Agumbe Hill Station - It Is Home To Several Rare Species Of Medicinal Plants

AGUMBE HILL STATION

AT

SHIMOGA

Agumbe is known for its scenic beauty and bio-diversity. Nestled on a plateau on top of Someshwara Ghat, it is located at a distance of 380 km from Bangalore. Situated in Shimoga district of Karnataka, Agumbe gets its sobriquet because it receives 7,640 mm of mean annual rainfall, the second highest annual rainfall in India.

Agumbe is surrounded by rich biodiversity and the hill station borders one of the last surviving lowland rain forests. Since Agumbe is home to several rare species of medicinal plants like Garcinia, Myristica, Listsaea, Diospyrous, Hoiligarna, Eugenia and Ficus among others, it is also called ‘Hasiru Honnu’ which means ‘green is gold’. 

The whole area and the reserve forests around Kundapur, Shankaranarayana, Hosanagara, Sringeri and Thirthahalli are collectively referred to as the Agumbe Rainforest Complex and form one of the largest contiguous forest stretches left in India. During rains, Agumbe and the surrounding region come alive with several waterfalls; Kunchikal Falls, Barkana Falls, Onake Abbi Falls and Jogigundi Falls are some of the popular ones.

Most tourists visit Agumbe to trek through its forests or to visit the waterfalls. Trekking to the Kudlu Theertha Falls or Nishani Gudda offers a once in a lifetime experience. (But also beware of the leeches that infest the forests.) The high points of the treks are the visual treats that Agumbe offers. Sunset Point, a gallery erected to view the sunset, offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and even the Arabian Sea on a clear day. Remnants of temples dating back to the Hoysala Empire are also worth a visit.

Agumbe served as the setting for India’s most popular fictional town, Malgudi in the TV series Malgudi Days (that itself was based on the eponymous book by R K Narayan). Doddamane or the Big House, which Swamy lives in, is over 100 years old and still stands proudly here.

India’s sole permanent rainforest research station is based at Agumbe. It is also equipped with India’s first automatic weather station. The station exclusively monitors changes in rain forests. Agumbe is also called King Cobra capital because of the high number of snakes of the species being found here. Interestingly, despite the high density of King Cobras in the region, incidents of snake-human conflict are rare. The Agumbe Rainforest Research Station has pioneered the world’s first radio-telemetry project on the King Cobra. Insights gained from the ecological study are being put into practice into King Cobra management.

The best time to visit the place is during monsoon, when the hill station is full of sparkling streams and several waterfalls.

By Air

Mangalore is the nearest airport, 100 km away. Taxis and auto-rickshaws are available at the airport.

By Train

Shimoga, 90 km away and Udupi, 55 km away are the nearest railway stations to Agumbe. Taxis and auto-rickshaws are available at both railway stations.

By Road

Buses are available from Bengaluru and other places to Agumbe and Theerthahalli which lies on the National Highway NH-13 and then towards Agumbe

Rishop Hill Station - It Has A Great View Of Snow Capped Himalayan Mountain Rage

RISHOP HILL STATION

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DARZELLING

Rishop is a tourist village in the Lava – Lolegaon Circuit in Kalimpong sub-division. This used to be an inaccessible village with few households and step farming dependent on monsoon rain till tourists discovered this hidden treasure of Eastern Himalaya.

The main attraction of staying at Rishop is the serene environment and great views of snow capped Himalayan mountain range from here. The surrounding destinations of Lava, Lolegaon, Pedong, Rishi, Aritar are all within close distance and can be visited as part of a day sightseeing tour.

During the initial days, one had to trek about 5 kms from Lava to reach here. Today you can drive to Rishop (9 kms) through a motorable road from Lava. The village is full of small resorts that offer basic rooms and amenities.

Tiffindara View point – Less than 2 kms from your hotel is the hilltop of Tiffindara. The sunrise view from the hill top is a major attraction. Parts of Nathula and Jelepla that connects India with Tibet are visible from here. On a clear day you can see Kanchenjunga range of snow capped mountains in its full glory from here.

Lava – The famous tourist destination of Lava is just 9 kms away. There is a trek route through which the distance is just 5 kms. You can visit the Lava Jamgyong Kongtrul Monastery.

Kolakham – A relatively new destination, this is the hill station just across the hill from Rishop. The aerial distance could hardly be 3 kms but the road from Rishop to Kolakham travel through Lava and the total distance is about 21 kms. The village is adjacent to Neora Valley National Park and the famous Changey falls is about 5 kms further from Kolakham.

Lolegaon – About 34 kms from Rishop, Lolegaon is a picturesque village that can be visited on a day tour from here. You can visit the forest guest house or take a walk amongst the heritage forest with its Canopy walk. There is another sunrise point in Lolegaon known as Jhandidara.

Pedong – 23 Kms from Rishop, Pedong can be part of your day tour itinerary. Here you can take part in adventure activity such as rock climbing, mountain biking and archery. You may drive further downhill to the Bengal Sikkim boarder at Rishi and spend some time besides Rishikhola, a small stream that acts as a boundary between Bengal and Sikkim.

By Air

Nearest airport is Bagdogra. It is a domestic airport under Indian Army. All major air services are available from all over India. Distance between Bagdogra and Siliguri is 13 km. You can find out various vehicles from Siliguri to Rishyap.

By Train

Nearest railway station to Rishyap / Rishop is New Jalpaiguri. After you arrive at New Jalpaiguri or Siliguri, you should follow the road journey to reach at Rishyap / Rishop. New Mal Jn. Station is the nearest, though availability of vehicle is not that proper like NJP or Siliguri.

By Bus

National Highway No.31 between Siliguri and Guwahati passes over Chalsa. From Chalsa to Rishyap / Rishop via Lava have district road. Journey time from Siliguri to Rishyap / Rishop is about 3 hours.

Belur Math - It Is The Hub Of A Worldwide Spiritual Movement

BELUR  MATH

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HOWRAH

Belur Math, sprawling over forty acres of land on the western bank of the Hooghly (Ganga), in Howrah district, an hour’s drive from Kolkata, is a place of pilgrimage for people from all over the world professing different religious faiths.  Even people not interested in religion come here for the peace it exudes

It was at Belur Math that Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), the foremost disciple of Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886), lived the last years of his brief life.He consecrated the grounds in 1898 by worshipping the urn containing the sacred relics of Sri Ramakrishna, which he himself carried on his shoulders to the place of worship.  

On that occasion he uttered these prophetic words about Belur Math: “The blazing light of universal harmony that will emanate from here will flood the whole world.”  On another occasion he said that “the power that will have its rise from here [Belur Math] will flood the whole world and turn the course of men's lives into different channels; from this place will spring forth ideals which will be the harmony of Knowledge, Devotion, Yoga, and Work ... all true seekers of spirituality will in course of time assemble here.”  True to that prophecy, Belur Math has become the hub of a worldwide spiritual movement known as the Ramakrishna Movement.

The serene campus of Belur Math on the Ganga includes temples dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, in which their relics are enshrined, and the main monastery of the Ramakrishna Order.  The place has been sanctified by the stay of Swami Vivekananda and most of the monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna who spent several years here.  Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi also visited this place on several occasions.  

The room in which Swamiji attained Mahasamadhi has been preserved here.  The headquarters of the worldwide twin organizations known as Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are also situated here.  An added attraction is the Museum which contains articles connected with the history of Ramakrishna Math and Mission.  

The green lawns and lush growth of trees and bushes everywhere add to the serenity and beauty of the place.  All this has contributed to an elevating spiritual ambience that has made Belur Math an important place of pilgrimage for people all over the world.  A degree college, a polytechnic, and several other educational institutions of the Ramakrishna Mission are situated in the vast campus adjacent to Belur Math.

VISITING  HOURS OF BELUR MATH
April to September	6.00 to 11.30 a.m.1
	4.00 to 7.00 p.m.2
October to March	6.30 to 11.30 a.m.1
	3.30 to 6.00 p.m.2

HOW TO REACH BELUR MATH

Source:belurmath.org