Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} [] by S.L. Bhyrappa In Brink, SL Bhyrappa's depiction of romantic love and stream of consciousness style find a perfect translation. SL Bhyrappa and his translator R Ranganath Prasad discuss the themes of Brink (Anchu), how he developed his style, and why romantic love is not always a happy thing. A depressed, suicidal woman meets a man who eventually helps her out of her mental illness, their love eclipsing any need for a psychiatrist. It’s what seemed to me, at first glance, a deeply problematic premise. And it’s to challenge this snap judgment that I decided to read Brink . Through telling the story of an individual, and portraying that person’s truth with empathy, fiction fully engages with and validates a life story. It brings back complexity to a vocabulary of thinking that focuses on groups and stereotypes. Brink reminded me that there might very well be a woman somewhere tackling depression, not comfortable going to a psychiatrist, and through the support of a lover, finding the strength to combat her mental illness. A testament to the intellectual prowess and imaginative power of author SL Bhyrappa, a towering figure of Kannada and Indian literature, Brink was first published in 1990 as Anchu , and has now been translated by R Ranganath Prasad for English-language audiences. The novel details the love saga between Amrita, an estranged, depressed, literature professor, and architect and widower Somashekhar. On the back cover of the book, Prasad quotes an excerpt from a talk given by author and scholar Dr R Ganesh about the book, which explains the choice of title, perfectly capturing Amrita’s mental state: ‘Brink’ is the apex of passion – a point at which one either regresses to safety or tumbles over detrimentally. The term ‘brink’ is both apposite and guileful. At the very moment we choose to resign to the culmination, or think that it is cessation time for our clamour and desires, some force somewhere transports us back to the core. It either thus transports us of shifts the frame so that we find ourselves at the core of a new situation despite being stationary. Cover of Brink by SL Bhyrappa, translated by R Ranganath Prasad. The basic idea for this novel was based on a real-life story Bhyrappa had heard, of a woman who was cheated by her aunt, and neither being able to take revenge nor accept what had transpired, spewed all her anger at a person who was close to her and comforting her. “Later I came into contact with a psychiatrist, and read some books on psychiatry,” Bhyrappa tells Firstpost about his research process. “Those who suffer from depression vent their anger on those who give them comfort. Normally, people will express their anger at those who cheated them. But when they cannot do that, they vent their anger on the people who show affection.” With this, he set his imagination to work, crafting astoundingly real characters, their stream of consciousness displaying Bhyrappa’s acute mindfulness; every sentence falls exactly where it must, none of his characters’ thoughts escaping the writer’s pen. “I don’t plan my characters very consciously. As I go on writing, the story develops, and as the story develops, the characters also develop,” he says. This writing technique is something he has spent several years mastering, supplemented by knowledge about the different literary traditions he has acquired. “Because I have studied literature, I’ve read most of the Indian and European novels and all that. I have also studied philosophy and studied the nature of stream of consciousness. So all these techniques emerge in my imagination automatically, depending upon the situation,” says Bhyrappa. Besides my own, other reader responses are also testament to the mastery with which Bhyrappa’s characters are developed. “When medical practitioners and psychiatrists read the novel, they said it was a wonderful case study. But actually, it is not a case study, it’s a literary creation,” he says with a laugh. To fully lay down the intricacies of the characters’ minds, Bhyrappa employs a writing style where the stream of consciousness, encompassing several disjointed thoughts, runs for long spaces as one sentence. “The stream of consciousness is very typical of him and you can find it in every one of his novels,” says Prasad. Bhyrappa also easily shifts perspective, narrating what’s actually happening in the story, the author’s perspective or commentary on it, and the characters’ thoughts and dialogues; sometimes all switches occur during the course of a single sentence. “This stream of consciousness does not adhere to grammar. You’ll experience it yourself. One thought is going on in your mind, suddenly another thought will get in even before this is completed, and those need not be even closely related. So he writes with thrust. He’s a consistent writer, there is no inconsistency,” adds Prasad. Translating such a work meant Prasad sometimes had to break one sentence into several smaller ones, and selectively retain such intra-sentence perspective switches. While with a new language minor structural and narrative changes were necessary, Prasad’s translation successfully guides readers through the story, and although the narrative switches so frequently, as a reader I was never confused about thought, dialogue, and perspective. Besides his skill in translation, this is also a reflection of his approach to translating, since Prasad’s aim as a translator has been to be entirely invisible. “The first rule of translation is that the translation element should not be visible,” says Prasad. The focus should be communicating the story as closely and accurately as possible, without making oneself felt, believes Prasad. “When you’re before a Goliath like Bhyrappa, nobody would take [changes] lightly,” he adds. This writing style, while a challenge to translate, is a treat for the reader, offering an immersive reading experience. For instance, as their relationship develops, one notices an unhealthy behaviour pattern. At every stage, as they get more intimate, Amrita snaps at Somashekhar and they fight. Each time he vows not to go back to such a hurtful woman. Yet they reconcile, both having suffered extensively in the interim. As a reader, one often wants to tell Amrita not to take that thing he said so personally and that no, as a reader I’ve been in his mind, trust me, he didn’t mean it like that. And tell Somashekhar not to keep huffing and running away from his own feelings, but try to understand why she may have behaved that way, since as a reader I’ve been in her mind, and her cruelty is not a true reflection of how she feels about you. But Bhyrappa takes his time, portraying the same cycle, with a greater intensity each time. As the characters become more invested in their love, so does the reader. And when not the characters, one wants to rail at the author, asking, did you write this to highlight how hard it is to love someone who has depression? At other times to ask, can you read minds? There were times I wanted to fling the book at a wall, and other times I slept with it in my arms. While reading, I’ve shared love-hate relationships with both the characters and the author. I consider it a victory of fiction that it can invoke such strong, contradictory feelings in a reader, that it can so fully express an aspect of the human condition. In Brink , Bhyrappa explores every facet of romantic love, detailing the moral, philosophical, and physical aspects upon which a relationship is built. He points to morality as the primary component for love to develop, and then philosophises about the inevitability of pain when experiencing love. It’s also once these stages are past that the love develops into a mature, peaceful experience. On the surface, romantic love is essentially attraction between two people. “But when there is mutual goodwill, and a moral basis for their relationship, then gradually the love becomes mature,” says Bhyrappa. A couple might be happy together but this cannot be sustained if one of them comes across someone more attractive and leaves their current partner. For love to last, there has to be commitment. “And commitment is always moral,” says Bhyrappa. “For genuine love, there is moral commitment. Then only love develops.” In the early stages of this developing love, Bhyrappa points to the certain existence of suffering, highlighting with Amrita and Somashekhar’s turbulent relationship how deeply love and pain are intertwined. “Love is not always happy. Once a person falls in love, there is anxiety, and expectation, and sometimes anger, even for small things. So it is always a tumultuous thing,” says Bhyrappa. “It is not like the love of a mother and a child, that’s not tumultuous. Whereas [with] romantic love, especially in the adolescent or early period, there is always disturbance. It is not always an enjoyable thing.” He elaborates on this with an anecdote about a newly married couple: A wife has prepared special food, and the husband promises to be home by one in the afternoon. But it’s 1.30, 2, 2.15, and he hasn’t come home. “And when he comes so late, do you think she welcomes him with a smile?” No, she will berate him about how she waited and how the food has now gone cold. Add to this, suppose he’s disturbed as well. He wanted to leave office early so he could reach home on time for the meal, but his boss gave him some urgent work to complete before going. It’s not usual for the boss to assign last-minute work like this, but today he had that extra work to get through. “He also feels disturbed and angry about his boss but he cannot express it before his boss. He must show a smiling face.” And then when he comes home, she doesn’t sympathise, or inquire about what happened at the office or why he’s late. “If she asked such soothing questions, then he feels happy with his wife. And then he hugs her. But suppose she doesn’t do it and starts shouting, and he also starts shouting, then whatever good food she has made, he’ll say ‘to hell with it, I’m not eating it’. And she won’t eat it either.” Each then will storm off to separate rooms. “So in love, if there is not sufficient maturity, and sufficient moral maturity, disturbances always happen. Romantic love is not always a happy thing,” explains Bhyrappa. SL Bhyrappa. Photo from Wikimedia Commons. It’s once a couple is past this stage that their love settles into a mature, comfortable routine. For Amrita and Somashekhar, reaching this point meant first addressing the main cause of her depression. Her aunt had cheated her out of her ancestral property, and gotten her married to someone she didn’t want so she could further secure the property. These betrayals weigh heavy on Amrita’s life. But unable to express her anger at her aunt, the emotions suffocate her from within. She’s suicidal, holding up a revolver almost every night, but unable to pull the trigger. It is through Somashekhar’s encouragement that she later sets about finding a lawyer, taking her aunt to court, and slowly making her way out of this mess. She then clarifies that she’s only going to look after the property till her sons are adults and can take over, and that her own expenses will be handled by the money she earns through her own hard work, not relying on the property at all. Through this, Bhyrappa is exemplifying certain lessons taught in the Bhagavad Gita . First, that one must face challenges instead of cowering down. “What the Bhagavad Gita says is, you have to fight. You should not submit yourself to injustice,” says Bhyrappa. With the decision to go to court, Amrita, after years of being exploited by her aunt, is finally fighting back. It also ties into nirlipti , a value detailed in the Gita , translated as selflessness, unaffectedness, or disconnectedness. “So what does it mean? She gives up her attraction or desire for even the ancestral property. Therefore, fighting with detachment. This is [expressed in the] Bhagavad Gita . And taught to her by Somashekhar. Therefore it’s not psychology, there is a philosophy, and this philosophy helps her come out of the mental problem,” says Bhyrappa. While Somashekhar’s suggestions and guidance are what Amrita is following, it is important to clarify that it is she who actually implements the changes. Following a fight, the couple are in the midst of a long spell of not talking when Amrita, by herself, goes out to find a lawyer and sets the legal proceedings into action. Though she refuses to see a psychiatrist, Somashekhar doesn’t cure her of her depression, nor works as a knight in shining armour who dispels all her problems. A compassionate individual advantaged with clarity, he offers her support and perspective while she brings herself out of her own depression, as can be the only way; making what seemed a problematic premise an endearing, and startlingly honest, love saga. Brink by SL Bhyrappa, translated by R Ranganath Prasad, is published by Niyogi Books. ISBN 13: 9788189738839. In this epic novel, Bhyrappa examines the social, political, moral and psychological fibre of contemporary Indian life, spanning the decades between post-Independence and the declaration of the Emergency under Indira Gandhi. The range of characters is astonishingly comprehensive - the true Gandhian idealist who, despite all odds, holds on to his values; an honest, uncompromising journalist who remains steadfast to his professional ethics; the liberatedA" career woman who gains favour in the business world due to her promiscuity; and the academic-politician with a carefully cultivated charm used to seduce impressionable young women. Tantu is panoramic in scope, moving from Bangalore to Mysore, from Banaras to Delhi. Police brutality, goondaism at the village level, the superficial five-star hotel culture and the smuggling of art objects out of the country are all subjects the novel relentlessly examines. Corruption and nepotism in high and low places is portrayed with absolute candour, as is the steady erosion of traditional Indian values. Tantu is a fascinating survey of modern India, examined from many different angles. "synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title. Santeshivara Lingannaiah Bhyrappa is a best-selling Kannada novelist and is perhaps the most translated novelist in India today. Bhyrappa's latest novel, Avarana, created a record by going for twenty-two reprints in just two years. His twenty-one novels and a stunningly absorbing autobiography, Bhitti, have had the same distinction. "About this title" may belong to another edition of this title. Shipping: US$ 9.74 From India to U.S.A. Customers who bought this item also bought. Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace. 1. Tantu: The Loom of Life. Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. This epic novel examines the very fiber of contemporary Indian life social, political and psychological basically in terms of post-independence, post-Gandhian scene. It is panoramic in scope, moving as it does from Bangalore to a small village near Channarayapattana, to Mysore, to Banaras and Delhi. Police brutality, hooliganism at the village level, bourgeois culture, smuggling of works of art, betrayal of a great heritage for monetary benefit by mercenaries are some of the issues raised and dealt with. The ubiquitous corruption, bribery and nepotism in high places as well as in low places is portrayed with such absolute candour and honesty that the steady erosion of traditional values and the rank philistinism that has enveloped the present day life is shown as eating away the very moral fiber of India today.The true Gandhian idealist, a honest and uncompromising journalist-editor; a "liberated" career woman who sleeps around in order to gain favors in business; the academic-politician with a carefully cultivated charm seducing gullible and impressionable young women etc. All in all, it is simply a fascinating novel about modern India surveying as it does the state of the country from Mahatma Gandhi to Indira Gandhi ending with the emergence of the "Emergency".Printed Pages: 1236. Seller Inventory # 106557. 2. Tantu: The Loom Of Life. Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. 1236pp. Seller Inventory # 1386998. 3. Tantu: The Loom of Life. Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. This epic novel examines the very fiber of contemporary Indian life social, political and psychological basically in terms of post-independence, post-Gandhian scene. It is panoramic in scope, moving as it does from Bangalore to a small village near Channarayapattana, to Mysore, to Banaras and Delhi. Police brutality, hooliganism at the village level, bourgeois culture, smuggling of works of art, betrayal of a great heritage for monetary benefit by mercenaries are some of the issues raised and dealt with. The ubiquitous corruption, bribery and nepotism in high places as well as in low places is portrayed with such absolute candour and honesty that the steady erosion of traditional values and the rank philistinism that has enveloped the present day life is shown as eating away the very moral fiber of India today.The true Gandhian idealist, a honest and uncompromising journalist-editor; a "liberated" career woman who sleeps around in order to gain favors in business; the academic-politician with a carefully cultivated charm seducing gullible and impressionable young women etc. All in all, it is simply a fascinating novel about modern India surveying as it does the state of the country from Mahatma Gandhi to Indira Gandhi ending with the emergence of the "Emergency".Printed Pages: 1236. Seller Inventory # 106557. 4. Tantu: The Loom of Life. Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. First edition. In this epic novel, Bhyrappa examines the social, political, moral and psychological fibre of contemporary Indian life, spanning the decades between post-Independence and the declaration of the Emergency under Indira Gandhi. In this epic novel, Bhyrappa examines the social, political, moral and psychological fibre of contemporary Indian life, spanning the decades between post-Independence and the declaration of the Emergency under Indira Gandhi. The range of characters is astonishingly comprehensive - the true Gandhian idealist who, despite all odds, holds on to his values; an honest, uncompromising journalist who remains steadfast to his professional ethics; the liberatedA" career woman who gains favour in the business world due to her promiscuity; and the academic-politician with a carefully cultivated charm used to seduce impressionable young women. Tantu is panoramic in scope, moving from Bangalore to Mysore, from Banaras to Delhi. Police brutality, goondaism at the village level, the superficial five-star hotel culture and the smuggling of art objects out of the country are all subjects the novel relentlessly examines. Corruption and nepotism in high and low places is portrayed with absolute candour, as is the steady erosion of traditional Indian values. Tantu is a fascinating survey of modern India, examined from many different angles. Printed Pages: 1236. Seller Inventory # 9373BV. 5. Tantu: The Loom Of Life. Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Seller Inventory # NIY-9788189738839. 6. Tantu: The Loom Of Life. Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. First. Printed Pages: 1236. Seller Inventory # InEx-9788189738839. 7. Tantu: The Loom Of Life. Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. First. Printed Pages: 1236. Seller Inventory # InEx-9788189738839. 8. TANTU: THE LOOM OF LIFE. Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # Durga-9788189738839. 9. TANTU: THE LOOM OF LIFE. Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # Durga-9788189738839. [Bhitti] by S.L. Bhyrappa. Novelist S.L. Bhyrappa. First Online: March 01, 2007 Page Last Updated: February 19, 2021. Santeshivara Lingannaiah Bhyrappa or S.L. Bhyrappa (born 1934) is one the foremost novelists of India. Born in the tumultuous days of pre- independence, and having suffered grave hardships (loss of mother, poverty, abuse, and caste related difficulties) he has shaped his intellect through amazing journeys, studies, research, and experiences. His novels emanate his rich experience in life and his deep personality. Search for truth, aesthetics, and possibilities have always been Bhyrappa's strength along with his academic research he puts in behind the stories. S.L. Bhyrappa Picture Album. K.L. Kamat/Kamat's Potpourri. Portrait of S. L. Bhyrappa Photograph circa 1984, Mysore. K.L. Kamat/Kamat's Potpourri. "I am not happy with everything that I write the first time"- Bhyrappa Kamat residence, Dattaprasad, 1981. K.L. Kamat/Kamat's Potpourri. S.L. Bhyrappa the Researcher Extensive research marks the historical anectodes in Bhyarappa's novels. K.L. Kamat/Kamat's Potpourri. "Only time and my lifespan will decide how far I'll be able to complete my plans" Kamat residence, Dattaprasad, 1981. List of Novels by S.L. Bhyrappa. Aavarana (2007) Mandra (2001) (1998) Tantu (1993) -- This masterpiece encompasses the whole of India and reflects exactly what happened to the Indian value system in post-independence. Anchu (1990) Saakshi (1986) Nele (1983) (1979) -- A masterpiece where Bhyrappa retells the Bhabharata epic without mythology -- especially the story is told from the viewpoints of Draupadi, Gandhari, and Kunti. Anveshane (1976) Daatu (1973) -- Caste conflict comes alive blended with Hindu traditions and political agenda. (1972) Nirakarana (1971) Grihabhanga (1970) -- Loosely based on the life of his own mother, Bhyrappa weaves the struggles of a housewife. Tabbaliyu neenaade magane (1968) Naayi Neralu (1968) Jalapaata (1967) Vamshavraksha (1965) Matadaana (1965) Doora Saridaru (1962) Dharmashree (1961) Bheemakaaya (1957) -- Author's early novel based on the life of a bodybuilder and his lover. Other Literary Works. Bhitti (Autobiography) -- An amazing autobiography that explains the the circumstances that made Bhyrappa such a great writer. Satya mattu Soundarya (1966) Saahitya mattu Prateeka (1967) Kathe mattu Kathavastu (1969) Naaneke Bareyuttene? (1980) See Also: Kannada Writers. © 1996-2021 Kamat's Potpourri. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without prior permission. Standard disclaimers apply. What made me read Professor S L Bhyrappa? FAILURE. Being a terrible failure in each and everything I took, made me read or rather motivated me to read Dr.S L Bhyrappa. I wasn’t a reader. Reading kannada literature was unimaginable for the intelligence and knowledge I had. It was Shri S L Bhyrappa who made me realize that, I too can read, I too can climb the Himalayas, I too can read and understand things in a better way. It may sound, that, I am exaggerating my feelings to the people who are unaware of SLB but not for those who know SLB. S L Bhyrappa is that power, blessing, realization, that, made me realize, the power, blessing, that, I have and I had. And, that, I am not a FAILURE. I failed in School, College, Friendship, even in Relationship; not because I ignored my part in them, but because I had not known the values they posses, the morals they had and they have. Such Divine values, morals, ethics which even life has and will continue to have for eternity, were planted with utmost love, compassion and with utmost care in my heart and mind and ultimately in my soul by each and every line, each and every word I read which were penned by Shri S L Bhyrappa sir. And ultimately I came out as the one who is the seeker of the KNOWLEDGE! Next i will take on, ‘Why one must read Professor S L Bhyrappa in Student life itself!’ To make it convenient for my thoughts to emerge, I am switching over to my mother tongue ‘KANNADA’ ! Why one should read S L BHYRAPPA in his student life itself!

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In ‘Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Swamiji says, ‘ We hear “Be good,” and “Be good,” and “Be good,” taught all over the world. There is hardly a child, born in any country in the world, who has not been told, “Do not steal,” “Do not tell a lie,” but nobody tells the child how he can help doing them. Talking will not help him. Why should he not become thief? We do not teach how not to steal; we simply tell him, “Do not steal.” Only when we teach him to control his mind do we really help him.’

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, , ‘ ’ ‘ ‘ ! This is the small result of my valuable experience of reading all the gems of Dr.S L Bhyrappa! We Indians, are really blessed to have such a Man with us today! A Living Legend! More and More years may you be with us and keep inspiring us and teach more and more valuable lessons to all of us, Bhyrappa Sir. Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa – the doyen of Kannada/Indian literature. I recently developed a strong liking for Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa’s novels…he is no wonder the number one writer in Kannada (probably, the number one in India too). It is very unfortunate that he has not yet been conferred with the Jnanapith (India’s highest literature award for a writer). However, he is the recipient of the prestigious Saraswati Samman and also Padmashree recently. What I like about Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa’s novels? His style of writing…each novel of his is unique. Be it music, caste system, history, or space, Bhyrappa’s novels are a real treat to the readers. There is no exaggeration or pompousness in his writing…yet it is so simple and heart touching. Every novel of his depicts that he has explored, experienced, and researched enough to bring out the life in its characters. His novels are not for just reads…they are for a lifetime. A person who has not read his books has certainly missed something for life. Dr. Bhyrappa’s novels that I have read so far… (English version – “Aavarna – The Veil”) ( Yaana ) ( Daatu ) Reading in progress… ( Bhitti ) ( Anchu ) Lesson by dog. 27 Wednesday Jan 2016. We keep our dog tied mostly during the day to avoid any inconvenience to the visitors. It is the duty of our morning help to tie her before he leaves home. Our dog is also so used to that routine. It so happens that, the moment our morning help starts approaching her with the belt, she submissively offers herself to be tied. Once tied, she knows the restriction of her movements. She quietly occupies her place and does not move around much. Hubby and I watch this obedience affair every morning sipping our tea. One day, I noticed that our morning help had missed buckling the belt. Nevertheless, to my astonishment, our dog was quietly seated as if she was tied. I called out to her; she did not budge. I even showed her the belt and told her that she was not tied and she is free to move around the house. Nothing worked…I then had to enact as if I was removing the belt tied around her. Voila! It worked…she jumped and ran out. Mulling over this incident, what an amazing lesson by my dog, I thought. We are so used to our mundane environment that we hesitate so much to come out of it. We live in assumptions and never realize what we can achieve even though we are free to live up to our fullest potential. /Yelliruve jaga janani. 20 Wednesday Jan 2016. : | :

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|| || English version: Yelliruve jaga janani yelli hudukali ninna Omme darushana needu kandalanu kaapadu| roopa mohini ninna roopavanu toramma tapavanu pariharisu loka naayaki maathe ||1|| bhaktiyanu needamma bhaktalanu maadamma chitta shuddhiya needu shakti roopini maathe ||2|| nanna hrudayave ninna mandirava maadamma yenna tanu ninna gudi kambavanu maadamma ||3|| /Yaaru kai bittaru nee kaiya bidadiru. 19 Tuesday Jan 2016. : | : | | | | | || || | | | || || English version: Yaaru kai bittaru nee kaiya bidadiru narayana sathyanarayana. Nee kaiya bittare mathyaru kaayvaro narayana sathyanarayana | Shishu avataradi pashugala nee kayde narayana sathyanarayana | Vishadi kaalingana maduva dhumuki bande narayana sathyanarayana | narayana sathyanarayana ||1|| Dashavataradi chakrava taalide narayana sathyanarayana | Vasudheyoladhika shri purandaravittalane narayana sathyanarayana | narayana sathyanarayana ||2|| My little joys in life. 29 Tuesday Dec 2015. On this page, I share some of the little joys in my life through pics…for they are the ones that keep my going… Hibiscus blooming in our balcony. Stray pups sleeping in peace. Beans grown in our terrace garden. Narayanaswamy hill temple. 06 Friday Nov 2015. A few kilometres off Kanakapura road is the pristine Narayanaswamy hill temple. It is a good weekend getaway for Bangaloreans who would want to enjoy the day in a peaceful environment, away from the commercial world. Narayanaswamy hill temple. How to reach there? Drive past Kaggalipura on Kanakapura road and take the deviation onto Kodiyala-Karenahalli road after Somanahalli. Once you enter the Karenhalli road, keep driving in the direction of the hill. One can drive up to the hill top; but, need to take a few steps to reach the temple. Activities. There is not much you can do here except for visiting the temple and relaxing on the rocks around the temple. One can get a good view of the surrounding areas around the hill. Though we heard the chirping of many birds, we could not spot many. Reaching the place at early dawn might help for bird watching. View of the surroundings from the hill. Food and accommodation. This place is good for a one day outing. You need to carry food and water as there are no eateries nearby. Water is available in the temple compound. Mandalpatti hills. 21 Saturday Jul 2012. Apart from the common tourist spots like the Abbey falls, Madikeri Raja seat, and the Golden temple of Bilguppe, Coorg has a lot more to offer for trekkers and tourists. Little did I know that Coorg had such an alluring place. Yes, it is the “Mandalpatti hills.” It is a must see place for those who are bored of visiting common tourist places and are ready for some adventure all the way. Actually, we never planned to visit the Mandalpatti hills. We had visited Abbey falls the day before (the first day of our trip) and just wanted to explore some other places in and around Coorg. Not knowing where to begin our exploration, we started around 9.30 in the morning and headed towards Abbey falls. It was in early July 2012 that we made this cherishing exploration. It was that time of the year, when the Sun and the rain play hide and seek. On that day, I must admit that the weather was kind on us. There was no rain; but there was a mild breeze and drizzles now and then. It was just right; the kind I love. I do not like to get drenched in heavy rains; but getting soaked in mild drizzles is perfectly fine. A few kilometers before deviating to Abbey falls, we read this signboard – “Mandalpatti hills 25 kms.” Hmm…sounded interesting. Honestly, neither my hubby nor I had ever heard about this place earlier. We parked our car a little ahead of the signboard and went on to enquire about the place in the nearby Post Office. One of the persons in the Post Office informed us that Mandalpatti was the place where Galipata movie was shot. That sounded exciting to hubby and me because we did remember the hills shot in the movie. We enquired about the time it would take to reach the place and the road condition (as if it mattered ). Thanking the Post Office guys, we began our drive towards Mandalpatti hills. Since it was the monsoon season, we rarely spotted other tourists. The road was empty and we enjoyed the serene entry into the woods. We stopped in a few places to click some pictures. After about driving for 15 minutes we saw a car approaching from the opposite side, waved at them to stop, and enquired about the place. It was disappointing to hear from them that there is nothing exciting about the Mandalpatti hills and it is not worth driving all the way. Nevertheless, we were in no mood to accept this; our minds had already begun the exploration. We did not want to believe even if it was true. So, we just ignored and proceeded. On the way to Mandalpatti hills. After about 10-12 kms of driving, the woods got denser and the road became narrower. All we could see on both sides of our drive was only thick green wet trees. We even spotted fresh Elephant droppings on the road. This rather gave a chuckle in my nerves. My hubby started asking what if a wild elephant approaches us (he has the habit of pulling my leg in such instances ). Though I like such explorations, I get worrisome when the uncertainty increases. And the fear of unknown grows two hundred folds during such situations and I begin to imagine the worst. I asked hubby if we should cancel our exploration and go back. Going back? It was just not possible because the road had got narrower and the mild drizzle had now turned into moderate rain. There was no choice but to keep driving straight. I was keeping my fingers crossed, hoping to find a helpful soul to guide us. After a few minutes, the rain turned into drizzle again but the weather became misty. At one point of time, the view around us was completely white. Not allowing our spirits to be dampened, we continued slowly. After about 15 minutes or so, we found a few other tourists and their vehicle. I thanked God silently. The view was still white and nothing could be seen beyond 80-100 meters. We pulled in our car and walked out to chat with the fellow tourists. Our fellow tourists were also pretty much like us and they did not know much about what next. There was a tea stall nearby where both parties enquired and we figured out that the terrain would get tougher and we cannot drive up to the hills with our vehicles. Instead, private jeeps can be arranged to take us to the hills. We agreed to the idea and enquired more on how far was the place from where we could take the jeep. The tea shopkeeper explained patiently, made a call from his landline, and arranged the jeeps for us. We followed his instructions and drove watching out our next destination. The jeep-hiring place was just a small hut with a couple of jeeps parked in front of it. I guess it was just at the foot of the Mandalpatti hills (the view was still white). We enquired and got into the jeep hired for us. We drove in the front seat, hubby next to the driver and me next to hubby. It was an open jeep covered with tarpaulin because of the season. The jeep driver was a local; expert in driving the jeep in all seasons and had pleasing manners. We were surprised to hear that he owned several tea estates and driving people to Mandalpatti hills in his jeep was one of his hobbies. As we kept driving, the breeze was strong and the drizzles kept hitting me on the side. The view was still white and I was wondering how the jeep driver was managing to drive. Little did we realize that it was a steep drive; the hill on one side and a deep valley on the other side (the side that I was sitting). We figured out this only on our way back; the weather had cleared by then. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss A view from the jeep. At last, we reached our much-awaited spot after 20 minutes of jeep drive. As we got out of the jeep, we forgot hunger, fear, and uncertainty. Looking at the hills covered with misty clouds, a sense of accomplishment and completion engulfed hubby and me. It was a total belongingness. There was no past, no future. Everything was in the moment. Wow! Mandalpatti. I must say that it was all the more adventurous since it was early monsoon and the view of the hills during that time of the year is worth it. We walked up to the viewpoint to get a better glimpse of the Western Ghats. The signboard near the viewpoint read – Pushpagiri vanyadhama . A forest check post is also located at the hills. The first glimpse of the place. A view of the hills amidst the passing clouds. The rest of the journey was uneventful; except that I remember savouring honey from freshly extracted honeycomb.