Day train to Mangalore through Western Ghats

Day train service from Bangalore to Mangalore started few years back. I've always heard from my friends that the scenic journey would be mesmerizing. Since then, I wanted to take a day train journey to Mangalore. Moreover, during monsoon the journey through the Western Ghats would be more enticing.

So far I did not get an opportunity to travel via day train. Either the reservations would be full or I wouldn't have a company and above all the journey takes 10 hours while compared to the 7 hours KSRTC Volvo bus journey. When comes to Mangalore travel I would hop, jump, run, and twirl to reach Mangalore at the earliest. This time, I did not let all those reasons stop me from taking a day train journey. Though I had to travel alone, I made up my mind I would GO!

My journey begins on 22nd July. Morning at 7.30, the train departs from Yesvantpur station. And at 6.15AM I start from Koramangala. And this day being Auto strike, I wondered if I could get any Auto or if I could get any direct bus or at least towards Majestic. I finally get an auto, who agreed to charge me Rs. 200 after bargaining a lot! I wondered, the train journey from Bangalore to Mangalore which is around 451Kms charged just Rs. 100 plus the reservation charges. But just 30Kms in Auto charged me Rs. 200.

I reached the station at 07.00AM and the train was already at the platform number 1. I had booked a Window seat and the seat assigned was on the right side facing the engine. One of my friends too had planned to come in the same train and I got to know from him that to enjoy the scenic beauty of Western Ghats we need to get a seat on the left side facing the engine. Ah!!! I was disappointed. The journey began from Yesvantpur and went through Tumkur, Tiptur, Arsikere, and so on. Between these places we got to see few lakes. The train would stop here and there either for crossing or track change. Then we reached Hassan. It was around 12:30PM and they dint stop for long there for lunch. The next stop was Sakleshpur.

When we reached Sakleshpur there were little bit of chaos here and there. Yes, those who knew about the day train journey or have experienced started jumping towards the doors on the left side facing the engine. I was hungry as well as I wanted to jump towards the doors to hold a place. We got some Mangalore Buns and ran towards to door. When the train departed from Sakleshpur station you get to see the real beauty. The beauty of Western Ghats! The greenery, the paddy fields, the tunnels, there are around 30 Tunnels from Sakleshpur to Kukke Subramanya. It was an awesome experience, when the train passed through the bridge, when you look down, the water flows several meters n depth, the Western Ghats completed covered with fog.

I reached Mangalore around 5.30PM. It was a prodigious experience every must experience once in their life time. I would travel once again with a bunch of friends. That will be really exciting.

However, as it is in Indian train, the trains are not in good condition, you'll not feel like placing your hands on windows, doors, or even you won't feel like entering the W.C. I don't know when Indian Railways will be tidy and hygienic. I wish that will happen soon or will it ever happen in India?

All in all, it was a very pleasant journey and I feel so good when I'm back home. I feel blessed to be born in the land of Mangalore. People, Place, and Food - best in the world! :-)

Here are the pictures which I tried to capture on the move: https://picasaweb.google.com/107767421120953479303/DayTrainWesternGhats02#. Beautiful scenes captured but I could not capture them beautifully.

His first DSLR…Yes!! Dreams come true!

Getting his DSLR was his dream and yes, dreams come true. Having great passion for photography, he’d been hunting for the right camera. Buying the right one took its own sweet time. There were lots of Canon models in his wish list. Again, dreams come true, but how much ever you chase your dreams, destiny rules. There’s a perfect time for everything and that’s when your dreams come true. This is what I believe.

With his first DSLR in his hands, happiness fills in his heart! Though he had his hand on high end SLR’s earlier, this one is his own very first DSLR. What more can I ask for on my special day. Nothing more than finding happiness in someone’s face, on a special day. :)

A few shots of the gear and few pictures shot using this gear. As I update this post, these are the only pictures which I have at this moment. 

Haji Ali

Haji Ali

Update - Marathahalli Snake catchers number...

It's going to be a year after the snake's visit to our place. We were lucky enough to find a snake catcher at the midnight for our rescue. I hope the snake will be fine in the forests somewhere.

Today when I was looking for the updates on my blog, I found this comment from Kannan on my previous post Snake...Snake..Snake inside the house!

I was glad that these details what I post on my blog is helpful. This is what Kannan says: 

Hi,

Thank you very much for sharing the Snake catchers number in your blog. I spoke with Mr. Hariharan, Marathahalli for catching snake in my apartment car parking area hid in a rat pothole. He said now a days he is not available for the snake catching, instead he recommended his father Mr. Kumar. His number is 9********. I spoke with him and he said will reach my apartment with 45 minutes to come from old airp ort area. He came within the time he mentioned and did some enlargement of the pothole and caught the snake. It was a cobra. He will take it to Bannerghatta National park. We paid him Rs.500/- as his service charge. Felt very happy to save a snake. Thank you very for your help in sharing the phone number of Mr. Hariharan 

Thanks Kannan for sharing this information. So, anywhere nearby if anyone finds a snake, please call Mr. Kumar at 9*********. Please don't harm them, and the snakes will not harm you too. call the snake catchers, they have the tricks to catch snakes without harming them. Hope this helps you when in need.

Update 07 September 2015: The person mentioned above is no more into snake catching. He's been recieving many calls regarding the same so I have masked his number. There was a snake in our apartment yesterday and when I called the number we got to know that he doesn't do this anymore as he is old and his treatment is going on. 

Awesome food @ Kamath Swaad

With power cuts and heavy rains last week, you really feel lazy to cook sometimes. Last Tuesday was one of such days. We headed towards Koramangala Sony World to have something for Dinner. It was drizzling though.

Always when I get back home, I see Kamath Swaad restaurant and feel like grabbing something from there. Somehow I never got a chance to get in. I had savored the delicacies at Kamath on the way to Mysore near Ramanagara. But the location being crowded always, I never got a good feel over there other than the awesome taste.

Here we got into Kamath Swaad at Koramangala. On the ground floor you find the self service area. On the first floor you'll get Multi-cuisine delicacies of Kamath. While we entered the lift to get into the first floor, we noticed there's a jowar roti meals service at the third floor. We wanted to try that out. We directly got into the third floor.

The place was not crowded as it was raining earlier. May be there were people in 2 or 3 tables. First thing what I noticed is the place was kept very neat. We sat in a table and in no time a waiter in North Karnataka attire came to assist us.

He said in this floor, we get Jowar roti meals and that's it. There are two options one would be normal meals and the other special meals. We were two and we opted for one special meal and another normal one. The service guys here are so well mannered, filled with patience and good humor. As soon as we opted for the meals, they kept two banana leaves on the tables. Ah! It was long since I had food on the banana leaf. It feels and tastes authentic, while having food on a banana leaf. They started serving salads(Spring onion, methi leaves, carrot), variety of dishes and then comes the Jowar roti. Trust me, I may not have had more than 1 and half jowar roti's so far. Here, as the server served the hot hot just made roti's, I went on eating until he served me 6 to 7 roti's. The server went on reminding the food is unlimited! I seriously did not have space on my tummy to fill-in the rice which was yet to come. But, the food was so tasty that I didn't want to leave anything. The butter milk they served was too tasty. The masala which they added in the butter milk was something different and it tasted so good.

Done with the food session, here comes the dessert. The dessert (Fruit salad with ice-cream) comes with the special meal. You wouldn't want to skip the dessert 'coz they would be definitely too good.

To end with they get you a Banana and the sweet pan. Ah! what a perfect meal on a rainy day! I would definitely go back to Kamath Swaad again.