Udupi-Mangalore : A coastal delight

This was the article that me and my friends Nithin and Manish had prepared for a magzine but it did not get published. Thought would post it here.

 COASTAL DELIGHT

Popularly known as “KUDLA”, Mangalooru, named after the goddess Mangaladevi, is a cultural and historic port town. To get a royal entry we suggest you to chug your way through the Western Ghats into the Gateway to Karnataka.
 
Culture:
Bhuta Kola, Aati kalenja, Karangolu,Nagaradhane and Huli vesha are some of the cultural traditions of Tulunadu. The folk arts Yakshagana and Talamaddale are the ones which you should never miss. Also the Theru(Chariot festival) at the various temples and the Udupi Paryaya’s are worth watching. These events symbolize the beliefs and traditions of various places. Several sports are unique over here. Kambala (buffalo race), contested in water filled paddy fields and Korikatta (Cockfight) are popular. You ought to watch these at least once in your lifetime.

Cradle of Education:
Mangalore and Udupi are proudly known as Cradle of Education in Karnataka with 15 Engineering, 5 Medical, 14 Dental, 12 MBA,11 Physiotherapy, 8 Hotel Management, 58 Graduation colleges. St Aloysius is one of the oldest and well known institutions in India with a history of 128 years. The world famous Manipal University is spread across Mangalore and Udupi. Also we have NITK, Suratkal which is one of the most prestigious and top ranked institutions in India and one of the few universities in the world to own a private beach also.

Yummy…
Tulunadu cuisine is famous for its sea food. You cant say no for the fishes like bangude, boothai, anjal. Prawns and crabs are the sea foods which make your mouth watery. Kori rotti and kori saaru combination is the one which anyone would relish to have. And for the veggies there are lot more varieties. To name a few: Pundi gasi, Pathrode, Neeru dose, Mangalore buns, Golibajje, biscuit roti, Kadabu, Dalithoy, Banana Halva etc. And not to forget the prasadam and the feast at the temples. Never miss an opportunity to gulp down these mouth-watering foods.

People:
The people are eveready to help. It’s a peaceful place to leave in. There are more joint families and the festivals are celebrated together with huge fan fare.

Climate:
The climate is hot and humid in summers and pretty good in winter. To chill out the hot weather during summer a visit to Ideal’s ice cream  parlor in mangalore is a must. The varieties available are amazing.  The taste speaks for itself.

Places to visit:

Famous for its temples, Mangalore attracts a huge number of pilgrims from all over the country. The most famous ones are:

• St Aloysius Chapel is very famous for its paintings.
• Udupi, the temple town houses the famous 'Udupi Sri Krishna Temple' and the ‘Asta-mathas’.
• Dharmasthala - Sri Manjunathaswamy Temple is one of the most famous temples.
• Kukke Subramanya Temple is  for the worshipers of the snake God.
• Not far is the big Gomteshwara statue which is a holy place for Jains.
• Kamala Shile is a temple in a remote village in Udupi District famous for its cave temple.
• The Sri Mookambika Devi Temple of Kollur is pilgrimage for the Keralites.
• The Kudroli Temple is famous for its Navaratri celebrations.
• The Venkataramana temples of Manglalore and Mulki are the main temples for Konkani’s.

Beaches are a paradise for people living in cities. Some of the most famous beaches are:

• Malpe Beach and St. Mary's Island - Go on the boat to the Island and hang out with friends and family.
• Maravanthe Beach - Situated 105 km from Mangalore after Kundapur, The National Highway - 17 separates the river from the Arabian Sea offering a wonderful sight to travellers on the highway.
• Kaup Beach and Lighthouse - around 50 km from Mangalore is one of the cleanest beaches. If you are interested in collecting shells then you must visit this place.
• Kasargod -check out the Bekal fort which is not far from Mangalore.
• Apart from beaches you can also find various falls in the district, Seetha and Hanuman Gundi falls are the most famous ones.

Nature lovers and Archeologists  need to check out the following

• Sultan Bathery is the fort of Tippu in Mangalore.
• Pilikula Nisarga Dhama is known for its Boating and Animals.
• Manipal - don't forget to check out the ever-so-delightful eye-candy 'End Point'. And also the world-famous Anatomy Museum (Hasthna Shilpa) in the KMC campus.
• Moodbidri houses the Thousand Pillars Basadi.
• The small village of Barkur has many temples and is an architectural delight recognized by the Archeological Survey of India, situated near Brahmavar .

Transport:
There are numerous private bus companies which run bus services within the city of Mangalore and its suburbs. Even though the buses are operated by different private companies, the system is unified and quite useful. The frequency of buses and comfort level are a lot better than BMTC. Never miss the opportunity of the roller coaster rides in these buses.


So the next time you are planning for a vacation make sure to give this a top priority.  A land of Temples, beaches, culture and tradition and not to mention the delicious food. Experience it to Believe.