DAY 3: CHIKMAGALUR
- Destination 1: Bababudangiri
- Destination 2: Mullayanagiri
- Destination 3: Honnama temple & falls
Our 3rd day's list had Dattagiri or Baba Budan Giri Range, which includes Mullayanagiri (height 1930 m) and Dattagiri/Baba Budan Giri (height 1895 m), both are highest peaks of karnataka and are trekkers paradise. We had breakfast and started around 10:00 am. Even around 10:00, it was extremely cold. I requested driver to close all the windows of car, and enjoyed the beautiful view sitting inside:). Once we reached Baba-Budan-giri mountain range, roads are very narrow and scary. Even a single mis-step would lead the car to 1895m down the hills :).
Bababudangiri:
Baba Budan Giri peak is one the highest peaks of karnataka. Baba Budangiri, also called Dattatreya Peeta, is hill Range, of the Western Ghats of India. This hill is considered sacred for both Hindus and Muslims. As it inhouses Sufi shrine devoted to the Baba Budan, and Hindu God Guru Dattatreya. It has been controversial due to political and religious tension over its status as a syncretic shrine.Baba Budan Giri represents a unique syncretic culture of Hindus and Muslims where both offer prayers in a cave-like structure.Car is allowed directly to top of the Bababudan giri. When we got down from the car, wind was blowing so fast, pushing us backwards.. We had to walk ahead fighting with the wind :). We saw a Sufi shrine (revered by Muslims), and few tombs at the entrance.. Lot of muslims were offering prayers near the entrance of the shrine. (Shrine was closed though) According to legend, saint called Baba budan introduced coffee to India by bringing beans from the port of Mocha, Yemen. We just took snap from outside and walked towards Manikyadhara falls..
Manikyadhara falls:
Manikyadhara Waterfalls also known as Nellikayi Theertha is situated 1 km from Baba Budan Giri/Dattatreya Peetha. Both Hindus and Muslims believe that they are relieved of ailments if
they bathe under this falls.It is also believed that the person who takes a bath here has to leave one piece of garment for the wishes to be fulfilled.
Beliefs apart, but place was total mess, with Clothes all around. And so many people(esplly muslims) were taking bath under this small falls, which had very thin water flow, worse then tap flow.(Not sure if flow is always like this, or coz of April month). We came out of there as soon as possible.
Sitalyangiri:Sitallayangiri is 2km before Mullayanagiri. Car is allowed all the way till Sitalayangiri. There is a temple called Sitalaya-mallikarjuna. But more than a shiva temple, it looked like a mutt. It also had couple of houses, for Priests and also for visitors, who wish to stay there(But you have to inform them earlier, so they can arrange for Food and Accomodation). Mainly trekkers would do that.. They can start trekking from base of mountain, trekking all the way to Sitalayangiri and Mullayangiri . That trekking path is called as Sarpa Dhari (Cobra path). But we decided to go to Sitalayangiri and Mullayangiri in Car, and only climb the Mullayangiri peak from Mullayangiri Base... View from this sitalayangiri is awesome. We spent few minutes there and , headed to mullayangiri.
Our next destination was Mullayangiri.Mullayangiri is the highest peak in Karnataka. With a height of 6300 ft. Driver parked the car at base of Mullayangiri and told, we need to climb around 200+ steps to reach the top. We started climbing steps, as and when we climbed up, it started getting cold. Once we reached around 100 steps, we get to see awesome view of places around.. Cold and fast blowing Wind makes it more difficult to climb... .
I had to rest couple of times, before reaching the top. We finally reached the top, and was totally amazed to see fog all round the peak. It was 12:00pm, and it looked like it 5am. Weather was awesome, with cool brezze, fog all around, and we were at so height place, it was looking as if we can touch the clouds :). We could see the roads from this peak, which looked like a line drawn in between a peak . People and roads looked so small, and sometimes, the view was totally blocked by Fog, so we sat there for a while for fog to clear, once it was cleared we took some snaps, then visited temple, and sat there for a while again, before we climbed down..
One the way back to Hotel, we passed through a village called Attingundi , which is some 6 km before Baba Budan Giri peak. There a small falls here, which is made to flow on few steps... We climbed the steps, and looked for the source of the falls, but it was flowing from long distance, beyond our eyes to locate it... Water in this falls was real cold. We washed our face, freshened up, had tea in near by small chai shop. It was awesome to drink tea in that cold.. Finally left back to our hotel by 2:00pm..
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