'Shiva, Shiva'-the significance of the double is known only to people who watch old Kannada movies.
- binduchandana
- Aug 3, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 3, 2021
This was a trip of a lifetime. Met all the current members of the 'fierce humous tribe', and what a tribe it is. I used the word motley crew on the second day of meeting our resident professor and she said we are not because we are very similar. But now after 5 years I know, we just appear similar and after the layers have been rubbed off, we shine so differently - motley crew for sure!
The gang came on a train from TN and I was the lone traveler from Karnataka, we were headed to to see the 1000 lingas and some sights around. We hit it off immediately. I knew just one person, my friend of 25 years, who knew two people and one of them got their best friend. It was all good. We bonded over laughing at something or someone and some point at ourselves. The next morning got off at Huballi, took a car to the resort. Drama awaited us.
Checked into the rooms and it was nasty. Stains everywhere, I was appalled, is this how we in Karnataka treat our guests from the other states? Hurriedly headed out and said no, thank you, bad rooms, we are leaving. Give us our money back. He not only refused but was quite rude. I lost it and along with me one other lost it. The rest stayed out of it. I threatened, screamed and a bit of a rant also happened I think. But to no avail. The man was stone cold and rude. We walked out. I was expecting to carry this anger for a while. We sat in the car and to my surprise, they all burst out laughing. It was such a relief. You need to travel with people who let it go. And I was teased for the police comments a bit, oh yes, my threats were all police-related. Wonder what the 'police' I was talking about. I promised we would find another place and we drove off. Shiva, Shiva!
Once we had we decided on a night halt in Gokarna we relaxed and started to enjoy the green of Uttara Karnataka.
Disclaimer - timelines from here on are not to scale, do not remember the sequence.
First stop Sirsi and a beautiful temple. Ate a proper south Indian meal at the temple with everyone, for free.
The paintings caught my imagination, I caught the kids curiosity.
A 1,000 Shiva Lingas are on the banks of Shalmala river, and you can catch glimpses of it as the water flows. Look closely to spot. Story has it these lingas were carved between 1678 and 1718 AD, under the direction of then king of Sirsi, Arasappa Nayak, for his progeny and beyond. Shiva, Shiva.
Yana Caves
A moderate but exceedingly pretty trek up to see the caves, not a big fan of close tight spaces, but trudged along the 'lord of the rings' style path. We crossed tiny strem-lets and electric green patches of moss, massive trees and a human once in a while. It was drizzling all the while. We broke off into organic pairs and exchanged life stories, some of us shared more than others.
Yana is know for two massive rock outcrops.
It is said that the Asura Basmasura's story happened here and he burned himself to ashes at this very place. Basmasura, hand on head, followed Mohini's dance steps. Mohini who was in fact Vishnu and who Shiva had requested to come help sort out Basmasura who was running amok with his 'I will reduce you ashes' boon. Ring a bell?
This was what I loved loved about the trek to Yana. Tucked under a branch, powerful in her silence and strength.
A good trip and kind friends, what else does one want? Oh, we ended up staying at a beautiful brand new resort that was on the cliffs by the ocean, near Gokarna beach. Karnataka came through. Ignored the people on the beach. Shiva, Shiva!
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