Kanyakumari-Kashmir Round trip - Day 4 - Muzhappilangad - Hosdurg Fort - Kadri - Murdeshwar - Gokarna

Day 4 - Thalassery Fort - Muzhappilangad Drive In Beach - Kannur - Hosdurg Fort - Kanhangad Ashram -  Kadri - Murdeshwar - Gokarna (stay in Gokarna)

Kilometers Covered - 440 kms

Walking - around 7200 steps

On a big expedition, your focus and thought process would be beyond the excitement you experienced while visiting a particular place on that given day. I realized that practically; irrespective of the beautiful, historic, heavenly and umpteen more adjectives loaded place - your mind should relish it for that moment and should get back to the scheduled route. Mind voice ( nalla thana poitu irunthuchu? ippo enna aachu? thidir nu englees la mokka? - what are you trying to say? )

The above paragraph was only to convey that I couldn't sleep deep :) somehow got up at 4.30 AM. A bulb glowed in my mind and encouraged to do precis writing for facilitating this kind of mokka travelogue - ROFL. Thanks to notepad facility in mobile :) 

A big day covering additional sites beyond itinerary from 6.30 AM :)

Started the day visiting Thalassery Fort and Beach;

We then experienced one of the best drive-in beach in India - Muzzhappilangad (between Mahe and Kannur). It's a must visit - these kind of open places would give immense pleasure and joy when you visit it early morning. 

After the soothing and peaceful muzhappliangad beach drive, we had hot & delicious breakfast in Kannur - a small tiffin stall. (White Aappam, kadala curry & chai). Now, it's turn to feed the vehicle - Freedom Fuel filling station, Kannur; a bunk where jail inmates were employed with additional security. 

We then went to Hosdurg - Kanhangad only to see the ruined and almost soiled Hosdurg Fort. We stopped the vehicle inside a graveyard only to observe that the fort is just next to it with no glories to ponder :( it was really disturbing.

A kilometer away from this fort was 18th century Guru Nithyanandji Ashram and around 4 KMS from here is Anandashram, Kanhangad, Kasargod

After visiting the ashram, we proceeded towards Mangalore. By 12.30 PM, we reached Kadri to visit Manjunatha Temple. The temple of Manjunatheshwara on the hills of Kadri is said to be built during the 10th or 11th century. It was converted to a complete stone structure during the 14th century. In front of the temple, at a height there are a number of water ponds (10-12 ponds). There's a garden surrounding the ponds. When one walks down from there in front of the temple is a huge lightpole. During karthika maasa, deepothsava is held here. There are statues of Machendranath, Gorakanath, Shringinath, Lokeshwara, Manjushri, and Buddha in the temple. You can also do a small trek within the premises.

Near the parking area of the temple premises, we had a super duper lunch for just 40 rupees :) unlimited rice, sambar, rasam etc.., We re-fuelled the car in Mathushri Highway Star, Udupi IOCL pump. The plan was to stay in Gokarna - on the way, we saw an ultra grand gopuram and temple - Shri Chandika Durga Parameshwari Temple few kilometers before Kundapura. The temple maintenance and cleanliness were extraordinarily awesome. Took a 2 KM U-Turn to visit the same. 

To maintain timing and to cover-up the distance lost due to unplanned visits, we spent just 10 mins near Maravanthe Beach (from the main road). We didn't get to feel the waves physically - but it's okay :) coz you had the beach feel already in Muzzhapilangad :)

Then comes the most famous place in west coast - Murudeshwar. It became famous and crores of people visit this place only after the 2008 reconstruction of the big gopuram and world's second largest Shiva statue - please refer wiki for more information on this temple.

We reached Gokarna by 6.30 PM and settled in Greens Om (they have 2 properties - old and new :) and as you anticipate, we stayed in old simply coz Öld is Gold"). We visited the Om Beach to see the sunset

Very longggg day and too many places - I know you're already tired reading the same. Take care

Luv,

Krishna & Mahadevan (#viswanatkr01 - insta id)