Parashurama Theerthas near Pajaka (Gada, Bana, Parashu, Dhanush)

Pajaka is not only renowned as Saint Madhwacharya's birth place but also the four sacred theerthas created by Lord Parashurama even before. These springs are located amidst vibrant nature and matches the shape of weapons which it is named. Saint Madhwacharya used to take dip in all theerthas before commencing rituals at Pajaka. Devotees take holy dip in all these teerthas during subsequent day of MadhwaNavami. All the theerthas are located over the boulders and greenery. These teerthas are located in four directions from Pajaka Kshetra. Lord Parashurama threw the respective weapons in four directions where teerthas arose. He used the water from all teerthas to worship Goddess Durga. The signboards to theerthas are either absent or rickety. Google maps shows the right direction to all theerthas.  Let us go through one by one in brief. I will add additional information as and when I collect them.

The Gada Teertha (West)

Being located at the base of Parashurama Temple facing Kunjarugiri temple, this is the simplest to reach of all. A short walk from main road leads you to this theertha. The theertha resembles the shape of weapon Gada (Mace).

Do visit Parashurama temple nearby

The Bana Teertha (North)

Bana Teertha is one of the majestic spring situated amidst lush forest. A Shiva temple is located nearby theertha which is worshipped from the holy water drawn from Teertha. The Teertha resembles the shape of weapon Bana (Arrow)

The Theertha

The lush green forest

The temple

The water from theertha is used for temple deity's pooja. Please do not pollute the place

The Dhanush Teertha (South)

The best of all theerthas due to its prolific greenery situated amidst delightful dense jungles of Innanje. One has to cross the mud-road from Kaup-Bantakal road and climb stairs of about 50 to reach the theertha. On reaching the Teertha, one can further climb boulders to have top view of the Teertha. Also enjoy the sprawling jungles from the summit which is thriving with avian creatures. The Teertha resembles the shape of weapon Dhanush (Bow)

The welcome placard requests not to pollute this place of worship with garbage

The stairs leading to theertha

The theertha

Expansive lush green forest with dots of paddy fields

The Parashu Teertha (East)

This one is located at Padu-Belle and farther of all from Pajaka Kshetra. One has to cross multiple deviations to reach this theertha. The last patch is mud-road and confusing. We were guided by resident of pajaka who was carrying his relatives to same location. Perhaps its daunting to reach during monsoon season. A temple is located nearby theertha. The theertha resembles the shape of weapon Parashu.

The placard at the outset of mud road

The theertha with temple. The only teertha with handrail support for taking dip. My hunch was that it is perhaps frequently visited teerthas or deeper of all.

Things to remember

The water from venerable theerthas are used for religious rituals. Please do not litter or render the place unholy. Please do not use chemicals like soap here

The depth of theerthas is unknown and hence be cautious while venturing into them. Especially during monsoon season, boulders can be slippery.

All theerthas can be concluded in a half day if you exclusively plan for it. The water in springs never dries, hence can be visited throughout the year except during vigorous monsoon conditions.

The Picturesque Jakkalamadagu

January 26, 2023

India was celebrating its Republic day today. Being obvious holiday, we thought of driving to closer bucolic world as a refresher from city chaos. I chose Jakkalamadagu specifically. The forest cover, the delightful landscape, the brimming lake,  and why not it has unique avian creatures in it

Last year our drive to Dundiganaalli dam was via jakkalamadagu. The monsoon showers has just relaxed when we reached jakkalamadagu. Even the forest area before jakkalamadagu lake was thriving with babblers which i couldn't explore due to rain . At jakkalamadagu, that was first time when I saw Indian Robin, laughing dove, bushlark and many more. The lush vegetation, abundant water, agricultural fields is ideal combination for avian world to thrive.

The entry to Jakkalamadagu is always majestic with distant hills welcoming us.

The first sight was of Laughing doves. They perch on electric wires but shy. Couple of shots, they flew away.

Later comes my first spotting of Indian Silverbills. They too were shy or intimidated by shutter sound? That was my first sighting of these cute littles

I could not grab good pictures of Indian Robin. Despite the perfect light, enough shutter speed, not even single photo turned out clear. That was highest disappointing moment of the overall visit. The robins which were bold during my last visit seemed to be utterly shy this time. Not even a single stood still :-(. These shots were from distance.

The bee-eaters are as usual are the boldest ones. This guy was preparing to have its meal after a catch.

I missed long tailed shrike due to their shyness. While persuading for close shot of robins, I got this prinia shot. Guess plain prinia?

The biggest contrast was this Syke's warbler. Usually warblers are skittish and move out of open in jiffy. This warbler stood in open and that too at eye for a while before disappearing. I managed to get good shots of the maiden spotting.

The exhilarating and most soul satisfying moment of the day was this black winged kite with flashing red eye. I stopped car at spot where we ate lunch during previous visit. The stoppage was bit personal hoping to spot bushlark. Also my wife wanted to drive for a while. While switching driver seat, I grabbed the camera to see if bushlark would show up. Bushlark seemed to have concluded the day but  I found this eagle in between. While looking into Sun, it looked like Brahminy kite. When I moved to grab its shot behind the Sun, that was surprise! What a moment! Its a black winged kite. That's old adage teaches us to analyze all-round even if we watch it on our own! The unwavering perch of bird was easy to photograph! I took plenty of shots to celebrate the maiden bird spotting. The bird though was staring at me for a while was co-operative till I was satisfied with its photo-session

The landscape of Jakkalamadagu is worth mentioning at any point of year. The winding road, the exotic landscape, the spectacular water body with surreal vegetation, the delightful hills and the sprawling farmlands can allure nature enthusiasts undoubtedly.

Some part of lake overflowing over the road making it difficult for commuters to cross. I guess its around 2 feet. I too drove over the water channel. Here is how it looked in dashcam. Surprisingly, the rains stalled well over 2 months back. Perhaps a manmade obstacle would have changed course of lake.

Shoving the waterway was fun except for possible breakdown amidst the water. Driving through the waterway is not reliable always as it would brick your car in middle. Here is a short glimpse from new dashcam attached to windshield!

Check out my Bird Series blogs here : NKBirdSeries

ಕ್ಯಾಂಡಲ್ ಲೈಟ್ ಡಿನ್ನರ್!

 "ರೀ.. ಕ್ಯಾಂಡಲ್ ಲೈಟ್ ಡಿನ್ನರ್ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ಏನು? ಜನ ಯಾಕೆ ಅಷ್ಟೊಂದು ಮುಗಿಬೀಳ್ತಾರೆ" ಲಚ್ಚಿ ಕುತೂಹಲದಿಂದ ಬಸವನನ್ನು ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿದಳು. 

"ನಿಂಗ್ಯಾಕೆ ಅದ್ರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಕುತೂಹಲ ಸಡನ್ನಾಗಿ" ಬಸವ ಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯದಿಂದ ಕೇಳಿದನು.

"ಈ ಕರಪತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದೆ ನೋಡಿ. ಅಷ್ಟೊಂದು ಫೇಮಸ್ಸಾ ಅದು. ೧೦೦೦ ಅಂತೆ ರೀ!!" ಲಚ್ಚಿ ಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯದಿಂದ. 

"ಅಂತಾದ್ದು ಏನು ಇಲ್ಲ ಕಣೇ. ದುಡ್ಡು ಜಾಸ್ತಿ ಇದ್ರೆ ಎಲ್ಲವು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿರುತ್ತೆ ಅನ್ನೋ ಭ್ರಮೆ ನಿನಗೆ!" ಅಂತ ಬಸವ ಜಾರಿಕೊಂಡನು. 

"ಹೇಳ್ರಿ! ಹಳ್ಳಿಯಿಂದ ಬಂದವರಿಗೆ ಅಷ್ಟೊಂದು ತಿರಸ್ಕಾರ ಮಾಡ್ತೀರಾ" ಅಂತ ಲಚ್ಚಿ ಬೇಸರ ನುಡಿದಳು. 

"ಏನೇ ನೀನು ಏನೇನೋ ತಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇಟ್ಕೋತಿಯಾ. ಸಣ್ಣವರಿರುವಾಗ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಕರೆಂಟ್ ಇಲ್ಲಾಂದ್ರೆ ನಾವು ಹೇಗೆ ಊಟ ಮಾಡ್ತಾ ಇದ್ವಿ ಹೇಳು? ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಮೇಣದ ಬತ್ತಿ ಹಚ್ಕೊಂಡು ಸುತ್ತ ಕೂತು ತಿಂತಾ ಇದ್ವಿ ಆಲ್ವಾ. ಅದಿಕ್ಕೆ ಆಂಗ್ಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಯಾಂಡಲ್ ಲೈಟ್ ಡಿನ್ನರ್ ಅಂತಾರೆ. ಕನ್ನಡಕ್ಕೆ ಹಸಿಯಾಗಿ ಅನುವಾದ ಮಾಡಿದ್ರೆ 'ಮೇಣದ ಬತ್ತಿ ಬೆಳಕಿನ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಭೋಜನ' ಅಂತಾ. ಈ ಸಿಟಿಯವರಿಗೆ ಒಂದೋ ಕರೆಂಟ್ ಯಾವಾಗ್ಲೂ ಇರುತ್ತೆ ಅಥವಾ ಕರೆಂಟ್ ಹೋದ್ರು ಸಹ ಜನರೇಟರ್ ಅಥವಾ ಇನ್ವರ್ಟರ್ ಇರುತ್ತೆ. ಆದ್ರಿಂದ ಅವರಿಗೆ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಹೊತ್ತು ಕ್ಯಾಂಡಲ್ ಹಚ್ಕೊಂಡು ತಿನ್ನೋದು ಗೊತ್ತಿರಲ್ಲ. ಅದಿಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಟೆಲ್ ನವ್ರು ರೊಮಾಂಟಿಕ್ ಟಚ್ ಕೊಟ್ಟು ದುಡ್ಡು ಮಾಡೋಕ್ಕೆ ದಾರಿ ಹುಡುಕಿದ್ರು ಅಷ್ಟೇ. ವ್ಯತ್ಯಾಸ ಏನಂದ್ರೆ, ಕರೆಂಟ್ ಇಲ್ದೆ ರಾತ್ರಿ ತಿನ್ನುವಾಗ ಎಲ್ರೂ ಶಾಪ ಹಾಕೊಂಡು ತಿಂತಾರೆ. ಹೋಟೆಲ್-ನಲ್ಲಿ ಏನೋ ರೊಮಾಂಟಿಕ್ ಆಗಿ ತಿಂತಾರೆ ಅನ್ಸುತ್ತೆ! ನಮ್ಮ ಇಂಡಿಯಾದವರಿಗೆ ತಮ್ಮ ತಾಯ್ನುಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೆದರೆ ಅಸಡ್ಡೆ. ಅದಿಕ್ಕೆ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಆಕರ್ಷಣೆ ಇರಲಿ ಅಂತಾ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರ ಮಾಡೋರು ಆಂಗ್ಲದಲ್ಲೋ ಅಥವಾ ಫ್ರೆಂಚ್ ಭಾಷೆಯಲ್ಲೋ ಹೆಸರು ಇಡ್ತಾರೆ. ಕಾಫಿ ಅಂಗಡಿ ಅಂತ ಹೆಸರು ಇಟ್ರೆ ಯಾರು ಬರ್ತಾರೆ? ಅದೇ ಕೆಫೆ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ನಿನ್ನಂತವರಿಗೂ ಆಸೆ ಆಗುತ್ತೆ. ಇದು ಕೂಡಾ ಹಾಗೆ ಅಷ್ಟೇ!" ಎಂದು ಬಸವ ಸಮಜಾಯಿಷಿ ನೀಡಿದನು. 

"ಏನೋ ಹಳ್ಳಿಯಿಂದ ಬಂದವಳು ಅಂತಾ ಗೇಲಿ ಮಾಡ್ತಿರಾ. ನಾನೇನು ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಕರ್ಕೊಂಡು  ಹೋಗಿ ನಿಮಗೆ ಖರ್ಚು ಮಾಡಿಸಲ್ಲ. ಸುಮ್ಮನೆ ತಿಳ್ಕೊಳಕ್ಕೆ ಕೇಳಿದ್ದೆ ಅಷ್ಟೇ. ಹೇಳಿ ಈಗ ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ"  ಅಂತ ಲಚ್ಚಿ ಪಟ್ಟು ಹಿಡಿದಳು. 

"ಸರಿಯಾಗೇ ಹೇಳ್ತಾ ಇದೀನಿ ಕಣೆ! ನಿನ್ನಂತವರಿಗೆ ಮಂಗ ಮಾಡಿ ದುಡ್ಡು ಮಾಡಕ್ಕೆ ಅಂತದ್ದು ಶುರು ಮಾಡ್ತಾರೆ ಹೋಟೆಲ್-ನವ್ರು. ಎಲ್ಲಾ ನಾವು ಅನುಭವಿಸಿದ್ದೆ. ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಅಂದ್ರೆ ಅಲಂಕಾರ ಇರುತ್ತೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ಏ.ಸಿ. ಇರುತ್ತೆ ಅಷ್ಟೇ! ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಓಪನ್ ಇರುತ್ತೆ, ಕ್ಯಾಂಡಲ್ ಜೊತೆ ನಕ್ಷತ್ರನೂ ನೋಡಿ ಅಂತಾ. ಇದರಿಂದ ಹೋಟೆಲ್-ನವರಿಗೂ ಲಾಭ. ಜನ ಊಟ ಹೇಗೆ ಇದ್ರೂ ತಿಂತಾರೆ. ಯಾಕಂದ್ರೆ ರೋಮಾಟಿಕ್ ಮೂಡ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಊಟ ಹೇಗಿದೆ ಅಂತಾನೆ ಮರ್ತು ಬಿಡ್ತಾರೆ ಜನ. ಹಾಗೆ ಕತ್ತಲು ಇರೋದಿಂದ ಊಟಕ್ಕೆ ಹಲ್ಲಿ, ಜಿರಲೆ ಬಿದ್ರು ಜನಕ್ಕೆ ಗೊತ್ತೇ ಆಗಲ್ಲ ನೋಡು. ಬಹುಷ ಅದನ್ನ ತಿಂದೆ ಜನಕ್ಕೆ ರುಚಿ ಜಾಸ್ತಿ ಆಗಿರಬೇಕು ಅಂದ್ಕೋತೀನಿ! ಹೋಟೆಲ್-ನವರಿಗೂ ಕೆಟ್ಟ ಹೆಸರು ಬರಲ್ಲ" ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಾಮಾಣಿಕ ಉತ್ತರ ನೀಡಿದನು ಗುಂಡ. 

"ಇರ್ಲಿ ಬಿಡಿ ನಿಮಗೆ ಹೇಳೋಕ್ಕೆ ಇಷ್ಟ ಇಲ್ಲ" ಅಂತ ಲಚ್ಚಿ ಮುಖ ತಿರುಗಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಳು. 

"ಬೇಕಾದ್ರೆ ಕೇಳು ಇಲ್ಲಾಂದ್ರೆ ಬಿಡು. ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊಬೈಲ್ ಇದೆ, ಮೊಬೈಲ್ ಒಳಗೆ ಅಂತರ್ಜಾಲದ ಕೊಡೆ (ವೈ-ಫೈ ಚಿಹ್ನೆ) ಇದೆ. ಗೂಗಲ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಸರ್ಚ್ ಮಾಡು" ಗುಂಡ ತಲೆ ಚಚ್ಚಿಕೊಂಡು ಕೆಲಸ ಮುಂದುವರೆಸಿದನು.