Hassan Is a hot dusty town of Karnataka, and even though it's easy to write-off such a place, remember the adage looks can be deceptive. For one, this busy town is equi-distance to Bangalore and Mysore, Karnataka's two important cities and well-connected to most other parts of Karnataka as well, with an excellent road network. So if you're driving around Hassan, stop by these 3 TOP PLACES along the way.
SHRAVANABELAGOLA : heart of compassion
Mysore --> Srirangapatnam --> Shravanabelagola
As you continue your road trip ahead of Srirangapatnam, drive past Melukote and the road ahead will take you to one of Jainism's holiest pilgrimage sites~ SHRAVANABELAGOLA. Unlike many other Shvetambar Jain sites, Shravanabelagola is traditionally a Digambar site. It means that Jain munis (monks) here are sky clad/ naked.
There is an uphill walk of 650 stone steps that will take you atop the Vindhyagiri hill on which is located this 57-ft tall gigantic statue of Bhagwan Gommateshwara Shri Bahubali.
Tip :- You will need to do this climb barefoot, so early mornings and evenings are a good time. There is some carpeting which may help. Carry water. Palanquin service is available for the elderly and sick.
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| climbing up Vindhyagiri hill at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka |
What is noteworthy is the number of visitors to Shravanabelagola, most of whom are non-Jains like me. Along with my dad who had by now joined me at Mysore, we started at 7.30 am and contrary to my worries climbed the Vidhyagiri hill easily taking regular intervals along the climb. After spending a good hour or so; of darshan and admiring the surrounding hills, we got to the bottom by 10.30 am.
Having arrived here the previous evening, we had taken up quarters at the Jain dharamshalas which were blocks/ flats. The rates were nominal. There is a special dining-hall that provides simple lunch and dinner, but we preferred exploring on our own and found some homes in the village that serve authentic and delicious Jain thalis, another one of my best meals in a long time.
< Day 2 >
SHETTIHALLI church ruins : a haunting beauty
Shravanabelagola --> Hassan --> SHETTIHALLI CHURCH
There are fewer buses that ply on the Hassan --> Shettihalli route, so If you don't have your own vehicle, then getting here is a bit of a challenge! After getting dropped off, we had an almost 2 kms walk through a lonely road before reaching the banks of a lake.
The location is deserted but beautiful. The only people you are likely to see are curious tourists like us, wondering how the church might be after all. But finding just bits of an 1860 French church facade looking so incredibly haunting in the backdrop of the Hemavati dam reservoir.
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| Built by French missionaries in 1860 in French Gothic style, the Shettahalli church ruins around Hassan, Karnataka look hauntingly beautiful |
Tip : I saw coracles ferrying people on the placid lake reservoir, so do check for a ride. I have done a coracle-ride during my trip to Talakādu, and it was absolutely fun.
Things to do in Sakleshpur
SHETTIHALLI CHURCH --> Hassan --> Sakleshpur
I wish I could do more in Sakleshpur, but we reached around evening and after some refreshments set out to explore the star-shaped Manjarabad fort.
The fort looked dry and stark and it took a while exploring every star-shaped corner and peeking out to what lay beyond. Said to have been built in 1792 by Tipu Sultan, the best bird's eye view pic can be got using a drone.
< Day 3 >
Tea plantation visit at Sakleshpur
Next day we were lucky to get a rare/ less frequent bus to Kadamane tea estate. The bus dropped us and we had a leisure walk of at least 2-3 kms through meandering tea and coffee plantations with its quaint colonial homes and church.
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| Kadamane tea estate and its colonial homes, Sakleshpur Karnataka |
SinnaDorai's bungalow is a heritage property that hosts guests, but all I wanted was walk through the tea estate, and a nice cup of tea. However, not a single cafe was in sight, so I just got about taking some pics before getting an auto to drive around before winding up a day!
Thanks for reading through this blog. If you have any other questions do comment below.. Bye for now!
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