I am a person with wheels to my foot. It was about 10 years ago we had to leave our daughter in law at Madikeri. My daughter who always takes care of our travels instead of booking rooms in hotel arranged home stay. It was first experience may turn out to be my last experience also.
We travelled from Bengaluru to Madikeri by KSRTC luxury coach . At Madikeri bus station, Home Stay person was ready with his vehicle to pick us and drop at their Home Stay. Home Stay was upstairs of their residence. Well furnished ,clean & neat. We felt as if we are in our own home.There was no discomfort whatsoever at all. . We relished their food. We had some local recipes too. We were treated as if we are their guests. They seem to have believed "Hospitality begins at home & guest is equivalent to God" Home Stay wasn't at all business like. It was more service oriented than of profit motive . It was a real ‘home away from home’.
Next day our daughter in law left for Calicut. Our return journey was in ihe night. Home stay people arranged a vehicle to take us round Madikeri and to Abbi falls, Bylakuppe and Talacauvery . It is always better local people take us around for they know their place better than outsider. They would be proud to show us their place.
Madikeri is a hill station. It is scenic. It is not situated at the same level. It is all up & downs. In Mercara we saw the fort, Omkareshwara temple, Raja seat & Fort. Raja seat is from where the king used to see the sunset. It is in a well maintained garden. It's from where one can enjoy beautiful heart throbbing sceneries. Fort is always a reminiscence of the past. In the northeast corner at the entrance of it are two life size masonry elephants & a church being present in the southeast corner. Omkareshwara temple, is in the middle of Madikeri, built in a Mohammedan style.
Thereafter we proceeded towards Abbi falls. Abbi means waterfalls in Kodagu language. It is at a distance of 8 k.m. from Mercara. Falls are to be seen preferably soon after a rainy season especially in the morning at sunrise. It is at that time there is likelihood of coming across rainbows.The falls are inside a coffee plantation. Abbey Falls is a breathtaking waterfalls where the Kaveri river cascades down a rockface amongst tall trees entwined with pepper vines,. A hanging bridge has now been built across the gorge here offering a good view of the falls.The fall is a perfect picnic spot with unexplored walking trails around the area.
Bylakuppe is a Tibetan settlement area established by Lugsum Samdupling in 1961 & Dickyi Larsoe in 1969. It is about 6 k.m.from Kushalnagar.It's the 2nd largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet with over 7,000 monks & students in it. It's home to the magnificent Namdroling Monastery or Golden Temple. The temple has as 3 resplendent golden statues of Buddha namely Shakyamuni, Padmasambhava & the Buddha Amitayus.The statues are 40 ft tall. Apart from the calm & peaceful surroundings there are shopping centers near the temples for traditional Tibetan items like costumes, statues, carpets, jewelery etc. We purchased bells made up of bronze for our pooja room.They always remind us of our visit to Bylakuppe.
Distance between Bylakuppe & Talacauvery is 52 KM. Talacauvery is a small spring from where Cauvery comes out from nowhere. A beautiful sight of a small temple of Agastheeswarar and surroundings. After having blessings from Cauvery & Agastheeswarar . I ventured steep walk from talacauvery temple to the Top to have views of Brahmagiri Mountain Ranges though I was in seventies. Those who were coming down from the peak were breathing heavily. They were cautioning that its stupendous task. God only gave me the strength. I wasn't aware at that time that there were 3 blocks inside my heart. I was proud. I patted my back myself when I was at the top. The view was brilliant but the climb was very very difficult for anybody. Thereafter, we returned to Madikeri and had the rest of Home Stay.
Nowadays Home Stay has spread all over tourist centers. It has become a big business & expensive also. A night Homestay costs Rs 2000 to 10000 or more to at Madikeri itself. Today ,it is rarely a real ‘home away from home’.