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Chikmagalur Tourism

Chikmagalur Trip – At Mullayanagiri, the highest peak in Karnataka

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After visiting The Sharadamba Temple at Sringeri Chikmagalur, we headed out to the next destination on our humble travel itinerary – Mullayanagiri, the highest peak in Karnataka. Thousands each year go to Chikmagalur to climb to the top, and we couldn’t wait to make the hike ourselves.

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But we were in no hurry to get there. We drove at a steady pace and stopped on a couple of occasions to stretch our legs and mainly to admire the greenery. When we finally reached the foot of the hills, dark clouds had gathered, it was raining plus there was a hailstorm. There was zero visibility and we couldn’t possibly drive so we just halted to the side of the narrow road and waited for the rain to stop. Sitting in the car waiting while a small storm raged outside was romantic, enchanting and also brought out the child in us.

Mullayangiri drive on the Hills picsMullayangiri drive on the Hills pics

Towards MullayangiriTowards Mullayanagiri- Hail Storm

It was freezing by the time we finally got to the top of the hill and parked the car. My trusty shawl from the day before was packed away so I borrowed one of my hubby’s tees which turned out to be just a tad over-sized on my petite frame.

We were still 2 kms from the peak. Although it had just rained and everything was muddy, the climb was quite safe because of the stone steps that have been built into the hill. If you’re wearing shoes made for walking and with a gripping sole, you considerably minimise the risk of slipping. Working against gravity did me good. The exertion heated up my frozen bones and put some colour back into my cheeks. The stunning views on either side of us also served to distract from the cold.

Mullayangiri PicsMullayanagiri Pics

The hike to the top is a reward in itself and the bonus was the vistas presented on making it. A small shrine to Lord Shiv has its home on the peak. We offered our prayers then spent the next hour and a half just breathing in the sights and sounds (or rather, the lack thereof).

Reluctant to leave, we knew we couldn’t stay forever and so half-heartedly began our descent and drove bag to Chikmagalur. We spent another night in a hotel there talking about the delights we’d encountered and going through all the pictures we’d taken, knowing that although we’d be returning home the next morning, there was a bit of Chikmagalur that we’d be taking back with us forever.

Mullayangiri Hills ChikmagalurMullayanagiri Hills Chikmagalur

Mullayangiri PICTURES:

Chikmagalur Trip – Sharadamba Temple at Sringeri

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If you’ve seen my last video, then you know that I recently took a trip to the jungle and had a fabulous time. My adventures didn’t stop there. After the jungle holiday, hubby and I decided to continue exploring Karnataka by making a trip to Chikmagalur – known for its multiple hill stations and more than that, its coffee. Although I love a good cup of java, I was more interested in the scenic views that Chikmagalur has to offer and a couple of temples that I’d heard of. Fortunately for me, the temples and hills went hand in hand.

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The Journey

We started the drive to Chikmagalur at dawn. We arrived in the city at 11 am but our first destination – the Sharadamba Temple at Sringeri – was still two hours away. At around lunch time, we drove up to the lodge we’d booked rooms at. It was very close to the temple, the two sites within walking distance of each other.

Although we were keen to see the temple, the long drive had taken its toll. So we had a quick lunch and then just crashed, blissfully dead to the world for a couple of hours. A few hours later, we awoke refreshed in spirit. We took a bath to wash away the dust of the journey  and finally set out to the temple.

My Temple Outfit

I had taken great care to put together a temple-visit outfit that was respectful but also reflected my personal style. I chose a white kurta to go with orange pleated pants, the top bringing the modesty required for the temple and the pants bringing the comfort for me. I did want to amp up the style of the look a bit so I added an ocean green stole with a print of multi-coloured flowers.

As for my hair, I had just washed it. The sun would set soon and I didn’t want to spend time styling my hair and losing day light, so I just left it as is and tied it into a ponytail when it dried.

At Sharadamba Temple at Sringeri

At Sharadamba Temple SringeriAt Sharadamba Temple Sringeri

We spent the next 3 hours at the temple and were lucky enough to arrive just when an aarti was starting. If you’ve ever participated in a religious or spiritual ritual in the lap of nature, then you’ll believe me when I say the experience was absolute Bliss! I may have very well gotten a glimpse of Nirvana at some point, if just for a moment.

We returned to the temple very early the next morning because we wanted to spend some time there before going ahead with other plans later in the day. This time, I paired a plain orange T-shirt with dark green pleated harem pants featuring a white print that looked like embroidery from a distance. I thought I’d add a little temple mood touch to my look with a tulsi beaded necklace.

Sharadamba Temple at SringeriSharadamba Temple at Sringeri

Once more, the scene captivated us and we spent a few hours there before checking out of the lodge and heading out to the next destination on our humble travel itinerary – Mullayangiri, the highest peak in Karnataka.

PICTURES- Sharadamba Temple at Sringeri – Chikmagalur