Tuljapur

This post is about our visit to Tuljapur Bhavani maa temple in Osmanabad district of Maharashtra.

Dates: 18 & 19-Jun-2016

Tuljapur is around 270 kms from Pune where we are living now. Instead of a 6hrs drive, we decided to travel in train till Solapur and look for onward journey to Tuljapur which is 45 KMs away from Solapur.

We 3, (my wife, son & myself) started from Pune on 18-Jun-2016 (Saturday) around 8am, seated comfortable in Intercity express departed at 9.30am.

and reached Solapur just before 2 in the afternoon.  Though there are frequent buses to Tuljapur, which means we need to go to bus stand from Railway station, instead we hired a cab to drop us at MTDC resort where I made online booking (3 days ahead) for our stay.

Smooth journey to Tuljapur, 4 lane construction works in progress. Handful of speed brakes here & there.

By 4pm, inside MTDC resort;Though the room & stay are comfortable, though the staffs co-operating & assisting well, but you need to ask them for ricksaw / coffee / tea etc. which they get from outside and serve you, with 3 times electricity cut in the night. More options for boarding & lodging available just in front of temple - not sure about the comfort.

After an hour relax & freshen-up, off to temple by 5pm which is not too far away from MTDC (but we took an auto-ricksaw).

Tulja Bhavani mandir on the background.

Steep steps, where you claim down for the main sanctum; though not crowded but still follow the queue; At MTDC the person told that "Belts not allowed", but there's no checking at the entrance. Even guards did not check/restrict for mobile phone camera etc. We saw a person wearing "lungi" in the queue.

By 6.30 evening, we finished darshan and were relaxing just outside the main sanctum.

A big "ambi theater ?" for people to relax.

Exit from temple (where fotos not allowed in front of the security guard, hehehe).

 Shopping in the narrow lanes outside the temple;

After dinner reached MTDC by 8.30pm. We sure had a very good darshan on Saturday.

The next day, Sunday 19-Jun, started by 9am from resort for break fast, walk and to visit around temple.

Juice corner; There are quiet handful of  boarding & lodging facilities available near the temple.

There's a GHATSHEEL temple next to MTDC resort, which I heard there's a Shivalinga but I feel it may be a Shaneeswar temple as I can relate this black stone (picture below) to Shani Signapur near Shirdi.

Check out at 11am, lightning visit to Papanaash theertha and off to Solapur in a cab.

 Lunch in a hotel at Solapur station.

 Train intercity to Pune at 2pm and reached Pune by 6.

Thank you.

Thirumalai

Date: 2 & 3-May-2016

Visited Thirupathi for the 1st time.

Hired a cab from Chennai and started by 8am on 2-May-2016. Stop for break fast coffee on the way.

 Reached Thirupathi & onward journey to Thirumala.2 months earlier we booked online for accommodation & darshan. So, went to information counter and took the room details. After a small rest at room, came down for lunch.

Our darshan time is 9pm. So little shopping before that. Purchased kurta for myself, ottikko kattikko vesti for Prashanth as there are dress code restrictions for "Seekra darshan" Rs.300/- per person.

Though Rs.300/- queue is "empty" but when it joins with Rs.50/- queue, crowd starts running while it increased as we move forward. Within an hour & half, we finished the darshan, saw Vimana Venkatesa also and came out for laadu collection. Walk to our cab parking and back to room by night 11.30;

Next day started from room,

Visit to Agasa ganga & Pabavinasam

Had plan to visit Padmavathi temple as well as Suruta palli. Thinking of crowd at Padmavathi temple, went straight to Suratapalli. Though reached by 12.30, "heard" the temple may be locked, back to Chennai by 4pm on 3-May-16.

Kolhapur

Date: 8 & 9-Apr.2016

This was our 2nd trip to Kolhapur. We took our train from Pune around mid night and reached Kolhapur by evening 4pm next day. This time my son, wife & myself travelled while last time my brothers and their family, with my mother, in-laws travelled.

Stayed at the same place "Indra Dhanush guest house", hardly a km from temple. The room is OK for 1 night stay that costs Rs.500/-, not to expect a luxury stay.

After a 30 minutes relaxation in room, we walked around the market in the next street, looking for food but unfortunately couldn't find a one in the busy crowded place. Though our plan to visit temple is the next day (as that day was Gudi padwa* which will be crowded), we entered temple as we heard there's Chariot going around the temple at 9pm.

[ *Gudi padwa - is Marathi new year ]

Enjoyed the occasion in the crowded temple premises, came out and had dinner in the hotel just opposite the temple (west ?) gate.

Next day 9-Apr morning around 8am, left room and walk towards temple.

No crowd in the queue and this amused us as there were too many just the previous night due to Gudi padwa, though we are aware of this and hence planned the visit the next day of Gudi padwa.Had a good darshan of devi Mahalaxmi in 15 minutes time and came out. Just few fotos in the temple campus.

Had a good lunch at a hotel not so far from temple and left room /Kolhapur by 3pm. Back to Pune in train.