Bangalore to Mangalore – A Weekend on Beach

Mangalore is a port city and the headquarters of Dakshina Kannada district in the coastal region of Karnataka State in

India. Mangalore is the gateway to Karnataka. It is one of the five talukas (other than Bantwal, Puttur, Sullia, Belthangady

taluks) of the Dakshina Kannada District. This District formerly had 8 talukas, but these were split in August 1997 and the

remaining talukas, namely Udupi, Kundapur and Karkala then formed a part of the Udupi district,but there is no division found

in the living of two cities and it is still being recognised as 'avibhagitha (undivided) Dakshina Kannada. Mangalore is named

after the Goddess Mangaladevi. Other names used by the locals are 'Mangalooru' (Kannada), 'Mangalapuram' (Malayalam), 'Kudla'

(Tulu), 'Kodial' (Konkani), 'Mikala' (Beary) and 'Manjarun'(sanskrith).

Traditionally, it was an important trading port with ties with the Persian Gulf states dating back to the 14th century.

With its strategic location, it was occupied by a number of dynasties and colonial rulers, namely the Portuguese in the

mid-16th century. In the 18th century, its control was contested by Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan on one hand and the British on

the other. Under the Mysore sultans (1763), it became a strategic ship building base, which was ceded to the British in 1799

after numerous sieges.

About Mangalore:

Mangalore is one of the fastest developing cities in India. Many multinational corporations and domestic corporations are

opening their branches in Mangalore. Many reputed builders are bringing huge development projects. There is very good growth

in the retail sector and many new shopping malls are being built. Infosys Technologies has 2 Development Centers in Mangalore

with over 3000 employees. EDS has their India Training Center based near Mangalore Club. Corporation Bank and Karnataka Bank

have their headquarters inside the city and Syndicate Bank HQ is in Manipal. Other industries are MRPL, MCF, BASF, KIOCL,

Ultratech Cement Plant are some of the other industries in the city.

Mangalore is also known as the 'Cradle of Education' in Karnataka with 15 Engineering(Nitk,surathkal being the rank 1

engineering college and MIT(manipal) being second), 5 Medical, 14 Dental, 12 MBA, 11 Physiotherapy, 8 Hotel Management and 58

Graduation colleges in and around the city.

Mangalore is a blend of the new and the old! With the increasing influx of students from various states of India and

different parts of the world, Mangalore has virtually become a 'melting pot' of cultures, given the various communities that

make up the social framework of Mangalore: the Tuluvas (Bunts, Billawas, Brahmins,Jains,Devadigas, Mogaveeras,Chitpavan's),

the Brahmins, the Konkani Catholics, the Bearys, the Goud-Saraswath Brahmins (Konkanas),Devang's(m'lore kannada and tulu)

etc.

Places to Visit:

Sultan Battery: It is situated in Boloor 6 Km. away from Mangalore City Bus Stand. It was built in Black

Stones by Tippu Sulthan to prevent warships to enter Gurpur river. Now the remaining part of the fort is called as Tippu's

Well. It is today a deserted spot but its construction is bafflingly exquisite. Although it is a watchtower, it gives the

impression of a miniature fortress with its arrangements for mounting cannons all-round.

Kadri Manjunath Temple: Kadri is another ancient historic spot in Mangalore. The Kadri Temple dating back to

about 1068 A.D. with its nine tanks, its square temple, nestling at thefoot of the highest hill, draws to Mangalore hundreds

of visitors annually.The Lokeshwara bronze statue of the Kadri Manjunatha Temple is tipped to be the best bronze statue in

India. On top of the hill King Kundavarma Bupendra built a mutt which came to be called 'Jogimutt'. There are some stone

caves on top of the hill which are known as the caves of the Pandavas .

St. Aloysius Church: It is situated 1 Km. away from Nehru Maidan Bus stand.  The walls of the church are

covered with the paintings of the artist Antony Moshaini of Italy.  The Church was built in the year 1899-1900. St.

Aloysius College Chapel, an architectural gem, comparable with the Sistine chapel in Rome, is situated on lighthouse hill.

The special beauty of the chapel is the wonderful series of paintings that virtually cover every inch of the interior roof

and walls executed by Bro.

Shri Sharavu Mahaganapathi Temple: Mangalore is known as a pilgrim center and boasts of many sacred temples like

Sharavu, Kadri, Mangaladevi, Kudroli etc. Out of these Sri Sharavu Sharabeshwara - Sri Mahaganapathy Kshetra is an

outstanding, pious center of great illustrious history of marathon 800 years.

Light House Hill-Garden: It is situated 1 Km. away from Bus Stand.  One can see the beautiful sea view,

sunset view and also the sailing ships and boats on the sea.  Now the renovated garden looks more beautiful.

Travel to Ooty:

There are numerous bus services from Mangalore to all the nearby towns in Karnataka and Kerala. The long-distance bus

services to major cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Hubli-Dharwad and Goa run along the National Highways radiating to the North

(towards Goa and Mumbai) NH-17, South (towards Kerala) and the East (towards Bangalore) NH-48. Bus booking is fairly easy nowadays on internet. If you plan

early you’ll get budget tickets online. For online

bus booking you can check different OTA’s website. Search best bus service, compare and buy cheap tickets.

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Seven Wonders of India

India is an amazing country, the history of its people going back several millennia. Having cradled some of the oldest known civilizations of the world, this amazingly diverse land saw the emergence of some of the mightiest empires and dynasties of the ancient and medieval world. Over a period of several centuries, numerous rulers have come and gone, leaving behind their marks in the form of a large number of historic buildings, some of which can be said to form the seven wonders of India.

• Tajmahal (Agra): The Taj has become the symbol of India to people of the world. This 17th century Mughul mausoleum has captured the imagination of generations of tourists ever since it was completed in 1643. Built in the memory of Mumtaz Mahal by her husband, the fifth Mughul Emperor Shahjahan, the Taj Mahal is a dream realized in white marble. Its beauty cannot be described in words. The Taj remains the most popular and well known tourist attractions in India.
  
  
• Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh): The Khajuraho group of temples is famous all over the world for its amazingly vivid erotic sculptures. These temples are the best examples of the north Indian Nagda style of temple architecture, and they date back to the 9th and 10th centuries AD.
  
  
• Hampi (Karnataka): The ruins of Hampi are among the best known tourist attractions in South India. The erstwhile capital of the mighty Vijayanagar kingdom which flourished in the 16th century AD has tremendous historic value. Its temples are among the best known specimens of south Indian temple architecture. The site also has many other interesting spots and is a world heritage site.
  
  
• Golden Temple (Amritsar, Punjab): The most recent among the seven wonders of India listed here, the golden temple is located in the sacred city of Amritsar. The temple is the spiritual center of the Sikh religion. The present day structure was constructed in the 18th century by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Its dome is covered by about 100 kgs of gold, hence the name. The temple stores the Granth Sahib, the holy book treated as guru by the Sikhs.
  
  
• Konark Sun Temple (Orissa): The Konark sun temple is an amazing structure constructed in the 13th century. The temple is dedicated to the sun god and designed to resemble the mythical chariot that carries the sun God across earth, driven by seven horses. The temple exhibits the style of temple building typical to Orissa.
  
  
• Tawang Monastery (Arunachal Pradesh): The name 'Tawang'means 'chosen by a horse' as the legend goes that when the 5th. Dalai Lama, Mera Lama while searching for a place to make a new monastery in 1681 prayed for guidance for a special location and found his horse standing on a quiet spot on a hill. The monastery was built there with a 30 ft golden hued wooden Buddha statue set between Buddhist artifacts and valuable 'Tankhas'.The entrance or the 'Kakaling' to the Monastery is beautiful both esthetically and architecturally, with paintings of Buddhist folk themes done on the ceiling and walls. Close to the main gate is the famed 'Dung Gyur Mani' pond and the monastery derives all it water from this lake.
  
  
• Nalanda University (Bihar): Nalanda is the name of an ancient university in Bihar, India. The site of Nalanda is located in the Indian state of Bihar, about 55 miles south east of Patna, and was a Buddhist center of learning from 427 to 1197 CE. It has been called "one of the first great universities in recorded history. The site of Nalanda is located in the Indian state of Bihar, about 55 miles south east of Patna, and was a Buddhist center of learning from 427 to 1197 CE. Near the University of Nalanda, is a temple dedicated to the Sun God. This temple has a number of statues of Hindu and Buddhist deities. The five feet high statue of Parvati is of particular interest and attraction.

How to visit:

India is a large country and it holds a culture and tradition from its northern point to southern part. Seven wonders of India represent the richness of Indian culture and values and thus it spreads throughout the large geography of India. From north (Amritsar, Golden Temple) to south (Hampi, Karnataka) and east (Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh) to west (Khajuraho, MP).

It is quite difficult for traveler to visit all seven places at once, though all places are very well connected through air, train and bus. If you are planning to travel to these places you have to find out the nearest airport or railway station. These places are reachable by bus. After reaching to the nearest city, you can book buses to travel easily. Below are the details of distances of these places from nearest major cities –

• Tajmahal: From Delhi: NH2, a modern divided highway, connects the 200 km distance from Delhi to Agra.
• Khajuraho: Private tour service operators arrange deluxe AC and Non AC buses to Khajuraho from various cities including Jhansi (172 km) and Delhi (596 km).
• Hampi: Hampi is well connected by KSRTC bus services with all nearby cities. There are many private bus providers operating from Gokarna and many places in Goa to Hampi.
• Golden Temple: Amritsar is well-connected by bus to most major cities and the northern areas within a day’s drive. Pathankot is about 2.5 hours away, and there are daily direct buses to New Delhi, Jammu, Katra, Chandigarh, Dharamsala (once daily, ~6 hours), etc.You can find Volvo buses from Chandigarh , Delhi and Katra to Amritsar.
• Konark Sun Temple: Konark is connected to other cities in Orissa State Public Transport buses. Private Volvo bus services are available from Bhubaneshwar and Puri to Konark.
• Tawang Monastery: The main road entry point into the state of Arunachal Pradesh is the border town of Bomdila (162 km).
• Nalanda University: Nalanda (Bihar) to Deoghar (Jharkhand) is 210 km and takes approx 3 hrs, 15 mins by road.

Bus booking is fairly easy nowadays on internet. If you plan early you’ll get budget tickets online. For online bus booking you can check different OTA’s website. Search best bus service, compare and buy cheap tickets.

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Camel Safari – Eco Adventure Travel in India

The Camel Safari Circuit in India comprises of Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Bikaner, all in Rajasthan. They were the princely

kingdoms in the desert belt of India Rajasthan. Each was comparable in size to many modern nations of Europe. All the former

capitals prospered from trade with the camel caravans that traveled from West Asia and Europe to Mongolia, and were

impressively fortified to protect these riches. The result was a wealth of palaces built for royalty, havelis or courtyard mansions built for merchants and nobility and intricately carved temples for the subjects. Materials used were normally sandstone, which was easily available and provided a better medium to the silavats who specialized in making stone resemble lace.

What to See:

A wide variety of safaris are offered by the Thar Desert. A short trek around the pretty town of Jaisalmer, or a longer safari taking you the length and breadth of the Great Indian Desert - options are many. In the longer version of the safari, you will feel the ambience of mediaeval times. Like a mediaeval trader you will have the opportunity of leading the caravan through the spice route in hostile conditions heading for one of the medieval kingdoms, in search of people to buy your goods. The desert safaris in India revolve primarily around the princely states of Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Bikaner. Besides offering the breathtaking spectacle of the endless vistas of open desert sands, these safaris are a perfect way of experiencing the village life and the wildlife.

Rajasthan has been an important center of trade and commerce throughout the historical period. The passing of the caravans through the Thar Desert gave boost to the trade. Prosperity of the trade resulted in the huge profit, which was used by the nobility to build the impregnable forts, majestic palaces, grand mansions, and ormidable citadels. Sandstone is the basic material used in the construction of these masterpieces of art that are today in the ruined state due to ravages of the time.

A typical safari comprises traveling to the architectural ruins of Lodurva located in the vicinity of Jaisalmer, the sand dunes of the Samm, the oasis at Anasagar and the water source of Moolsagar. You will travel and sightseeing during the daytime and can spend your night by cooking by the campfire and having rest. You will be able to experience the lives of the villagers on the camels-halts in the en-route villages amidst the desert scrubs. It is sure to be a once in lifetime experience of the desert rural Indian life and traditional hospitality.

Travel Kit:

Camel Safari in India The climate is extreme in the desert-afternoons may seem much hotter than the actual 26-30 degree temperature may suggest. Night temperatures may drop below zero on the dunes. It is essential to stock both woolen and cotton clothing. Shorts and skirts are comfortable wear for camel safaris but remember some of the offbeat routes visit villages that have not seen many tourists and locals may look askance at ladies who do not wear ankle length clothing and men in shorts. Sun hats with large rims or cotton caps that can be dipped in water when it gets too hot around midday, are essential preferably with a balaclava or scarf for covering the neck and forehead. At Jodhpur you can buy umbrellas that are quite convenient for camel safaris. Sunscreen cream, moisturizers and lip salve area must. A water bottle can be comfortably slung on the camel saddle and it is practical also to carry tangerines as even on a deluxe safari it may not be practical to dismount each time to drink from the carted water supply. Bottled mineral water is available at Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. Find out if the baggage is being transferred by camel cart or vehicle. In case of the latter, a small handbag can carry the essentials you are likely to need on the way.

If prone to sickness, carry suitable medication against the swaying gait of the camel. A torch, penknife an even cutlery will be required. Finally patience is an important piece of baggage on a camel safari as it takes time to get to grips with camel travel and to reach destinations that may be on your travel priorities.

When to go:

Most camel safaris are organized in the winter, when the weather’s good. Rajasthan’s summers are almost unbearably hot and dry, so going on a camel safari during this time is virtually impossible. November to March, when days are cool (and nights cold!) is when most camel safaris are organized.

Getting there:

Most camel safaris start from Jaisalmer, which is connected by air, train and road to the rest of India. Rajasthan’s capital, Jaipur, is also a convenient base for exploring the state, whether on camel or otherwise. Jaipur has a well-connected airport, as well as regular train and bus links to a number of cities across India. All camel-safari towns in Rajasthan, such as Bikaner and Mandawa, are connected by road to Jaipur. Buses run between all the major towns of the state, and private cars or taxis can be hired to do the trip. You can plan your trip advance and do online bus booking to get cheap bus tickets. Bus booking is fairly easy and tickets are available online for Jaipur or Jaisalmer.

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