Its been a while, I had never been for trekking… After coming to my Mangalore (from Bangalore), I was little busy to adjust my life to the Mangalorean environment. It took me a year to adjust. Life has become too industrious for me these days. So I took a break from my weekly routine and planned this trip. The Narahari Parvatha (Hill) always fascinated me. The hill is located adjacent to the NH No 48 (now renamed as NH-75). I planned to visit this place in my 2 months old Honda Aviator. As the scooter is new and I never took it for a long drive, I wanted to test the performance during the ride.
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Location
Narahari Hill is located on National Highway number 75 that connects Mangalore – Bangalore. The hill is located about 26 km from Manglaore. Once you reach BC Road junction its just 2 km away from there. It is located near the NH 75.
Since my home is 20 kilometers south to Mangalore, I took Mudipu -Melkar road to hit NH 75 at a place called Melkar. This is shortest route from my Home it is just 18 Km from Mangalore University. You can take this route if you are traveling from Thokkotu or Manjeshwara. (You can forget the Mangalore and NH 75 traffic congestions). Take the Mangalore University road from Thokkottu junction. After the Infosys Campus near a place called Kambalapadavu, travel for about 1.5 and then take left turn. (Landmark is near Indian Oil filling station). This road will connects to NH 75 at the place called Meklar. From Melakar junction the Narahari Hill is just a kilometer away. The road is well asphalted and a pleasure to drive. The vehicle cannot go to the top of the hill, you need to park the vehicle at down the hill. There are stairs to reach top of the hill, if you are interested you can take some other(typical trek) route to reach top of the hill.
The Trek
The vehicle cannot go to the peak of the hill. To reach the peak, you need to climb for about 160 steps. But don’t worry you can enjoy the natural breeze and sceneries during the trek. There are trees shades which will protect you from sun throughout the trek. If you have interest in Ornithology(Bird Watching) this is the place for you. I found different bird verities during the trek. Most of the name I don’t know but to name some-Indian Parrots, Woodpeckker, Babblers, Maina, Bulbul. Peacock etc. You can also explore near by forests.
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Sadashiva Temple and Surroundings
The hill is famous for the Sri Sadashiva Temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is one of the oldest temple of Karnataka. It is believed that Nara and Hari, incarnations of Lord Vishnu were supposed to have performed the penance at this place. The temple is also known for its ponds. The ponds are in shape of Shanka (Conch), Chakra (Wheel), Gadha (Heavy Weapon) and Padma (Lotus).Nature is at its best at the top of the hill. One can enjoy the panoramic view of the surrounding with the cool breez. Do not forget to take the camera. This place is filled with sceneries. The temple committee has made arrangements for seats to sit and enjoy the nature beauty. To the west side, you can see the Arabian Sea and to the east side you can enjoy the lush green western ghats. We can also spot the Charmadi Ghat from here.
Visiting Season
The best period to visit this place is during the monsoons. July to December would be the ideal time. If you visit during monsoon season, entire area around the mountain will be lush green and you may even be lucky enough to see low level clouds around the peak. Morning between 7 to 10 is the best time to visit the place.
Precautions
Carrying food and water would be good. Once you cross Melkar you wont get any shops and restaurants near by. There is small shop near at the hills, but you cannot relay on them. Do not dare to forget the umbrella during the rainy season.