Hampi Badmi Trip – The People

Dear Mrudul,

Yes, the trip was awesome! (and here follows the long answer on how the trip was…). You have already seen all the photos here – https://photos.app.goo.gl/3HRJJbPLq24KmRtN7

Hampi-Badami are UNESCO world heritage sites so they had to be good… Our older Jain temples, Temple ruins, etc. have touched me deep inside, each and every time I have visited them… However, the best part of this trip was the group and all the people around! Helpful, Calm and Co-Operative, Sensitive and Happy going!!! Best of Sadharmi Vatsalya… Pics alone cannot do justice, hence this blog is more for the people… Writing this log so that we don’t just remember the Photos and Places, but also the people that made the trip most memorable!!!

So to start with our SUMO ditched us for the 1st time in 17 odd years!!! Though it was serviced thoroughly by Dad in the lead up to the trip… 2-3 mechanics and workshops, all round complete checks, etc. Dad even changed tyres to be on a safer side… Not sure if Dad would have done all this to even host you and Jijaji with the Sumo… 😉

But SUMO was heating up like crazy and we had to turn back from Katraj to a Mechanic to get it fixed, only to return home at 5… Absolutely NO COMPLAINTS or even a slight change of mood from Vivek bhaiya and Anuja Bhabhi… Hats off to them!!! I know many people who would have kept cribbing or kept making faces, or even gone ahead and cancelled the trip as well… A real test of character, patience for all of us at the very start!!! But All were full of energy, eager to REBOOT and start again!!!

So we started at 1 in the afternoon and then again at 6 in the evening with a change of cars… Had to make a single call to Niraj (Since childhood, Niraj has never-ever given me a single chance to feel that I don’t have a real brother!!!) and Niraj got his S-Cross ready for us… And Vivek bhaiya carried on with his Honda City… Two cars now!!!

We drove non-stop to Shantisagaram Teerth at Bhoj, Karnataka… All thanks to Sandeep Upadhyay Bhaiya, who himself called us more than a few times enroute, gave us confidence and guided us step-by-step and ensured that we reached Bhoj late at night but safely! His simplicity, politeness and Sadharmi Vatsalya was one of the best I have seen for some time now… Also, on a side-note the Coffee and Milk that we had here was BEST in the entire trip…

Though we reached late night, we were back up and ready by 7:00… Same was the routine for the next day as well and throughout the trip… However late it came out to be, getting ready on time for Mandir in the morning was a must for all (again a rare thing, with an all-young group)… Collective effort from all… Helping each other… Lifting each-others luggage… Filling up water bottles… Water Can… etc… NEVER we had to wait for someone who was running late and ruining the party! Except for the 1st day and the last day, the travels were short and pit-stops happened every hour or so… So after a couple of days, we forgot that we were travelling in two different cars… And Kids and Bhabhi’s interchanged between cars like it was a single car… So after the 1st day, travelling with two cars became kinda natural…

Next stop was Stavanidhi… Mahavir Bhaiya at Stavanidhi called us more than a couple of times before we reached Stavanidhi!!! For arranging for food and stay… Since we started late, we had to stay at Bhoj and not at Stavanidhi (our planned night stay)… He had arranged food not just at the Gurukul bhojanalaya but also at his own home, just in case we wanted to have food made with Natural Salt (Sendha Namak)… Very very rare to see the Sadharmi Vatsalya and such care for Yatri’s… The simple yet tasty food at Stavanidhi Gurukul Bhojanalaya was the best food that everyone had in the entire trip!!! And we kept remembering it almost throughout the trip! Next we visited Ammangi Digambar Jain temple as per the recommendation of “Mahavir Bhaiya” and it is definitely worth a visit!!!

Special mention to Neminath ji Balikai, Kumbhoj Bahubali for introducing us to Sandeep Upadhyay Bhaiya (Bhoj) and Mahavir Bhaiya (Stavanidhi)…

Next, while Gokak falls felt average at best (due to very less running water), Godachinmalki Waterfalls felt a lot better because of mediocre Gokak falls… These two waterfalls took most of the afternoon and evening, and we reached Kamal Basadi very late… 

So instead of us visiting Anandi fai (Mom’s fai) and Swapnil Bhaiya (technically my Mama) they came down to see us at Kamala Basadi… (Felt very-very miserable to keep them waiting after Google Maps goofed-up due to road blockage… Swapnil Bhaiya was patient enough to guide us…) Even Leena Bhabhi (technically my Mami) had come down, despite finding it difficult to walk after a recent leg injury… Had heard so much from Mom about the family, from her childhood memories, discipline, values, etc. etc. Many-many things to learn for myself-Anubhuti and Kids as well… Got engrossed in chit-chat that was so homely that this was the only place where we didn’t click a single pic!!! Guess a special trip is warranted to visit Fai-Swapnil Bhaiya-Leena Bhabhi-Kids again and we will definitely plan one sooner than later…

Next, we drove towards Hubli Jain boarding where Dr. Mohiniji had arranged a stay for us at Digambar Jain Boarding… Despite being busy with her patients, and her clinic located on the other side of Hubli, she drove herself to meet us late at night; when we told her that we will be leaving early in the morning towards Lakkundi-Koppal-Hampi early in the morning… Sadharmi Vatsalya, gratitude towards Guru Kothadiya Sir, caring for us meeting for the first time, is a very rare thing to see these days!!!

Next day, we had a feast with the Bananas given by Dr. Mohiniji and Tasty Thepalas given by Anandi Fai-Leena Bhabhi as we reached Lakkundi Digambar Jain Mandir… (In the quick Vehicle change from Sumo to SCross, we missed transferring the homemade Chocolate Cookies packed specially for both of them!!!) The priests at Lakkundi Jain temple (the only Jain family now at Lakkundi) were very welcoming and quickly arranged for Curd for Theplas… It is so very difficult to still be so positive despite being the only Jain family among ruined and converted temples!!!

Next, it was a tough orderal to reach the Koppal Digambar Jain temple with the very narrow lanes but confident that if Nitin HP (more on him later) has recommended something then it will be worth it, we somehow reached the Digambar Jain Temple at Koppal and from outside a Temple that looked small was really big from inside… Ancient Images and structure made all the effort worth it…

Next, it was Sachin Bhaiya and Pragati Bhabhi who were waiting for us at Hampi… Sachin bhai is full of energy as always, planning, arranging and even taking on all 4 kids alone!!! Eager to Click photos of Vivek Bhaiya-Bhabhi than themselves… Such a nice gesture all day throughout… With Pragati bhabhi chit-chats, joking around or being part of the group happened as if she knew us as long as Sachin Bhai did!!! All the schedules from Hampi to Badami were taken care of by Sachin Bhai… Visiting the same place again (just so that kids can enjoy water) was something no one would have done, especially at a place like Hampi where there are so many things to explore and enjoy!!! Or vacating an already occupied room for Vivek Bhaiya and family happened seamlessly… Hope to have more and regular trips with Sachin Bhaiya and Pragati Bhabhi as well… Their young energy makes me feel young as well!!!

After departing from Hampi towards Badami we had to cover more than a few Heritage sites suggested by Nitin HP. Due to Vivek bhai’s time constraint (rather I had already pulled him enough out of office and could not stretch any further), we zeroed in on Jain Temple Meguti at Aihole (and unfortunately had to drop the rest Jain Heritage Centers)… This was the best Mandir in the entire trip, especially with the Sun going out in the background… I owe almost all my Karnataka trips to Nitin Bhai… To put in one line – Nitin bhai is a living encyclopedia of Jain Heritage Centers in Karnataka… It takes divine will-power to keep visiting, keep documenting, keep researching and bring to light remote Jain Temples for over 2 decades of selfless work… Hope to have many more Karnataka Trips with his guidance!!!

Similarly everyone at Bijapur (now Vijayapura) was very friendly and cooperative… We were to make a night stay here, but Unfortunately we had to cut short our time at Vijayapura and left for Pune on the same day…

Finally, this trip would have not happened if Sachin Bhaiya wouldn’t have said an IMMEDIATE Yes, and I would have not PERSISTED with Vivek Bhaiya; off-course primarily to get Samyak-Shlok onboard… 😉 Both boys (Samyak and Shlok) and Both girls (Swanubhuti-Swashraya) were awesome in bringing in their special traits to the trip… Samyak had without a doubt a better plan for us than what Sachin Bhaiya had! And I will remember all the loving and frank talk with Shok, for a long time to come…

Needless to say, a big thankyou to my better-half and respective better-halfs, who acted like catalysts into the whole journey… From start to end… So a big Thank you Anubhuti, Thank you Anuja Bhabhi and Thank you Pragati Bhabhi!!!

Swapneel*

PS: Making a special log record for Swanubhuti… So as to when she grows up (if she decides to grow); she will remember this later in her life, and also hopefully bear with our irrational behaviors as we grow old and she grows young!

If at all for anyone, this trip was planned and executed for Swanubhuti!!! And if at all anyone, it was Swanubhuti who troubled; and troubled like hell on this trip!!! Unnecessary things… MUDDAM!!! Consistently testing patience… Each day, each hour, multiple times… And the trip for 6 days, and maybe 10 days of prep, all was to give her a CHANGE… Give both Kids exposure to travel, be self reliant, self pack and unpack, arrange Jain food at not so friendly food places, etc. etc. 

And what Swanubhuti (and usual copy-cat Swarshraya) did better than earlier trips was only carry her back-sack from Car to Room and back! It was utterly disappointing and very very frustrating… Swanubhuti was the ONLY challenge in the whole trip… To shield and downplay her behaviour during the entire trip until I failed; and gave it up at Badami! Though it was evident that you were enjoying the trip all round, as good as any of us was!!! And there were absolutely ZERO issues throughout the trip… Be it food-water-weather-health-stay-etc…

At 10-11 you are grown up enough and you have been part of many-many trips and outings earlier… As compared to any of your friends, school-mates, society-friends, Paathshala Friends, etc. etc… I bet you were privileged enough to have completed a multitude of trips and outings, 100s of awesome movies, cakes, ice-creams, fruits, Parks & Gardens, Gadgets, Imagica, etc. Worst part is that you understand enough, but this MUDDAM thing takes the better of you!!! 

God knows when (and if at all) you will change yourself for good… Hope you appreciate this log as well; like the other so many-many photo logs of yours… As always, Love you beta…