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Yana Rock Caves – Mesmerizing, Breathtaking Mountains & Cave Temple in Karnataka, India

Yana Rock Caves
Mesmerizing, Breathtaking Mountains & Cave Temple in Karnataka, India

Yana Rock Caves and Trekking – Yana is a village located in forests of the Kumta, Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. Yana village in the Sahyadri mountain ranges is known for unique rock formations. These rock formations (limestone) are found in the forests of North Karnataka. Yana in Karnataka is a tourist as well as a Hindu pilgrimage site; the cave temple below Bhairaveshwara Shikhara has a self-manifested Linga (Shiva). Interestingly, the Shiva Linga is always drenched by the water dripping from the roof of the cave. Yana rocks surrounded by thick forests of the Western Ghats in Karnataka.

History
According to the Hindu mythology, there was a demon king with the name as Bhasmasura. By austere penance, Bhasmasura was able to make lord Shiva very happy. So lord Shiva asked Bhasmasura to ask him for a boon. So Bhasmasura obtained a boon from lord Shiva when he will place his hand over any one’s head, he would burn them up and turn them into ashes (Bhasma). Now with the boon, Bhasmasura got excited and to test his powers, he thought of testing the power with Shiva’s head. So he began running after Shiva while lord Shiva began escaping from him.

Looking at this scenario, there was a hue and cry in the heaven and all the Gods went to lord Vishnu who is said to be the Guru who can resolve all the problems. So to protect lord Shiva, lord Vishnu turned himself up into a beautiful damsel (Mohini) to entice Bhasmasura with her beauty. Bhasmsura was quite infatuated by Mohini and asked Mohini to marry him. But Mohini put up a challenge before him that he had to do some dance before her. The dance steps involved putting the hand on his own head. Infatuated, Bhasmasura, began dancing. Without realizing, he put his hands on his own head and he burnt himself down.

According to Hindu Mythology, that’s why rocks near Yana are so black .The two hillocks are also named for this event: the tall peak being Bhairaveshwara Shikhara (“Shiva’s hill”), and the smaller peak, a few steps down below, being Mohini Shikhara (“Mohini’s hill”) where an idol of goddess Parvathi is installed.

There are several trek routes to these majestic Karst limestone formations. The Bhairaveshwara Shikara is bigger than Mohini Shikhara and the cave inside it also has a bronze statue of goddess ‘Chandika’ (Durga). The place is also related to the legend of the Bhasmasura and Lord Shiva.

Watch Yana Rock Cave & Trekking Video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afJIL2aZiw0

Trekking to Yana Rock Caves

Trekking routes begin with a well-paved trail and staircase leading above. It later opens out to crests and troughs of the plantation and natural terrain. You could start the trek from any one of the two sides – Sirsi or Kumta. The route from Sirsi is relatively easy as compared to the one from Kumta.

The hike takes at least half a day or about 6 hours or so in total. Gear up with some snacks, water, and sunscreen and get ready to brave the walk. You will encounter different species of snakes and reptiles. Be mindful of leeches. Closer to the monsoon season, their numbers seem to multiply. Carry a bag of salt with you to apply on leech-struck patches of your skin to wean them off. It is advisable to avoid the monsoon months and head there soon after the rain spree is over.

How to Reach?

Distance – 445 KM from Bangalore, 136 KM from Hubli.

By Road: It lies 55 kilometers from Sirsi and 30 kilometers if you’re coming from Kumta. You could take the local bus from Bangalore or hop onto one that plies between Kumta and Yana. They might not be very frequent, so make sure you check the timings in advance. In case you’re heading from Dharwad, it lies 182 kilometers away.
By Train: To travel by rail, board the train from Hubli Railway Station or from Bangalore to reach Kumta Station. From there, take a bus or taxi to reach the village of Yana.
By Air: The closest airport to Yana Hills is Mangalore Airport at 262 kilometers. The second closest is Kempegowda International Airport of Bangalore at 463 kilometers.

Accommodation:

Sanskruti Quality Resort (26 KM from Yana Rocks)
Sathwik Home Stay
Palm Beach Huts (24 KM from Yana Rocks)
Nirvana Nature Resort (24 KM from Yana Rocks)

Nearest Cities / Town

Sirsi
Gokarna
Hubli
Kumta

Tourist Places to Visit in Jalna, Maharashtra, India

Tourist Places to Visit in Jalna, Maharashtra, India

Jalna is a city situated in Jalna District in the Indian State of Maharashtra, about 394 km from the state capital Mumbai and about 298 km away from Pune city. Jalna district occupies an area of 7,612 sq. km. and Jalna city is positioned at an elevation of 489 meters.

The Pin Code of Jalna begins from 431201 and the city is located between latitude 19.83° in the north and longitude 75.88° in the east.

Jalna is surrounded by Beed District in the south, Aurangabad district to the west, Hingoli district towards east, Buldana district on the northeast and Parbhani district to the southeast.

Jalna is one of the major industrial hubs of the state houses 9 cotton-ginning factories, 5 cotton-presses, steel rolling mills, seed manufacturing units and also widely popular for its tourist destinations.

History of Jalna:

Prior to the Independence of India, Jalna was the part of Princely State of Hyderabad and after Independence it was merged with Aurangabad district. Jalna was formed as a district on May 1, 1981.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Jalna:

People of Jalna wear special kind of dresses and also there is a difference in dance and music according to people and the localities. Lord Shiva’s dedication is celebrated by taking part in Maha Shivaratri festival.

The specialty of dishes of Jalna is that the cuisines are strong in pepper and spice. Non-vegetarian dishes include chicken, mutton, fish and other seafood.

Jalna houses varieties of shopping centres like retail outlets, general stores, musical shops, handicrafts shops, mobile centres, electrical and electronic showrooms.

Connectivity to Jalna:

Nagpur-Aurangabad-Mumbai highway passes through Jalna connects it with other major cities of the state. Also it is well connected with nearby towns through road and broad gauge railway line. There are numerous luxury buses departing from Jana Bus Stand to Aurangabad, Pune, Ahmednagar, Nagpur and Mumbai.

Daily trains are accessible at Jalna Railway Station to travel Parbhani, Parli Vaijnath, Latur, Osmanabad, Nagpur, Nasik, Mumbai and Pune.

Aurangabad Airport is the nearest airport to Jalna located at a distance of 53 kms.

Places to visit in Jalna:

Shri Datta Ashram:

Shri Datta Ashram is a famous trust established in 1994 by PP Tai Maharaj on the auspicious day of ‘Shri Ram Navami’. It organizes spiritual ceremonies and celebrates festivals of the deities and arranges food circulation (anna daan) and cooperative programs on such events. Shri Datta Ashram contains the big photographs of several gods and goddesses.

Jalna Fort:

Jalna Fort is one of the historical forts in Jalna District. The fort is quadrangular in outline, with hemispherical strongholds at the corners. The bastion stands of Persian inscription recording the time when it was built.

Moti Talab:

Moti Talab was constructed by Jamshed Khan located west side of Jalna Town. It is one of the good places for tourists to enjoy their holidays.

The Jumma Masjid:

A rectangular Jumma Masjid was constructed with a great mogul style in 1557 A.D. by the famous King Jamshed Khan. A reservoir is inside a cemented courtyard and the surrounding wall has a platform all round, with piercing arched recesses on the outside.

Matsyodari Devi Temple:

Matsyodari Devi Temple is an ancient temple sited about 20 km from Jalna City. There is annual fair held during the period of Navrathri every year in Matsyodari Devi Temple.

Other tourist places in and around Jalna include:

Shri Ganesh Temple
Mamma Devi Temple
Anandi Swami Temple
Ghanewadi Talab
Hamam
Sarai
Dargah of Jan Alla Shah
Dargah of Nur Shah Wali

Best time to visit Jalna:

The ideal time to visit Jalna is from October to February because there are annual fairs held in major temples of the Jalna.

Accommodation options in and around Jalna:

Jalna is a place with full of tourist attractions like fort, river, parks and temple. Due to this reason, there are several luxury hotels, resorts and home stays are located to serve tourists with upgraded facilities. Hotels offer variety of south Indian, North Indian and Chinese food at reasonable price as per the requirement of the customers. Luxury hotels day rent cost from Rs. 1100 to Rs. 3600. Major Hotels in and around Jalna are:

Galaxy Deluxe Hotel
Hotel Madhuban
Ambassador Ajanta
Amarprit Hotel
Hotel Flora Inn
Mauli hotel
Amber Hotel
Indrayani Hotel
Hotel Maduban
Darshana Hotel

Jaldapara Tourism – Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal

Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Jaldapara, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India

Jaldapara National Park is a famous park located on the banks of Torsa River in Alipurduar Sub-Division of Jalpaiguri district in the Indian State of West Bengal spread in an area of 216.51 sq. km. and positioned about 61 meters from the mean level of sea. The park is located between 26°37′43″ north latitude and 89°22′39″ east longitude.

Jaldapara National Park is home to greater numbers of Indian one horned rhinoceros and has rich flora and fauna. Also it has near proximity prominent wildlife reserves like Chilapata Forests, Buxa Tiger Reserve and Gorumara National Park.

Flora and fauna of Jaldapara National Park:

Indian one-horned rhinoceros are the most important attractions of Jaldapara National Park and the park houses greater numbers of rhino population after Kaziranga National Park, Assam in India. Sambar, Bengal Tigers, elephants, barking deer, spotted deer and hog deer are other major animal species found in the park.

Jaldapara National Park is widely popular for its population of rare species of Bengal florican and is home to numerous famous birds like Finn’s weaver, peafowl, monitor lizards, Pallas’s fish eagle, lesser Pied Hornbill, crested eagle and partridge. The park also houses cobras, monitor lizards, kraits, Pythons, geckos and eight genuses of clean water turtles.

History of Jaldapara National Park:

In 1800, Jaldapara National Park area was known as Totapara. It was developed into a National Park in 1941 for the reason of saving the Indian one-horned rhinoceros and announced it as a National Park in the year 2012.

Connectivity to Jaldapara National Park:

Jaldapara National Park is one of the good tourist destinations of West Bengal State visited by huge numbers of tourists every year for its natural and wildlife importance. Due to this reason, there are plenty of tourist vehicles providing transportation services to Jaldapara National Park from Jalpaiguri City and also the park is reachable from nook and corner of the state through well maintained road infrastructure.

Hasimara Railway Station is the nearest railway station to Jaldapara National Park located at a distance of 19 km. Cooch Behar Airport is one of the major airports of the state placed 38 km away from Jaldapara National Park.

Other tourist places near Jaldapara National Park:

Buxa Tiger Reserve:

Buxar Tiger Reserve situated within the Buxa National Park stretches an area of 760 sq. km. It is located in Alipurduar Sub Division of Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal State and surrounded by Bhutan Country in the north.

Buxar Tiger Reserve is home to a greater numbers of Indian tigers, red jungle fowl, civet, wild dog, Pangolin Himalayan Black Beer and clouded leopard. Also Tiger Reserve houses 250 species of shrubs, 10 species of bamboo, 100 species of grass and 400 species of herbs. Buxa Fort is situated near Buxar Tiger Reserve.

Gorumara National Park:

Gorumara National Park is an eminent tourist destination placed in Dooars region of Jalpaiguri District. The park was declared as a national park in the year 1992. This is the main reserve of Indian Rhinoceros and the park is surrounded by dense forest and grasslands. It is home to seven species of turtles, 193 species of birds, 22 species of reptiles and 27 species of fishes.

Chilapata Forest:

Chilapata Forest is a prominent forest situated near Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in Dooars region of Jalpaiguri District. It has near proximity with famous Nalraja Garh constructed during the period Gupta Empire. Chilapata Forest is placed about 22 km away from Alipurduar Town and is home to numerous Indian Rhinos and Indian Leopards.

The list of tourist places near Jaldapara National Park:

Malbazar
Chapramari Forest
Rajpur Tea Garden
Sarojendra Deb Raikat Kala Kendra
Jalpesh Temple
King Shaheber Ghat
The River Teesta
Jogomaya Kalibari
Devi Chaudhurani Mandir
Town Club Stadium
Teesta Udyan
Jubilee Park

Best time to visit Jaldapara National Park:

The best time to visit Jaldapara National Park is from October to March when the weather is very pleasant.

Accommodation options near Jaldapara National Park:

One can find better accommodations in Jalpaiguri and the Luxury hotels, rest houses and lodges are listed here below:

Sinclairs Retreat
Jaldapara Tourist Lodge
De L’ Pretom Hotel
Hotel Hill View
Kanchenjungha Lodge
Elite Hotel
Rose Valley Resort
Moonlight Lodge
Hotel Satyam
Hotel Ratnadeep
Hotel Atithi
Ushashi Bhawan
Prime Murti Hotel
Hotel India

Best Tourist Places in Durg, Chhattisgarh, India

Best Tourist Places in Durg, Chhattisgarh, India

Durg is a city located in Durg District of Chhattisgarh State, India. It is the administrative headquarter of Durg District, considered as the third biggest District of Chhattisgarh State. The Pin Code of Durg starts from 491001 and the city is situated at an elevation of 290 meters. Durg coordinates at 21.19° N 81.28° E.

Durg is located in the vicinity of famous Bhilai Steel Plant of Bhilai and is home to numerous oil mills, mining, bell-metal working and brass working industries. Durg features a dry tropical climate and the major rivers flow through Durg include Sheonath, Tandula, Sheonath and Mahanadi.

Landmarks in Durg:-

Ganga Maiyaat Jhalmala Temple
Jain shrine of Uwasaggaharam Parshwa Teerth

Durg Neighborhood:

Balod
Durg
Bhilai
Dalli Rajhara
Jamul
Kumhari
Gunderdehi

History of Durg:-

Durg was a part of ‘Dakshina’ in earlier times and was visited by the Chinese voyager Huien Tsang during the 4^th century. Durg witnessed the rule of Maurya Empire, Marathas and the British Empire.

Food, Culture and Shopping in Durg:-

Durg people like both vegetarian and non vegetarian food items. Doobraj Rice, Sahu Jalebi Bhandar, Bafauri, Mahua and Makri Dhaba are the major cuisines and Wheat, Jowar and Maize are the main staple food of the people at Durg.

Durg culture itself is very wealthy and interesting and is rich in its performing arts. This region has been influenced by the folk arts and performing arts of various forms of other regions. Durg has many tribal groups and all the tribal communities have various dance forms of their own.

Durg shopping means splurging on the objects given attractive figure by the tribal community very connoisseur and generate magnificent items of artistic values. Durg is well known for exceptional handiworks that includes of complex showpieces, gift items and valuable products.

How to reach Durg?

Durg is well connected with Mumbai, Kolkata and Nagpur through National Highway 6. There are regular buses plying between Durg and its surrounding regions and one can board buses from Steel Colony Bus Stop (4 km away) and other local bus terminals. Durg Railway Station is placed 2 km away from the heart of Durg city and Durg is served by Raipur Airport situated at a distance of 55 kms. There are Autos and Jeeps available to reach airport.

Places to see in Durg:-

Uwasaggaharam Parshwa Teerth:-

Uwasaggaharam Parshwa Teerth is a holy place devoted to Shri Parshwa Prabhu. It is situated just few kms away from Durg town centre. The temple comprises a statue of the originator of Uvasaggaharam Mantra ‘Shri Bhadrabahu Swami’.

Tandula:-

Tandula is a dam situated in Balod of Durg District. It was built in the year 1912 and is situated near the convergence of Sukha Nala and Tandula River. Tandula Dam covers an area of 827.2 sq. km. and has a water storage space capacity of 312.25 million cubic meters.

Deorbijia Temple:-

Deorbijia Temple is an ancient temple located in Deorbijia of Durg District. It attracts pilgrims from all over the district and has near proximity with another famous temple of Janjgir District.

Maitri Bagh:-

Maitri Bagh is a children favour park and is the combined project of the Russian and the Indian governments. It is widely popular for its landscaped gardens include a toy train and a lake.

Sheorinarayan Temple:-

Sheorinarayan Temple was built during the period of 13^th century and designed with beautiful Indian architecture. It is one of the must see places in Durg.

Other tourist attractions in and around Durg include:-

Devbaloda
Balod
Hindi Bhawan
Durg District Court building
Jain Temple
Goddess Ganga temple
Chandi Mandir

Best time to visit Durg:-

Best time to visit Durg is during winter season from October to February.

Accomodation options in and around Durg:-

Hotels situated in Durg provide best hospitality services with different facilities include doctor on call, 24 hour internet connectivity, gym, hot water bath, air ticket booking, laundry, varieties of foods from North India, South India and Western, garden area, cable TV, swimming pool and recreation room. The major hotels in Durg and its nearby regions are as follows: