Bylakuppe - Jan 2012

On the Republic Day holiday, we were in a mood to drive out of town. Our inital plan was to stop at Kokrebellur, and then proceed towards Bylakuppe. But because we woke up late and started our journey late, we couldn't visit Kokarebellur; drove straight to Bylakuppe.

Bylakuppe is a Tibetian (refugee) settlement, and hosts the beautiful Golden Temple, SOS Village, Nunnery, etc. Bylakuppe is about 220 kilometers from Bangalore; takes about four and half hours to reach. The route includes the following places:

Bangalore - Kengeri - Bidadi - Ramanagara - Channapatna - Mandya - Hunsur - Bylakuppe

The traffic was crazy in the morning; many people driving out of town. We stopped at Bidadi for breakfast; the White and soft idlis were a delightful treat. As we continued our journey, the colorful wooden toys of Channapatna greeted us; next, the sugarcane and paddy fields of Mandya. The cranes sitting on the fields resembled small dots on a sheet of paper. I have always loved this part of Karnataka.

Thatte idli

Throughout the journey, we saw vendors selling tender coconut water. How could we resist the temptation of drink one or two tender coconuts? We also parceled two more for later use. About 2-3 kilometers to Bylakuppe, there is a Cafe Coffee Day; we stretched, relaxed, and ate our lunch. A few morsels of food inside our stomach, we were ready to drive on.

As we entered Bylakuppe, we saw prayer flags, agricultural lands allocated to Tibetians, houses they occupy, small hotels (Kerala hotels!), and monks. Kerala hotels serving Tibetian food (along with native cuisine)! That's the beauty of India. We drove past the Nunnery, and headed start towards the Golden Temple or monastery.

There is no entrance fees to the monastery. Just remember that you are entering a sacred temple, and that you need to respect it and respect privacy of monks or people living there. The temple complex is kept clean; please do not dirty it. Most of the times, we tend to talk loudly due to our excitement; here, maintain silence. Let the Gods, murals, and architecture talk about themselves.

The temple door is painted Red and has handles made of brass. When you enter inside, you'll realize that that door was indeed a door to heaven. In front of you are idols of three gigantic gods - Guru Padmasambhava, Lord Buddha, and Buddha Amitayus. The Lord Buddha's idol is 60 ft. in height; whereas, the other idols are 58 ft. All idols are made of copper, plated with gold, and hence the name - Golden Temple.

Take your time to see and seep in the beauty of this colorful and divine place. I have a few photos for you.

Entrance

Bell

Tower

Brass door handle

The Lords

Goddess

Dalai Lama

Smaller

Dragon

Reflection of Lord Buddha on the floor

Mural

Mural

One of the pillars

Prayer Flags

Young monks

Offerings

On our way back, we had dinner at Kamat Lokaruchi. The roads were peaceful, and we reached home earlier than expected. Which place will I blog about next, you ask? I don't know yet. :-)

Regards,
Asha