Skip to main content

Featured Post

2023 - The Year That Was

Places impact you for a variety of reasons. And the same place impacts different people in different ways. This is especially true when it comes to spiritual experiences, where every single person’s experience is unique. And personally, every spiritual experience is unique, the same person can have different deeply spiritual experiences at different places, at different times. This thought has emerged because of my own experiences over the years, but especially so this year, with different and unique experiences at various places I have visited recently. I began this year with a visit to Baroda (Vadodara) with friends. It was meant to be a relaxed trip, a touristy trip, with our sons. We enjoyed ourselves to the hilt, but the highlight of that trip was a visit to the Lakulisha temple at Pavagadh. It was the iconography of the temple that I connected with, and I spent a few hours simply lost in the details of the figures carved around the temple. There was an indefinable connect with

Skywatch Friday - Kudle Beach, Gokarna

Gokarna has many beaches, each one looking more beautiful than the other. All are small ones and the smallest among them gets its name from the very fact - Kudle beach (the word Kudle comes from the local word for 'small'). The beach is surrounded by hillocks, and the view from the top is stunning...



To the left is Om Beach, and to the right is the main Gokarna Beach. Separating them are the mountains... or hillocks. To get to either beach, one has no choice other than take the long road around the hills or climb over them!



In fact, to get to both, Kudle, as well as Om Beach, one has to climb down the hill!! Vehicles only reach the road atop the hill, and then there are steps cut into the rock, which help us get to the beach. 



Kudle Beach was empty when we visited, since it was off season. We were told that during the peak season, there wouldnt be space to sit there! We, however, had all the time, and the space, and simply sat by the shore as Samhith happily collected shells! 

This is my entry for Skywatch today. For more beautiful skies from around the world, visit the Skywatch Page.

Related Posts:


Comments

  1. Nice article..every tourist know only Om beach which is always crowded.. I this would be a great place to relax and have fun on beach. Thanks for sharing..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Ramnath. But even Om beach was empty while we were there. its mostly packed during the season, which is what we heard... and in any case, that is why i chose to go during off season. u cant see a place at its best, but u at least get to see it in peace!

      Delete
  2. The top two pictures with their green and blue look so alluring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mridula! they are truly beautiful, even more than they seem in my pics! it was great going there, but i wish i can go again.... and if u get a chance, do go there.

      Delete
  3. Beautiful beach photos! Looks so serene.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Pradeepa. It really was serene... since it was monsoon and the crowds were away!!

      Delete
  4. Nice shots. It is a lovely trek over the hills from one beach to another.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Niranjan.. unfortunately, I couldnt do the climb... maybe another time

      Delete
  5. Really a beautiful beach! I see so much of greenery around which makes it more inviting!

    http://renuka-voyagerforlife.blogspot.in/2013/10/thar-desert-safari-to-remember.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Renuka. There is so much of greenery around, which just makes these beaches so much more alluring!

      Delete
  6. Beautiful pictures Anu, beach looks so tempting without the crowd and with the greenery around. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanka so much, Neelima. It is so good to see you here after so long... and yes, the greenery and the lack of crowd was certainly the best part of it! so glad I went at such a time!

      Delete
  7. Beutiful Kundle! Western Coast has hundreds of beaches remaining where not many people go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True PNS. but this is one of those beaches where apparently there is no place to stand during the peak season. It was like this only because it was afternoon, in the monsoon, and we were the only souls there.

      Delete
  8. If some one wantѕ to be updateԁ
    with most up-to-date technologies af&X74;er that he must be go to s&X65;e thi&X73; site and be
    up tο date dai&X6c;y.

    Feel free to surf to my wеb blog; hello ()

    ReplyDelete
  9. nice pic and also writing with perfect content.thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks so much for stopping by. Please leave a comment for me so that I will know you have been here....

Popular posts from this blog

Gokarna Part II – The Five Lingams

We continued our Gokarna trip by visiting four other Shiva temples in the vicinity, all connected to the same story of Gokarna. The story of Gokarna mentions the Mahabaleshwara Lingam as the one brought from Kailas by Ravana, and kept at this place on the ground by Ganesha. (See my earlier post- Gokarna – Pilgrimage and Pleasure). However, the story does not end here. It is believed that, in his anger, Ravana flung aside the materials which covered the lingam- the casket, its lid, the string around the lingam, and the cloth covering it. All these items became lingams as soon as they touched the ground. These four lingams, along with the main Mahabaleshwara lingam are collectively called the ‘ Panchalingams’ . These are: Mahabaleshwara – the main lingam Sajjeshwar – the casket carrying the lingam. This temple is about 35 Kms from Karwar, and is a 2 hour drive from Gokarna. Dhareshwar – the string covering the lingam. This temple is on NH17, about 45 Kms south of Gokarna. Gunavanteshw

Rama Temple, Gokarna

To my right , the waves rush to the shore, eager to merge with the sand. To my left, the same waves crash against the rocks, their spray diverting my reverie as I ponder over the beauty of nature, and wonder what first brought people here. Was it this beauty that encouraged them to build a temple here, or was it the fresh, sweet spring water flowing from the hill here that made this place special? No matter what the reason, I am glad my auto driver brought me here. We are at the Rama temple in Gokarna, just a few minutes away from the Mahabaleshwara Temple, yet offering so different a perspective.

Pandharpur Yatra 2023

The first time I visited Pandharpur was back in 2007 . The names Vitthal and Pandharpur, were just names to me. I had heard of them, but that was about it. Seeing the lord standing on the brick, hands on his hips, was memorable, but more memorable was the sight that greeted us as we walked out of the main sanctum of the temple. In the mandap just outside were a group of devotees singing abhangs , and dancing. This was the first time I had heard abhangs , and even almost 15 years later, I can remember the welling of feeling within me, listening to the songs, and how fascinated I was by the sight of the devotees dancing, lost in their love of the Lord. Over the years, as I have read more about Vitthal, and participated in Ashadi Ekadashi programmes at Puttaparthi, that first experience has stayed clear in my mind and heart. Every time I tell my Balvikas students of the saints who sang of Vitthala, it is that experience that I re-live. I visited Pandharpur again, in 2010, but that experie