BHADKESHWAR, Gujarat

Around five thousand years ago, a Shivalinga was revealed in the Arabian Sea, today we knowns as Shri Bhadkeshwar Mahadev Mandir. In the month of June/July, the ocean itself perform abhishekam the Shivling, and for some time this temple becomes the part of the ocean. The most famous festival of the temple is Maha Shivratri, on the day of Shivratri, a grand fair is organized around the temple.

Built on the very edges of Dwarka is a Shaivite Temple of absolute bliss and rapture. Located on a hillock on the Arabian Sea to the extreme west of Dwarka, the Bhadkeshwar Mahadev Temple is quite close to Geeta Temple and Rukshamanee Temple. There are very few words to describe the ethereal beauty of the Bhadkeshwar Mahadev Temple. With a well-built path leading up to the hillock from the shore and stairs leading straight to the temple itself, accessing Bhadkeshwar Mahadev Temple is rarely an issue. As it is built off the shore, the ebb and flow of ocean water flood the surroundings of the temple as well the path leading up to it. This is not really much of a hindrance, but rather adds to the beauty of it all.

BEYT DWARKA, Gujarat

Five kilometers east of the Beyt Dwarka main Sri Krishna temple there is a magnificent and unique temple for Lord Hanuman. It is more popularly known as Dandi Hanuman Temple. How this temple is unique is more interesting. To know how unique the temple is, let us take a brief stroll into the mythological lanes of Ramayana. While there are many version about Ahi Ravan, Mahi Ravan and Makaradwaj the following descriptions of Sri Ahi Ravan and Mahi Ravan is unique to the Maharashtra Bajanasampradhaya especially followers of Sri Aanantha Dhanaya Deva.

One can see a club placed between them. It seems there is no need for the club here. Sri Hanuman in relaxed and joyous mood, Sri Makaradwaj is also seen enjoying what he is doing and relaxed. There is no club or any other weapon in the hands of these two. In Gujarat the joyous mood, merry and melancholy are expressed with ‘Dandi’. It is no wonder that this temple where Sri Hanuman and Sri Makaradwaj are virajman is called ‘Dandi Hanuman’, meaning joyous Hanuman.

GOPI TALAV, Gujarat

Also known as Gopi Tank, Gopi Talav is a small pond enveloped by yellow color sand, resembling sandal. It is also labeled as Gopi Chandan. The sacred Gopi Chandan is commonly used by Lord Krishna devotees visiting the talav to make the religious tilak marks on their foreheads. The Gopi Talav has great importance in the age-old Hindu mythological history. The Gopi Talav is considered to be the sacred spot where all the gopis arrived to catch a glimpse of Lord Krishna in the holy town of Dwarka.

The myth surrounding the Gopi Tank states that this was the spot where Lord Krishna destroyed a demon known as Bhaumasura and released 16,000 princesses, who were forcefully locked inside the demon’s palace which was located at Gopi Talav. All the Gopi princesses were in love with Lord Krishna for his kind act of saving them and each one wanted to marry him. This is how the spot got its name as Gopi Talav.

Located just about 20 km to the north of the holy town of Dwarka and around 5 km from the famous Nageshwara Jyotirlinga Temple, Gopi Talav is easily accessible from all modes of transport and also falls en route Beyt Dwarka. One can easily find local transport like auto rickshaws as well as buses to reach the sacred pond from the main town.

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, Gujarat

One of the 12 famous self-existent temples, Nageshwara Jyotirlinga Temple too houses a curious myth about its origin. The giant, beautiful and artistic statue of Lord Shiva mesmerizes tourists and pilgrims alike with its aesthetic appeal.The temple is the hub of festivities on the eve of Shivratri when devotees turn up in enormous numbers.

Rukmini Devi Temple, Gujarat

The rich paintings on the walls depicting Rukmini and Krishna as old as the 12th century, the intricate carvings on the walls leave the beholder spell bound.

The present structure of temple is inferred to belong to the 19th century.

The temple is also known for its jal daan (water offering) custom where devotees are asked to donate water to temple.

Goddess Rukmini with sankha, chakra and gada. The sanctum of the temple has a beautiful marble idol of Devi Rukmani, with four hands holding Shanka, Chakra, Gada and Padma.

The yatra to Dwarka is completed only after you take darshan of Dwarkeshwari Rukmini Maharani.

SOMNATH TEMPLE, Gujarat

Somnath is traditionally considered the first pilgrimage site of the 12 Dwadash Jyotirlinga pilgrimage begins with the Somnath Temple.

The temple, that was destroyed and re-built sixteen times, is held in reverence throughout India and is rich in legend, tradition, and history.

It is located at Prabhas Patan, Veraval in Saurashtra region of Gujarat state in western India.

The Somnath temple was actively studied by colonial era historians and archaeologists in the 19th- and early 20th-century, when its ruins illustrated a historic Hindu temple in the process of being converted into an Islamic mosque.

Tiruttani, Tamilnadu

Tiruttani constitutes one of the six Padai Veedu shrines of Skanda (Lord Subramanya), and it represents the site where Subramanya stayed after destroying the demon Surapadman. Tiruttani is said to be the place where the Lord Subramanya married Valli - one of his two consorts.

The beautiful temple of Lord Muruga at Tiruttani crowns a single rock 700 feet above sea level. It is situated amidst a range of hills with a dramatic panoramic view.

HARANGI CAMP, Karnataka

The new elephant camp was inaugurated on August 8 .2022 at Harangi in Kushalanagar taluk of Kodagu district.

The new elephant camp was built in the backwater area on 40 acres of forest department on the right side of Harangi reservoir, adjacent to the tree park.

15 elephant have been shifted from Dubare to Harangi. Harangi Dam has been further boosted by the establishment of this camp.

There are pedal boats in Harangi backwater where tourists can go boating. A view point has been prepared to watch the sunset in the backwater area and benches have been placed for the tourists to sit.

MALLALI FALLS, Karnataka

Mallalli Falls is one of the places to visit in Somwarpet.

Eventually the sky cleared up and it was time to drive through the meandering roads to a splendidly gushing Mallalli Waterfalls. Sometimes also known as Kumaradhara Falls by the locals, Mallalli Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in Coorg.

Kumaradhara River that flows through the higher elevation of Kukke Subramanya takes a plunge of more than 1,000 meters while passing through Coorg.

This creates the most beautiful falls of Coorg while making it a top tourist place in Coorg. There is also a homestay near Mallalli Falls.

This River then merges with Nethravati River before eventually merging with Arabian Ocean in Mangalore creating numerous waterfalls enroute during the peak monsoon in Coorg.

BISLE GHAT, Karnataka

There is a sprawling 40-hectare reserved forest area at Bisle in Hettur hobli of Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district. Identified as a very distinguished forest region in Asia, this forest spreads across Hassan, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts.

In this vast forest region, there are several hillocks called Pushpagiri, Kumara Betta, Yennikallu, Patla, Dodda Betta and Kannadi Kallu. In the Bisle forest region, various species of high value trees, including Teak, Rosewood, Alexandria Laurel, Indian Copal, Tulip and Malabar Kino, are in abundance.

Elephants, Bison, Sambar, wild boar and other wild animals are aplenty. People living in the villages around Bisle Ghat are protecting the rich forests here. Whenever wild fire breaks out during the summer season, the villagers douse it quickly so that the forest does not suffer heavy damage. People in surrounding villages keep a continuous vigil so that thugs and thieves do not enter the forest area to steal the woods or kill animals.

RIDGE Point, Karnataka

A "Ridge" is a region of high barometric pressure that divides rainwater. A British officer from the early era discovered Ridge Point and placed a stone platform here indicating the direction of flow of water between Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

Ridge Point remains mostly covered in clouds during monsoon and that's the best time to visit and experience nature like we did, doing nothing.

We took a stroll behind Ridge Point to discover that there is the big Mankanahalli Lake that was earlier completely covered in clouds with almost zero visibility.

GAVI BETTA, Karnataka

It is a strangely mystical and thrilling experience when you visit Shiva temples that are remote, hidden, and not visited by many.

One such temple is located in the Sakleshpur Taluk of the Hassan District of Karnataka. Shiva presides here in a dark cave that is inhabited by bats, far from the gaze of human eyes.

The fresh mountain air brushed past us as we stood gripping the rails of the open Bolero Jeep, the vehicle that had ferried across the beautiful terrain of Sakleshpur, it was not an easy task for us, since it was raining and all the path way become fully muddy. But it was an one-time experience one should feel in their lifetime.

GATEWAY of India, Maharastra

The Gateway was used as a symbolic ceremonial entrance to India for important colonial personnel. The Gateway is also the monument from where the last British troops left India in 1948, following Indian independence.

It is located on the waterfront at an angle, opposite the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel and overlooks the Arabian Sea.

Today, the monument is synonymous with the city of Mumbai, and is amongst its prime tourist attractions. The gateway is also a gathering spot for locals, street vendors, and photographers soliciting services. It holds significance for the local Jewish community as it has been the spot for Hanukkah celebrations, with the lighting of the menorah, since 2003.

MARINE DRIVE, Maharastra

It is a banana-shaped, six-lane concrete road along the coast of a natural bay. At the northern end of Marine Drive is Girgaon Chowpatty and the adjacent road along links Nariman Point at southern tip to Babulnath and Malabar Hill at northern tip.

Marine Drive is situated on reclaimed land facing west-south-west. Marine Drive is also known as the Queen's Necklace because, when viewed at night from an elevated point anywhere along the drive, the street lights resemble a string of pearls in a necklace.

Most of the buildings erected by wealthy Parsis were constructed in an art deco style, which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Among the earliest art deco buildings on Marine Drive were the Kapur Mahal, Zaver Mahal and Keval Mahal, built between 1937 and 1939 for a total cost of 1 million rupees.

Samudra Narayana, Gujarat

Samudra Narayan Temple is a Hindu temple situated at Gomti Sangam Ghat in the holy town of Dwarka. Located behind the Dwarkadhish Temple, it is one of the must visit temples in Dwarka as part of Dwarka Tour.

Situated at the confluence of River Gomti and the Arabian Sea, the Samudra Narayan Temple is dedicated to Goddess Gomti. According to the legend, River Gomti has been brought from heaven by Rishi Vasishtha to sanctify Rama after his battle with Ravana.

After purification of Rama, Goddess Gomti manifested here on the ghat and got submerged into the Arabian Sea. Along with Goddess Gomti, the temple enshrines beautiful idols of Lord Varuna, Samudra Deva, Mira Bai and Mother Asta Bhavani. There is a sacred kund or tank in the temple, where several ceremonial sacrifices performed.

ABBIMATTA Falls, Karnataka

Tumbling over a flat bed of rock, Abbimatta Waterfalls are a hidden jewel nestled inside a patch of forest near Somwarpet town.

One can see plenty of water during rainy season and to reach the falls there is no direct way, one need to walk through the fields infront of the falls or one need to go through an private estate.