Here is a confession. Surrendering to the heavenly pleasures of getting up to a misty morning, opening doors to a rainy world, sitting i
n the cosiness of a charukasera in the balcony with a book and enjoying the nature’s bounty in all its verdant hues, most of the days I preferred to stay indoors, delay¬ing the trip to Talacauvery until I was con¬vinced by my guide. For me, Talacauvery was just like any other pilgrim centres dot¬ting the countryside.
Finally, we braved the rains to reach Ta¬lacauvery, which is 1,276 metres above sea level, eight kilometres from Bhagamandala and 48 km from Madikeri.
Stepping out onto the cold, I realise what the pleasant surprise the nature had in its store. Patches of snow cover the hills slowly and fade away — a magic mountain turning its colour from lush green into snowy white. While trying to capture the spellbinding mo¬ment and immerse myself into it, I could see shutterbugs busy capturing the moment for posterity.
Those travelling to Talacauvery usually stop at Bhagamandala for a dip in the sacred confluence of the Cauvery, Kannike, and the Sujyoti. Lord Agastheeswara shrine faces the brahmakundike (holy pond) where the Cauvery springs from the earth in a small square cut in stone. The faithful take part in poojas near the tank and a few throw coins into the waters with piety. Many scoop up the water in containers to take back home after taking purifying dips in the tank adja¬cent to the holy pond.
According to the priests, the Tula Sank¬ramana day in mid October is the most aus¬picious day for visiting Talacauvery, where Lord Agastheeswara and Maha Ganapathi are worshipped apart from Goddess Cau¬veriamma. On the day, the holy Cauvery appears and her arrival is indicated by a sudden upsurge of the water in the pond at a predetermined moment.
There are about 300 steps leading to the Brahmagiri peak where the seven great sages meditated. I shiver a bit as I climb up a few wet stairs a tad breathless to see the pristine mystery on the hilltop. I feel the pulse start to quicken the moment I join a group comprising highly energetic tiny tots and the elderly, who boosted up their spirit after touching the holy water and offering prayers. Nevertheless to say, there was a sense of camaraderie that comes when peo¬ple from varied cultural and linguistic back¬ground get together for some spiritual pur¬pose. I find myself adrift in a surreal world where diverse identities overlapped.
As we pass wildflowers spouting on the slopes, I feel the long flight of steps seem¬ingly ascended to the skies. The moment I conquered all steps, my head was giddy with excitement. There were a few more people standing in open-mouthed awe, stuck in the heavenly scenic beauty. The Brahmagiri range straddles the border between Kodagu in Karnataka to the north and Wayanad in Kerala to the south. It is a place where one can spend a few hours quietly, reinventing himself/herself, or simply marvelling at the intriguing beauty of the world we belong to. I would have been happy to spend a few more hours with a composed mind in midst of the misty air. However, it was time to pull away from the panorama and return to the temple premises. Looking down, I see seemingly narrow roads snaking their way up, bringing more tourists on cars and jeeps. And I reluc¬tantly waddled out into the sunshine and get into the vehicle.
On the way back, I tried to recollect the legend of Cauvery, which has its origins in puranas. It goes that long ago, Cauvery river was held in a kamandalu by Sage Ag¬asthya. Lord Ganesha took the form of a crow and perched on the kamandalu when Agasthya was meditating. When Agasthya realised this, he shooed away the crow. But the holy crow tipped the kamandalu and toppled it. And then, the sacred river started flowing, blessing countless generations.
Quick Facts
*There are no shops available at the sum¬mit. Bhagadamandala, which is downhill 7 km, and Madikeri are the nearest towns, where ample number of hotels are availa¬ble for accommodation. The temple guest house can also be booked.
* Talacauvery is 270 km from Bangalore.
* Route: Bangalore - Mysore - Hunsur - Per¬iyapatana - Siddapura - Bhagadamandala - Talacauvery.
* One can easily reach Madikeri by KSRTC bus. From Madikeri, both KSRTC and pri¬vate buses are available to Bhagadaman¬dala. From Bhagadamandala,
* Talacauvery is only seven km away and there are only a few buses.
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