Chikka Tirupati and Koti-Lingeshwar

Few weeks back we had been to Chikka Thirupati and Koti-Lingeshwar. Two of us planned to visit some place near to Bangalore. Though there was nothing specific in our mind, we just wanted to go out of the mad rush of this hi-tech city.

We started our journey at 8:30 from Hope Farm (near ITPL), took the straight road while coming from Whitefield road (without turning either to Whitefield or to Kadigudi). Without waiting for breakfast went ahead for our short pilgrimage drive. Immediately after 5-6 kilometers we were driving through the fields and the open land with fresh air around us. At 9:30 starving of hunger we stopped at one road side hotel. Had a good filling breakfast along with 2 small cups of tea/coffee. I was reluctant to have water there, but my friend Sanjay told me if you drink the water where you take food (usually) your stomach will not get upset. Not finding any logic behind it, still I drank some water.

After almost 20 minutes of breakfast break we proceeded to Chikka Thirupati. After about 40 minutes we have reached to Hoskote junction and found that we were actually going to opposite direction. In short we lost in between. After some genuine enquires (read as after asking 3-4 guys at different places). We were back on track.

At around 10:30 we reached to Chikka Thirupati (Mini Thirupati). As usual we took the pooja thali for the Balaji. To our surprise the system was different over there. Though compare to Thirupati there was no rush (and commercialization). Some devotees are allowed to enter from the exit door and they can directly go into the inner temple and Poojari will perform the usual rituals for them. Also the coconuts were not directly offerend to Balaji, in fact we had to give the coconut to boys over there to break (also some petty charge for their service).
What we liked over there is no one to push us out of the temple (as in Thirupati); we were allowed peacefully to take the darshan.

It was 11:30 and we had already planned out next destination. Koti-lingeshwar (where 1 crore man made Shiv-linga’s reside). The route told to us was Lokkur-Mallur-Bangarpeth and Kotilingehswar. Also it was clearly instructed to us that some stretch between Lokkur to Mallur is Bad.

(To be Continued…)