Small trip to Munch Murugan Temple

Started the journey from Kodamthuruth, Chertala @ 8:30 am, with my cousin Anandhu. Our destination was Sree Subramannia temple at Talavady, Alappuzha. The temple was about 35 km from here. We are going to this temple because there is a specialty in this temple. In this temple the prasadam is nestle munch. Therefore, it is also known as Munch Murugan temple.

There are so many articles about the temple. That's why we decided to go there,

http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/munch-murugan-300-year-old-god-who-developed-taste-chocolates-6-years-ago  

Google map route:
https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Kodamthuruth,+Kerala/Sree+Subramannia+Temple+Alappuzha,Thalavady+Sree+Muruga+Temple,+Thalavady,+Kalath,+Alappuzha,+Kerala+688521/@9.5278318,76.3318519,16z/data=!4m19!4m18!1m10!1m1!1s0x3b087a9d0dc26703:0x8461869e8a01cfca!2m2!1d76.3000419!2d9.7941185!3m4!1m2!1d76.3310537!2d9.5289929!3s0x3b0884253270f103:0x8b4f0dc18c919937!1m5!1m1!1s0x3b08843d78167799:0x35322dc80d4d9e7c!2m2!1d76.3399168!2d9.5266119!3e0

The temple is in the Muhamma - Alappuzha route.
We started our journey from Kodamthuruth, Cherthala in Aprilia SR150, and filled the fuel for Rs. 200, that's enough for the trip. We are going on the same route which I just put on the link, through NH 66. We turned left from Pathirapally Junction and head straight to Valanjavazhiyikal Jct. And from there, turn right and head to AKG Junction South Aryad and from there turn left onto Thalavady. We reached there @ 9:15 am

We just wondered after realizing that the things we heard about the temple was all true. The nestle Munch is the prasadam from the temple. Also, there available Munch mala for devotees and there is Thulabharam with the Munch. 

 

And there is a Peacock in the temple. The temple is simple and small one not much exciting one. But its have a calm surrounding. Inside the temple, it was so quiet and beautiful. All the kids will get munch from the temple for free.  

After spending some time there we returned @ 11:00 at home

A Travelogue from Ernakulam To Kollur Mookambika Temple

SECOND DAY (23-September-2017 Sunday):

Planned to wake up early, but woke up @ 8:30 am. Freshed up fast and took the camera and walked to the bus stop. Actually, there was no direct bus from Mookambika to Murudeswar. We need to take 3 busses to reach there almost 70 kms. (Route in the link: https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Sri+Mookambika+Temple,+Kollur,+Karnataka+576220/Murdeshwar,+Karnataka/@13.9538017,74.5119209,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x3bbc7ce6806e27ad:0xb5b1ac59955b2d63!2m2!1d74.8144538!2d13.8637888!1m5!1m1!1s0x3bbc46d192e0edad:0x87c516bd6653efe1!2m2!1d74.4898633!2d14.093993!3e0 )

One from Mookambika to Bainndur (Rs.30 ticket rate), then from Baindur to Bhatkal (Rs.20 ticket rate for bus and Rs.25 for private trucks), from Bhatkal will get the bus to Murudeswar (Rs.17). 

When I reached in Mookambika bus stand there was a bus waiting to Baindur. There is bus from Mookambika to Baindur after every 30 minutes. The bus started from there @ 9:00 am. And bus travel was not bad at all, the route was through the forest area, we can see monkeys and snakes throughout our trip to Baindur. Reached Baindur @ 10:30 and from there got a private truck to Bhatkal and journey from Butkal to Murudeshwar also in  a private truck. 

Reached Murudeshwar between 11:30 - 12:00. The place was the bust stop is near the temple almost 100 meters. The temple is situated on the sea. It's a beautiful view. We can see the gopuram and behind that the Statue of the Lord Shiva.

There were two temples both are lord shiva's. The first one has a large gopuram in front of it and it has 18 floors. We can go to the top floor (Rs.10  ticket for Adult to go to top in a lift) and there are four window holes in four directions and through that window hole we can see the entire city on one side and the other two sides are the sea and the back side we can see the Statue of Lord Shiva and the temple. That view from there was amazing. I get into the first temple and took some photos, not much to view there, brought some prasadam (Laddu prasadam Rs. 20). 

Need to get outside for going to see the temple with the statue. Need to climb some steps to reach there. 

The temple was so much crowded, near the temple there is a beach and there is water skating and lots of stuffs going on... Also, there is a resort near. Most of them are with their families.

I have spent there for 2  hours and came back to Mookambika (same route) @ 3:30 pm. I booked the return ticket from the Redbus site and got the same bus Its departing @ 4 pm from Mookambika bus stand. I vacated my room and had my Lunch from a malayalee hotel. Food was average. The bus was on time @ 4 pm will reach Vytila @ 5:30 am Monday 24-Sept-2017. 

A Travelogue from Ernakulam To Kollur Mookambika Temple

Its not a pilgrimage, just a single, lonely journey to know about yourself much more or may be to think about yourself much deeper. Actually, this was not a preplanned one. Just strikes in mind and started it.  On 21-September-2017, I booked the ticket from Ernakulam to Mookambika from the site "https://www.redbus.in/bus-tickets/" the boarding point was Vytila Junction, Ernakulam. Tried booking tickets from other sites (https://paytm.com/, http://www.ksrtconline.com/KERALAOnline/) but there is variation in the ticket rates. And I got some offers from the Redbus, so booked a ticket in SRS Travels Scania AC Multi Axle Semi Sleeper (2+2). They have a daily service from Trivandrum to Mookambika (Kollur). The rate was comparatively low about Rs. 922.8. And the bus was nice and neat. Not booked the return tickets, because I have no idea when am going to come back. The departing time was 22:00 but I reached there about an hour before, because my office was near and am going straight from the office. I already done some packing and taken all essential stuff, especially my camera from home. Started the journey from Vytilla, Ernakulam @22:30, the bus was late for 30 minutes.  My seat number was 27 and near me there was a Punjabi Singh, his name is Gurvindhar Singh. Some chats with him in Hindi, am not so much fluent but managed. He was from Amritsar and he told me about the Golden temple in Amritsar.

Gurvindhar Singh

FIRST DAY:-

At 7:00 AM, 22-Saturday, the bus reached UDUPI and from there we had our breakfast.

Hotel Indraprastha

And after 2.5 hours of travel bus reached Mookambika bus stand at 9:30 am. It was a place in a forest area. Not so crowded area. The temple is near the bus stand may be 200 m distance. I walked from the bus stand to Temple.

Temple Road from bus stand

I didn't book any rooms there.I looked there for the rooms, which is undertaken by Mookambika Temple Devasom. I found the hotel, which is managed by Devasom, it was near the temple, but there were no single rooms available. I put my baggage in the clock room available there and used the public bathroom to become fresh. 

At 10 am, I went to Mookambika temple, it was crowded, because it was the first day of Navarathri Utsavam. In the evening there will be lots of programs like classical dance, music etc. There was a long queue for Darshanam and I stand in the queue for almost 1 hour.

I was amazed to see the paintings on the temple wall. It was highly detailed monochromatic paintings of Devi in different styles. After that I entered into the main Temple building and from there I was able to see the Nada and the Devi Vigraham. It was beautifully decorated with ornaments and flowers. And spend almost 2 hours inside the temple. The photography inside the temple is prohibited because of that I didn’t take my camera. But that was a mistake most of others were using the mobile cameras and professional camera inside the temple.

After that I had food within the temple there was meals and sweets for the devotees inside the temple premises. Also, I brought Laddu prasadam.

After coming back from the temple I took my luggage from the clock room and took my camera from the bag and put the prasadam inside the bag. Decided to go to KUDAJADRI hills. 

Here my actual adventure begins. You must go to Kudajadri when you came to Mookambika, otherwise it will be a big miss. It’s a wonderful place. From Mookambika there are 20 kms to Kudajadri hills. Only 4x4 vehicles allowed to go there. Will get the vehicles from the front of Mookambika temple. The vehicle only allows 8 people for a single trip. I persons increase you need to pay more. For a single trip you must pay Rs. 2800 and Rs. 25 as checkpost fees per head  (as they said). If you find a group of 8 people you only need to pay Rs350 + Rs.25. From there I got some company for the trip 4 guys from Thirur and a family from Alappuzha.

We started our journey at 2:30 pm. That was a 2 hour ride from Mookambika. There was a stop in between, spend there almost 15 minutes, to buy some water or snacks. 

Place stopped for purchases

For 10 kilometers the trips were a normal one, but after 10 kilometers the nature of the trip changed completely. After entering into the forest area the trip becomes off-road. That was an amazing experience for me.

There are gem of view in the journey that the words can’t say you need to experience it. The fog was already in action on our way. We reached at the top after 1.5 hours of off-road trip.  There is the Moolastanam of Mookambika Devi means devi was first there, from Kudajadri Swami Shankaracharya brought devi to the Kollur.

Mookambika Devi Moolastanam

From there we need walk 2 kms to see the Peetastaan of Shankaracharya (where Swami Shankaracharya used to meditate). 

It was a wonderful walk and beautiful views. When we are climbing up its full of fog, we were unable to see the nearby person because of fog, that much of the fog there. 

 

It was a wonderful experience for me. In between the way to top there is a Ganapathi Prathishtta inside a cave.From there 1 km to top.

Also, there was another place called Chitramoola there, but I didn’t see that place, lack of time.  After spending there for 2 hrs we returned to the parking.

And used to drink water taken directly from the rocks, it was way more than pure.

After reaching in parking we waited there some time for the family they were not returned yet. After they reached we decided to come back. And @6 we reached Mookambika.

And I went to the hotel and get my luggage. Finally, I got a single room there @ Rs.250 for 24 hours, I felt so much relaxed then, the room was neat and clean and quite spacious too. I was so happy. I freshedup and changed the clothes and went to the temple with the camera, I saw there some programs going  on like classical dance, when I came back from Kudajadri. But in camera there was not much power. Note: -Please makes sure you bring a backup power on your trips for the camera and also for your phone

I went to see the dance, took some pics the dance was so beautiful, one of the group was from Angamally, Kerala.

After that I went for a walk and had tried some local dishes for dinner and after that came back to the room. Tiered with long day. Tomorrow need to go to the Murudeswar temple. Almost 30 kilometers from here