A Trip to Remember...

It seldom does so happen, that parents as far away as 2300 kms travel almost the 'V' of India through the Eastern Ghats as well as the Western Ghats to visit their sons studying at colleges !

Yet, this October it did happen. It is always a fantastic feeling spending time with our parents! The occasion being 'Vijay Dashmi' or as we popularly know as 'Dussera', the celebration of the triumph of the good over evil.

It was unfortunate that me and my brother couldn't make it home this time, due to our exams and assignments. Nevertheless, our parents decided to turn up for the occasion. Even tough we were missing the awesome Puja Pandals in the City of Joy, being with parents is something which cannot be more awesome than !

Visiting the Krishna Temple, in Udupi, in heavy rain after a great lunch at Saiba and then catching a hot soup at Dollops was a perfect start to the trip. No matter what, the campuses at TAPMI and MIT, and the newly constructed Marena does rope in admiration. Even the hostels do.


We decided to book a car and leave on a 2-day trip to Coorg, not far away from Manipal, a place known for its monastery, the waterfalls and the panoramic scenery. It's a 6 hour journey from Manipal, as the road twists and turns through the Western Ghats.

Kodagu (or Coorg as it is known) is a district near the Udupi District, where Manipal resides. Madikeri is its headquarters, and is a definite tourist attraction. We left at 8AM in the morning, and reached Coorg by about 2PM. After resting for an hour, we left for Abbey Falls, not far away from the main town. The weather, as told by locals, remains the same chilly throughout the year. And slight drizzle near the falls, makes it extremely pleasant. Abbey Falls is a fantastic tourist destination, and it simply takes your breath away.

We then made our way to the Omkareshwara temple, situated in the main town, which has in its middle, a temple tank. Then we reached Raja Seat, where supposedly the Rajas sat and discussed with their courtiers. The view from this park is stunning. You can just look at the valley and wonder how far the world reaches out to ! Clouds beneath you, sunset at the horizon, it was indeed so picturesque !

The next day, we visited to the Buddhist Monastery located some 60 kms from the main town. The roads are amazing, and you can easily cruise at 100kph. The Monastery is nothing less than truly beautiful. It houses the Buddhist monks and students, who are imparted knowledge in the Main Hall. There were more than 400 students in the hall, and learning and reciting. It was truly inspiring.


After our short stay there, we left for the Deer and Elephant park, which has a tree-house and lots of monkeys too. Elephants weren't present there as they had been taken to Mysore for the festival, and the monkeys and deers roam about almost freely !


On our way back, we made a short stop at the Kaup beach, famous for its lighthouse. After a few quick snaps, we then headed back to Manipal, where rest finally awaited !! Though the trip was short, it was indeed memorable, and leaves sharp memories instilled forever.