Gokarna/ Gokarnam - Padal Petra Sthalam - Tuluva Nadu

We visited Gokarna Oct 4-8th, 2011. Gokarnam is a Padal Petra Sthalam in Tuluva Nadu. Tuluvam (Tulu) is one of the five Dravidian languages, others being Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Gokarna is sung by Appar and Sambandar. The padhigams talk about sea, mountains, forests and animals like elephants, lions, tigers.


Gokarna is a tricky place to visit as it is sandwidched between the Western Ghats and the sea. From Chennai, we took Mysore Express to Bangalore, Hubli Janashatabdi to Birur, Mysore  - Talaguppa Intercity to Talaguppa. We were staying in Om Beach Resorts in Gokarna. We had asked them to send a car to pick us up. Talaguppa is a tiny station. You have to arrange prior pick up. There is some interesting history about Shimoga - Talaguppa railway. We reached Talaguppa at 2pm.


Jog falls, India's highest falls, is 10km from Talaguppa. You can see the falls from the top. Or go down 1450 steps to see from the bottom. There are big crowds swimming at the bottom. July - August are probably better to see the falls with full water flow.


We reached Gokarna at 7pm. Gokarna is a very small town/ village. Your stay options are limited. Om Beach Resorts was decent. Other than having darisanam of Mahabaleswarar, Gokarna is also known as a beach resort. Frequented by back packers from abroad as a cheaper alternative to Goa. The place a quaint mixture of divinity, drugs, sun, beaches, sands, mountains and forests.


The next day morning, we started from the resort after breakfast. The temple is 2km/ 15 minute walk. Mind you, the resort is outside the know, amidst hills/ forests, no mobile signals. We walked the lonely path fo5 15 min and suddenly you in the Radham Street, the main street of the village where Mahabaleswarar comes out in procession in a radham. The priests of the temple live the street. The houses have boards proclaiming the names, and every one is a hereditary chief priest. 


Our friend had referred us to Shri Anantraj Adi, Hereditary Chief Priest, We learnt his grand father, Dattatreya Adi, father, Parameswara Adi were are Hereditary Chief Priests and now he is the Chief Priest. We went into his home, were welcomed and met his brother.  We could see a number of rooms and many families were staying. The families were all guests from other towns, visiting Gokarna, staying at the Priest's home and doing their worship.

We chose to do Ksheerabhishekam and Archanai. The priest brought out a plate on which kunkumam, chandanam, akshadai were all neatly arranged, a vessel of milk and we were ready to go.


A 2 min walk, you enter the Maha Ganapathy temple. This Pillayar, instigated by Naradar, obtained the Athma Lingam from Ravanan, and cleverly placed it in Gokarnam. The priest does the Sankalpam, he chants the mantras and you can worship the Lord yourself. Anyone can touch him, do abhishekam, neivedyam etc. So, we performed the pooja to Pillayar.


Across the road is Mahabaleswarar. Anyone can touch and worship Mahabaleswarar too. The Priest chanted the mantras and we performed the puja. Mahabaleswarar is buried in the land and you can only touch and fell the cavity at the top of the Lord. The temple is a small temple, was not crowded at all. We completed the puja, did pradakshinam , had darisanam of Tamra Gowri, the ambal.


Mahabaleswarar faces the sea. We came out and we were in Gokarna beach. There are many beaches in Gokarna.  We walked from Gokarna beach to Kudle beach to the better known Om beach. We found the Gokarna beach very clean, not crowded, not too many waves. Kudle is muddy, full of waves, with foreigners in bikinis and less. We could see syringes lying around. Om beach is crowded with Indians, rocky, muddy, and rough.The whole walk took us 4 hours.


Next morning, we visited Murudeswar, Soleswarar in Bhatkal, Kollur and Mattur, the Sanskrit village. We took a train from Shimoga to Bangalore to Chennai.


Photos 

Anantraj Dattatray Adi, Shankar Gangadhar Adi, Chief Priests, Gokarna
Phone 08386 256532, 94496 64428

Kailasa Yatrai 8

BUrang/ Purang/ Pulan to Manasarovar 26 May 2011
We stayed put on 25 May at Purang to get acclimatized to high altitude. The rooms, while well constructed   have no heating and it is probably less than 5 degrees (no thermometers, cannot do exact measurement).  No hot water either. Even walking 10 feet to go to toilet becomes a task due to cold and high altitude. You feel short of breath and it takes a few minutes to come back to normal breathing.


The food is good, upma, chapathi etc for break fast, soup, rice, curry, chapathi for lunch and dinner. Food is arranged on a table in the open and you eat standing with a plate in hand under sun. 


Next day, we started our drive to Manasarovar at about 9am. It is a 2 hour drive on a very good road through a deserted landscape. After an hour, we reach Rakshas tal.    Rakshas tal is an irregular shaped lake, where Ravanan is believed to have meditated. You are not supposed to touch this water as this is evil lake.  Next to Ravana lake is Manasarovar, which is roughly an inverted triangle. We take a drive round it, a drive as per various sources, 80-100km. We also visited Selarung gompa.  This is a Buddhist monastery, destroyed during cultural revolution and rebuilt. Most of the monasteries even in this remote part of Tiber were destroyed and some of them have been renovated. You can get a very good view of Kailash during this drive, though it will appear small. Sometimes, Kailash will disappear among clouds.


We drove via Darchen, the last point with road to have a close darshan of Kailash from Ashtapad. The path was snow covered, Toyota 4X4 could move after a point. We had to return with disappointment. I recommend that yatris per form Yatra in Aug/ Sep as snow would melt and you can have the closest view of Kailash.


We came back, stayed for the night at Chiu Gompa. The rooms are built structures, but no electricity or toilets. You answer the call of nature is in a natural way - out in the open, behind the rooms. Women will find this an issue. I am told August is the peak season and you may have to stay in tents. 

Chiu Gompa is right on the Manasarovar and you also get good views of Kailash from your rooms. We stayed over night here.

Kailasa Yatrai 7

Kathmandu to Nepalganj 22 May 2011
 During the first leg of the trip from Kathmandu to Salagramam and Lumbini and back to Kathmandu, it was just the five of us travelling together. For the next leg to Kailash, Samrat Travels had a group of 16 people. Some of them had booked directly with Samrat and others with local travels in Mumbai/ Delhi. These travel agents had sub contracted the tour to Samrat. We got to know that there are only a few India travel agents who take you to Kailash directly. These travel agents travel along with the group. Others have tie ups with Nepal travel agents.


Started our Kailasa Yatrai with the 1 hour flight from Kathmandu to Nepalganj. 30-35 people can travel by the flight. This is a scheduled flight, serves you a cup of soft drink. Nepalganj is the border town between India and Nepal, situated on the plains. We stayed in Siddharth, clean rooms, good service. Better than expected accommodation.


Nepalganj to Simikot 23 May 2011
Then, it is another 1 hour flight to Simikot the next day. About 20 people can travel in the flight. This is similar to Pokhara - Jomsom flight, a primitive aircraft.  The flight is tricky with just visual navigation. Simikot is near Nepal China border at 10,000 feet. Surrounded by snowy mountains.Flight was delayed by 3-4 hours due to rains in Simikot. Simikot's runway is an unpaved  mud track. Rains make the runway muddy, all flights are cancelled. There are no roads anywhere near Simikot, the nearest road head is 7 days walk. So, everything, including bags of onion and garlic are airlifted.  The place is a one street affair with just one hotel, named Sun Valley Resorts. The hotel is a steep 30 minute walk from airport. Sudden increase in altitude and steep walk in a rocky path makes one short of breath.  Older travellers needed a lot of help, rested every few metres. It is cold, may be 5 degrees C. We started wearing our winter wear. The hotel has good views, about 10 rooms, just a few of them have attached bathroom. We were using common bathrooms. The hotel staff took care of us very well. Sitting in the room, you can see the runway, mountains all around.  


Simikot to Taklakot to Burang 24 May 2011
Morning, we took the 20 minute helicopter ride to Taklakot, at Nepal China border. The helicopter ride a exciting, with vertical take off and swerving in multiple axis. The pilot was highly experienced, you can see him skillfully maneuvering through narrow gaps between peaks and gaining height. 


Taklakot is at 12000 ft, no vegetation. Dry barren rocky landscape. Now, we should walk about a   km and cross a river on a rope bridge to enter Tibet. This walk is also tough for older passengers.


Once you enter China, Chinese immigration officials, grim & robotic movements, check your passports and let you in. We had to stay under hot sun at 12,000 feet for nearly 3 hours as our passage into China was not properly coordinated. But then, that is how life is and there will be minor inconveniences.


Once you  enter China, mobiles work very well, emails stream into your blackberry and you can probably run your office from this remote place. Burang is an hour drive on excellent roads. After further checking, screening of baggages, we reach Manasarovar Guest house.


Chinese customs officers are very suspicious of anything paper, maps, word Tibet printed anywhere. The office is very good, officers well dressed, walking with a swagger. I could notice an critical difference between Indians and Chinese. Indians use the wet process in Western toilets, rendering it completely soggy and unusable. Chinese use dry process in Indian (Chinese) toilets, blocking the basin leaving dirty smelly toilets with half doors. Toilets are the same for women and men. The beautiful Chinese customs office had completely unusable toilets.

Kailasa Yatrai 6

Lumbini
Stayed at Jomsom for the night on 19 May 2011.  Next morning, flew the auto rickshaw plane and reached Pokhara. Initial plan was to drive to Lumbini straight. Strike had been announced as a result of constitutional crisis in Nepal. So, spent time boating on the Phewa lake. Started our drive at 7pm and reached Lumbini about 1am. 


Visited Lumbini on 20 May 2011. The place is UNESCO World Heritage Monument. Exact place where Buddha was born is marked by a stone sculpture. The closed box type building is surrounded by 2000 year old ruins, a pond, a banyan tree for Buddha Bikshus to teach Dhamma and an Ashokan pillar marking Ashoka's donations. This building is the centre of a huge campus. Buddha sangams from many countries have built Buddhist temples around the campus. Recommend you to take a cycle rickshaw to commute. The German temple and Chinese temple are the most impressive. Many more are under construction.


Left the place around noon to drive to Kathmandu via Chitwan National Park. We imagined great things about the Elephant Breeding Centre, Jungle Safari on Elephant or by Jeep, single horned rhinos etc. Nothing much to write home about this one.


Reached Kathmandu by 9pm. Next day, we would be starting our Kailasa Yatrai.

Kailasa Yatrai 5

Trip Diary
17 June 2011 Kathmandu
After all the preparation, five of us started from Chennai on 17 May 2011 by Jet to Delhi. T3 was stunning to those of us who were travelling to Delhi after a long time. Saw big installations of Mudras along with explanations. With all the facilities, T3 is confusing for those moving from domestic arrivals to international departures.


Moved to International departures. Though regulations state you do not need passport to go to Nepal, pl have your passports as some travellers had trouble boarding the flight. Landed in Kathmandu around 2pm.


Kathmandu looks like an Indian city  of '80s. No high rises, old model vehicles, poor quality roads, etc. Reached Hotel Manang in Thamel area. The area is full of shops selling handicrafts, antiques. Buy here if you want to. Price and variety are better than other places.


After lunch, started at 4pm to Sri Pasupatinathar. Pasupatinathar is the family deity of the royal family of. You could see their statues, with spectacles, in front of the Lord. The temple is on the banks of Bagmati, which is more a stagnant canal. Like Varanasi, the dead get cremated here. Apparently, there is hierarchy here. The royals are cremated close to the temple. The lower the departed soul is in the social ladder, the farther he moves away from the temple, nevertheless on the banks of Bagmati. This area want to be like Varanasi. Harathis, like the Ganga Harathis, are performed in the evenings to the accompaniment of music. But, long way to go before it can compete with Varanasi.


Pasupainathar is a lingam, with four heads carved, unlike plain lingams you see in Siva temples in India. The poojas are performed by priests from Karnataka, dressed in ochre robes, and covered head, not unlike a sanyasi. Adi Sankarar established the pooja practices and appointed the priests. Political wranglings over how India priests are officiating and not locals. Heard that Maoists are turning the country up side down, moving away from India towards China.


18 June 2011 Pokhra
Started after breakfast in a Toyota Fortuner. Relieved to find that we can play MP3 in the car. Till the end of the trip, thevaram was playing. Even Purna, our Nepalese driver, began to enjoy it.  


Reached Manakamana by 1130. This temple is Mariamman of Nepal. Goats and cocks sacrificed everyday. You have to go in a cable car to reach the temple. It took 7 days to trek to that place, now a 10 minute cable car ride. The ride is very beautiful - silence envelops you and the sight of a river 1000 feet below. There are special rates for goats, we saw a goat travelling alone in a cable car.


Started from here by 1230 towards Pokhara. Reached Pokhara around 4pm. Sudden burst of rain, thunder and winds. So, could not go sightseeing. Checked in Landmark, next to Phewa lake.


19 June 2011 Muktinath
Early morning, took off in a small plane to Jomsom. Pokhara airport smells of puliyodarai and thayir sadam. 90% of visitors to Muktinath are Tamils. The only advertisements the airport has are by Chennai tourist operators.


Fifteen people can travel by this plane, no doors between the pilot and passengers, you can see the instrument panel, what lever he pushes to take off and what button he presses to land etc. The whole trip is like a drive in an auto in a narrow lane. There are high mountain peaks on both sides, wings very close to them. Even if it move slightly to one side or the other, it will brush against the peaks and you can all reach Kailsam instantly. Or Acharyan Thiruvadi, as most passengers would like to.  The landing strip at Jomsom is short and surrounded by mountains on all sides. The aircraft takes a sharp U turn, not unlike an auto does in a signal, a few hearts jump to mouths and nothing short of miracle, the flight lands. This flight lasts for an hour and we are in Jomsom by noon.


Jomsom looks like the one street towns in cowboy movies, transplanted. Even the people here look like red Indians. The place is a desert at 10,000 feet, no vegetation. 


Muktinath is 2 hours drive from here. We are a group of five. But the jeeps here have 12 person capacity. They will not start until 12 people arrive or you pay for 12 people.  We paid 3500Rs extra and started towards Muktinath. We came by the last flight and are the last batch of people to Muktinath. There is no road here. You are travelling on rocks and streams, like Ahobilam. After two hours of climbing, the jeep stops. Next, walking for 45 minutes to reach the temple. You are short of breath every few minutes, rest, recuperate and do the next 10-20 metres. It is much colder than Jomsom with threatening clouds to boot. We were rushed as we were late.


Muktinath temple is a sarva dharma temple. This is also a Buddhist pilgrimage place. The place is teeming with barebodied, crossbelted Iyengars taking bath in streams flowing from 108 cow statues at 0 degree, and doing sandhya vandanams. We did not attempt the bathing  - sandhyavandanam routine. This batch of pilgrims are staying in Muktinath for the day. We have to go back quickly to Jomsom for the night. We stopped with pradakshinam and namaskaram. Read the relevant pasurams from the print outs. Reached Jomsom by another jeep by 5pm. This driver took a different route, excepting doing somersaults, he did everything else before we reached Jomsom.

Kailasa Yatrai 4

More Yatrai Prep

Before the yatrai, we took print outs of thevarams on Kailasam. All the three - Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar have sung padhigams. Sundarar calls it Thirunodithan Malai, other two call it Kailasam. Available here. 

We took print outs of Divya Prabhandam on Salagramam.

We also took print outs of Dikshitar kritis on Kailasam and Pasupatinathar. Available here.

We took a tranche of thevara mp3 files downloaded from web. The site has a lot of Tirumurai for downloads. Fantastic quality of music - matches the best on concert platform. Mridangam quality is especially superb. You can download more than 30 hours of quality music here. Some of the Kambodhis are outstanding. Strongly recommend, if you are a Tirumurai lover, Music lover, or  Sivanadiyar.

We also downloaded Rudram etc here.  This has music accompaniment for some versions. Chanted by a priest from Andhra. Tamil purists may have cognitive dissonance with the diction, intonation etc. Could not find a Tamil site.

We could not find audio downloads for Dikshitar kritis.

Kailasa Yatrai 3

Kailsam is a Padal Petra Sthalam. Salagramam (Muktinath) is a Divya Desam. We visited both the places between May 16 & June 4, 2011.


Kailasam


Kailasam is THE place for Saivism. Karaikal Ammayar  went to Kailasam, walking with her head and hands.


Cheraman Perumal Nayanar chanted the Aithezhuthu in his horse' ears and the horse flew to Kailasam. 


Siva sent Vellai Yanai to Sundarar, who was with Cheraman Perumal Nayanar at Thivanjaikalam , and Sundarar went to Kailasam on this Yanai. Sundarar has described what he saw as he was ascending Kailasam. Devas, Rishis, Indran and Vishnu were surprised to see a human coming to Kailasam. They asked Siva who this person was. Siva responded, as Gopu sir says, "Nanbenda!" ("Nanthamar Ooran", 9th verse). 


Avvaiyar saw Cheraman Perumal and Sundarar flying to Kailasam. She was in Thirukovilur  and sang Vinayakar Agaval. Pillayar, lifted her with His trunk and placed her in Kailasam instantly!


Thirunavukkarasar was very old when he started his Kailasa yatrai. He could not walk and was crawling. The Good Lord asked him to come to Thiruvaiyyaru for Kailasa darisanam. Appar bathed in the temple tank and got up to see the Kailasa Darisanam. This is celebrated every year during the Adi Pooram brahmotsavam at Thiruvayyaru. He sang a padhigam, describing what he saw.


Sundarar has also sung on Kailasam, but I have no idea whether he also had a darisanam of Kailasam.


In Mylapore, Kapaleeswarar proclaims "Mayilai e Kayilai" (Mylapore is Kailasam!)


Kailasam is here 


Salagramam 


Salagramam is sung  (Page 13) by Thirumangai Azhwar. Salagramam is believed to be Muktinath, as Gandaki flows and a lot of Saligamams are found here. In my opinion, he did not visit the place physically but visited in the realm of thought. He has sung "Saligramam Adai Nenje!" (O mind! Reach Salagramam!")


Lumbini
Buddhism and Jainism spread in Tamil Nadu. While Buddhism had strong presence in Andhra and Jainism in Karnataka, both were present in Tamil Nadu. Kerala was living in a time capsule due to its inaccessibility. 


UVe Swaminatha Iyer talks about Tamil Jain families in Kumbakonam clearing his doubts on Jaina concepts, helping him publish Seevaka Sinthamani, a Jaina epic. Ilango Adigal was a Buddhist monk and Silappadhikaram and Manimekalai are Buddhist epics. Semmangudi has a Jaina temple, Sengalipuram agraharam has a Jainan Am (house of Jainas). Tamil Nadu DGP, Sripal is a Tamil Jain.


Saivism opposed Buddhism strongly in Tamil Nadu. Sambandar in all his padhigams, reserved the 10 verse to condemn Buddhism and Jainism. Sample this.  They are frequently referred as Sakkiyar (Buddha being Sakya muni), Therar (Therawada Buddhism). 


However, tide turned. Buddhar was accepted as one of 10 Vishnu's avatarams. Tyagaraja (charanam 8) and Jayadeva  (charanam 9) have hailed Buddhar as an avataram. We decided to go by the judgement of Tyagaraja & Jayadeva. Buddhar has asked his followers to visit Lumbini, his place of birth, 
Gaya, the place of enlightenment, 
Saranath, place of first sermon and 
Kushinagar, place of parinirvana.


We had visited Gaya and Saranath. We included Lumbini in this trip.