Sacred Gokarna - Picture-Perfect Tourist Town in Karnataka, India

Important Note: 

1. Check the COVID 19 travel restrictions of the place online before undertaking your sojourn.
2. Kindly note that the Distance of places, Prices, Hotel rates, Temperature, and other figures may change according to the conditions prevailing at the time of your visit. There may even be short cuts and extra conveyance available that you can avail of when traveling locally. Tourists must conduct their own research before traveling and take due diligence on rates & distances from authorized online sources. All the facts and information provided in relation to the place is for my own personal use and collected from different online sources and collated together. For more details, Click this link DISCLAIMER.

'Go Goa' has always been the hippie cry during the 70s and 80s, but did you know that they were also attracted to the fascinating coastal town of Gokarna, in the Western Ghat region. Gokarna was the quiet performer among the other coastal towns, but its hold on the tourist circuit swelled from the 90s. Gokarna's prominence grew to a level where hippie trails just ended here and continued. The hippies entering Goa also made sure to halt at their next pitstop - Gokarna. Hordes of hippies with their carefree lifestyle, banana shorts, Hawaiin shirts, and strumming guitars landed here in gay abandon as if they had found their next beach haven. Gokarna means 'Cows Ear' and hence the name. It is at the confluence of serene Gangavalli and roaring Aganashini river.  Gokarna is hailed as one of the seven 'Muktishalas' in the state of Karnataka. 

"OM BEACH" by Sankara Subramanian, Flickr is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Although famous for its religious significance and rustic ambiance, Gokarna's fame has spread across international borders. The reason for its sudden tourism growth was due to its uninterrupted and hidden location. Now it's not a sleepy town anymore. Cafes, resorts, adventure activities, and yoga communes have changed the landscape to a stage, where you will not believe that this is the same Gokarna of the 70s. It is also a spot where film shoots have taken place, and commercialization has taken place rapidly. 

Tourists & pilgrims alike have a special affinity to 2 attractions in Gokarna, and for which it is most known for - Mahabaleshwar Temple & the world-famous OM Beach (naturally shaped 'Om' symbol carved on the banks). If you belong to any of the categories of people and have missed these spots, then probably you have not seen Gokarna fully. Even Shivaji Maharaj visited a temple in Gokarna before conquering Sadashivgad in Karwar. 

Sadashivgad, Karwar ( India) - Scenic and Tranquil Village at Confluence Of Arabian Sea and Kali River

Important Note: 

1. Check the COVID 19 travel restrictions of the place online before undertaking your sojourn.
2. Kindly note that the Distance of places, Prices, Hotel rates, Temperature, and other figures may change according to the conditions prevailing at the time of your visit. There may even be short cuts and extra conveyance available that you can avail of when traveling locally. Tourists must conduct their own research before traveling and take due diligence on rates & distances from authorized online sources. All the facts and information provided in relation to the place is for my own personal use and collected from different online sources and collated together. For more details, Click this link DISCLAIMER.

Situated along India's western coast at Kawar, Uttar Kannada district lies the picturesque and scenic village of Sadashivgad. Just at the Kali river point in Sadashivgad and across the periphery of Nandangadda village, you will find a small beach stretch where you can laze and do your literary scribblings or any activity of leisure. Further from the beach and navigable by a canoe, lies enclosed island housing mangroves and palm trees, tall shrubs, and edible oysters. I used to wonder what lies in that enclosed island, as we always had the fear of landing there due to its central location. This island is a picture-perfect location for shutterbugs. Karwar town, at a distance of 5kms from Sadashivgad village, was called 'Baithkol' in Arabic, meaning 'Bay of Safety', due to its hidden location at sea.

[Picture Credit: Wikipedia]

The origin of Sadashivgad is peculiar since it was called 'Cintacora', an old port during the Portuguese times. The name further underwent a metamorphosis and was changed to 'Chitakula' and 'Sindbur'. But the real nomenclature of Karwar is derived from 'Kadwad', a village on the banks of Kali river. Kadwad was an important trading center during British times, and there existed a factory dealing in Muslim, a fine cotton cloth for which Kadwad was famed for. Pepper, Cinamon, Blue coarse cloth were other traded items, which were favored by Arab and African traders. 

Sadashivgad was also not immune to the Maratha culture as Shivaji Maharaj visited it after marching from Bednore in the South. He paid his obeisance at the sacred temple in Gokarna and captured Ankola and ultimately crossed the Kali river to conquer Sadashivgad ('Gad'). 

Charming and Quaint Banavasi (Karnataka, India) - The forgotten, royal capital of the glorious Kadamba dynasty

Important Note: 

1. Check the COVID 19 travel restrictions of the place online before undertaking your sojourn.
2. Kindly note that the Distance of places, Prices, Hotel rates, Temperature, and other figures may change according to the conditions prevailing at the time of your visit. There may even be short cuts and extra conveyance available that you can avail of when traveling locally. Tourists must conduct their own research before traveling and take due diligence on rates & distances from authorized online sources. All the facts and information provided in relation to the place is for my own personal use and collected from different online sources and collated together. For more details, Click this link DISCLAIMER.

Steeped in antiquity and flourishing with architectural remnants lies Banvasi (Ancient name: Jayantipura, Vanvasi, kokanapura, Bansa), a temple town in Sirsi, Uttara Karnataka district. Banvasi is a sleepy pilgrim town situated in the Malenadu region in between Shimoga and Sirsi, encircled by the serene Varadha river. The name Banvasi means 'nestled in the jungles' and is situated in the rain forest of Western Ghats.

It is the oldest Indian city after Varanasi and is considered a religious hub due to the spiritual heritage all around. In its heydays, Banvasi's charm resonated all over the world. Religious minded students flocked here from as far as Goa & Maharastra for their Vedic studies. Even the Greek Philosopher Ptolemy mentioned a town called 'Bansa' in South India after being enamored by its natural beauty. The famous Kannada literary stalwart Pampa too found his calling here and composed of his greatest epics at this place. There is a garden/groove dedicated to him named 'Pampa Vatika/Vana where you can find exotic medicinal flora and fauna. The history & culture of Kadambas in Banvasi have no parallels in the whole of Karnataka due to the unique heritage located here. Although there are numerous heritage places in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andra Pradesh, Banvasi's charm lies in its remote stillness. The place was a perfect locale for religious studies due to its uninterrupted ambiance. Even today, Banvasi has maintained its legacy of being untouched by modernity. But with the passage of time and rush of tourists, few lodges and eateries have sprung up in its vicinity. Here you can find a lone SBI Branch for your financial dealings.  The Kadamba dynasty got its moniker from the Kadamb tree (Neolamarckia Cadamba) which blossomed here.

The Kadamb dynasty was founded by Mayurasharma and held its sway in most parts of Karnataka, including NW-Mysore for over two centuries. Goa & Maharashtra too had tasted the culture of this famous dynasty. The Kadamba base in Goa was at Chandrapur (present-day Chandor, Margao, Goa) and extended till Goa Velha, Pilar, Old Goa up to Panjim. Till today you can find crumbling vestiges of the Kadamb architecture at Goa Velha(a port wall), Royal Road (Rajbid at Goa Velha till Panelim, Old Goa). The Kadamb rulers were excellent statesmen, cultural devotees, and architects, so you will find plenty of architectural remnants in all the places they ruled. 

Jebel Hafeet Mountain Range - A towering, remote Iconic Landmark in the heart of Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Important Note: 

1. Check the COVID 19 travel restrictions of the place online before undertaking your sojourn.
2. Kindly note that the Distance of places, Prices, Hotel rates, Temperature, and other figures may change according to the conditions prevailing at the time of your visit. There may even be short cuts and extra conveyance available that you can avail of when traveling locally. Tourists must conduct their own research before traveling and take due diligence on rates & distances from authorized online sources. All the facts and information provided in relation to the place is for my own personal use and collected from different online sources and collated together. For more details, Click this link DISCLAIMER.

People close to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and its surrounding emirates must be familiar with the mesmeric Al Hajar mountain ranges but for people in the rest of the world, a trip to #JebelHafeet is a privilege. 

The Jebel Hafeet is a mountain range in the #Tawam region located on the border of Oman & UAE. The climate is typical of the desert but due to the altitude, you can experience some breeze. Here you can also locate the elusive #ArabianTahr, an endangered, elusive, stocky mountain goat native to the #Hajr region. 

           (Picture Credit: "jebel hafeet house" by Krista, Flickr is licensed under CC BY 2.0) 

Located 1300m high above MSL (mean sea level), a drive to the mountain top is along a winding, scenic panorama which will leave you bedazzled. Although the whole of UAE is dotted with mountains, caves, streams, a few beaches, and heritage locales, this one perched remotely in Al Ain will surely impress you to curate it in your blog or a journal. A trip to Jebel Hafeet is one of the most beautiful experiences for any Emirati and expatriate alike. This mountain range borders Oman and you can rejig your tour by buying an Omani visa and car insurance in advance if you plan to do so. The closest Omani town is Al Buraimi & Nizwa. But right now let's focus our attention on a UAE resident or a visit visa traveler on a sojourn to Jebel Hafeet.