Long term readers of this blog (all 3 of you) might remember my QUIT program. QUarter India Trip. Since India is too big a country to cover in one road trip, I and my wife decided to take bite sized trips and try to see as much of this country as we can.
QUIT 1 was in 2016 covering bits of coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat. QUIT 2 in 2017 was Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh. 2018 was a break year. Our feet has been itching to go on a road trip for quite some time. So here we are with QUIT 3, 2019.
Started from home at 5.40 AM. In the last few months I have traveled Chennai - Bangalore route so often that it has become muscle memory to me. First pit stop was at Sai Sangeeth Restaurant after Chennasamudram Toll plaza. Pongal, Sambar Vadai and Coffee. I have been a regular here. They are consistently good.
After breakfast she said "I'm feeling tired. Want to sleep. Tell me some story. Your voice puts me to sleep". Last few months have been hectic for her in work front. Almost daily US call as the middle of the night. She needed to rest a bit.
"What story to say? I can't think of any" I said.
"Whatever. I need to hear something in your voice for me to sleep" she replied.
Gaana Bala was crooning "என் வீட்டுல நான் இருந்தேனே " in the audio system. The song is from the movie "இதற்குத் தானே ஆசைப் பட்டாய் பாலகுமாரா".
"You know writer Thi Janakiraman, right. His famous novel Mogamul (Thorn of Passion) is about a youth, Babu, falling in love with an older woman, Yamuna. He is torn between passion and guilt. This keeps him in a constantly flustered state of mind. Yamuna understands this and finally gives in to him. After the consummation, she asks him simply " இதுக்குத் தானே பாபு" (It was just for this right, Babu?). It is one of the powerful dialogues in Tamil novels. Writer Balakumaran, who fancied himself as a writer in Thi Janakiraman mould, used this as the title to his memoir. "இதற்குத் தானே ஆசைப் பட்டாய் பாலகுமாரா". It is from that memoir this movie has been named"
She had fallen asleep, probably by the second sentence.
We stopped at Shree Rathna restaurant before Tumkur for lunch. Strictly average food, but the restaurant was clean. Can't ask for more than that in the highways. Roads were pretty decent upto Chitradurga. We had visited the Chitradurga fort during our last trip. So this time decided to go to Chandravalli caves in Chitradurga.
The Chandravalli caves are about 3 km from the town of Chitradurga. A temple is built between two monolithic rocks. The caves are 80 feet deep and accessed via an entrance in the temple. You have to take the help of a guide to go in. You can see where the idols were placed inside the cave. The guide will tell you stories about Kings who patronised the cave temple. At one place you have to crawl in all fours to reach one chamber from the other. It is a bit claustrophobic, but worthwhile. Took us about half an hour for the cave tour.
Road work is going on from Chitradurga to Davanegere. We had to take diversions at a couple of places. Reached Davenegere by evening. And promptly had a Benne Dosa at a Sri Guru Kottureswara Benne Dosa joint. Multiple shops have that name here. As long as the dosa is crispy, drips of butter and the chutney is spicy enough to prick your tongue, it doesn't matter whether it is the original shop or not.
Total distance traveled : 620 km. Driving time : 9 hrs.
QUIT 1 was in 2016 covering bits of coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat. QUIT 2 in 2017 was Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh. 2018 was a break year. Our feet has been itching to go on a road trip for quite some time. So here we are with QUIT 3, 2019.
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| Every journey starts afresh |
After breakfast she said "I'm feeling tired. Want to sleep. Tell me some story. Your voice puts me to sleep". Last few months have been hectic for her in work front. Almost daily US call as the middle of the night. She needed to rest a bit.
"What story to say? I can't think of any" I said.
"Whatever. I need to hear something in your voice for me to sleep" she replied.
Gaana Bala was crooning "என் வீட்டுல நான் இருந்தேனே " in the audio system. The song is from the movie "இதற்குத் தானே ஆசைப் பட்டாய் பாலகுமாரா".
"You know writer Thi Janakiraman, right. His famous novel Mogamul (Thorn of Passion) is about a youth, Babu, falling in love with an older woman, Yamuna. He is torn between passion and guilt. This keeps him in a constantly flustered state of mind. Yamuna understands this and finally gives in to him. After the consummation, she asks him simply " இதுக்குத் தானே பாபு" (It was just for this right, Babu?). It is one of the powerful dialogues in Tamil novels. Writer Balakumaran, who fancied himself as a writer in Thi Janakiraman mould, used this as the title to his memoir. "இதற்குத் தானே ஆசைப் பட்டாய் பாலகுமாரா". It is from that memoir this movie has been named"
She had fallen asleep, probably by the second sentence.
We stopped at Shree Rathna restaurant before Tumkur for lunch. Strictly average food, but the restaurant was clean. Can't ask for more than that in the highways. Roads were pretty decent upto Chitradurga. We had visited the Chitradurga fort during our last trip. So this time decided to go to Chandravalli caves in Chitradurga.
The Chandravalli caves are about 3 km from the town of Chitradurga. A temple is built between two monolithic rocks. The caves are 80 feet deep and accessed via an entrance in the temple. You have to take the help of a guide to go in. You can see where the idols were placed inside the cave. The guide will tell you stories about Kings who patronised the cave temple. At one place you have to crawl in all fours to reach one chamber from the other. It is a bit claustrophobic, but worthwhile. Took us about half an hour for the cave tour.
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| Lake in front of Chandravalli Caves |
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| Monolithic Rocks at the Caves |
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| Benne Dosa (Butter Dosai) |
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| Sri Guru Kottureshwara Butter Hotel, opposite to Bapu Dental College |
Total distance traveled : 620 km. Driving time : 9 hrs.
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