In Search of Divine at Dharmasthala

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In Search of Divine at Dharmasthala

• www.ticketgoose.com

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• Karnataka is replete with hill stations, beaches
  and temple towns, which are easily accessible by
  bus. There is no dearth of weekend getaways.
• For those of you who want to visit a temple town,
  Dharmasthala, which is about 300 km from
  Bangalore, is a good option.
• This popular town known for its temple also has
  several places en route that can be easily
  covered over the weekend.

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Manjunath Temple
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• A picturesque town in Dakshina Kannada district,
  it is on the banks of river Nethravathi.
• Home to the 16th century Manjunath Temple  which
  houses the shrine of Manjunath, the incarnation
  of Lord Shiva  it attracts a huge number of
  devotees as well as tourists through the year,
  especially during its annual festival held
  sometime in November or December.
• The festivals is called the Laksha Deepothsava,
  where one lakh lamps are lit.

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• The journey to this town through Yediyur and
  Hassan and finally through the meandering Western
  Ghats road along the Bangalore-Mangalore highway
  is indeed panoramic.
• And if you are travelling during the monsoon, you
  will pass through numerous gushing waterfalls.

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Around Town

• Whether it is early in the morning or late in the
  evening, as you reach the temple premises, be
  prepared to stand in a serpentine queue to get a
  darshan of the shrine.
• The place is always crowded, but it is worth it
  if the purpose of your visit is a religious one.
  Post-darshan, you can join the other devotees for
  the anna dana or the free meal at a huge dining
  hall, where hot meals are served every day.

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Devotees taking part in anna dana
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• There is also a museum that houses some old
  manuscripts and paintings.
• You can also visit the car museum which has a
  couple of vintage cars on display.
• One remarkable attribute about this temple is
  that the Hindu Brahmins carry out all the
  puja-related work but the temple administration
  is managed by the Jains.
• And they work with such harmony and precision,
  that it is a system worth replicating. Where else
  can you find such unity and cooperation?

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Kukke Subramanya Temple
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• The next morning, you can head to Kukke
  Subrahmanya, which is 50 km away. This quaint
  village is blessed with natures bounty.
  Mountains, rivers and forestsit has everything.
  It is known for the Kukke Subramanya temple.
• The over one-hour bus ride to this village is
  something which you will love, as the road takes
  you through cocoa estates and coffee plantations.
  After a darshan at the temple, you can try out
  the Dakshina Kannada cuisine in one of the
  restaurants.
• Boiled rice dose and rava patrode, which is the
  steamed taro leaves in spicy coconut batter, are
  a must try.

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Getting There

• Buses are available from Bangalore, Hubli,
  Dharwad, and Belgaum. Apart from the state-run,
  Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation
  (KSRTC) buses, there are private operators that
  ply their buses to the temple town. You can book
  your bus tickets for Dharmasthala.
• Click here for Online Bus Ticket booking or Bus
  Tickets in KPN Travels,Parveen Travels or
  Kaleswari Travels.

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Where To Stay

• There are hotels to suit every pocket in
  Dharmasthala. Some of them that are worth trying
  out include Kamath Resort (Tariff- Rs 1,000
  onwards), Stream of Joy (Tariff- Rs 1,000
  onwards) and Riveria Eco-Stay (Tariff- Rs 1,000
  onwards).
• Whether you are visiting this place as a tourist
  or as a devotee, it is a beautiful town that is
  worth a trip. Have you visited Dharmasthala?
  Share your interesting journey with us.