Pondy, A French Idly

My friend’s marriage made us to plan to visit the nearest Union territory “Puducherry” near to Tamil Nadu. Pondy is about 330 kms from Bangalore.

Directions:
We need to get on NH7 via Hosur to Krishnagiri. Take a left to NH 66 to Pondy via Thirvannamalai, Tindivanam. NH 66 is a single road.

Experience:

Pondy is like a traditional Indian food served with love in French style. All the places are influenced by French culture, the buildings, and the food, even we get some rare French liquor brands. It’s a place for fun. We have a nice leisure time over there. I can say after retirement it’s advised to stay in calm & peace place like pondy. We have booked tickets on KSRTC.

Day1:-

Our trip started from Panchavati Panchamukha Anjaneyar Temple, which is some 15 Kms from Pondy on NH 66, a rock from Rameshwaram, TN is brought and kept in the temple premises. Amazingly it’s floating on water. The Anjaneya is a monolithically granite stone with 40 feet.

Auroville is a place for peace, it’s a place of no differences between people. Designed township for a healthy world

Pondy Beach is changed a lot. Rocks are filled along the coast to protect from unexpected high waves. Statue of Gandhi is a land mark on the road. French building on the beach road will surprise you a lot. Light House area is very nice place for eat out. Aayi Mandapam in Bharthi Park, near to beach, is a state symbol

Day2:-

We went to Virabhadra Temple at Kalapet on ECR Road which is 12 kms from pondy. A pyramid temple at the same place attracted us a lot. It’s a Nataraja Temple. The temple was completed destroyed in the last tsunami, than it’s a renovated in recent time. The Ashok Beach Resort gave us some shelter and food in that hot sunny day, off course they charged us.


Hey forgot to say, we also attended our friend’s Marriage 

Dharmasthala, A Holy Place

Long weekend made us to plan for a holy place from Bangalore. We got a nice idea to visit Dharmasthala.

Dharmasthala: Shiva temple on the banks of Netravatihi River. Around ten thousand pilgrims will visit this holy place per day. It’s an old temple with history of 800+ years

Belur: Belur in Hassan district attracts for its Chennakesava temple complex (Lord Vishnu Temple). Finest Hoysala architecture temple. A UNESCO world heritage

Halebedi: Another artistic work from Hoyasal Empire. Hoysaleshawara and Kedareshwara temples are main attraction. Two nandi statues will welcome you to the temple.

Our Experience:

We traveled by car. We started at 5.00 Pm from Bangalore, we reached Dharmasthala in the early morning at 3.30 Am. We had taken bath in Nethravathi River, and went for dharshan of Lord Shiva in the morning. A pleasant place to wish

Dharmasthala is around 300 Kms fron Bangalore. Need to go to Nelamanagla on NH4 and than take left to NH 48. On the way, we can see places like Kunigal, Hassan, Sakleshpur. Before Nelyady, take a right to Dharmasthala for SH 37.Presence of Netravatihi River gives fresh air.

One the way, we went to Belur & Halebedi. Belur is 112 Kms from Dharmasthala. Need to travel for an hour adjacent to Netravatihi River to reach SH 64 and to Kottigehara, After Mudigere cross, we need to take a right to SH58 to Belur. Presence of 2000 square kilometer wildlife sanctuary called Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary along the SH 64 & SH 58 will give you fresh & enjoyable drive. Halebedi is 16 Kms from Belur on SH 58.
From Halebedi on SH 21 we reached to Hassan and than to left to NH 48 to Bangalore