The Wanderlust Nomad

Many tales of valour and glory are tucked into the folds of the unassuming island town of Srirangapatna , former Capital of Mysuru. If stones could speak, probably every tiny pebble on the banks of the Cauvery would make the English go read with reminiscences of  Tipu 's victories over the 'Unconquerable Empire". But if you're not keen on going 'historical' on a weekend and need other diversions, Srirangapatna wont let you down. The ride itself, past the Cauvery River and through the paddy fields of Mandya, is rewarding in itself.  Mandya On 7th March 2020, The Wanderlust Nomad was on a road trip to the historical town of Srirangapatna. It's not too difficult to find your way around Srirangapatna, Cross the river to enter the town, then turn right for the abode of  Lord Ranganathaswamy Temple and the legend of  Tipu Sultan.Turn left to commune with a beautiful river, whose melodious movement you will carry in your heart for a long time to co...

Promise is a big word, it makes something or breaks everything. Today is the day, to make that promise make something happen with Chimps (friend)  on a road trip. Soon the golden rays of the sun will smite  me in the face, i am on my way and picked Chimps on a journey to Melukote . Making the sun to follow us and riding on NH75, we stopped at  Tatte Idli Shop. Steamed, puffy and delectable, Idli doused in the ever-so soothing sambhar sure makes for one of  the nation's most favorite breakfast. Continuing the ride, we took left on Belur Cross to reach Melukote. Melukote is one of the holy and sacred pilgrimages of South India in Karnataka.The holy city is located on the hillock called as Narayanagiri , which is towards north of  river Cauvery. Melukote is also the birthplace of late Tamil Naidu Chief Minister and AIADMK leader Jayalalitha.The name of the place is derived from the temple of Narayanaswamy which is built on the hillock, surrounded by a fort. Yoga...

Nestled in the Western Ghats, Wayanad is the least populous district in Kerala and is known for its mist-laden mountains, lush forests and green paddy fields stretching up to the horizon. With an altitude ranging from 700 to 2100m, the climate of  Wayanad is  pleasant  throughout the year. If there is a place in Kerala where we can experience the ultimate charm and the extraordinary creativity  of nature, its the one and only Wayanad. This was a unplanned trip, until last minute no one were interested. Finally, my friend wanted to visit  Wayanad from long time and it was dropping due to unforeseen circumstances. Me and my friend were all set on our bikes to explore Wayanad. Riding through green forests of  Nagarhole  and waters of  Kabini, we reach Wayanad in the evening. Lodging in a home stay, we went to the nearby Banasura Sagar Dam. Banasura Sagar Dam across the Karamanathodu River, a tributary of  River Kabini, is considered to be the l...

Embarking on a journey with your best friend is an unpredictable voyage that every person should experience at least once in his or her life. Exploring a different place, conquering fears together and discovering new perspectives ultimately progresses our relationships to levels never imagined possible. On the last day of the year, i was on one such journey with my friend - Vibrant to one of the beautiful hills - Devarayanadurga. Devarayanadurga Devarayanadurga is a temple town and hill station located in Tumkur, 70kms from Bangalore.We had been to a lake down the hill,  fallen to the beauty of the lake, felt to stay there. But Vibrant told, lets move on and adventures are waiting on the other side. Bending on every corner, the road takes you up the pleasant forests surrounded by the hills. The road up to the hills gives scenic views of nature and ever the wonderful climate and charming beauty. The undulating roads was one heck of ride that can never be forgot...

Early in morning the artistic golden sun got up like a baby and started painting the dark black sky into a bright blue sky. The bright looking milky clouds got up from sleep and started traveling around the sky visiting the wonderful environment. It's the paradise view of the first sip of coffee in the morning, as me and my friends en-route to Lepakshi . Lepakshi is a village in the Anantapur District and approximately 120 km north of Bangalore. There are several myths associated with this temple town.  According to Ramayana, when sita was being abducted by Ravana, the vulture demi God Jatayu tried to protect the queen. However, Ravana had chopped the wings and it fell to the ground. 'Le pakshi' said Lord Rama to Jatayu, the bird , asking to get up. That's why the place is called Lepakshi.  As we enter the village, the biggest monolithic Nandi (bull) of  India,  in a couchant position that has been created out of a single rock. A few meters furth...

Happy Occasion like Wedding Ceremony, brings a lot of joy among the people while also witnessing a rare moment of the new beginning of life. Attending a wedding ceremony with friends while on travel to a different place, gives more joy and fun to be with them. It's amazing how you can seldom see friends and yet be so connected. Lot of old memories, discussions going on with friends, we stop on Hassan Highway for Breakfast. After having the delicious Thatte Idli (Karnataka's Flat Idli) soaked in Sambhar and butter on top of it, we left to the marriage hall. With the boisterous and the exuberant notes and beats from the Nadaswaram and the Thavil, the Bride and Groom make their way to the stage, we also have our seats down on the left corner. The ritual of  Kanyadaan takes place after exchanging of garlands. It is emphasized during the ritual, that the parents are entrusting him with the most precious ‘gift’ in this world. It is expected of him that he will always take care of ...

What usually stops the "doing something" and "following your heart" is fear of course: a fear of failure, or humiliation, or rejection and so on. Fear either gives rise to desire to try and control everything, or a feeling that no matter what you do, it will never amount to anything. People who go out and experience the world may not be safer either but life is richer, more colorful and more wonderful. Yes, we might be stuck in the same old, same old. Life may be feeling mundane and boring, hard work and difficult. But what we will always have is choice - and choice is exciting. If nothing else in life, we have a choice in how we respond and react to the mundane and boring and difficult. But in that small moment of decision and change, adventure exists. Traveling to Chikkaballapur, one of  the most offbeat destination for Bengalureans and its also the birthplace of  eminent engineer Sir Visvesvarya. On the entrance of Chikkaballapur, there's the newly built temp...

As I uncover my eyes from underneath the covers, I heard the gentle tapping of raindrops against my bedroom window. I see a day, that I can enjoy the smell of the rain, the feel of the dampness on the grass. I see another day to seize and do all I can. Riding on the roads of Bengaluru, with water droplets showering on earth, we made it to the beautiful Twin Rock hill , Thimappana Betta .  Thimappana Betta The ride was a great experience, as we crossed some villages, forest and a mountain cliff to reach to the top of Thimappana Betta. With my legs  on the foot pegs of the bike, holding the handle bar loose and trusting my bike was riding it to the extremes. Down the hill is the temple. Thimappa Swamy Temple - with main lord being Vishnu. The hill offers a panoramic view of Ramnagara and its agriculture lands. After riding on the rocks, now we rode to Kanva Reservoir.  Kanva Reservoir is an artificial lake, formed by the damming of the Kanva River...

The first capital of the Ganga dynasty, Kolar has a rich history. Until not too long ago, almost all the gold in India came from here. Its mines, located at an astonishing 10.000ft, were the deepest active mines in the world. The year was 1871, Michael Fitzgerald Lavelle, a retired Irish soldier from the British Army, had made Bangalore cantonment his home. Although he hoped to make it big post-retirement, Lavelle spent much of his time reading; and a four-page article from the 1804 Asiatic Journal he came across, set Lavelle on a journey that eventually birthed the world's second deepest goldmine - the Kolar Gold Fields. Between 1804 and 1860, there were several studies and explorations of the gold mines in the region, but in vain. As some explorations in the ancient mines led to accidents, underground mining was prohibited by law in 1959. But in 1871, excited about a 67-year old report by Lt.Warren, Lavelle  made a 60-mile bullock cart trip to Kolar. During his investigation, he ...