Trip to Mantralayam

“GOD  for people who are not strong enough to cope with reality” said the post on face book with which I agree completely. I am one of the billions of unfortunates who can’t face reality and I depend up on GOD for strength or solace or whatever. I am not being sarcastic. That is a fact. And that is really what I feel about the concept of ‘GOD’.  I am happy that I am strong enough to stop at GOD and not weak enough to lean on GOD MEN too. But there is an exception. Sri Raghavendra swami of Mantralayam. I lean a lot on him and recently I felt an urge to visit him at Mantralayam.  We made the trip last week. Here are some of the pictures of the trip.  I now realise that ‘Rayaru’ is not there in any of them. For that matter nothing else other than our car the road and us. Anyway, I posted them and you may glance through if you feel like. 

We  started from Ponda at half past nine and drove almost non stop till lunch time. Took the car on to a side road somewhere between Belgaum and Bagalkot. We thought that we will have a picnic lunch in the cool shade but found that the shade was cool only from a distance!
   

The inside of the car was cooler than the shade and so preparing to have a 'darshini' type lunch.

The road was smooth and straight and the evening cool. Hardly any traffic. The driving would have been a pleasure if only the road was devoid of speed breakers. The sadistic government of Karnataka has built unmarked and hazardous speed breakers every few kilometers just to make your journey a torture. Here, we take a tea break. 

The driver poses with the critics who have counted fifteen near misses till now.

I did manage to drive 500 kilometers at a stretch and we did reach Mantralayam in spite of the final test. A great 45 km pot hole which is called the 'National Highway' between  Raichur and  Mantralayam.

On the way back Akshay decides to take over and try the Indian roads.

The back waters of the Alamatti dam

Cool evening, clean air, growing crops and the bullock cart. I don't mind the life if time to time rains, pest free crops and good price for the produce were assured. 

The Mudagal fort.

The journey is almost over. We are back near Belgaum as the sun sets on the second day.

Side benefits of the trip (The only benefits?) Pomegranates and Papaya from Bagalkot and Custard apple from Belgaum.