Shivamogga, previously known as Shimogga, is popularly nicknamed as the 'Gateway of Malnad'. It is an ideal destination for tourists heading from Bengaluru to coastal Karnataka by road. It can also be called as the mid-point connecting the plains with the hills and seas. Located at a distance of approximately 255 kms from Bangalore, one would take close to five hours by road. The drive is excellent—wide and well-kept roads tempt you to cross the 100 kmph mark on your speedometer. The traffic in the small towns enroute (Gubbi, Tiptur, Berur, Kadur) will however put a check on your speed, which is why the drive takes longer. One could reach Shivamogga from the opposite direction. That is, from the coastal town of Kundapura which is at a distance of 170 kms. It could be an ideal weekend getaway for coastal inhabitants. The drive from Kundapura to Shivamogga is a feast for nature lovers, the rich flora in the form of tall lush green trees, the beautiful laid back hamlets, the roads curving at every few meters, locals lazing around road side — all of this makes the drive interesting.
There are two routes to reach Shivamogga, the first is via Mastikatte and Nagara crossing the Hulikal Ghat which is a 30km stretch of winding and curvy roads. The second is via Someshwar and Thirthahalli crossing the Agumbe ghat, which is relatively a short steep uphill stretch of 10km but very serene, picturesque and scenic. The traffic on this route is less as big vehicles aren’t allowed to ply owing to the steep gradient. It is a local belief that prior to ascending the Agumbe ghat, one should stop at Someshwar where there is a small Shiva temple. A visit to the shrine located at the foothills of Agumbe and bowing in front of the trio—Trimurti, Mahayogi and Prajapati assures the visitors of a safe journey through the ghats. Once atop Agumbe, the sunset point would be an ideal spot to capture the beauty of the lustrous hills and deep plunging valleys through your naked eyes or the mechanical ones. It’s a magical sight only if the clouds are kind enough to allow you to catch a glimpse. This route isn’t a safe option for night travel as there is wildlife habitation in this zone and no human settlements.
The stretch from Tirthahalli to Shivamogga is breathtaking as the road runs parallel to the beautiful Tungabhadra River. During monsoon, Tungabhadra takes charge and overpowers the road at many places. This area has been captured in many Kannada movies and is a perfect location to shoot romantic songs. Enroute, one could stop and take a stroll near Gajanur Dam and also click some exquisite and rare water birds resting at Mandegadde bird sanctuary.
Shivappa Nayak Palace
Pre-monsoon and monsoon would be the ideal time to travel through this area. The lush green paddy fields look breathtaking with tall coconut and areca nut trees bordering them, the pepper plants clinging onto them, Jackfruit trees loaded with fruits emitting a scent which could tempt passerby’s; local canines lazing around in the sun; cattle appearing suddenly at every curve; locals anxiously waiting for super fast private buses to take them to the local market; the langurs and apes sitting by the side of the road waiting to grab the goodies thrown at them by tourists passing by—will surely cast an impression on your mind.
My most memorable experience was the visit to Sakrebayalu Elephant Camp, which is around 20 kms before Shivamogga. People of all ages would be delighted to see the pachyderms move around majestically after their royal morning shower in the Tungabhadra. The ideal time to visit would be between 8-8.30am. The herd of 23 elephants and some little ones march alongside their mahouts to the banks of Tungabhadra for a leisurely swim. They are scrubbed hard with metal brushes by their caretakers as they lazily relax in the cool waters. All the big fellows have a unique name—traditional Hindu ones. The caretakers are entrusted with their wards for a period of five years and they develop a special bond with these mammals. It was thrilling to see three-month old Gayatri walk under the shadows of her 25 year mother Kapila and 96 year old grandmother Indira. Females rule the show here, and display very strong family bonds — a thing we humans could surely learn. After the morning shower, the elephants are taken to their respective sheds, where they elegantly pose for pictures. Most of them are calm and enjoy the presence of tourists, especially the kids, and those elephants which act slightly rogue are chained and kept away from the crowd. They are fed at 10.30 am and then let loose to wander at free will into the jungle. The caretakers have the tough job of bringing back their wards the next morning. Hence the name comes handy. The caretakers at the camp are very friendly and cooperative; the state government has done a commendable job in protecting these gentle giants. The place remains closed between 12.30 to 4 pm, during evening elephant rides could be an interesting activity, especially for children.
An ideal place to spend the night on the outskirts of Shivamogga is River View Home Stay which is located along the banks of Tungabhadra and is a beautiful property owned by a retired couple. One could also stay at Nature Spa and Rejuvenation centre, an Ayurveda Wellness centre near Gajanur dam. A lot of home stays and resorts have sprung up in the Teerthahalli region. One could, or could not opt for food as traditional Malnad cuisine may not appeal to many visitors. Shivamogga city has a lot of eateries to satisfy your taste buds.
Another interesting destination located close to 12km from the city is Lion Safari at Tavarekoppa. An interesting environment friendly concept adopted by the Safari Administration is worth a mention. At the entrance you are made to deposit Rs 10 per plastic bottle that you carry inside, and while you are exiting if you have the same number of bottles, you get your deposit money back. So if you discard a plastic bottle inside the premises you will lose the money. Since we Indians don't like losing money, this idea has worked effectively in reducing plastic waste. A Rs-50 entrance fee is very nominal and special protective vehicles with a capacity of 20 passengers ply every 20 minutes to give you a ride to witness life of the wild beasts. First to catch my attention were a group of Barasinghas, who appeared very calm, unfazed by the visitors and comfortably posed for the shutterbugs. One of their young ones was adventurous enough to get on to our bus and greet the driver and his assistant.
Lions and tigers are what one looks forward to sighting in a safari, so the delight knew no bounds when we sighted the tiger brothers Ram and Lakshman cooling off in a small puddle of water. Another one, Raju was resting under a tree on to our left, trying to catch a nap amidst all the noise we were making. One is awe struck when you see these huge, majestic, striped fellows. While we were busy clicking images of Raju, the tigress Leela was standing right in front of our vehicle. She was huge and graceful at the same time, posed for some pictures and made her way out. Getting to see them at such close quarters makes you like them even more and wonder why and how can someone kill these majestic animals . What we saw next was a rare sight, the park has only two lions and we were lucky enough to see the couple lazing around in the bushes. Looking at them made me say 'Total paisa wasool'. Apart from the safari, the park also has caged reptiles, birds and other species of wild animals. The place is very well kept and is ideal for a family outing.
The drive to our next destination Shivappa Naik Palace took about half an hour. Shivappa Naik ruled the area and founded the city Shivamogga and hence similarity in the name. The palace was originally a grand structure, and now only a part of it remains. But that too, bears a royal and majestic look. The wooden structure bears resemblance to Tipu’s palace in Bangalore. The shiny reddish colour of the wood and beautiful carvings on the panels makes it an elegant structure. All around this palatial structure, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has displayed artefacts found during excavations. The Narasimha Idol of 8th century is remarkable and a 9th century Shiva Parvati statue is very graceful. The sad part is that a lot more such artefacts are kept in the open and appear uncared for. The garden around the palace is well-maintained and adds to the beauty of the monument. Only the locals can locate the palace as it is in the busy market area. Simplicity of the palace gate doesn’t give you an indication of a grand monument that stands inside.
Another memorable location 9km away from Shivamogga town is 'koodli’, which is the confluence of the tributaries Tunga and Bhadra that form Tungabhadra River. Lot of sacrifices and prayers are performed at the confluence by the locals as it is considered to be sacred. On the banks is the site of an ancient 12th century Shiva temple built during the Hoysala rule. The Rameshwara Temple has a very simple yet ornate structure, has three directional entrances to the sanctum which house the Nandi and Shivalinga. A beautiful landscaped garden around the temple is maintained by ASI. The royal Hoysala emblem of a warrior stabbing a lion on the temple tower surely catches your attention. The temple premise has a deafening silence reminding of the glorious past that the temple had witnessed. Now, the monument only attracts a handful of visitors and the gate is kept closed most of the day. I had to plead to make my way in and catch a glimpse of this marvellous piece of art.
The return journey from Koodli to Kundapura made me wonder, 'How great is the country I live in'—the variety, the richness, the pleasure that it offers to a traveller is remarkable. Each town in India has so much to offer in terms of natural wonders, monuments, culture, cuisine and experience. I am delighted to have taken this trip as it showed me a different side of this commercial town. I will cherish the memories of a historical, adventurous, cultural and religious journey in the town of Shivappa Naik, Shivamogga.
