The Lost Civilization of Deccan

DAY 01 BANGALORE
Arrive Bangalore int’l airport from your home country by late night. Garland welcome, assistance and transfer to hotel and relax. O/n Hotel.

DAY 02 BANGALORE TO GADAG
Morning free to relax, afternoon check out from the hotel and visit this capital city of Karnataka, a modern cosmopolitan city, considered to be one of the big IT centres of India. It’s a forward-thinking, young and trendy city with a mix of new shopping malls, bars and fast-food joints, which sit side-by-side with its colonial past. Bangalore boasts numerous parks and gardens and is sometimes referred to as the Garden City of India. It also holds a treasure trove of traditional Indian arts and crafts.

Our half day sightseeing consists of:-

Vidhan Soudha – The State Legislative and Secretariat House was built in 1956 in the neo Dravidian Style. One can see it illuminated on Sunday after 7 pm

Attara Kacheri – Directly opposite to the Vidhana Souda is the State High Court, a gothic monument constructed in 1867. ‘Attara’ in Hindi means 18. Previously this building housed 18 departments of the Secretariat.

Bull Temple – Built by Kempe Gowda in the 16th century, this Dravidian style temple is one of Bangalore’s oldest temples. Built for Nandi the sacred bull, who is the vehicle of Lord Shiva, it has a 4.6 m tall monolith of the creature. Late evening after dinner from a local restaurant, transfer to railway station to board overnight express train [6592] to Gadag at 20.20hrs. O/n Train.

DAY 03 GADAG TO BADAMI
Arrive Gadag railway station at 09.28hrs, transfer to Badami (about 70kms/02-03hrs), check into the hotel and later in the afternoon visit this small town, was once the illustrious capital of the Chalukyas, which has some of the finest examples of Dravidian temple architecture. Explore the exquisite cave temples cut into the cliff face of a red sandstone hill. O/n Hotel.

DAY 04 BADAMI TO HOSPET
After breakfast check out from the hotel and we drive to one of the most famous World Heritage monument:

Pattadakal – About 20 km from Badami you arrive at the second capital of the Chalukyas, which hosted, particularly, the coronation ceremonies. Another of those dusty towns where you would get to see the rudimentary expressions of Hindu temple architecture, some of the famous shrines to visit are the majestic Virupaksha Temple, the Mallikarjuna Temple and the northern style Papanath Temple, all within the main temple complex.

Aihole – Lying on the banks of River Malaprabha, it was once the regional capital of the Chalukyas and the flowering ground of Hindu temple architecture in the South. Come here to see the 125 odd temples dating back to the 6th century. The thousand-year-old Durga Temple stands out for its unusual yet ornate structure. Later in the afternoon drive to Hospet (about 155kms/04hrs), check into the hotel and relax. O/n Hotel.

DAY 05 HOSPET
After breakfast we will have our full day visit to Hampi.
A perennial favourite with travellers to South India, come here for the awe-inspiring ruins of the Vijayanagar Empire. Wander around Hampi on a bike, or even better, on foot. Explore the Virupaksha and Vithala shrines. Or, simply roam around the Royal Enclosure (off the Achyutaraya Temple) and relive the grandeur of erstwhile Vijayanagar. O/n Hotel.

DAY 06 HOSPET TO HASSAN
After breakfast drive to Hassan (about 330kms/07-08hrs), enroute visit Chitradurga (Fort of Seven Rounds) – [closed on public holidays] at the foot of a group of granite hills, rising to 1,175 m in the south. The fort was built in the 17th century by Nayak Poligars, semi-independent landlords who fled south after the collapse of the Vijayanagar Empire in 1565. They were crushed by Haider Ali in 1779 who replaced the Nayaka’s mud fort with stone and Tipu Sultan built a palace, mosque, granaries and oilpits in it.

Arrive Hassan and check into the hotel and relax. O/n Hotel.

DAY 07 HASSAN
Today our full day sightseeing consists of:-

Chennakesava Temple at Belur, the exquisite sculptors cover the exterior with the friezes. The line of 650 elephants surrounds the base, with of rows of figures and foliage above. The detail of 38 female figures is perfect.

Later on proceed to Halebid to visit the Hoysalesvara Temple, set in lawns, has two shrines dedicated to Siva with a Nandi Bull facing each. The largest of the Hoysala temples, it was started in 1121 but remained unfinished 86 years later, also visit the Jain bastis. O/n Hotel.

DAY 08 HASSAN TO MYSORE
After breakfast drive to Mysore (about 135kms/03hrs), check into the hotel and later start sightseeing of this cheerful city with many admirers, blessed with easygoing charm, salubrious climate, thriving trade and a rich heritage.

We visit:-

Mysore Palace – Built in Indo-Saracenic style with domes turrets, arches and colonnades, the palace is a treasure house of carvings and works of art from all over the world. The tastefully decorated and intricately carved doors open into luxuriously decorated rooms. The palace has now been converted into a museum, which houses souvenirs, paintings, jewellery, royal costumes and other possessions of the Wodeyars dynasty. The Durbar Hall has an ornate ceiling and many carved pillars, which are said to have been brushed with gold. The walls of the palace have been painted with pictures of the Dussera processions. The perspective of these paintings gives you the impression of the procession coming towards you wherever you might be standing.

St. Philomina’s Church – Built in an imposing gothic style with its stained glass windows is a truly majestic sight.

Devaraja Fruit and Vegetable Market – Typically Indian, a palate of colour, people, animals, smells and sounds. Stretching all the way through Sayaji Road, this market is a great place to view the local life and people, and also makes a great subject for photographs.

DAY 09 MYSORE TO VYTHIRI
After breakfast drive to Vythiri (about 145kms/04hrs), situated at a height of 700 to 1200 metres above Sea level, bounded by peculiar and geographical position, blessed with mist clad mountains and sylvan valleys. Arrive and check into the hotel and later in the afternoon free time for a nature walk. O/n Hotel.

DAY 10 VYTHIRI
Today early morning, we make a short drive to Thirunelly for a trek towards Pakshipathalam.
THIRUNELLY-PAKSHIPATHALAM
DISTANCE 7KM TIME 3-4HOURS
LEVEL EASY

The steps behind the Thirunelly Temple lead to Panchateertha and the Papanashini spring.

Legend has it that as Brahma was consecrating Vishnu’s idol at Thirunelly, Garuda was escaping with the amrita kumbha (pot of nectar), arriving at Thirunelly just in time for the installation of his master’s idol. He circled above thrice and a drop of amrita fell into the stream, endowing it with amazing purifying powers.

It is believed that after his aerial circumambulation, Garuda perched on Karimala, where today you can see a small projection shaped in the form of an eagle. The rock is known as Garudapara and Garuda, the King of Birds, Stands guard over his winged subjects at Pakshipathalam, a veritable avian paradise. Pakshipathalam or ‘Birds of the Subterranean’ is a natural rock cave located at the northern end of the Brahmagiri Hills. A7km trek from Thirunelly takes you there through a dense jungle and can be covered in 3-4 hrs. There’s watchtower that offers a good perch for bird-watching.

In the monsoons, Pakshipathalam remains out of bounds as the path is faint, the trail is slippery and the forest teems with leeches and irritated animals of varying sizes.

Later trek back and drive to hotel and relax. O/n Hotel.

DAY 11 VYTHIRI TO NEELESHWAR
After breakfast drive to Neeleshwar (about 195kms/04-05hrs), check into your houseboat and start cruise in the virgin backwaters, absorbing the beauty of the river and its banks. O/n Houseboat.

DAY 12 NEELESHWAR
Morning visit nearby Ananda Ashram and later in the afternoon visit the Ananthapura Lake Temple, 30 km from Bekal. This 9th century temple is the only lake temple in Kerala and is the moolasthanam (original abode) of Anandapadmanabha, the deity of Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple, Thiruvananthapuram. We conclude our sightseeing with imposing circular fort at Bekal, which is one of the largest and best-preserved forts in Kerala. Also enjoy the beautiful expanse of the shallow beach near the Bekal fort known as Bekal Fort Beach. O/n Hotel.

DAY 13 NEELESHWAR TO MANGALORE TO BANGALORE After breakfast drive to Mangalore airporot (about 80kms/02-03hrs), to board flight to Bangalore by IT 142 at 17.05 – 18.05hrs. On arrival, have dinner from a good restaurant and further late night transfer to int’l airport to board flight to your onward destination.