Babia, the vegetarian crocodile in Ananthapur temple, Kasargod

Have you ever heard about the  vegetarian crocodile ? ! Have you ever thought that a crocodile can be a pet too ?!! You need to meet Babia, the crocodile to believe this.

We were coming back from Kasaragod towards Mangalore, when we saw the board 'Ananthapura 5.5 kms ' pointing towards right. When we drove towards the direction I didn’t expect anything much but a typical Kerala style temple. Travelling with the  little one doesn’t allow much to explore. All the time goes in attending to their needs. Anyways having my little one with me I was not in exploring mode as well.

When we reached the temple it was an odd hour of the day for any temple to be open for  visitors. We were told by the priest that the temple will be opened by 5.30 pm. We thought that is too much of time to wait and decided to satisfy ourselves by taking a walk through the temple corridor.

This temple of Ananthapadmanabha is  spectacular. It is located in the middle of the  kalyani ( temple pond) . Being  away from the town the temple complex is  very serene. This temple is supposed to be the origin of Trivdendrum’s Padmanabha temple. Water around the temple is green. We could see lot of fishes. We were about to return then the priest suggested us to see the crocodile.

Being from south India, I have seen fishes living inside the temple ponds. But never heard of a crocodile within a temple complex. Intrigued, we enquired more about it.

This crocodile is believed to be living in the temple pond from the last 76 years. It is considered and worshipped as temple’s protector. He lives on temple prasadam they feed every day after the pooja and hasn’t harmed anyone till now. He doesn’t even eat the fishes in the pond!!

Story doesn’t end here. He crawls up to another pond which is above the temple pond and about 300-400 meters away. Often he shuttles between these two ponds. When we visited, he had moved to other pond couple of days back. We walked up to the other pond which was also green and had lotus leaves all over. We tried to spot him for about 20 minutes. But no luck. By the time someone from the temple came and asked us, 'did you able to spot him? ' Looking at our disappointed face, he asked us to wait and started to call ‘sweetly’ as if he is calling some one dear. ‘Babia…. Please come up … They want to see you..  Please come up Babia .. ‘ 

Whoa!! Babia the crocodile came up. He didn’t fully come up though. But we could see his face under the water. He looked very calm. We were told that his body is 8 ft long but all that we could see was only his stout. After watching him for a while we started from the place amused and wondering how could he live on vegetarian food !! Sometimes there is no answers for such questions !!

Isn’t it interesting?? Ahh! My India is incredible with such mysteries!!! It is always a treasure trove. Travels, always unveils such unknown stories. If you are travelling towards North Kerala don’t forget to meet Babia.

Travel notes

- Anantapur lake temple is 5 kms away from Kumbla on the way from Mangalore to Kasargod

- Temple timing - 5.30 to 12.30 pm and 5.30 to 7.30 pm

- Plan this place  along with Kasargod

View from front - Ananthapura lake temple

Corridor connecting the temple in the middle of the pond

Rear view of the Ananthapura lake temple, Kasaragod, Kerala

Another pond 400 mts away from the temple pond

Babia, the crocodile .. Picture is not so clear as he was inside the water

Badami, beyond the four caves -2

This is the second post of the series 'Badami beyond the four caves '. Read part 1 here Part 1

Whether it is Hampi or Badami Ruins are magnetic. They pull  us towards them and enthralls.  May be the huge spaces they provide to our imaginative eyes, make us to visualize the beauty and glory of the very place. We will be lost in love with our imagination. Badami fort is one such skeleton of the past. I kept on filling flesh and life and enjoyed the walk thoroughly.

View of Badami town and malegitti shivalaya from the watch tower

Temple and fort view from the watch tower

 From the watch tower we could see many structures. My guide clarified them  as granaries. We walk through the silent rocks to see granaries and treasuries used during Muslim rulers. Granaries were hollow and well secured with a small opening.

Granary

Then we reach a place full remnants of a building  which were said to be the ruins of sandlewood palace. It was burnt hundreds of years back.There is nothing much left intact in this place except the 

underground storage. 

Remnants of  Palace

Next to it is a beautiful temple. I recognize this is the same temple I saw it from the canon location. Its windows are so different from each other. Looking at the remnants I could imagine a gorgeous temple which once stood and worshiped by the royal family. They call this temple as Upper Shivalaya. This temple is constructed out of stone. It is dedicated to Shiva. Only sanctum remains on top of the rocky hill. It is one of the oldest temples of the region I was told.

Window or jalandra

Upper Shivalaya

Few meters away there is a Darga still worshipped and there is a temple next to the Darga making it a harmonious place for both Hindu and Muslims.

Darga

Pointing to a deep rocks separated by a meter my guide explains that the place was used for many Bollywood shootings. It was once used as a tunnel to escape.

Shooting spot for movies

Panoramic view from the fort

 We walk further. In the horizon is a series of  rocky structures giving the feeling of natural fort. I was lost to understand which is the man built fort and which is natural.After a big round of the fort we  come out and get down on other side of the fort. It is Bhootnath temple complex on the bank of Agastya theertha(lake). 

Bhootnath temple

There are 2 Bhootnath temples. One was looking not so old. But the one adjacent to the lake was  picturesque with the backdrop of golden colored rocks and the foreground of the lake. It was calm. Entering into a cool temple from the blazing sun was such a heavenly feeling. These temples are not live temples. In the Hindu culture any broken image will make the temple unworthy for worshipping. Even though most of the things look good, a minor defacing of the idol or broken column has made these temples dead. Bhootnath being the form of Shiva, this temple is also dedicated to Shiva.

Main Bhootnath temple

After a peaceful rest at the temple I walk upto the tiny shrines behind the Bhootnath temple. There was a small mantap. Inside that was a finely carved Ananthashayana which is a form of Vishnu. The rock itself was different and with dashavatara( Vishnu's 10 incarnations) carved around him was such a rare image. This stood as my favorite for the day. Few meters around the temple will unveil few more carvings in the stone. There is another cave with Buddha image inside. We need to crawl inside to see that. I feel wow ! Badami is such an amalgamation of Vaishnav, Shaiva, Buddha and Jain architecture.  The rocks around this area has a stains of water flow. My guide told me that   during monsoon there would be few waterfalls . I can imagine how heavenly it would be to see them.

Anantashayana

Buddha cave

 Next time when you to go Badami, keep a day and explore the fort. It is worth. But go there when the sun is smiling at you. I am not a student of history, art and architecture. Even then it was a pleasure exploring Badami. For you, history and architecture lovers, I can promise it would be a feast.

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Badami beyond the four caves -1

Badami cave temples

Badami, beyond the four caves -1

It was after a decade and a half that I visited Badami for the second time. My last visit was limited only to four  cave temples. This time I wanted to explore it more and  in detail. While  watching the rocky outcrops on the other side of the  cave temples from 4th cave, I couldn’t resist  the desire to go to the other side in spite of scorching  Sun.  Basavarajappa, my  guide discouraged  me going there in the beginning saying there is nothing to see. He then agreed to  accompany me only when I offered him little more money as guide charges. They call this side of the hill as fort. But what I saw was more than the fort. I am making this post into two parts as beyond the caves is a bigger story to tell.

We were getting down from the 4^th cave towards the courtyard. I was surprised to see current conquerors of Badami boulders  whom I didn’t see while climbing up.  Did you guess ? Yes. Monkeys .. My guide clarified me that they had been to Monday market. Now they are returning !!  Hmm… They do shop ..  As I was not carrying anything in my hand it was not difficult to escape from them. I was scared though.

When I look back after entering the fort

 After buying a water bottle from the canteen, we stop a while in front of  the monument  built by the Muslim rulers after the Chalukyas. That is an old dome. To  reach the fort side of the monuments we have to go through the village which is certainly a blot on the landscape. The Path was littered and full of pigs wandering around.  We made a  brief visit to the museum maintained by ASI and then  started climbing the  steps. After a few steps, my guide  all of a sudden takes me to a narrow path which could only accommodate a person to slip through. It opened upto into a flat surface where few monuments were there and the view of the Agastaya theertha(lake) was spectacular. There were few ruins which once probably would have been the part of the glory.

Narrow path when only one person could slip in

Some ruins inside the fort

I get  down from that place and walk ahead through an impressive arched entry which leads to another small temple. Entry has sculpted images on both sides . The temple is standing alone. This again is a ruins of some temple of which only the  inner shrine is  left out. 

Arched entry

Though there is nothing to see in the temple, this place  offers a  great view of the lake and the village around. Behind the temple there is a canon scribble on that reads 1550. From here I can see another temple on the hill ahead and also part of  the fort and a beautiful watch tower. On other side cave temples were crowded with tourists.Their  colorful cloth  was breaking the monotone of the sepia colored rocks.

Canon which read 1550

Watch tower and fort

Spectacular Agastaya theertha , Badami

 I blindly follow my guide who was guiding me into a maze of rocks and forts. I had no clue where I was going. This place doesn’t have anyone around. Hardly any tourists go there I believe. Everything was a kind of standstill. Not even a breeze around to make some strange sounds and nor the movement of the bushes. After there was  very few vegetation. It was as if I am in an eternal silence. Oh! I loved it so much !

Rock formations  had drawn many designs on the floor with the light and shadow play which looked like an abstract rangoli . We walk through the spellbound rocks and climb up a  few stairs to reach the watch tower.

Shadow play

Watch tower

It looks   like a huge well and  there is a flag pole which comes alive only  during August 15, I was told.  The panoramic view of the town and the Badami world  from here is worth the sweat shed to reach here.Sun had made me tired. Accepting the truth of  my falling fitness I rested for a while there.

Pls click here for  Part 2  - Badami beyond the caves

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Badami temple caves