One quiet morning at Malpe beach

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Seeing too much of drab and dreary arid land and dusty roads for the past days has enervated my senses and spirit. The long hauls and moving from one town or district everyday, changing hotels just for an overnight stay, and the exotic and unfamiliar cuisine were beginning to take its toll on me--physically. Save for the reviving greener roads from Hassan to Dharmasthala, then Ujire, before we took a 2-hour road trip to Udupi.

Udupi is a coastal town west of South India and, definitely, a beach scene would be a welcome change! Early morning the next day, we headed further about 6-7 kilometers Northwest of Udupi to to Malpe Beach to have a glimpse of the Arabian Sea. As one enters this public beach, a familiar Indian figure greets the traveler--Mahatma Ghandi's bronze statue.







We arrived at Malpe beach as soon as the sun rose in the East. It would have been perfect had we arrived at sundown the day before because I was aching for photographing sunset in India--by the beach. I think I had to reserve that in the coming days. Not a sunset by the beach but somewhere else--if luck strikes. The past sunsets had been drab despite the fact that the sun shone brightly the whole day. I still didn't have an idea where. Regardless, one quiet morning at Malpe beach was all I could get. I had to live with this limitation, and always had to remind myself that I was not here on a holiday. So, on a hurried pace, I had to scour the shore for interesting photography subjects.

It is a very ordinary beach compared to what I have seen in the Philippines. However, what makes it memorable is the fact that I have reached this far in this side of the world--and I had a glimpse of the Arabian Sea! Alas, I did not have much time to take a dip, because I was also busy doing my photography.

The beach was not yet crowded when we arrived, but people slowly trickled in when we were about to leave. There were couples doing their early-morning meditations, a woman sweeping the beach, fishermen fixing their net in a boat, a man testing his jet  ski, some locals walking on the beach and lots of crows and eagles hovering above us and occasionally darting towards the water for their prey of fish, before they would take some rest on the caramel-colored sand.











There was barely noise around. Only the waves, a cacophony of the sea's sighs and heaves, crashing onto the shore and the crows' caw filled the misty morning air. One can only feel nature and people connecting with it.  It was perfect enough for some time to be lazy, or catch some quiet time for meditation and prayer.  If I had my way, I would linger here even just for half a day, but we needed to move on.

Be that as it may, this short trip to the beach revived my senses. It was definitely a delightful and gratifying break from the tiring long road trips. It was also a time away a bit from my companions--to be alone and engrossed in my passion of capturing the world in my lenses. Lastly, it was a novel experience watching those one to many crows and eagles lingering on the sand and hovering above us.

Finally, I was glad to tell, The Pinoy Explorer was here!



More photos at MALPE BEACH in Flickr.

This is the 4th leg of my

SOUTH INDIA SERIES. 

Please come back for more stories while exploring and learning about the State of Karnataka in India.

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Vintage elephant chariots of Dharmasthala

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Inside the temple town of Dharmasthala is a collection of vintage elephant chariots or temple chariots. This is different from the elephant chariots they used in wars in the earlier days.

Elephant chariots are usually used during religious festivals. It was told that before their transfer to Dharmasthala, these magnificent chariots with their intricate carvings and decorations have often suffered neglect. These 15th century temple chariots were brought to Dharmasthala from several places of Karnataka and were restored to their original grandeur by dedicated craftsmen so that people may, once again, admire the beauty of these chariots of the gods. Indeed, the intricate bas relief of the Indian gods and deities are awesome enough that one can actually linger the whole day just to appreciate it.



However, looking at this display of Indian heritage that is open to the elements may not last long. There were around 6 of these chariots on display under a open shelter with tin roofing. If these were not transferred to an  enclosed museum it will continue to decay in the passing of time.



Be that as it may, I was at awe looking at these chariots. The intricate design makes a photography junkie like me so much excited that I did not know where to start and what to shoot. I had to compose myself, shedding off that over-excitement at the sight of these museum pieces, and had to and make do by covering all possible angles with the little time left before we have to move on to Udupi. Everything just looked to surreal. I could just imagine how these chariots looked when decorated and take the center stage of the religious festivals. I am just blessed to see these Indian heritage.



How it is used during festivals is more grand than I could imagine. I am glad that I have seen a decorated chariots in Udupi--that deserves another post, soon!



More photos at Flickr Set: The Vintage Chariots of Dharmasthala

This is the Third leg of my

SOUTH INDIA SERIES. 

Please come back for more stories while exploring and learning about the State of Karnataka in India.

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Inside the temple heritage town of Dharmasthala

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Before heading to Udupi, our next destination after Ujire (which is a purely educational tour), we passed by Dharmastala to see another project.

The gate of the Dharmasthala.

Dharmasthala is host to well known Shiva temple popularly known as "Manjunatha." The other temples include Shrine of Shri Manjunatheshwara, Shrine of Ammanavaru and the Four Daivas - Kalarahu, Kalarkayi, Kumaraswami and Kanyakumari, and Shrine of Lord Ganapathi. We did not get to see these temples due to lack of time. However, we did see the shrine of the 39-feet tall statue of Bahubali.

The busy street of Dharmasthala where people from all of life converge for their devotion and worship.

While it is a pilgrimage site, this temple town also features the exhibition and restoration of Indian heritage. It has Manjusha museum with a cardinal purpose of bringing together the Indian heritage objects.  There is also a car museum but I did not have the chance to take photographs as it was prohibited to do so. At the very least, it was nice to see those vintage cars up on show. We did not get to see the museum since it was already late as our group was heading for Udupi and the other group, back to Hassan. One interesting part of the complex was the collection of ancient elephant chariots. (More of these in a separate blog).

The car museum. Photography is not allowed inside.

This plane was bought and put up inside the complex as an exhibit intended for the poor who have not seen an airplane.

An exhibit infront of the Car Museum.

If I had more time to explore this place, it would be great to observe what it is known for--religious tolerance as well as partaking of "Anna Daana" (free food). They serve at least 10,000 pilgrims everyday that they have installed a mechanized kitchen to cater to everyone who would like to dine. So they say, it is perhaps one of the most impressive events that takes place at the holy temple. It is also complete with free and paid lodging that caters to the poor and more affluent pilgrims, as well as shops and other amenities.

What strikes me most about this place is that devotees and pilgrims come in thousands every day--as honored guests irrespective of caste, creed, culture or status.

Shri Kshethra Dharmastala Rural Development Project Office

This is the Third leg of my

SOUTH INDIA SERIES. 

Please come back for more stories while exploring and learning about the State of Karnataka in India.

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Jainism and the naked Bahubali monolith of Dharmasthala

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Up on the hill of Dharmasthala, Indian temple village, in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India, is a monolith naked statue of Bhagwan Bahubali, or Gomatheshwara--an Indian crown prince who led and ascetic life after defeating his older brother, Bharata, in a duel. Bahubali renounced all his possessions to attain supreme knowledge Kevalajnana, thus being worshiped by Jains.

Read more about Bahubali here.

A gold-plated miniature statue of Bahubali at the foot of the 39-foot granite statue.

You may wonder why the statue is naked and why there are naked worshipers? With limited time going here, I did not know much about it thus, it led me to research more about Bahubali. According to this website:

"Nakedness is an essential part of religion...Nudity and other forms of austerity are intended to strip away karma matter and create a detached state of desirelessness that will not attract further karma. The goal is ahimsa, a lack of desire in which no living thing is harmed. Jain ascetics sometimes fast to death as a severe penance for killing creatures and to work off as much karma as possible."

Jain worshipers at the Bahubali temple in Hassan.

The statue of Bahubali in Dharmastala, in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka is a 39-feet statue made from a single solid piece of granite. it was built in 1973. This religious site is frequently visited by pilgrims and tourists. No naked worshipers were seen during the visit, so far.



Every 12 years, they hold a festival called Shravanabelagola, where they pour coconut milk, sacred water with sandalwood paste, turmeric and other sacred fluids.

Going inside the compounds needs one to remove their footwear, but socks are allowed. The grounds would be too hot on summer months and walking barefoot on it would prove to be difficult especially in the afternoon when the sun is in its full ascent.

Walking on hot grounds, it dawned on me that I think I would not be a perfect candidate for asceticism, that calls for the renouncing of worldly possessions and comfort. But one thing that makes me like this religion is their doctrine of non-violence. It was said that: "Mahatma Gandhi was strongly influenced by the Jain leader Raychandbhai Mehta, a political leader and holy man who promulgated non-violence."

This is the Third leg of my

SOUTH INDIA SERIES. 

Please come back for more stories while exploring and learning about the State of Karnataka in India.

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Anniversary Post - Part 2 | Lessons on travel blogging

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Today, May 1, is the 4th birthday of The Pinoy Explorer!

Four years may be too long, yet this blog is still a speck in the world wide web, but I relish the thought that my family, friends, and colleagues learn about the different beautiful places in the Philippines that are worth visiting, and eventually, become inspired to try it out themselves. The statistics may not be something to be proud of (compared to many blogs), but it gives me, nonetheless, an assurance that I am able to cut the message across.

In this day and age when blogs are dime a dozen, readers want something more than the usual touristy articles. Readers want to have something more than the "how to's", and "how much?" They are aching for something that will feed their mind and soul. People want to be more involved--through social media, they want to share, act and move.

Popularity of the blog is not the sole measure. It is a hard lesson--which I gladly took up on my sleeves. From a simple blog about places, The Pinoy Explorer tried to venture into discussing some burning issues, albeit, superficially--just a nip in the bud with the aim to just tickle the senses. I give my readers a room to think and do something about it in the end. It does not hurt much, I think, that some issues need to be tackled as part of the realities of travel and tourism. Sometimes, the articles are unpopular, and may not augur well for companies hiring you to blog about them, but they hit the mark and touch the senses of the interest groups that happen to share the same advocacy you hold dear in your heart.



The plight of the Boracay Ati community is the biggest crowd drawer of The Pinoy Explorer. It moves against the tides. For a time I thought that there was a manipulation involved in the web searches. I remember it landed in page one of the search, but it suddenly disappeared. Yet it got noticed, and continues to be read and shared by readers.

Before that, my article on the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant did not seem to augur well in a travel blog, but it did get the hits and remained on top before it was overtaken by the article on Boracay. The issue on nuclear energy, combined with the burning issues and discussions on the Fukushima meltdown had helped this blog to surge and continues to be read by some interest groups like students who would like to see the BNPP themselves.

Combining tourism and developmental blogging can also have its positive rewards. My article about Baguio City in condemnation of SM City Baguio's plan to cut the trees around its compound drew a lot of viewers. It does not only discuss the beauty that is Baguio City, but also the fight against the cutting of 168 trees in SM Baguio Compound.

Articles when solidly written coupled with locals raving about and sharing the articles because of sheer delight that their unknown barangay or less popular festival were published gives a boost to readership. Such is the case with my article on Asin Road, Brgy. Calima and Lang-ay Festival. It offers that wonderful feeling among the locals for their barangay or festival being in the digital map!



A good series is as good as the quantity and quality of information you give, while leaving something for their imagination and chance to experience the destinations themselves. This is the reason why the "how to's" and "how much" topics were almost evaded. Readers must also try the bad experiences as well. (Smile!).   My unending affection for Bohol has also been translated to many shares and views. Needless to say, I am simply happy with that.

Blog networking and carnivals are just as successful as my other successful articles. With this, I am forever grateful to my Pinoy Travel Bloggers (PTB) group for giving me the chance to join the blog carnivals and hosting the Visayas theme! You can also include contributors to your blog entry like what I did for the Visita Iglesia. There can never be more rewarding than having a group of bloggers discussing and blogging and advocating (in a way) about the experience, the places, food, foibles, and what have you.

Culture can never be a passe. It is always the crux of travel blogging. One cannot shy away from the fact that culture is a natural bait for readers. Adventure and nature comes in second, I think (at least for this blog). Travel is always about people, their traditions, and a way of life. I think I would score an "A" for the effort in giving it a prime spot in my blog.



To sum it up, and my way of helping aspiring travel bloggers, these are my unsolicited advice:

• Blog from your heart. You will always be bogged down by facts and figures. Googling about the places you have been to will only give you a headache. Talk about the experience and you can never go wrong. Before you know it, you would have to shorten or cut your blogs into parts like this.
• Feed the readers' mind and soul. There are blogs out there who tell the directions and tips. There is nothing wrong with that. They cater to the other market. There is a blog market for those who relish on existential matters. This does not mean, however, to pour out all your thoughts and emotions. Leave something for yourself, too. I cringe at the thought of writing and exposing too personal matters. Writing about it will be difficult at the start, but once you get the cadence and rhythm, every idea and emotion will just pop out and before you know it, you will run out of words to describe it. It will not only give the article that sense of authenticity but it will also give you that "advantage"--when people begin to appreciate you more for what you have experienced and not for where you have gone to.
• Advocate. Take that developmental approach to writing. The pen is as mighty as the sword. In this day and age when social media is at its prime, take advantage of the opportunity to voice out your convictions. Beware, however, of the limitations. Spell C-Y-B-E-R-C-RI-M-E. Tread this path with utmost care. Choose and plan your battles. You cannot just go haywire on advocating something you cannot discuss well. 
• Stand your ground. Be consistent.  One cannot write about an experience when you see something was wrong. To this day, I have not blogged about an organic vegetarian restaurant in Baguio City because I observed how the lady owner badly treated her staff.  I simply would not allow her restaurant to have the "air time". Not in my blog! Not even in my Facebook wall.
• Be a culture vulture. Go to places with the end in mind of learning about the people and their traditions, but do not be a judgmental and high and mighty travel blogger. They are the master of their lives and traditions. Just go with the flow. Immerse. Observe. Learn. 
• Build and join online communities. No blog is an island. Connect as much as you'd like to explore the world.
• Be yourself. Do not pretend to be like someone else. You are the master of your experiences. Whether it be trip to the ubiquitous Burnham Park or Luneta, your experience is all but yours to relish and share.
• Reflect on your motives. Do you want to be popular or celebrity blogger? Do you want to make money out of it? Or simply wanting to express your thoughts and emotions? You are the only one who can answer that. I put it in the last of my list because creativity is lost once these questions muddle up your mind.

With that, I end this discussion for now. I hope to cull out more lessons to share in the future!

Thanks a lot for celebrating the 4th birthday of The Pinoy Explorer--the travel blog. (smile!)

Thank you!

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Anniversary Post - Part 1 | Celebrating 4 years of travel blogging

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While you are reading this, I am somewhere, monitoring a social enterprise of the indigenous peoples of Palawan. It is part of a job I am blessed with. Yes, my job brings me to different places, familiar or not. Oftentimes, however, I would have to remind myself every time I travel officially that it is not the journey that counts--it is always the destination that matters. This is not an anathema and contradiction to Ralph Waldo Emerson. With my work, it is just the way it is.

I go to places for a reason--mainly to pull off the almost (but not) cliche: "helping people help themselves." The side stories, which I happen to write about are just a by-product of my right brain in my attempt to take a relief from the humdrum of the technical part of it. Some of the adventures are just stolen moments after the official duties have been performed--may it be a dip in the pool, a walk in the beach, or a stroll in the park.

Many of my past entries, too, are personal travels--near or far. It has always been great spending some time alone or with the company of friends and family somewhere--while forgetting about work at least for a few days.

Whether personal or official, travelling is spiritually rewarding. It gives one the advantage of taking some steps away to have a better perspective about doing things. A brief sojourn somewhere in a Baguio City park or a short visit and immersion in an Iraya community, gives one the freedom to relish work, to recharge, and of course to revel about the borrowed "me-time".

Though I have been blogging since 2007, it is in 2009 that I began The Pinoy Explorer--an evolution of its predecessor: Explored!  It has also gone through several face lifts and redesign. It's focus swerved from topic to another until it was recalibrated to what it is now, almost like a battle cry--culture, adventure and nature.

Four years have passed since then. The number of years, too, ramify into infinite lessons--many of them I have taken by heart. Some of them were shrugged off. Some, still, are yet to be chewed over before they can be swallowed.

Writing about my travels has no special reason other than to share. Some people might think I am a brag. It is not something to parade about. It is meant to inspire someone to take that step and relish the joys of travel, especially if it is our beloved Philippines that is the destination.

Setting aside wanting for the most sought-after fame and celebrity status, blogging becomes just an afterglow of the pleasant experience of traveling. I am already at peace and comfortable with who I have become and what I have been doing. It is not something to be famous of, but more of discovering people and places--famous or not.

My motto: Just blog and don't brag.

With all the triumphs, failures and and imperfections of this blog, I am, nonetheless, celebrating its 4 years of existence in the world wide web. Cliche as it may sound, but this blog still exists in the digital sphere because there are still readers and clicks in this site--and one of them is you!

For all these years of sharing with me the joys of traveling, maraming salamat!

______
Must read: As part of this two-part series, The Pinoy Explorer shares his lessons in travel blogging.


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The road to Hassan

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Adrenaline still filled the comfy traveler van despite the searing mid-afternoon sun. This time, we went back to Hiriyur and turn right to a fork that leads to the interiors of Karnataka until we reached Hassan district, which, unlike Chitradurga is a bit more progressive. We would have taken the road from Bangalore to Hassan, if it were not for a needed jaunt at Hiriyur and Chitradurga.

My hands were still glued to to my cameras. In between droopy eyes that was inevitable on a hot day my index still finger managed to click every now and then as we pass through interesting spots along the way. Thanks to the bumpy road and a close call in one intersection that roused my senses and be on guard since I was at the front seat.

I thought I have seen enough of India, but not. The road to Hassan, I guess, was the worst of our roundabout road trip in India. The trip to Kattehole Village, was just a "free taste" of what we saw and gone through in this stretch. Like the ride to Kattehole, everything was dry and dusty. Save for the closed and air-conditioned traveler van that sheltered us from heat and dust. The long drive seemed to be very boring that I would ask my myself, "Are we there yet?"

Be that as it may, this road trip, no matter how dragging and dangerous it was, gave me a glimpse of India's rural economy, a slice of life, and a preview of the beautiful and colorful culture.

Goat shepherds

Rocky mountains outside Chitradurga

A row of banyan trees. One of the beautiful spots on the way to Hassan.

Are we there yet?

Spell DRY.

Add caption

Women fetching water from a communal water source.

In the olden days, arches like this was a marker for travelers that a village is already near. This also symbolized
the temple inside the village.

Stopping by a town where fruits are sold. These fruits are locally grown in Northern India.
They DO NOT import apples and oranges from China. The apples and seedless grapes are sweet, and c-h-e-a-p.

The folks at the fruit stand.

School boys were excited to see a traveler (a.k.a. Tourist Bus) going to their town. They thought I was Chinese. They asked me to take their photo.

Women waiting for a ride.

Two men HHWW Before Sunset. Finally arrived in Hassan!

For more photos, see On the road | Chitradurga to Hassan in Flickr.

This is the second leg of my

SOUTH INDIA SERIES. 

Please come back for more stories while exploring and learning about the State of Karnataka in India.

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