Shankara Honda-Origin of Aghanashini River-Sirsi-Uttara Kannada

"Shankara Honda" is the origin place of "Aghanashini River" which is located in Sirsi town , Uttara Kannada District of Karnataka state. Aghanashini river is the major river of Uttara Kannada district. This river has created many famous water falls namely: Lusington (Unchalli Falls), Burude Falls etc. Here you can see the Lord "Sri Shankara Temple". This temple is located opposite to "Sri Mahaganapathi (Dodda Ganapathi) Temple-Sirsi".

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Photos & Information: Shriharsha B S-Banavasi

Sri Mahaganapathi (Dodda Ganapathi) Temple- Sirsi-Uttara Kannada District

 "Sri Mahaganapathi (Dodda Ganapathi) Temple-Sirsi" is one of the famous attraction for devotees. This temple is located near Rayarapete the center of Sirsi town. Here you can see the big Lord Ganesha Idol. So this temple is locally called as "Dodda Ganapathi (Big Ganesha) Temple". According to history this Ganesha Idol was made in "Hoysala style" & it is approximately 400 years old. The height of Idol is approximately 183 cm. & width is 159 cm. The original temple was built in the period of "Sonda Empire", the temple is renovated later.

For those who believe in astrology / fortune telling but do not have a horoscope in place, there is a ritual performed at the Maha Ganapathi temple by the priests there. The seeker has to frame the question that will have a binary outcome (Yes or No; True or False) The priest does the needful and the seeker is told about the verdict from Lord Ganesha. A lot of decisions like buying/selling property, choosing a vocation for higher studies are taken by some people through this ritual.

Near by Attraction: Sri Marikamba Temple,Sri Shankara Temple, Shankara Honda (Origin of Aghanashini River), Vishnu Matha, Ambagiri, Veerabhadra Temple

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Photos: Shriharsha.B.S-Banavasi

Information Courtesy: "Sirsi Sri Mahaganapathi" Book written by- Sri T.M. Subbaraya 

KERE BYLU FALLS -Udupi District

 Kere Bylu Falls is a hidden beauty of Western-ghat, located near 'Hosangadi' (Kundapur Taluk) town  (Approx-2 Km) which is in Udupi district of Karnataka state. This falls is located in hillock of Western Ghats  which is unpolluted & untouched by tourist.

Photos & Information Courtesy: Manjappa Jois-Hosangadi, Udupi District

Chakra Dam-Shivamogga District

 The Chakra River is a river flowing through Kundapur and Gungulli in western India. It originates in Kodachdri peak. It joins with the Souparnika River, Varahi River and Kubja River and merges into the Arabian Sea.

The Chakra nagar is a small town which is famous because of this river.Chakranagar is on the way to Shimoga to Mangalore via Hosanagara Nagara- Mastikatte- Chakranagar-Kundapuar.There is also a Chakra dam which was built long ago as a balancing reservoir and does not have sluice gate to the Linganamakki Dam and you need special permission to visit this dam.The Chakra Dam was a KPC project and the chief engineer was B Seetharam.

Getting There:

From Shivamogga go to Mastikatte (100km from Shivamogga).Masthikatte is a city located in Hosanagara Taluk, Shimoga district, Karnataka, India. From Mastikatte, Chakra Dam is about 20km. Savehaklu Dam is 10km. A guide & vehicle are required. For stay & food, Thirthahalli (45km) is the nearest place.

Nearest Places of Interest: Kunchikal Falls,Savehaklu Reservoir,Vanadurgeshwari temple,Varahi backwater, Chandikmba Temple-Hulikal. 

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Photos: Sudeep N(KPCL)-Mastikatte/Chitradurga (Sutthona Banni Team Karnataka)
Information Courtesy: Wikipedia

Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary- Shivamogga District

Sharavathi is a river which originates and flows entirely within the state of Karnataka in India. It is one of the few westward flowing rivers of India and a major part of the river basin lies in the Western Ghats. The famous Jog Falls are formed by this river. The river itself and the region around it are rich in biodiversity and are home to many rare species of flora and fauna.

Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

A part of the Sharavathi river basin was declared as a wildlife sanctuary on 20 April 1972. Spread over an area of 431.23 km² (166 sq mi)., it has dense evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. Linganamakki reservoir spread over an area of 128.7 km² (50 sq mi). is a part of this sanctuary. The remaining area has been divided into core zone (74.33 km².), buffer zone (170.67 km²) and tourism zone (57.53 km².). The altitude in the sanctuary varies from 94 to 1102 mts, the highest point being Devarakonda on the southern edge of the sanctuary. Temperatures range from 15° to 38 °C and mean annual rainfall is 4500 mm.

Flora

The sanctuary has mainly evergreen, semi-green and some moist deciduous forests. Trees in the evergreen forest include species such as Dipterocarpus indicus, Calophyllum tomentosum, Machilus macrantha, Caryota urens and Aporosa lindleyana. In the semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests, common species include Lagerstroemia lanceolata, Hopea parviflora, Dalbergia latifolia, Dillenia pentagyna, Careya arborea, Emblica officinalis, Randia sp., Terminalia sp. and Vitex altissima.

Fauna

The sanctuary is a refuge of the endangered Lion-tailed macaque. Other mammals include tiger, leopard (black panther), wild dog, jackal, sloth bear, spotted deer, sambar, barking deer, mouse deer, wild pig, common langur, bonnet macaque, Malabar giant squirrel, giant flying squirrel, porcupine, otter and pangolin. Reptiles include king cobra, python, rat snake, crocodile and monitor lizard. Some of the avian species found in the sanctuary include three species of hornbill, paradise flycatcher, racket-tailed drongo, blue-throated barbet and Indian lories and lorikeets.

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Lion-tailed macaque

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Sri Bhimalingeshwara Temple-Kargal- Shivamogga District

 Hello friends, I am Mahesh Hegde from Bangalore/Sirsi.  Recently I went to an ancient historical temple “Sri Bhimalingeshwara Temple” which is near to Kargal which is in Shivamogga District of Karnataka state.  This temple is very beautiful. On the way to temple you can view the beauty of “Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary”. This place is suitable for medium level trekking.

Route Map:

From Sirsi or Sagar town, go to Kargal.  Then go in “Kargal to Bhatkal” state highway nearly about 37km, then you will get “Bhimeshwar Bus Stop” (In Kogar Ghat). From that stop take right & go in mud road nearly 3 km which moves towards Bhimalingeshwara temple. The road is very steep & narrow and full  of ghat section.  

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Photos & Information: Mahesh Hegde- Bangalore/Sirsi (Guest author to Yashaswi Payana)

Vannalli Beach - Uttara Kannada District

 “Vannalli Beach” is one of the beautiful beaches in Karnataka. This beach is located nearly 5 km from “Kumta” town which is in Uttara Kannada District. Here you can see the beautiful seashore & also beautiful sunset. But due to lack of publicity this beach is still unknown to lot of tourists. There is no food facility available in beach.

Best Time to visit: January to May

Nearest Hotel & Lodging: “Kumta” town

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Courtesy: Prajavani Kannada News Paper

Ragigudda Sri Prasanna Anjaneyaswamy Temple-Bangalore

 The Ragigudda Sri Prasanna Anjaneyaswamy Temple is a temple dedicated to Hanuman and is located in Jayanagar 9th Block suburb of Bangalore. Ragigudda temple also has a Shivalinga and the Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman shrine in the same precinct. The temple is situated on a hillock. There is a smaller temple dedicated to Ganesh, Navagrahas and Rajarajeshwari at the base of the hillock. The temple has two halls - the smaller one that can be rented for performing small Hindu ceremonies like the thread ceremony, seemantha, etc. and the bigger one for major events like marriage.

Over the past decades, this temple has become the social center in this locality. Temple has a charitable arm, which takes up a lot of activities for social cause.

Pooja Timings: 

The temple will be open from 08:00-11:30 am and 05:00-08:30 pm, but on Saturdays and Sundays will be open till 12:30 and 09:00 respectively.

Mahamangalarthi : 

Morning around 11:00 am, on sat around 11:30 am and Evening around 08:00-08:30pm. 

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Courtesy: http://www.ragigudda.org/

Manjarabad Fort- Hassan District

 The Manjarabad fort is located just outside of Sakleshpura on National Highway 48. The fort is reputed to have been constructed by Tippu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore as a strategic defensive location as it commands the approach to the plateau beyond Sakleshpura from the coast. It is also believed that he had constructed a tunnel from this fort to another fort in Srirangapattana near Mysore.

Now a days this place  becoming famous film shooting spot and as well as tourist spot . The famous Kannada movie "Paramathma" has been shot here.

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 Photos & Information: Hemanth- Bangalore