To be, or not to be, that is the question!!

No no, the question is not about my existence, but about my this blog!!

One task which I have tried a million times and failed is to continue my Blogging.
Somehow due to the work and all other things which can stop a person from blogging, I have to admit I haven't been able to give enough time for my this small personal blog. During the course of last 6- years, lot have changed - both in my personal/professional life and also in internet eco system.

Personally and Professionally I have added couple of years to my experience, moved many location inside and outside India, inclination towards personal diary keeping reduced to nil, found new hobbies and interest to keep me active, which include Photography. And very recently found one more activity to explore the creative side of me - Videography.

Internet have also come a long way from Blogger to Facebook and Twitter. And even I have jumped the bandwagon as and when it came and went. It is more like saying internet have moved from 1000 characters to 140 characters statuses. I liked it all, but somehow couldn't be active in both world.

Even now I am not sure if I will be able to take this blog any further, whether I will be able to record my memories here as I used to do before 2008. The question asked to myself in the title of this post still holds true.

Till I find an answer to my question, you can can still find me active at:
Tumblr: http://www.sainathkm.tumblr.com

• Vimeo: http://www.vimeo.com/sainathkm
• Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sainathkm

The year gone by...

What an year it was which had gone by. A lot of travel and lot of place newly explored. Better way to remember the months gone by should be by the places i had visited. Some which i could remember where :

January - Varahi, Karnataka
March - Ernakulam and Cochin, Kerala
April - St Marry's Island, Udupi
May - Kodachadri Peak Trekking, Kollor
August - Backwaters of Alleppey, Kerala
September - Bekal fort, Kasargode, Kerala
October - Calungute, Goa
November - Kumaraparvatha Trekking, Subramanya, Karnataka
December - Neeleshwaram Backwaters, Kerala

Hope to have a better and fulfilling year ahead too....

Kumaraparvatha - Ya was a tough one

Great weekend getaways from Bangalore, India

Happened to see this really good list of great weekend getaways from Bangalore. Really a great and lengthy list :

No. Place Rating Type Dist. Direction Road Food Lodge Food/
Lodge

1 Sri Ram Betta * Piligrim 50 Mysore - - Good No No
2 Rangasthala * Piligrim 60 CB pura + Good No No
3 Savana Durga * Hill 60 Mysore - - - Poor No No
4 Ghati Subramanya * Piligrim 70 DB Pura + Good No No
5 Nandi hills * Hill station 70 CB pura - Good Yes Yes C/B
6 Revanasiddesh betta * Piligrim 70 Mysore - - Good No No
7 Shiva gange * Piligrim 70 Tumkur - Good No No
8 Antharagange * Piligrim 75 Kolar Good No No
9 Chikka Thirupathi * Piligrim 75 Kolar - No No
10 Kanva reservoir * Dam 80 Mysore - Good No No
11 Mekedatu *** Ravine 80 Kanakapur+ Poor No No
12 Kaivara ** Piligrim 85 Kolar - Good No No
13 Sheebi ** Temple Paintings 90 Tumkur + Good No No
14 Devarayana durga * Piligrim 100 Tumkur - Poor No No
15 Kokkare Belluru ** Birds sanctuary 100 Mysore - - Good No No
16 Kudumalai * Piligrim 100 Kolar + Good No No
17 Melukote *** Piligrim 100 Mysore - Good No No
18 Muththathhi ** River 100 Kanakapur + Poor No No
19 Vidurashwatha * Piligrim 100 DB Pura + Good No No
20 Sri Rangapatna *** Piligrim 120 Mysore - Good No No
21 Bheemeswari ** River 125 Kanakapur + Poor Yes Yes A/A
22 Karighatta *** Piligrim 125 Mysore - Good No No
23 Shivasamudram **** Water fall 125 Kanakapur + Good No No
24 Ranganathittu *** Birds sanctuary 130 Mysore - Good No No
25 Adi chunchanagiri * Piligrim 140 Hassan - - Good No No
26 Lepakshi * Piligrim 140 CB pura ++ Good No No
27 Mahadevapura *** River 140 Mysore - Good No No
28 Mysore *** Historical 140 Mysore Good Yes Yes B/A
29 Shravana Belugola *** Piligrim 140 Hassan - Good No No
30 Hogenakal *** Water fall 150 Salem - Good No Yes C/B
31 KRS, Balamuri ** Barrage 150 Mysore - Good No No
32 Mudukuthore *** Piligrim 150 Kanakapur + Good No No
33 Talakadu **** Piligrim 150 Kanakapur + Good No No
34 Chunchana katte ** Water fall 160 Mysore+ Poor No No
35 Kadiri * Piligrim 160 CB pura ++ Good No No
36 Nanjanagudu *** Piligrim 160 Mysore + Good No No
37 T. Narasipur *** Piligrim 170 Kanakapur + Good No No
38 Sathanur dam *** Dam 175 Krishnagiri Good no No
39 Somanathapur **** Archeology 175 Kanakapur + Good No No
40 Hemagiri ** Water fall 200 Hassan - - Good No No
41 Ramanathapura ** Piligrim 200 Mysore+ Poor No No
42 Tiruvannamalai *** Piligrim 200 Krishnagiri Good no No
43 Halebeedu **** Archeology 210 Hassan + Good No No
44 B. R . Hills **** Hill station 220 Kollegal + Good Yes Yes C/C
45 Bandipur **** Wild life 220 Mysore + Good Yes Yes B/B
46 Gopalaswamy betta **** Piligrim 220 Mysore + Good No No
47 Harangi **** Landscape 220 Mercara - Good No No C/B
48 Nisarga Dhama **** Landscape 220 Mercara - Good Yes Yes C/B
49 Kabini **** Wild life 230 Mysore + Good Yes Yes A/A
50 Nagarahole **** Wild life 230 Mercara - Good Yes Yes C/B
51 Belur *** Archeology 240 Hassan + Good No No
52 Mudumalai **** Wild life 240 Mysore + Good Yes Yes B/B
53 Yercaud **** Hill station 240 Salem Good Yes Yes B/A
54 Bababudangiri **** Hill station 250 Hassan ++ Good No No
55 Irpu **** Water fall 250 Mercara - Good No No
56 Kemmannugundi **** Hill station 260 Hassan ++ Good Yes Yes C/B
57 Kudrehabbe *** Landscape 260 Chikmagalur Good No No
58 Talakaveri **** Landscape 260 Mercara + Good Yes Yes B/B
59 Bhadra **** Wild life 270 Hassan ++ Good
60 Manikyadhara *** Water fall 270 Hassan ++ Good No No
61 Muthodi **** Wild life 270 Hassan ++ Good Yes Yes C/B
62 Subramanya **** Piligrim 275 Hassan ++ Good Yes Yes
63 M. M. Hills **** Piligrim 280 Kollegal + Good Yes Yes B/B
64 Bisle **** Hill station 300 Hassan + No No
65 Gajanur ** Barrage 300 Shimoga + Good No No
66 Horanadu **** Piligrim 300 Hassan +++ Good Yes Yes B/C
67 Mandagadde *** Birds sanctuary 300 Shimoga + No No
68 Shringeri *** Piligrim 350 Hassan +++ Good Yes Yes B/C
69 Ulvi Birds sanctuary 300 Shimoga ++ Good No No
70 Nagar * Archeology 320 Shimoga ++ Good No No
71 Ooty **** Hill station 320 Mysore ++ Good Yes Yes A/A
72 Coonoor **** Hill station 340 Ooty + Good Yes Yes B/B
73 Ikkeri *** Archeology 340 Shimoga ++ Good No No
74 Keladi *** Archeology 340 Shimoga ++ Good No No
75 Dharmasthala **** Piligrim 350 Hassan ++ Good Yes Yes B/C
76 Hampi *** Historical 350 Good
77 Hampi ** Archeology 350 Bellary Good Yes Yes
78 Kudremukh *** Hill station 350 Hassan +++ Good Yes Yes B/B
79 Mantralaya ** Piligrim 350 Bellary Good Yes Yes
80 T.B. Dam ** Dam 350 Bellary Good Yes Yes
81 Varadahalli **** Landscape 350 Shimoga ++ Good No No
82 Agumbe **** Hill station 357 Shimoga ++ Good No No
83 Moodabidiri *** Archeology 360 Mangalore - Good No No
84 Gudavi *** Birds sanctuary 375 Shimoga ++ Good No No
85 Humbucha ** Archeology 380 Shimoga ++ Good No No
86 Jog **** Water fall 380 Shimoga ++ Good No No
87 Karkala *** Archeology 380 Mangalore - Good No No
88 Kaup *** Beach 380 Mangalore + Good No No
89 St. Mary's Island *** Landscape 386 Good No No
90 Katil ** Piligrim 387 Mangalore - Good No No
91 Devarahole **** River 400 Sirsi + Good No No
92 Magodu falls **** Water fall 400 Sirsi + Good No No
92 Mrudeshwara **** Piligrim 400 Honnavar + Good Yes Yes C/B
93 Satodi falls **** Water fall 400 Sirsi + Good No No
94 Udupi *** Piligrim 415 Mangalore + Good Yes Yes B/B
95 Honnavar ** Piligrim 425 Mangalore ++ Good Yes No
96 Gokarna ** Piligrim 460 Honnavar + Good No No
97 Maravanthe **** Beach 467 Mangalore + Good No No
98 Badami & Aihole **** Caves 500
99 Kollur *** Piligrim 500 Shimoga +++ Good Yes Yes C/C
100 Kollur forest **** Wild life 520 Shimoga +++ Good No No
101 Yana **** Landscape 580 No No
102 Gokak falls ** Water fall Good
103 Varaahi **** Landscape
104 Koravangala ** Archeology 200 Hassan+ Good no no
105 Ridge ** Landscape 250 Hassan+ Good no no
106 Mosale ** Archeology 200 Hassan+ Good no No
107 Doddagadduvalli ** Archeology 200 Hassan+ Good no No
108 Munnar **** Hill station 550 Erode+++ Good No No A/A

Awesome Kodachadri Trekking

After a bit delay, Now its time for me to jolt down why my trek to Kodachadri was Awesome. A perfect place, a perfect sky, a perfect weather, and a perfect team that’s the ingredient needed to call your trek a perfect one. Rather then pointing out how was our trekking trip to Kodachadri, this time I will write about how can you make it a memorable one.

What's Kodachadri ?
Kodachadri is a mountain peak (altitude - 1343 m above sea level) in the Western Ghats in South India (Karnataka State). [ map here]

Where is Kodachadri ?
Nearly 160 Km from Mangalore, towards Kollur. Kollur is a place famous for its Mookambika temple and Kodachadri is considered to be the peak where 'Shankaracharya' did meditation.

How to reach there ?
Take a bus from Mangalore to Kollur (2 hrs journey). And for the people coming from Bangalore, the best way will be getting a bus from Bangalore to Kundapur (a night journey) and from there getting a bus to Kollur (45 minutes).

What to carry and what not to ?
Enough water for two days to survive, Packaged Food item, Torch, salt to get ride of leeches, and also a good pair of jacket/sweater. Avoid heavy luggage .

My Experience ?Day I:
10:00 am
The most ideal time to reach Kollur will be 10:00 am. After getting down at Kollur, Give a visit to Kollur Mookambika temple and also if possible to have a meal from the temple itself. As we reached Kollur it was nearly 11:30 am.

01:00 pm
Take a bus(Hanuman travels) which goes towards Shimoga. Make sure you don't miss this bus. Just a 30 mins journey and you are at the start of your journey. Get down at Kodachadri Gate, the starting point.

2:00 pm
The awesome trekking experience starts now. On the right side of the road you can find a mud/stone road which is the path which leads to your destination. After trekking for around 4 - 5 kms we reached a small school and a village surrounding it. This initial trekking is very mild and can be easily completed in 1 -2 hrs. From here starts the actual trekking. As we reach there the sight of the peak got cleared and the road leading to it became harder. Make sure you ask the route and also fill your water at the Santhosh hotel at the village. The Most breath-taking scenes of the trekking starts from here. As we walked up through the narrow route the sky stared clearing and the clouds started moving so close to us that we stopped many times to take snaps. And as we moved from one peak to the other the destination became clear, the Kodachadri guest house becomes visible.

5:00 pmAfter an overall 8 kms trekking we reached the Kodachadri guest house, build by government for the trekkers and devotees who comes here. Also there are 2-3 other shops which cater food. We had our evening snacks from one of the shop beside the guest house, and set for another round of trekking towards the ultimate peak, Sarvajna Peetha, Where Sakaracharya did meditation. This last 1 km trek was really great picture perfect path. Through out this 1 km, we felt like we are walking towards the sky and clouds are all below us. The sunset was really amazing. With the sky turning redish and sun slowly setting into the Arabian sea.

7:00 pm
After 45 mins of mild trekking, we reached the very top most place on the peak, the Sarvajna Peetha, a small temple like structure build of stone, a best place to spend rest of the night. After the sunset, its time for a campfire. We collected some fire wood and setup a very small camp fire. With the wind blowing it was really a great work.

09:00 pm
After hours of hard work on setting up campfire and lots of singing exercise, its time for some appetite pooja. The water was boiled and the noodles was more delicious then ever. The night was chilling cold with wind blowing from all the direction. For me atleast the sleep came fast, as soon as l moved inside the sleeping bags.

Day II :
8:00 am
Even though the clock says 8, the sun was not at all in the sight. The whole environment was surrounded by Cloud and mist. After a hour of hide and seek with sun, we decided to trek back. The trekking back to the guest house was very much refreshing and really great with the morning mild wind lashing the face with fresh monsoon smell. At the guest house there are places to get fresh also the cook at the guest house prepares some breakfast snacks.


9:00 amAfter a good breakfast and refilling our water bottles, we decided to descend down the Kodachadri to wards the place we started, After a walk for 2-3 hrs we reached the same road where we had got down from the bus yesterday. It all went as per the plan, We reached the road by around 12:00, and after a wait, here it is the bus to Kollur. And the end of a lovely and perfect trekking.


Note: For the people who want to avoid staying on the peak in the night, can book the guest house in advance and plan to come down to the guest house after the sunset.

** Updated :Mr.Rajendran is the person who looks after the guest house, So in case more info needed the weather and other details regarding Kodachadri you can contact him at 9242892299 and 9242647805.

** Updated Photos too:

Awesome Kodachadri

Kodachadri Trekking, originally uploaded by sainathkm.

Cool Virtual HairCut Audio

This is a really cool 3D/Binaural Recording. Please Use a good earphone for proper effect.

For those people who doesn't know what Binaural Recording is, here is a small info :

Binaural recording is a method of recording audio which uses a special microphone arrangement. Binaural recordings consist of capturing the sound of any given type by employing a realistic representation of the human head and ears in a recording setup. The binaural recording concept is elegant: place closely-matched microphones near the ears, and record what the ears actually hear. The details may be fascinating and esoteric, but the results speak for themselves; what your hear on this site was essentially recorded this way.