward Sagar city, our next destination was Sigandur just 33KM from Sagar. Shimoga to Sagar road was superb within one hour twenty minutes we reached Sagar by covering 72KM.

Sitting along with flat tyre

From sagar we took Siganduru road total distance was 33KM out which 15KM are well tarmaced road. After covering 10 to 15KM Indica’s front tyre was puncherred. Previous night they already met one puncher and reached Shimoga so there was no stepny tyre available.

A man going to collect the toddy from the forest along with his dogs

Village Women

It was morning 6:30 A.M there was no tyre puncher shop near. So Ravi and one of his friend went on bike to search puncherwala. After traveling back 12KM on same route able to find one shop but it was closed again they manage to find owners house and convinced him to open the shop and tyre was repaired, till 8:00 AM others are waiting for the tyre.

Cycling

I really thanks for them because in the waiting time I got three super snaps of typical village life.

Girl taking cows

Morning walk

Catching the bus

Barge approaching the bank of Sharavati

Around 8:30 we reached the place called Holebagilu (doorway of River) from here we have to travel by large barge. For four wheelers waiting queue was very long so they just dropped the idea to carry their car on barge. But two wheelers there was no restriction so we put our TBTS on barge and crossed other bank of the sharavati.

It was splendid experience the large barge carries buses, trucks, sumo’s, two wheelers and passengers and everything. For passengers they charge Rs.1 pre head for two wheelers Rs.5 each. After crossing the rivers we get down and continued our journey by road to Siganduru temple. Ravi’s friend who came from Bangalore took service jeeps available from the bank of the river to Siganduru temple. The road condition was poor some area are only gravel paths are there. At 9:30 AM we reached temple, after visiting Chaudamma temple decided to take our brake fast at hotel only three dishes are available we choose Bisibelebath, one interesting thing in this hotel was customers must remove their foot wares outside of the hotel. After finishing the brake fast we left the place we have to cover 48KM to reach our next destination i.e Kolluru.

Ravi and his friends

View from the Barge

Inside the Barge

Our destination

Waves behind the launch

Unloading my TBTS

Reached other bank

On the way to Siganduru

Siganduru Temple

The road condition was worst in level road it’s difficult to use 4^th gear. After covering around 20KM then narrow but well paved road was stated after descending the ghat section we reached Kolluru around 12:15.

Kolluru Mookambika Temple

Devotees queue to enter inside the temple was very long Ravi called somebody who he knows, they made provision to enter inside the temple early. Around 1:15 we took lunch at hotel and started riding via Kundapur, Udupi and Mangalore we reached home by 7 ‘O’ clock evening.

Totally it was a fantastic and memorable experience to both of us in two days total Kilometers covered was 695. And total fuel consumed 15Ltrs.