The Diary of an Oddroader

Wednesday, 21 March 2012

Kushalnagar- The unknown brother of Coorg

On your way back to Bangalore from Coorg, ask anyone for the route to the Golden Temple and take a right into this magical world.

6-feet high, lush green corn fields greet you on either side as you drive through this picturesque world of Kushalnagara.

Kushalnagara is a Tibetan settlement, set up when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India. As you drive by, you see a distinct cultural difference – the people, the houses, the landscape, the smells and the language. But what catches your eye the most are the colourful Tibetan flags (in red, blue, green and yellow) with scriptures on them. Every house, every tree, every field has dozens of these flags.

As you look up to the horizon, a golden top glistens in the sun. That’s the top of the Golden Temple (Namdroling). This is the biggest attraction for most tourists, and unfortunately for the monks, it almost resembles Tirupati in peak season.

Sera Jey

Frustrated with the noise and the crowd, we decided to head deeper into the narrow lanes of Kushalnagara. As we drove deeper into this quaint world, there stood the massive Sera Jey monastery.

Entrance of Sera Jey

It was empty. Not a soul in sight. Not a sound in the distance – except the chiming bell.

As we walked into Sera Jey we realized just what silence was. With absolutely no clutter in your heads when you explore, the world seems like such a different place! Around the monastery it’s the intricacy of their art that hits your eye. Detailed sculpting, vibrant colours and a golden aura surround you.

Inside the monastery

We were the only people in Sera Jey. One of the monks opened the doors for us. And as we stepped inside the monastery, a surreal wave of calm overcame us. We sat there for about half an hour and satisfied with ourselves we decided to explore more of this settlement. To our astonishment, every lane ended with a monastery! Each as beautiful, as regal and emptier than the previous one!

So the next time you’re driving back from Coorg, take a breather and walk into any of these monasteries. I assure you, it’s a feeling you can’t put a finger on.

By Medini Mangala

Monday, 12 March 2012

Discover Photography with Oddroad and KG pictures

Discovering photography was never so much fun!!

Discover Photography, a workshop where Gomtesh Upadhye from KG pictures led the participant into the world of photography and the Oddroad team showed them how to get to these destinations.

Budding photographers in action!!

The workshop was partly in the classroom and partly outdoors. The group went to Lalbagh to put their skills to test!

A Facebook group has been created for the participants to post their works of art and continue the fun !!

Join the Oddroad Facebook group to know about future events:

Oddroad.com

Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Oddroad brings out the Photography workshop calendar!

Here is only the beginning of all that is exciting to come! And just to spice it up, we offer you a chance gain FREE entry to the first ever photography workshop from Oddroad & KG Pictures!?!?

Here are three easy steps to get one:

(a) Write a comment on THIS post as to why you should get it
(b) Get your friends over here and to like your comment
(c) Get more of em! The comment with most likes by ~~5^th March~~ 8^th March gets to walk away with a FREE entry to the photography workshop on 11th March.

Easy breazy!

VENUE DETAILS:
Address: INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH, IBMR House, 6th Cross, Wilson Garden, Hosur Main Road, Bangalore-560 027
Phone: (080) 4110 3455 / 2248 4302
Mobile: (0) 9379518181
Fax : (080) 2248 4302

Directions:

Event-day contact for all queries: Varun (9663332742)
Please reach the venue on time. See you at the venue at 09:00 a.m. on Sunday the 11th March'12!

Thursday, 23 February 2012

Kodugu and its beauty

Nature at its best

When I was a little child, I watched this romantic song shot at a breath taking scenery, sung in an unknown language. And all that I could remember from the song was ‘Madikeri Sepoyee’. The language and the place fascinated me; it looked like a fairy land. It made me wonder about this place. But I let the thought pass by. A few years down line I went on my first college trip and there, I saw my fairy land – Coorg.

The Misty Heights

A home away from home.

If you’re in Coorg, one of the most serene places to stay at is Misty Heights. As the name suggests, the house is located on top of a mountain, with an unusually steep climb to the top, even for a place like Madikeri. The rooms have a homelike feel and there’s enough space for a campfire right outside the house making the place perfect for a weekend getaway. What I enjoyed most about Misty Heights was a swing at the edge of the mountain, overlooking green mountains on every side. At night, the view from the swing gives one the surrealistic feel of looking in at Coorg from the outside.

Namdroling Monastry aka Golden Temple

A feel of Tibet in Coorg

Trekking and river rafting are great options for the adventurous. The owners arrange for such activities and for transport. They also prepare authentic Kodava food for guests. The elephant training camp at Dubare, located on the banks of the river Kaveri, is fun to visit. The Golden Temple at Khushalnagar is a must-visit for many reasons, especially the stunning architecture and artwork.

There is something about Coorg that is so heart-warming and welcoming. Coorg is a place that everybody can enjoy, whether you’re into adventure sports or want a peaceful place to read a book or may be simply star gaze.