Let's travel the world within the home….

Let's rekindle the memories of wandering and experience those wandering moments in the time of lockdown.

My tour is from Gokarna and Murudeshwar in the state of Karnataka. Many of you must have traveled here too. So this is the journey to the land of God; of a region as glorious as our Konkan. Beaches, spices, temples, fortifications, eateries and much more.

​After starting the Konkan Railway journey from Mumbai in the afternoon, I reached Gokarna station around 4 am the next day. But as there was no means of transportation in the morning, I spent time sitting at the station till 6 o'clock. The morning breeze was making me feel very cold. My friend Jay from the office was with us and we started talking about travel and work. We started the journey by taking a bus to Gokarna Beach from the main road at a distance of 5 minutes from the station. Bus ticket net rs. 10 that's it. The distance from Gokarna bus stand to the beach is 5 minutes. Along the way you come across the ancient temples of Mahaganapati, Shri Mahabaleshwar, Nageshwara. When you visit here, be sure to visit the temples and experience the art of the place. When you reach Gokarna Main Beach, I would suggest you to have breakfast at the Shiva Mantra near beach side on road; because you can have a full breakfast here at a very low price. This area has great facilities for you to stay.

There are 5 beaches in a row in Gokarna which you can walk and drive.

1. Gokarna Main Beach
2. Kudle
3. Om
4. Half Moon
5. Paradise Beaches

​You will definitely fall in love. The specialty of Om and Half Moon Beach is that if you check it on Google Maps, you can see beaches shaped like Om and a replica of the crescent. After visiting Om Beach, you should definitely visit Dolphin Bay Cafe and enjoy the fish.
If you walk all these 5 beaches, you will definitely experience a different experience; the biodiversity, the food culture, the wanderers you meet on the road and the serenity of the sea. Like the bliss of supreme bliss. There are also two-wheelers for rent. This option is also available so there is no inconvenience to come and go. There are also excellent dining facilities here. On the way from Main Road to Om Beach, we enjoyed a meal at Hotel Gokarna Sea Route Fish land for 2 days in a row; the reason for this is that even though it is small, you can get a delicious fish meal at a low price and the taste of ghee in the meal is - ahhh. Even the mind is satisfied.

Another specialty here is the Mirjan fort in the nearby Uttar Kannada district. The fort is half an hour's drive from Gokarna. The fort is a masterpiece of architecture. Built in the 16th century, the fort was ruled by Queen Chennabhairadevi of the Vijayanagara Empire and she ruled for 54 years and also that time she was living there. The fort is very spacious and there are watchtowers and wells all around the fort. As the fort is close to the ground, you can walk around the fort in a very short time. In the rainy season, the look of the fort is very visible, even the greenery is all around.

​After visiting Gokarna and Mirjan forts for the first two days, the third day was the last day of our wandering which we spent at Murudeshwar. Our wandering journey was to go further to Hampi but for some reason it was canceled and ended at Murudeshwar. Murudeshwar is also a town in Bhatkal taluka of Uttar Kannada district. Here in the temple area is the second tallest idol of Lord Shiva in the world. The building at the entrance of the temple is called Gopura in the local language. This building is 18 to 20 storeys high. Access to this building is also available. Just rs. 10 you can get a ticket and go. The special feature of this 10 rupees is the view of the city around the temple from above, the wide beach and the magnificent view of the idols and architecture of Mahadeva Shankar. This is a very beautiful area. The accommodation here is also great and comfortable; Lots of living options are available here. The best time to visit both these places is from October to March. In fact, I didn't want to leave, but I had no choice; I wanted to catch a train to Mumbai at night.

​So this was my journey of 5 days in total. I don't know when these 5 days ended; these precious moments of these days are encapsulated in a bundle called life. There are many journeys on the path of this life. So this is one of my little attempts at blogging during the lockdown. Let us pray that soon the corona virus disease will be removed from this world and that the wanderings of wandering will soon be opened for the wanderers like us.