Bangaluru.org - Somnathpur

Talkad 45 kms from Mysore is a strange phenomenon-an ancient town buried under centuries of sand. Only the Dravidian style Vaidyeshwara temple is visible above the ground. Once in 12 years, during the Panchalinga Darshana, the sleeping town awakes to festivities and fairs. Government buses, private buses and taxis are available to reach this beautiful place.

Talkad

Photo by Arindam Bhowmik.

The ancient capital of the Ganga and Cholakings, 30 km south-east of Somnathpur, on the way to Sivasamudram. The legend surrounded Talkad located on the left bank of the Cauvery, houses 6 temples built in the Dravidian style. The Vaidyeswar Shiva temple built of granite in 1360 contains Siva in various postures. In front of the temple stand the gate keepers, the brothers Tala and Kadu, who were said to have been granted the boon of immortality by the deity. The city has been named after the brothers twin who are credited with having cleared the forest and unearthed the image.

Talkad
Photo by Arindam Bhowmik.

Another spectacular sight is the phallic Lingeswar which keeps on changing its colour. It appears deep red in the morning, pale yellow in the evening and white at night. There are several other temples buried under the sand which are dug out every 12 years in the month of Kartik (Oct-Nov) during the Panchalinga Darshana festivities. Sivasamudram: Sivasamudram on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border is renowned for its beautiful forests, hills and waterfalls. In addition, there are 2 temples; one of Siva and the other of Vishnu lying in an

Photo by Arindam Bhowmik.

eternal sleep, that is, in the incarnation of Ranga-nathan. It is 37 km from Somnathpur and 77 km from Mysore. You can go there by bus and return the same way. The two waterfalls here are formed due to the Cauvery dividing itself into two and flowing down through mountain passes in the form of its tributaries Gaganchukki and Barachukki. The tributaries descend down to an altitude of 91 m to form the island of Sivasamudram. Even if you don't come face to face with wild animals in this isle, you will at least be greeted with a roar. Provided you have a permit you can visit the Shimsa Hydel Project, which is the first of its kind in India (1902).

Distance:-	Somnathpur - 15km T. Narasipur - 25km Mysore - 50km Bangalore - 130km
By Road:-	3 Hours.
By Rail:-	3 Hours.
By Air:-	Nearest Airport is Bangalore.
Location:-	130 km South West of Bangalore.
Route:-	If you are going there on your own and cannot get a direct bus from Mysore, take one to T Narisipur from the Mysore City Bus Stand. From T Narisipur you will get bus to Talkad via Somnathpur. Instead of T Narisipur you can go to Bannur and then change buses. Likewise, you can go to Talkad via Srirangapatnam.
When to go:-	Any time of the year .
Tourist offices:-	Regional Tourist Office Old Exhibition Building, Irwin Road, Mysore. Tel 0821-2422096. KSTDC Transport Wing, Yatri Nivas Building, JLB Road, Mysore , Tel: 0821-2423652, 2425349. KSTDC(bookings and info) Badami House, NR Square, Bangalore Tel: 080-2275869, Fax: 2352626 Email: kstdc@vsnl.in
Where to stay :-	R H or IB, abk : E E, Electrical Division, Shimsapur. KSTDCs H Mayura Keshav, Somnathpur, @ 7017, next to the temple, SAB 45 DAB 65. Lalith Mahal Palace Siddartha Nagar, Mysore - 570 011 Tel: 0821-2470471, 2470475 Tariff Range: Rs. 5,500/- to Rs. 30,000/-+Tax Regaatis Hotel No. 13-14, Vinoba Road, Mysore - 570 005 Tel: 0821-2428817, 2426426 Fax: 0821-421689 Email: sstar@sancharnet.in Web site: www.ushashriramhotels.com Tariff Range:Rs.4,500/- to Rs.9,000/-+Tax The Green Hotel No. 2270, Vinoba Road, Jayalakshmipuram, Mysore - 570 012 Tel: 0821-4255000/ 01/ 02, 2512536 Fax: 0821 - 5126139 Email: thegreenhotel@airtelbroadband.in Tariff Range: Rs.1,950/- to Rs.6,000/-+Tax King's Kourt JLB Road, Mysore - 570 005 Tel: 0821-2421142 Fax: 0821-2422384 Email: kingskourt@gmail.com Web site: www.kingskourt.com Tariff Range: Rs.1,800/- to Rs.4,000/-+Tax Hotel Best Western Ramashree Hardinge Circle, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2522265/ 02/ 05 Fax: 0821-2565781 Email: mysore@ramanashree.com Web site: www.ramanashree.com Tariff Range: Rs.2,195/- to Rs.4,295/- +Tax The Viceroy Sri Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2424001, 2428001 Fax: 0821-2433391 Email: viceroymys@data1.in Tariff Range: Rs.11,075/- to Rs. 22095/- Hotel Palace Plaza No. 2716, Sri Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2417592, 2430034 Fax: 0821-2421070 Email: plazagroup@data1.in Tariff Range: Rs. 1,200/- to Rs. 15,000/-+12% Tax Hotel The Paradise No. 104, Vivekananda Road, Yadavagiri, Mysore - 570 020 Tel: 0821-2410366, 2515655 Fax: 0821-2514400 Email: hotelparadise@airtelbroadband.in Tariff Range: Rs. 975/- to Rs.2,700/-+12%Tax Hotel Siddharta No. 73/1,Guest House Road, Nazarbad, Mysore - 570 010 Tel: 0821-2522999, 888 Fax: 0821-2520692 Email: siddhartahotel@hotmail.com Web site: www.siddhartahotel.com Tariff Range: Rs. 960/- to Rs.1,460/- +17% Tax Hotel Prakash Deluxe Opposite Medical College, 1474 - Sayyaji Rao Road, Mysore - 570 021 Tel: 0821-2521676, 2529434 Fax: 0821-2431136 Email: alevurhotels@yahoo.com Tariff Range: Rs. 390/- to Rs.750/- +Tax Hotel Bombay Tiffanys No. 313, Sayyaji Rao Road Cross, Opposite Main Bata Showroom, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2435255, 2435256 Fax: 0821-2433105 Email: bambaytiffanys@yahoo.co.in Tariff Range: Rs 390/- to Rs.950/- +Tax Hotel Luciya International Near Dasprakash, No. 1771, Old Bank Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2420261 Fax: 0821-2420404 Email: muneernmk@yahoo.com Tariff Range: Rs. 450/- to Rs. 1200/- +8% Tax Hotel Darshan Palace Lokaranjan Mahal Road, Opposite to Regency Theatre, Nazarbad, Mysore - 570 010 Tel: 0821-2520794, 24258777 Fax: 0821-2564083 Email: madhu_sudhanraj@yahoo.co.in Web site: www.hoteldarshanpalace.com Tariff Range: Rs. 600/- to Rs.1400/-+Tax Ganesh Palace Inn L-17, Chandraguptha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2428985, 2421909 Tariff Range: Rs. 250/- to Rs. 850/ +Tax KSTDC Mayura Hoysala No. 2, Jhansi Laxmi Bai Road, Mysore - 570 005 Tel: 0821-2425349, 2425597, Tariff Range: Rs 650/- to Rs.1,000/- Hotel SCVDS Sri Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2421379, 2425161 Tariff Range: Rs. 450/- to Rs. 750/- Hotel Govardhan Sri Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2434118, 2429422 Email: stayhotelgoverdhan.com Tariff Range: Rs.400/- to Rs.972/- Hotel Dasharath No. 1159, Ramsons House, Near Zoo Garden, Mysore - 570 010 Tel: 0821-2449121 Fax: 0821-2563602 Email: emailramsonsmysore@yahoo.com Tarriff Range: Rs. 240/- to Rs. 750/- KSTDC Mayura Yatri Nivas No. 2, Jhansi Laxmi Bai Road, Mysore - 570 005 Tel: 0821-2423492 Tariff Range: Rs. 200/- to Rs. 550/- Hotel Ritz No. 5, B N Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2422668, 2429082 Fax: 0821-2435777 Email: hotelritz@rediffmail.com Tariff Range: Rs.484/- +Tax Hotel Aashraya Dhanvantri Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2427088, 2426570 Tariff Range: Rs. 350 above Hotel Chalukya International Rajkamal Talkies Road, Dhanvantri Road Cross, Devaraja Mohalla, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2427374, 2427197 Tariff Range: Rs. 225/- to Rs. 375/- +Tax Hotel Indra Bhavan Dhanvantri Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-423933, 423755 Fax: 0821-422290 Email:hotel_indra_bhavan@rediffmail.com Tariff Range: Rs. 170/- to Rs. 450/-+Tax Shree Krishna Continental No. 73, Nazarbad Main Road, Mysore - 570 010 Tel: 0821-447042, 449044 Tariff Range: Rs. 450/- to Rs. 1100/- Hotel Kalinga K R Circle, Opposite City Bus Stand, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-431310, 070, 091 Fax: 0821-431310 Tariff Range: Rs. 260/- to Rs. 312/-+Tax Hotel Tara Kempananjamba, Agrahara Road, Mysore - 570 024 Tel: 0821-427938 Tariff Range: Rs. 300/- to Rs. 400/-+Tax Hotel Gayathri New Gayathri Building, Opposite Railway Station, Dhanvantri Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-425654 Tariff Range: Rs. 312/- to Rs. 500/-+Tax Hotel Sangeetha No. 1966, Narayana Shastry Road, Near Udupi Sri Krishna Mandir, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2424693, 2422424 Tariff Range: Rs. 250/- to Rs. 550/-+Tax Mysore Dasaprakash Gandhi Square, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-442444, 444455 Fax: 0821-443456 Email: hoteldasaprakash@sancharnet.in.co Tariff Range: Rs. 400/- to Rs. 925/-+Tax Park Lane Hotel No. 2720, Sri Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-430400 Fax: 0821-428424 Email: parklanemysore@yahoo.com Tariff Range: Rs. 200/-Above +Tax Green's Boarding, Lodging& Restaurant Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-422415 Tariff: Rs. 120/- Above +Tax.