Kodachadri and Mookambika is a famous tourist and religious destination situated in Karnataka, India. Kodachadri is a mountain peak with dense forests with altitude of 1312 meters above sea level in Western Ghats.
The place is gifted with several endemic and endangered species of flora and fauna.There are different routes to reach the Peak of Kodachadri and the difficulty varies highly with respect to the route chosen. Mookambika Devi Temple is one of the most prominent temples in Karnataka. The temple is surrounded by the beautiful and astonishing Kodachadri hills. Whoever visit Mookambika temple usually visit Kodachadri Hills which is nearly 25 km far.
It’s was August month when me and friends planned to visit this outstanding photographic place. Don't know why, At first I was not mentally prepared for this trip. But by seeing friends arrangement and excitement to go I too had planned to join them. Later by seeing the stupendous place, I understood it was not at all a bad conclusion to join with them. We were about 15 in numbers, so intended to book a small bus and did the same. Early morning about 4:00 AM the bus inwards hostel gate of my engineering college. Keeping all luggage in the safe area of bus, we took our seat. There are many numbers of luggage as we are trying a big tour. For a better travelling, always try not to keep much luggage. But our luggage mostly packed with foods. I remember we got a bag full of bread, one full of biscuits and jams and some other bags filled with clothes and mobile chargers. Hey smart phone users, remember not to use your phone for other than calls and sms. You need to save the battery, it really sucks. Use some Sony walkman for hearing music’s, but please no mobiles for music’s. It’s about 4:40 AM, time to depart. We started our journey in a pleasant mood. Even in the cold morning no one felt sleepy, everyone just waiting for the excitement. After a while we reached in the forest boundary. There comes beautiful deer’s and peacock along the road. At 6.30 AM we found clouds filled between mountains. It seems like the mountains are floating on the clouds. The first heavenly scene excited all of us. We stopped our bus; everyone placed this beautiful place under their camera lens frame to shoot the best picture. I am sure everyone will definitely love to take the picture of this stupendous place. And definitely we altogether took more than 5000 pictures. We continued the drive to catch up the Kodachadri hills. Even we are first time; we got the idea how far the Kodachadri is. But travelling for long time we realised we are leading either in a wrong direction or we pass the exact place. We continued the drive until we saw a junction to ask someone about route. After enquiring the route we understood we pass the place, but this junction is one another way to Kodachadri. Since the bus driver got some other situation he told us to leave at junction since he can’t continue anymore. Now we were alone in the junction having our breakfast. Further we planned to walk through the road leading to Kodachadri. It was a great walking through the forest road by shouting with friends. We 15 people walked a lot and more, but still no sign of Kodachadri. Even while shouting with friends in high pitch, everyone was checking for an engine crackle. Soon we hear an engine sound which was coming closer and finally when it reaches near to us, it was a bus, the one and only bus which goes through this road to Kodachadri once in a day. Oooh ! Such a lucky we were. Otherwise we should have walked 6km through the road to reach at another junction which lead to Kodachadri hills. When bus reached the junction we took rest for a while and collected some more foods from the nearby shop.
Now here the trip starts. The place was not that much isolated or dangerous since tourists usually come here. 4x4 jeeps were available at the junction for picking tourist to the top of Kodachadri hills where the temple and govt guesthouse situated. We are 15 in number; we don’t want to explore the place fast. So decided to walk over the remaining long 8km hairpin bend road. But we crossed through the forest whenever a hairpin bend comes, so we get another end of hairpin bend. Everyone is getting excitement now. We started breathing cold air. More we leading through muddy road, greater the beauty of forest arise. On the way we captured the photos of scenery, flora and fauna. Even we got many great chances to shoot the sexy snows. We walked more and more to reach the destination. While at a corner, we noticed the temple and govt guesthouse too far away from us which encouraged all of us a lot. And finally walking little more, we reached at the top taking about 4 hours of gorgeous journey. It was an astonishing moment for all of us being reached at the top of Kodachadri. At the top, the atmosphere was really freezing; we can even shoot the mist and fog with our camera. The place got a govt guesthouse, a shop, a temple and a small malayalee dwelling. We roamed the surrounding and captured it in the camera as much as we can. It was something like we reached in heaven. We could see the entire part of Kodachadri and Mookambika from the top. Meanwhile we booked the guesthouse and planned to stay there since they charged a lesser amount when compared to the nearby house who allows staying there. Even the guesthouse look horrific from exterior, it was really awesome indoors. The guesthouse even serves food from dawn to dusk. But we friends were unhappy since we can’t express our great feeling to someone else. So we made call to the college hostel and describe whole situation which leads to the arrival of 3 more friends. The time was noon. We ordered for lunch and started exploring Kodachadri and explore the hidden beauties of Kodachadri. We came back soon to guesthouse after slight exploration because of mist and fog. The lunch was ready at guesthouse. It was really a yummy food. Just after lunch we find some time for resting. Meanwhile our 3 more friends arrived by evening. We were shocked to see them very soon, and realised they took another way to reach here which was really very shot with the way we travelled. Anyhow we both started enjoying together. At night we spent some time around cam fire. After dinner we went for sleeping.
The next day arrives with a fresh cool mountain air. The time when we come out of guesthouse to see the surrounding, we were really shocked by seeing such a vivid beautiful atmosphere. We really loved the place than anything. Then we had our breakfast and scheduled future exploration. Firstly we planned to visit the top of Kodachadri were one temple and some cave exist. The place where guesthouse and residence remains are not exactly the top, it’s just near to top. Leading to the temple at top we saw cave named GANESH GUHA, we didn’t stay there for a while as we sensed some horrific disturbances over there. We continued to the top temple. The way to this temple was really narrow with one side a downstream. While we reached near to temple we felt like floating in the sky. We could see the clouds below us. It was like we are flying in the aeroplane. We couldn’t see anything else other than clouds.
It was really a heavenly seen. To the side of temple there was a very narrow road which leads to a cave where an old lady used to THAPAS for long years. We couldn’t see her when we reach at the cave she lives. But her belongings are there and we know she lives here as our friends saw her once they came here. The cave she live is really dangerous. It’s even not possible to sit inside the cave. And we were actually judging how she is living in such a cave for long years. Anyhow we should support her for her courage. Now after capturing some more pictures we leaved from the temple to guesthouse. There our lunch was almost ready. Some started resting and remaining started further site exploration. After lunch we planned to leave Kodachadri, and then only we will get the return bus to Mookambika. We returned through the way our 3 friends came to top. This way was not that much beautiful, but it’s easy to walkover through this road. Meanwhile in this way we saw a small village furnished mostly with woods and leaves. Just after the village there was a malayalee shop. From shop we had tea, some food and had some conversation with the malayalee shopkeeper. We continued on foot to reach the main road where we get the bus to Mookambika. The time was about afternoon. After a lengthy walk we reached the main road. We waited for the bus like a hell. Only vehicles we used to see is some private cars or jeeps. But they are helpless as they cannot give room for such a large crowd. We waited for bus again and again. Later we decided to catch Mookambika by walking. While walking through this state highway we bathed in a small waterfall nearby road. Meanwhile the bus arrived. Everyone started dressing in hurry. But the bus driver just waited for us until we were dressed. We get inside the bus with our wet garments. But who cares? We are in govt bus. No care, no worry. After sometime we reached the Mookambika temple. We visited the Mookambika temple and surrounding. We could see many malayalees came for worship in the Mookambika temple. We stayed in Mookambika temple for a while. At last we took the bus from Mookambika temple to our great Bhatkal. Return journey to Bhatkal was also interesting as there are many malayalee girls and families inside the bus. So we guys never wasted the chance. Everyone started putting mark for the girls in bus. This helped us to forget the journey time. And at last we all reached in Bhatkal safely.
to view and download more pictures visit following link:
It was really a heavenly seen. To the side of temple there was a very narrow road which leads to a cave where an old lady used to THAPAS for long years. We couldn’t see her when we reach at the cave she lives. But her belongings are there and we know she lives here as our friends saw her once they came here. The cave she live is really dangerous. It’s even not possible to sit inside the cave. And we were actually judging how she is living in such a cave for long years. Anyhow we should support her for her courage. Now after capturing some more pictures we leaved from the temple to guesthouse. There our lunch was almost ready. Some started resting and remaining started further site exploration. After lunch we planned to leave Kodachadri, and then only we will get the return bus to Mookambika. We returned through the way our 3 friends came to top. This way was not that much beautiful, but it’s easy to walkover through this road. Meanwhile in this way we saw a small village furnished mostly with woods and leaves. Just after the village there was a malayalee shop. From shop we had tea, some food and had some conversation with the malayalee shopkeeper. We continued on foot to reach the main road where we get the bus to Mookambika. The time was about afternoon. After a lengthy walk we reached the main road. We waited for the bus like a hell. Only vehicles we used to see is some private cars or jeeps. But they are helpless as they cannot give room for such a large crowd. We waited for bus again and again. Later we decided to catch Mookambika by walking. While walking through this state highway we bathed in a small waterfall nearby road. Meanwhile the bus arrived. Everyone started dressing in hurry. But the bus driver just waited for us until we were dressed. We get inside the bus with our wet garments. But who cares? We are in govt bus. No care, no worry. After sometime we reached the Mookambika temple. We visited the Mookambika temple and surrounding. We could see many malayalees came for worship in the Mookambika temple. We stayed in Mookambika temple for a while. At last we took the bus from Mookambika temple to our great Bhatkal. Return journey to Bhatkal was also interesting as there are many malayalee girls and families inside the bus. So we guys never wasted the chance. Everyone started putting mark for the girls in bus. This helped us to forget the journey time. And at last we all reached in Bhatkal safely.
to view and download more pictures visit following link:
