About

Seward

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Alaskan Adventures

This quaint little city by the Resurrection Bay in southern Alaska , acts as the launching pad for many an Alaskan adventure. With a population of less than 3000 people, and an area of just 56 sq kms, it is small and has a real old world charm about it.

Pronounced “Suvard” by the locals, it took us few interactions before we could get it right!! The epic train journey on the Coastal Classic train from Anchorage along some beautiful landscapes brought us to this city.

The Coastal Classic train near Bartlett glacier enroute Seward

The place is so small that as you arrive at the train station, you can see most of harbour and marina which comprise it’s main landscape. The Resurrection Bay and the Kenai mountains provide the picturesque background.

“Harbor 360” , the main hotel here, located along the marina is just a few metres walk from the train station. We were also put up here as all our activities started from here.

Harbor 360 hotel

Being the Southern terminal of the Alaska Railroad and having good road connectivity with Anchorage and other parts of the Kenai Peninsula, Seward is the major cruise ship port that hosts many cruise lines like Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruises.

Views of the cruise terminal and marina from the hotel

The economy is largely driven by commercial fishing and seasonal tourism. Most tourist activities take place in summer between mid May and mid September. Many of the hotels , restaurants and such facilities function only during these months. Infact when we were there in early September, some of the small establishments and street food outlets had closed down.

Cruise Tourism

Cruise liners of various companies regularly sail from Seward to various destinations in Alaska and finally to Vancouver.

One such cruise ship” Radiance of the Seas “was stuck at Sewad for a couple of days due to some technical issues and the scheduled sailing was cancelled. This threw the plans of many passengers out of gear and we happened to see them during our trip. In fact the ship seen in the picture below is the stuck cruiseliner. This incident was a hot topic there during our visit with many upset passengers having to reschedule their plans.

The cruise company did compensate the affected people but there were lot of logistic issues to be tackled.

The cruise ship that got stuck

Fishing Charters

Alaska has a long coastline and provides endless opportunities for recreational fishing. Special fishing trips and charters are available. Seward is one of the main fishing destinations in Alaska. Many tourists enjoy the fishing and then carry the catch with them home. Many locations offer facilities for storing fish and shipping them to the required destinations .

Many of the fishermen here are of Scandinavian origin and Seward is one of the largest commercial fishery ports of the United States.

The display board at Seward fishing harbour and the storage containers

Local shops sell regular fishing equipment and we find lot of shops selling specialised fishing equipment too.

Specialised fishing equipment for sale

We also noticed a lot of people fishing at the Resurrection bay with camping vans parked at the camp site.

Campground with recreational fishing

Mural Capital of Alaska

Seward is often called the Mural capital of Alaska . Some of the murals we saw…

The Puffin Mural on one wall of Hotel Harbor 360

Some more murals…

Good Friday 1964

March 27th 1964 saw one of the powerful earthquakes ever recorded in the world. With a 9.2 measure on richter scale it left a trail of destruction and Seward too was affected by this earthquake and the tsunami that it triggered.

An earthquake memorial at the main street in Seward….

The Earthquake memorial

Alaska Sealife Centre

A centre that doubles up as an aquarium, a rehabilitation centre for marine mammals and a reasearch facility, it is one of the main attractions here.

1989 saw a major oil spill along the Alaskan coast from the super tanker Exxon Valdez affecting many miles of the Alaskan coast, killing many birds and marine mammals. This incident triggered the thought of the need for a centre for reasearch on the Alaskan sealife. Settlement funds from this oil spill has partly funded this facility and now this centre rehabilitates injured and orphaned marine mammals of Alaska.

Some pictures…

Alaska Sealife Centre

Puffin and Sea Anemone

Aquarium

Otter pool…

As we walked along the Seward marina, we came across the Mariner’s memorial.

Mariner’s Memorial

Being a marine town, Seward has depended on the sea for survival . This has also resulted in tragedies over time. As a tribute to the mariners who were lost at sea, a memorial was built at the breakwater at Resurrection Bay. The focal point here is a light house surrounded by a small landscaped garden. Names of the mariners lost at sea are also displayed inside on plaques.

View of Resurrection Bay from the Mariner’s memorial

We returned to Anchorage from Seward by road, along the Seward Highway, to get a different perspective; since we had done the up journey by train .The drive along the Turnagain Arm and various view points on the seward highway added to the fun. Since those are covered in a different episode, I am not elaborating here.

The bookings for this were all done online from India months before the trip.

The Park Connection Motorcoach that runs between Seward and Anchorage

As I mentioned in the beginning , Seward was a small place but the activities that are organised from here are amazing.

We did the Kenai Fjords Cruise from here. That’s where we went up close to two glaciers and actually saw them calving. That was really a lifetime experience.

The other thing we did at Seward was rafting the Resurrection river. That too was a great experience as the guide took us to real wilderness areas on the raft.

Both these will come up in the next epoisodes. Till then, let me say goodbye. Do give your valuable feedback and comments.

An epic train journey

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Alaskan Adventures

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Starting the my blog journey in 2024 with an epic train journey from Anchorage to Seward . Just sit back and enjoy this journey….

I knew that this was going to be a beautiful train journey from the reviews I had read. But I was not prepared for this!! The natural beauty that awaited us on the journey from Anchorage to Seward on the Coastal Classic train was something that surpassed my expectations. How can I not share that with you all then? So just imagine that you are sitting in a comfortable seat on a train and visualize what you read…I am sure you will enjoy every bit of it…

Our journey started from The Alaska Railroad depot in Anchorage. The station has an old world charm about it with a steam locomotive displayed outside along with an antique totem pole…

The Alaska Railroad station and the displays outside

Boarding the train and the glass dome coaches for viewing comfort

Since it is a tourist train, there were regular announcements about the approaching highlights and that was really helpful.

Just after the train left Anchorage station, we were passing the Turnagain arm of the Cook Inlet . Along side was the Seward Highway on which we had travelled to Portage glacier.

The train meanders along the Turnagain arm

We passed the Beluga Point and other lookouts along the highway and the train was winding it’s way along the sides of the Chugach ranges. The train conductor was updating us on the wildlife seen and we did get to see quite a lot of them. Pictures were of course not feasible with the distance and the moving train.

We did see mountain goats on the hillsides of the Chugach Ranges and an occasional moose as we passed the open lands between the mountains. Bald eagles were also plentiful.

Some pictures of the Chugach Ranges..

Crossing the Chugach mountains

Chugach mountains on the left, Seward highway and Turnagain arm on the right

Beautiful meadows and a house near Girdwood

The conductor announced that we were approaching Girdwood, our first halt. The size of the station and the number of people amused me!!!

The cute Girdwood station

Girdwood is a small station enroute and is the point from where one can visit Mt. Alyeska, a part of the Chugach ranges receiving almost 700 inches of snow every year. The Alyeska Resort located here is an all year round adventure destination featuring, saltwater pools, ski slopes, spas and other activities.

As we chugged along, there was a peculiar scene. Plenty of tree stumps jutting out of the marshy land. These are the stumps of the trees that got submerged in the 1964 earthquake .

The submerged tree trunks; the aftermath of the earthquake

Soon in typical Alaskan style, we had rain and that added it’s own beauty to the mountains…

The rain adds beauty to the mountains….

The next announcement created lot of excitement in the train. For the next hour or more, we were going to see wilderness at it’s best. We were told to be ready with our cameras all the time.

It started with the views of the Spencer glacier as we chugged closer to it.

Spencer Glacier

A glacier in the Chugach National Forest, this glacier is just 1 mile away from the rail track!!

This glacier is right in the middle of wilderness and one can reach it by taking this train and getting down at a station called the Spencer Whistle stop. There is just a sign board there and if one is booked for a hiking or rafting tour at the glacier, the guide meets up at the station and one can proceed for hiking and other adventures.

The views were awesome to say the least. Take a look..

Have a look at this video to get the feel of the glacier slowly coming into view

The glacier as seen from the train.

The Whistle stop and the icebergs broken from the glacier

After we crossed Spencer glacier, we were near the Placer River with a bridge across.

Placer River and bridge

Soon we were passing through a series of tunnels as we climbed the Kenai mountains. The train winding it’s way in and out of the tunnels was also beautiful.

Out of one tunnel and into another

The Placer river continued into Placer gorge in the Valley.

Placer Gorge. Note the glacial water color.

Just after this came the announcements that we were approaching Bartlett glacier.

Bartlett Glacier

Bartlett glacier originates in the Kenai mountains and lies between the Spencer and Trail glaciers . The glacier lies along the railway track and the train slowed down as we passed this glacier. The picture of the train with the Bartlett glacier is one of the iconic images used by Alaska Railroad. Some pictures..

The Coastal Classic crosses the Bartlett Glacier

Open meadows and multiple waterfalls along the hillside greeted us. Some images…

The open meadows, waterfalls and glaciers

Soon came the Trail Glacier

Trail Glacier….

Trail Glacier as we passed by…

The Trail Glacier empties into the Trail Creek which forms the Trail Lake and finally empties into the Kenai Lake. This is a popular picnic location with campgrounds nearby.

The Trail Creek and River

Soon we were near the scenic town of Moose Pass which is a campground destination in the area with facilities for hiking, fishing and other activities. There are float planes available there for use.

Moose pass with the float planes

Chugging along further we were near Kenai Lake…

The turquoise waters of the Kenai Lake

Soon after we passed Kenai Lake, we were at Seward, a small town in the Kenai Peninsula with multiple adventure activities. At Seward, the train depot is walking distance from the ferry terminal and the town.

Passenger ferries and the Seward wharf greeted us to this beautiful location.

First views of Seward

Did you enjoy this epic train journey through glacier country? Quite unique to have a glacier so close to the rail tracks…isn’t it? This is considered to be one of the most beautful train journeys in the world.

I hope you enjoyed the virtual journey as much as I did the real one. I had some awesome glacier experiences at Seward. Hope to take you through those in the coming weeks. Till then, do give your valuable comments and feedback.

Alaskan Wildlife

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Alaskan Adventures

One of the most exciting aspects of a trip to Alaska is the hope of seeing some of its unique wildlife. When I talk of wildlife, I include terrestrial and aquatic animals, birds and mammals.

We had our share of wildlife encounters during our Alaskan holiday. Some of them were in the wild, particularly while travelling by road , train or along the waterways and some were at the famous Alaskan wildlife conservation center.

One of our first exposures to Alaskan Wildlife started at the Anchorage airport itself. Stuffed wildlife exhibits are a common sight at this airport.

Moose

Moose are the largest of the deer species, with males weighing more than 500 kgs. The males have typical palmate antlers and inhabit the forests of the subarctic region. The terms Elk and Moose have been used interchangeably but Elk have a lighter brown color of skin and a whitish rump.

Some pictures

A stuffed moose at the airport

A moose and an elk

Halibut

Halibuts are the world’s largest flat fishes and have been widely baited for sport fishing in Alaska. To give you a perspective of the size of these fish, here’s the label put up alongside the halibut exhibit at the airport.

A halibut exhibit at the airport with its dimensions

At Anchorage city too, I noticed a strange sight. A pet Reindeer in a wired cage as we walked around downtown Anchorage attracted our attention. We crossed him several times as we walked along. Most of the time he would be chewing some grass/hay and would come towards us .

Star the Reindeer and a board on his Facebook page!!!

Caribou or Reindeer

Reindeer is the European name for the North American Caribou. A species of deer found in the polar regions, they vary widely in size and color and are popularly associated with SantaClaus and Christmas. They have been a source of meat and hide for the arctic people. Caribou meat is widely served as a delicacy in Alaskan restaurants.

One distinct feature of Caribou is the females having antlers.

Bald Eagle

A bird of prey that lives close to water bodies, bald eagles were plentiful in Alaska and we saw lots of them along the Resurrection river as we did a river rafting. They are not actually “bald” but get their name from the white plumage on the head. They are huge with wing spans ranging from 5 to 7 ft.

Nests with eagles resting in them were seen and as we reached close by ; they would fly away. Some pictures..

Bald Eagles

Osprey

Osprey are also birds of prey and subsist mainly on fish. They are also widely found in Alaska and have wing spans of more than 5 ft.

As we travelled by train; at several places, there were osprey resting on wooden poles near the tracks; most of them would be resting on their twig lined nests.

An interesting anecdote as told by our guide was that these osprey started nesting on the electric poles and it became a problem for the staff. Hence, the wooden poles were erected close to the track to guide the osprey away from the electric poles!!

The osprey nests close to the rail tracks..

Marmots

Marmots are large ground squirrels found widely in North America. Found mainly in thickly forested areas, they can often be seen on the road side close to forests. They are the heaviest members of the squirrel family and hibernate during the harsh winter months.

Marmots by the roadside

Sea lions

Sealions are related to walruses and seals and are called eared seals. They are bulky and have short fur. They live in colonies on the rocky ledges by the sea. They have been hunted by humans and now sealing has been curtailed. We saw huge colonies of sealions on our cruise on the Kenai peninsula. Some pictures…

A stellar Sea lion colony at Kenai

Listen to the sounds of the sealions in this video…

Orcas

Orcas or killer whales are the largest members of the dolphin family. They are highly social and often approach ships and swim along with it. We too had a small orca encounter during our cruise in the Kenai peninsula. They are not usually harmful to humans but are huge and can weigh more than 5tonnes.

Orcas are so integral to Alaskan life that they even have a chocolate named Orca Poop !!!

The tell tale fin….

Two of them and a chocolate named orca poop!!!

Sea Otters

The largest of the weasel family, Sea Otters are extensively found on the North Pacific coastline. They usually swim in groups on their backs bobbing up and down on the waves. We did see such a family enjoying the swim as we cruised at Kenai.

Otters

Salmon

Thousands of salmon migrate each year in late July and early August in the Gulf of Alaska and return to their birth place to spawn. This is an amazing natural phenomenon of the fish swimming upstream and the grizzly bears have a great time feasting on them. Some pictures..

Salmon swimming

Katmai National Park in Alaska has bear viewing flights where one can go and watch the grizzlies waiting and the salmon literally jumping into their mouths. We were a little late in the season for this but we did get to see the videos which were amazing.

Puffins

Puffins are cute sea birds that breed on coastal cliffs nesting in crevices among rocks. They are predominantly black in color or a combination of black and white with a big bright orange colored beak. They are often seeing flying low over the ocean surface. They are found in large numbers along the Alaskan coast.

Puffins resting on the rocky ledges

Apart from the natural wildlife encounters we had during our travel in Alaska ; we had the opportunity to visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Anchorage.

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC)

The mission of the AWCC is the preservation, conservation and rehabilitation of orphaned and injured native Alaskan wildlife. Set in an area of over 200 acres, on the shores of Turnagain Arm and Cook inlet on the Alaskan coastline, this center also provides permanent shelter to wildlife that cannot be released into the wilderness for various reasons. Some inmates of the AWCC….

Black Bears

A bear enclosure with a viewing platform was where we saw these bears …4 of them. One seemed restless while the others seemed to be happy in their own world. They can be distinguished from their brown counterparts by their smaller size and absence of shoulder hump. Take a look…

Black bears….

I did see a black bear on a hill slope along the road but too far for a picture!!!

Brown Bears/Grizzlies

Large bear species found extensively in North America, often referred to as grizzly bears due to their color ; with hairs on the back being brownish black at the base and whitish cream in the tips giving a grizzled appearance. They often go into hibernation during the winters.

Brown Bears

Musk Ox

These are Artic natives and have been so named due to the odor emanating from the males during the seasonal rut to attract the females. They have a thick coat of fur and both males and females have curved horns.

Musk Ox

American Bison

This particular species is special to this center as they have reintroduced them to Alaska after a long absence. They are the largest land mammals in North America and are herbivores. Widespread hunting and diseases led to dwindling numbers before the center took up this project. There were plenty of bison grazing around at the center.

Bison and a hide exhibit at the center

Another interesting sight at the center were giant vegetables contributed to the center after the Alaska Fair. These are the used as food for these animals.

The giant vegetables ….

Last , but not the least; here is a picture of the AWCC where a lot is done to preserve native Alaskan Wildlife…

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Well friends, I have tried to bring as much of Alaskan wildlife to you as possible through these pictures. But nothing can replace real life encounters with these animals. We had some great experiences and hope at least some of you will be inspired to go for it…

Meanwhile do tell me what you feel about my blog . Continue to comment and give me a feedback…

See you next week with more from Alaska…

Portage Glacier

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Alaskan Adventures

Portage glacier is located just 75 kms from downtown Anchorage in Alaska and has seen much change over the years. A visit to Portage Glacier on a day tour from Anchorage was the agenda for the day…

Our Trip

Starting off with a small group of people, one beautiful morning in early September from Anchorage with our guide Jamie , we had some awesome experiences.

Leaving Anchorage city behind, we were soon on the Seward Highway. This highway runs parallel to the rail tracks over a long distance . I am mentioning this here as there is a lot of overlap of pictures and information between this trip and a beautiful ride on the Coastal Classic train from Anchorage to Seward.

Turnagain Arm

This is one place we are going to talk about off and on. It is a waterway that is an inland extension of the Gulf of Alaska . This is peculiar in that the variation in tide levels is highest here; around 40 ft.

This Seward highway runs along the banks of the Turnagain Arm for a considerable distance.

The Turnagain Arm ( rail tracks can be seen running along its banks)

As we travel on the highway, we have the Chugach Mountains on the left and the Kenai mountains on the right with the Turnagain Arm in between. Portage Valley is the place where these two mountain ranges meet and the Portage glacier is located in this Valley. More on this as we reach Portage Valley.

Beluga Point

A view point along the Turnagain Arm, it is a rocky projection into the sea. It is a popular whale watching destination as the Beluga Whales enter the area to feed on the Pacific salmon. These Whales are relatively smaller than the other whales and have a white head which is often seen in the water looking like a white cap moving in the water. We did wait here on two occasions but did not see them. We did see the tide moving into the inlet in the evening.

At Beluga point

The dangerous mud flats

Another peculiar sight along the Turnagain arm are the Mud flats. These are glacial silt which has accumulated over the years and are very sticky and messy like quicksand. If one steps on them, the feet sink into it and one gets stuck in it. Our guide told us that in spite of warning signs put up, some over enthusiastic person often gets stuck and they have to be rescued.

Dangerous Mud Flats

Bird Point

This is another interesting halt along the highway where there is a small park and a wooden walkway which takes you to great views of the ocean and the mountains,

Besides this the area is also a lookout point for mountain goats and black bears along the mountain slopes. We did spot a couple of mountain goats!

The Bird point lookout and the view of the Kenai mountains with snow

Driving along, we were approaching the area where the Chugach and Kenai ranges meet. That formed a valley and it was there that our destination; Portage glacier was.

The two mountain ranges with the Portage valley and glacier seen from a distance.

The Portage Glacier has seen much change over the years ….read on….

A brief history

In the Ice Age (1300 to 1850 A.D), most glaciers in the world were advancing. Portage glacier is no exception. During the period 1500 to 1800 A.D. Portage was adding more ice to its mass than it was retreating. It covered the entire Portage valley; a distance of 23 kms.

This glacier got its name because it was used as “portage” between Prince William Sound and the Turnagain arm.Till 1914, the present day Portage lake was non existent and people could trek the glacier across Portage Pass to the town of Whittier. It was only in the 1900s that glacier retreat became a reality.

Today, we have a lake there; Portage Lake ; over 600 ft deep and the glacier terminal is not visible directly. It lies behind the mountains on the left and we need to cruise the lake to see it!!!

Portage was very badly affected by the great Alaskan earthquake of 1964 which led to the flooding of the town of Portage which was then vacated. Thousands of trees were submerged in water and what we see today are tree stumps preserved by the salt water. More on this as we tour the place…

The tree stumps, remnants of the trees submerged by the earthquake

Continuing our trip

We turned off the main highway to the glacier. The scenery was even more beautiful with waterfalls in between the cliffs and glimpses of the glacier in between the trees and rocks.

Glaciers and waterfalls all along the way

Finally, we arrived at the parking area with the beautiful Portage lake and its surroundings. Enjoying the scenery and taking some pictures, we boarded our cruise boat “Ptarmigan” that was waiting for us. After the customary safety instructions, we set off on Portage lake to see the glacier.

The Portage lake

The Ptarmigan and a waterfall on the cruise

Multiple waterfalls draining into the Portage lake

Cruising along the Portage lake, gradually the Portage glacier came into view. There were small icebergs floating around as we reached the glacier. Some pictures…

Small icebergs floating around the lake close to the glacier

Portage Glacier

Portage glacier, it’s reflection and the little icebergs form an amazing sight!

The cruise boat halted close to the glacier for some time. We did not see any calving at that time but the floating icebergs were evidence of recent calving.

The cruise boat had an exhibit that displayed the location of the terminal part of the glacier at various times in history. That was truly an eyeopener on how much this glacier had receded.

A diagrammatic representation of recession of Portage glacier

Returning back to the starting point, we disembarked from the boat and headed for lunch to the only available restaurant in that remote location.

The only restaurant

After lunch, our guide took us to another beautiful view point; the reflection lake. Here there is a lake which is surrounded by lush green forests and from one corner is visible the Explorer glacier. This glacier casts a reflection on the lake making it an adorable location. A trail starts from here and goes back to Portage lake.

Some pictures..

The beautiful Reflection lake

At reflection lake with the glacier behind and the trail sign board

The Explorer glacier casting its reflection on the lake below….

After this wonderful view, we were on our way back to Anchorage . We were again on the Seward Highway and tried to look for the Belugas but they evaded us…

On the return journey we halted at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center that lies close to the highway. This center is unique in many ways and is a shelter and refuge for many of the animals. I have to go into that in more detail to do justice to it. So that will form part of the next episode that features Alaskan Wildlife.

See you next week with unique Alaskan Wildlife that will surely enthrall you….

Till then, do give your comments and feedback.

Anchorage

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Alaskan Adventures

Our first destination at Alaska was Anchorage and true to its name, we used it as a base to go to various destinations. So we were in and out of Anchorage a couple of times, and here, I am putting together our experiences during these visits.

We flew in to Anchorage from Seattle. The views from the flight were amazing to say the least . Let me share some of the pictures to make you get the feel of flying into Anchorage.

Alaska Airlines with the logo of an indigenous Alaskan

Taking off from Seattle, soon we were over British Columbia in Canada, flying over the incredible Rockies…

The Rockies as we flew over them. Note the turquoise lake so typical of the lakes here.

Some more flying and then we were on top of some of the largest sheets of ice….

Some amazing views of Alaskan glaciers ( difficult to separate the ice and clouds!)

Leaving the icesheets behind we were flying on more liveable terrain and the farmlands were visible.

Finally we were cruising over Anchorage and the Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm ( will be referring to this very often in the forthcoming episodes when it will be clear to you) of the Gulf Of Alaska were just below us….

The Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm of the Gulf Of Alaska

Since this was our first destination in Alaska, This episode will have a general roundup of things unique to Alaska too.

When we talk about Alaska, there emerges a mental picture full of mountains, glaciers, unending wilderness, bears, salmon, long daylight hours in summer, short gloomy winter days and the northern lights . Most of this is true but you cannot have all these in one trip. What we see in summer and what we see in winter are totally different and if one wants to cover every bit of Alaska, one has to be there at different times of the year. Many parts of Alaska shut down totally in winter and the local people go elsewhere. These kind of things are unimagineable for people like us who live in the tropics. And it is precisely this that attracts everyone to this natural wonderland…

The weather can be so fickle even in summer that one has to give extra days at each place for sudden and last minute changes in plans.

Tourism is an important industry in Alaska and the emphasis to attract tourists starts right from the airport. Major part of the tourism industry here is linked to Alaskan cruises, and unlike us, most people reach Alaska on a cruise. So there is an entire section in the airport dedicated to the various cruise lines that operate from here. They receive and facilitate the passengers flying in to Anchorage to join cruises elsewhere.

An Alaskan Cruiseliner

Apart from that ,there is a train station of Alaska Railroad at the airport which is at present being used for trains chartered by cruise lines only. Most passengers take the train to Seward or Whittier and board the cruises from there.

Wildlife

Alaska has unique wildlife and any trip to Alaska will include visits to see these animals. The airport itself showcases their wildlife in the form of stuffed animals. Besides, there are monitors displaying various wildlife encounters available to tourists in Alaska. One of my future episodes will be dedicated entirely to Alaskan wildlife….

Stuck at the airport…..Stuffed and preserved….Black bear and Musk Ox

Private chartered flights

Small private chartered flights take passengers from Anchorage to various destinations. This is required because there are many places in Alaska where the access is only by air for most part of the year. People visiting Alaska for specific purposes at a particular destination, take these flights.

Chartered flights

Fishing

Alaska has a long coastline and provides endless opportunities for recreational fishing. Special fishing trips and charters are available. Many tourists enjoy the fishing and then carry the catch with them home. Towards this end, we find lot of travellers with fishing equipment and storage containers at the airport. Many locations offer facilities for storing fish and shipping them to the required destinations .

Fishing charters

Moving on to Anchorage city…..

Anchorage city

Overall, Anchorage was a small sleepy laidback city when we visited it in summer. Most activities revolved around tourists taking cruises from other places and just using the city as a halt. The streets were empty most of the time even in the downtown area. Evenings saw more activity related to bars and pubs. Mind you, this is in summer…the time of peak activity. In winters, when temperatures dip to sub zero, most establishments close down and many locals head to warmer places. This is true all over Alaska. Most of the tourism centric jobs are very seasonal and the locals need to find alternative occupations. The flowers and the grass would then be just a white carpet of snow. Life will be difficult for anyone who stays back in the winter. Winter tourism also takes place but in selected places mostly related to ski resorts and such activities.

The streets in the city are by and large square or rectangular and named by alphabets and numbers. That makes it a little easy to find one’s way around.

A typical street in downtown Anchorage (note the street name in alphabets)

Buildings have small flower beds outside and there are flowerbeds along most roads . Being summer, they were in full bloom and added beauty to the place.

Outside a building and at the bus stop

Beautiful flower beds by the roadside

Denali Views

Mt. Denali as viewed on a sunny day from Anchorage…that’s my featured image.

On bright sunny days, one can see Mt. Denali from Anchorage but we were not so lucky. As our visit was towards the fag end of summer, we hardly had bright sunny days.

What we saw…..

Views of Alaskan ranges from Anchorage city

Wall Murals

Wall murals are very popular in Alaska and we saw a lot of them both at Anchorage and Seward.

Hope Wall Mural

This was painted during the pandemic by a group of volunteers . It is in the form of squares which have been painted and then attached to the wall . This signifies hope that things can only get better and coming during the pandemic, it surely meant a lot!!!

Hopewall Mural

Indigenous people

Another interesting mural was one which depicted the close relationship between the indigenous people, the land, animals and their way of life…

Mural honouring the indigenous people

Whaling wall mural

Called Alaska’s Marinelife, it depicts whales and seals native to Alaska and adorns a huge wall in downtown Anchorage

Whaling wall mural

Downtown Anchorage is home to a variety of restaurants and bars. Difficult to recognise as a bar or pub; it seems very quiet from outside. Once the doors open, it is music and dance inside.

Restaurants and bars

Alaska Centre for Performing Arts

One of the buildings that looks different in downtown Anchorage is the Alaska Centre of Performing Arts which was lit up for some performance. Some pictures..

Alaska Centre of Performing Arts

Anchorage Museum

The Anchorage Museum has exhibits of art , history, the Discovery Centre, Science galleries and the Smithsonian Arctic studies centre.

Anchorage Museum and some exhibits

Just off downtown are residential communities which usually have a nice park for recreation…

Typical residences in Anchorage

War Veterans Memorial

Located at Delaney Park, this memorial has a soldier in combat mode and is dedicated to Alaskans who have died in combat during various wars.

Some pictures…

War Veterans Memorial

Resolution Park and Cook Memorial

A small park towards one end of downtown, has a bronze statue of Captain Cook. This is in commemoration of his exploration of the Cook Inlet on board HMS Resolution in 1776. Captain Cook did not actually reach Anchorage as part of his explorations though he paved the way for it.

Cook Memorial

Some disturbing truths….

Homeless and Drug Abuse

Downtown Anchorage did leave me a little disappointed. Large number of homeless people foraging dustbins was not what I had expected here. Half naked men and women lying on the roadside in different states of intoxication is a common sight. Many are quiet but others are constantly hurling abuses or standing in various acrobatic poses.

A homeless man forages a dustbin and a woman sleeps on the roadside

Simultaneously there are people trying to help and rehabilitate such people as you can see in the picture below where a drug rehabilitation camp of sorts was held at the local park.

Drug warning board in the park where rehabilitation camp was held

This is not exactly a very pleasant thing to talk about but I have to show the negative parts of a place too!!

Small tips for future travellers to Alaska

Weather can change any moment and so, be prepared with gear to face it at all times. Always dress in layers and thermal innerwear is preferable. Rain gear is essential whenever you step out. Good shoes , preferably hiking shoes will keep your feet warm and prevent you from slipping on wet surfaces.

When you plan an itinerary, always leave time for a last minute change due to weather conditions. So keep extra time at all destinations if you dont want to miss out on anything.

Most tour operators offer hotel drop and pickup.

Never interact with the homeless .

With this I wind up my episode on Anchorage city. Hope you have got a virtual picture of this city. We move on to more adventures in the coming episodes. Till then, do keep your comments and feedback coming.

Seattle

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Alaskan Adventures

Situated on the Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest, this northernmost major city of the United States was our first halt on our way to Alaska. Initially a logging port, this city gained importance in the late 19th century as a gateway to Alaska during the Gold Rush.

The city derived it’s name from the chief of Duwamish and Suquamish tribes that inhabited this area. It is heavily defined by its musical history with jazz clubs , origins of rock music etc. Today, it is a major technology hub with many technology companies having their offices there. Apart from that, Boeing also operates out of Seattle.

The city itself is very hilly , though not so uniform and lying on the Pacific Ring Of Fire, is prone to earthquakes.

Some views of the city as we spent a couple of days here.

The Link Rail

We used local transport most of the time and found it very convenient and user friendly. The tickets can be purchased at the vending machines at the station and are reasonable.

Display boards inside guide you about approaching stations

The link rail and it’s interior

Some of the stations are underground . The train itself was plush but the stations definitely looked run down . Homeless people and drug addicts are all over the place and even WestLake station which leads to posh shopping complexes was dirty and gave out a bad stench!!

The run down WestLake station with filth all around!!

Monorail

This train takes one right into Seattle centre. After taking the light rail to Westlake, one can change to the monorail to reach Seattle Centre.

This monorail runs in between skyscrapers almost scraping them and gives views of downtown Seattle.

The Monorail station next to the buildings and interior of the monorail

Views of Seattle downtown from the Monorail

Seattle Center

Seattle center is an art, entertainment,and tourism centre in Seattle covering several acres and built in 1962 for the World Fair. One of the iconic images of Seattle, the Space needle is located here. Besides that, it is home to various attractions like the International Fountain, Totem Pole, Monorail terminus, Kobe Bell, outdoor mural amphitheatre, Mueum of Pop culture,Pacific Science Center , Chihuly garden and glass, various theatres, the armoury and many more. It hosts several performances and festivals too.

Space Needle

Considered an iconic landmark of Seattle it is an observation tower at Seattle Centre , built for the World fair in 1962. It offers great views of the city besides the Cascade mountains, Mount Rainier , Olympic mountains and the islands of the Puget Sound. The hovering disk of the space needle houses Skycity, a Pacific northwest restaurant. Some pictures..

The iconic Space Needle

The Observation deck views

City Views from Space Needle

Musicians are a common sight at Seattle center. Here is one guy enjoying himself…

Here’s another band for you…

Enjoy this…

Even here there are plenty of homeless and drug addicts and the lonelier parts are stinky .

International Fountain

A large fountain at Seattle centre, it is lit up at night and has music too!!

International Fountain

John Williams Totem Pole

Besides being a work of art, this totem pole has a sad story behind it. John was shot and killed by a police officer as he was walking along with a carving knife and a piece of wood. To highlight this issue peacefully, his brother decided to make a totem pole in honor of John. Soon it gained popularity and it was bought from him by a group of family and friends who arranged to have it installed at a public place.

John Williams totem pole

Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

The history of Seattle has always been intertwined with various forms of music like jazz, pop, rock etc. The Museum of Pop culture showcases this. The architecture of the building itself is unique and very jazzy. The light rail almost enters this building as it reaches Seattle Centre.

It houses some of the legendary pop culture artifacts, exhibitions featuring pop luminaries, film and television personalities and various yester year bands. One can have various interactive experiences here too.

MoPOP

Arrow showing the monorail tracks almost entering the building

Grass blades art work that acts as a screen for the car park at MoPOP

Outdoor Mural Amphitheatre

Mural Amphitheatre is an outdoor gathering space built on a natural hillside located in the heart of Seattle Center just minutes from downtown Seattle.

The Amphitheatre serves as a primary venue for concerts during the major summer festivals 

Outdoor Mural Amphitheatre

A children’s play area is also part of the complex ….

Play Area

Kobe Bell

Kobe in Japan and Seattle are sister cities and this huge metal bell under a pagoda in a meditation garden looks beautiful.

Kobe Bell

Chihuly Garden and Glass

I found this to be the most colourful and attractive part of Seattle center. This is actually the glass studio of Dale Chihuly ,the glass sculptor and features a garden, a glass house and interior exhibits.

The creations were outstanding and the reflectivity of the glass made the works pop even more.

Some pictures…

Attached to it is a shop where some of the art can be purchased.

Some pictures…

Artwork for sale

Pike Place Market

A very popular tourist destination in Seattle is the Pike Market. It is a public farmer’s market in Seattle where many small farmers, craftsmen , merchants and fishermen sell their wares. This market which started in 1907, has some great restaurants selling seafood with views of the Puget Sound. Many of the merchants live in the buildings surrounding the market. The market operates at various levels.

Pike Place Market

Inside the Pike Market

One of the major attractions here is the fish market where fish are displayed and once a customer orders one, the employee picks it up and throws it to the counter where it is prepared for sale.

Famous fish throwing

Exotic seafood

The flower section looks very beautiful with fresh blooms all ready to be sold!

Blooms …..

Vegetables and fruits

Restaurants and bars

Street food

Ferris Wheel

Another attraction on Elliott bay near Pike Market is the 53 metre tall Ferris wheel . The illuminated ferris wheel adds colour to Elliott bay in the evenings. On special days, it gets lit up in various themes .

The Ferris Wheel

Well, with this I finish the roundup of Seattle. From Seattle we headed to Anchorage starting the real Alaskan adventure. See you next week from Anchorage. Till then, do give me your feedback and comments.

Paradise and Mt Rainier

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Alaskan Adventures

In the last episode, I had promised to take you to a special place called Paradise. That’s where we are today. We reached Paradise around noon during our drive through Mt Rainier National Park.

Paradise

This is an area on the south slope of Mt Rainier at a height of approximately 5400 ft. It is the most popular destination for visitors to the Mt. Rainier National park. It lies in the Paradise river valley.

Paradise features subalpine meadows, the Jackson Visitor Centre, the historic Paradise Inn and offers epic views of Mt Rainier.

Paradise is also the primary winter-use area in the park receiving 643 inches of snow on an average every year making it ideal for winter activities like snowshoeing, cross country skiing and sledding . It is often called the snowiest place on earth where snowfall is measured.

Why is it called Paradise?

For those of you who have not seen the previous episode, James Longmire was an American explorer who ran a homestead in the Rainier area .The mineral springs near the homestead were claimed to have medicinal powers. Subsequently the homestead was convereted into a museum at the place called Longmire inside the Rainier National park.

The sub-alpine wild flower meadows and the breathtaking views from here made James Longmire’s daughter in law to exclaim “Oh,! What a Paradise”. The word Paradise stuck to the place and hence the name.

Some pictures….

Now you know why it’s called PARADISE…..

Visitor Center

The Visitor center at Paradise offers general information on the park and its features. A documentary film on the park keeps running and one can join in and get a glimpse of the changing faces of the park as the seasons come and go. There are exhibits here of the unique flora and fauna of the place and also the indigenous people.

The visitor center

There are various trails that start from near the Visitor Center which takes one through the alpine meadows of Paradise with great views. Some of the trails are…Nisqually vista trail, Skyline trail to myrtle falls, Alta Vista trail etc.

As per Mark’s (our guide) advice, the trail to Myrtle falls seemed more doable and we followed that trail. Some views from this trail.

Some pictures from the Myrtle falls trail with the sun playing hide and seek

The other architectural beauty at Paradise is the Paradise Inn.

Built in 1916, this is a National Historic Landmark in the Paradise area. It is basically an inn and provides accommodation with great views of Mt Rainier. It also has a restaurant for visitors from outside. The interiors are done up with an old age charm that adds to the beauty. Some pictures…

The exterior of Paradise Inn and the outdoor restaurant

The interiors with old world charm

The day had been cloudy and drizzly and Mark had prepared us to have no views of Mt Rainier. He said, you can be on the mountain and still not see it. But there is much more to be seen and done along the route and we should make the most of the situation.

But the sun did not disappoint us. He did come out for a few minutes to give us fleeting views of Mt. Rainier.

A fleeting view of Mt. Rainier from in between the clouds….

What it would look like on a more favourable day…(courtesy pexels)

The clouds soon overwhelmed the sun and we were thankful that we got that fleeting glance!!!

I must tell you here that I had been lucky to see Mt Rainier earlier on from a flight in 2019 heading to Portland.

That brings us to Mt Rainier and its specialties

Mt. Rainier

This mountain range is located just southeast of Tacoma – Seattle area and can be seen from there on clear days. Locals call it Mt Tahoma or some even refer to it as “The Mountain”

Mt Rainier from Seattle on a clear day

This tallest volcano in the Cascade Mountain ranges in the state of Washington in the United States is a paradox in itself.

What is this paradox?

Well, what we see from down below is a snow covered peak which makes its appearance from behind the clouds every now and then as if playing hide and seek with us. But far above, at 14,410 ft. , at the summit, steam escapes from deep inside the mountain’s core reminding us that it is still an active volcano. The mountain rises abruptly from the surrounding land which comprises of valleys, waterfalls, meadows and vast expanses of old growth forest.

Though the mountain may convey a sense of permanence; it is anything but that! More than 25 glaciers descend the mountain flanks . These are constantly in a state of flux and rivers flow down its rocky slopes transporting water and debris down the mountain and often wreck havoc with roads and facilities in the wilderness area surrounding it.

Subalpine meadows remain covered under several feet of snow in winter and yet spring up blooms when spring arrives. Mt Rainier region has been often described as one of the best places to view wild flowers. The long period of snow covered soil, leaves a very short period in summer for these dramatic blooms in and around Paradise. The rivers, lakes, falls and snow can be found elsewhere but not those wild blooms.

Wild flowers…a riot of color

One of the most dangerous volcanoes

Amidst all this beauty lies a constant threat to the residents of nearby areas. It is listed as a Decade Volcano and is constantly being monitored for safety. Seismic monitors have been set up at the park and on the mountain itself. Typically around 5 earthquakes are recorded near the summit on a monthly basis .Mt Rainier lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire which includes many volcanoes in California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.

In addition to that, the glaciers of Mt Rainier can generate mudflows ( lahars) that can cause damage to places lying on its path. These flows can occur anytime independent of a volcanic eruption.

Mt Rainier once stood at about 16000 ft before a major mudflow around 5000 years ago. This massive avalanche of rock and ice shed off 1,600 ft of Mt Rainier bringing its height down to 14,400 ft. This mudflow is said to have reached all the way to Tacoma and south Seattle. In fact Tacoma and some parts of Seattle are now located on the mud flow deposits from that massive lahar.

Summiting Mt Rainier.

An estimated 10,000 climbers attempt this summit every year on an average. It is one of the most difficult climbs as it requires traversing glaciers and weather can often play spoil sport. No wonder then that the success rate stands at 50%.

Well, they say difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations….

This is true of this entire area of Mt Rainier National park which I have covered over two episodes. Reaching there is difficult and the climate can be very fickle with sudden changes that require change of plans. To avoid disappointment , an alternative plan B should always be ready when you plan to visit this area .

With these thoughts, I end for the week. Do give your feedback and comments.

Road to Paradise and beyond

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Alaskan Adventures

Here we go..

On to the series on Alaskan Adventures…

Today’s episode is geographically not an Alaskan adventure. This is in the state of Washington but I am putting it here simply to give you an idea of the sequence of travel and it was from here that our adventures started. So let’s go…

I am referring to a place called Paradise that lies in the Mt. Rainier National park area and the name truly befits the place. The pictures that come along as you read will convince you about this!! Much of today’s blog is on the sights that we encountered during our drive through the Mt Rainier National Park heading to Paradise to view Mt Rainier.

Paradise is also the place from where the best views of Mt. Rainier are seen and various trails are available to explore the wilderness of the park.

A road trip to Paradise and beyond; that’s what we were headed for, one late summer morning from Seattle. After the city sights and the semi urban vistas of the outskirts, we were on the road to Mt. Rainier National Park.

Mt. Rainier National Park

Established in 1899, this park encompasses Mt. Rainier, the majestic stratovolcano in the Cascade mountains and all of the wilderness that surrounds it. Including valleys, glaciers, moraines, lakes, waterfalls, meadows , old growth forests and of course remnants of old structures, buildings and rustic architecture covering an area of 91,000 acres; it truly is a world in itself.

The park’s vegetation is diverse reflecting the varied climatic and environmental conditions seen across the 12,800 ft elevation gradient that it spans. Home to animals seen and unseen, this wilderness is an evolving forest landscape.

The Vegetation….

As we approached the park area itself, evidence of glacial activity was visible in the form of the glacial flour mixed Nisqually river with its unique blue- grey color and moraines left over by receding glaciers.

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Nisqually river and moraine

Entering park from the Nisqually entrance, we were at the entrance arch which is a great location for a picture and we did not miss that opportunity…

At the entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park.

After Mark, our guide finished the formalities at the entrance, we were well and truly in the park. Given the expanse of the park, the only way to explore it is by following designated trails and our first halt was at the Twin firs trail.

Twin Firs Trail.

This is a small half kilometer long loop trail that takes one through the old growth forests so typical of this park. What happened when we entered this trail?

We found ourselves sheltered by giant trees reaching over 200 ft. height into the sky. Douglas fir, red cedar and hemlock trees lined the trail ; most of them being over 800 years old . Walking along we came across large fallen trees that act as nurse logs for saplings growing on it. The forest floor was wet and consisted of forest debris.

Much of the activity seen here is symbiotic. The moss on the trees helping to retain moisture, the nurse logs nurturing the saplings, the moss and other shrubs acting as fodder for the crawling insects of the forest floor and the fallen trees decaying and becoming one with the forest soil.

Some pictures….

The huge Douglas fir tree that greeted us at the beginning of the trail.

The general appearance of the trail with huge fallen trees and mossy trunks.

The forest floor with nurse logs and a Huckleberry shrub

The conjoint firs towards the trail end

After a walk through this amazing wilderness where one can easily lose one’s way, we religiously followed Mark who led us back into our bus. The next halt was at Longmire.

Longmire and the Trail of Shadows

Longmire has it’s own tryst with the history of Mt Rainier National Park.

It was originally the site of James Longmire’s homestead lodging and mineral springs resort. The mineral springs were claimed to have curative powers but were later disproved. The buildings then became the park headquarters in 1899 when the park was established. The headquarters were later shifted , and today, we have the Longmire Museum and Wilderness Information Centre.

The Trail of Shadows is a 1 km, trail through the wilderness , passing some of the mineral springs.

Some pictures…

An advertisement of the Longmire’s springs from the 1800s and the old homestead

The trail board and the trail wilderness

The mineral springs (click on the video)

After a quick walk around the Longmire area, we were back in the bus and reached a beautiful waterfall called Carter falls.

Carter Falls

This trail head along a wide rocky riverbed provides access to the Nisqually river. A log bridge across the river is a popular photo location . The walk can pose a challenge as the rounded rocks are slippery at places. Some pictures..

The walk along the rocky trail and the Nisqually river

On the log bridge across the Nisqually river

The next halt on this drive was at Christine Falls.

Christine Falls

This is a beautiful waterfall with two levels. The upper level was seen as we drove past , but the lower level required a peep down from the bridge spanning the falls.

The lower level of this waterfall is an iconic image of Mt. Rainier National park.

The upper level of the falls

The lower falls and the bridge across

Enjoy this video

A short drive further down towards Paradise brought us to a bridge called Glacier bridge. This bridge now has moraine and a narrow stream of the Nisqually river flowing below it. The bridge was originally built across the Nisqually glacier and with the glacier receding, this is all that is left!!

Far away a wee bit of the last part of the present day Nisqually glacier can be seen.

The Glacier Bridge with the moraine and small stream . Arrow points to the Nisqually glacier seen far away.

Driving further down we reached Paradise. This special area of the Mt. Rainier National Park needs more focus and will be dealt with in the next episode. For now, let me just tell you that we spent some time at Paradise and then continued further to Paradise Valley which was a beautiful sight as the bus meandered the winding roads. The wild flowers added color to the area.

Some pictures from Paradise valley road…

The Paradise Valley road with it’s wild flower covered hillsides

All of a sudden, we had a wildlife visitor on our path….an inquisitive marmot kept looking at our bus ….

This marmot seems interested in us!!!

As we drove down this road we reached the Reflection lakes area which is special for the reflections of Mt. Rainier that it offers on ideal days. We were not so lucky as it was one of those drizzly cloudy days and so we saw the lake with no reflection….

What was expected…

What we saw….!!!

But we were not so unlucky after all……

We had another marmot wanting to be friends with us….

One more friendly marmot..!!!!

The next halt was at Narada falls; the last of the many beautiful falls that we had seen. Mark warned us that this falls required some trekking down a slippery path . With careful steps, we made our way down the track following Mark. Soon , we were at the beautiful falls, a wide one at that….

Narada Falls

The Paradise River drops down 188 ft. with the upper part being wide and falling in several strands from a cliff into a canyon. In winter, this falls freezes attracting ice climbers according to Mark.

The columnar basalt rock formations along the sides of the falls is a special feature here related to volcanic rocks.

Some pictures…

Narada Falls

The Columnar basalt rocks so typical of the area associated with volcanic activity.

By now we were all tired with the walking and hiking that we had engaged in throughout the day. So Mark took us to Whittaker’s Bunk at Ashford, a small town that acts as a base camp for Mt. Rainier activities.

He suggested that the Huckleberry ice cream here is unique and we tried it…

Some pictures from the Ashford base camp….

Rainier Basecamp at Ashford

The Huckleberry ice cream and activities at base camp

With this we wound up our trip on the road to Paradise and returned to the cozy comfort of our room for a good night’s rest.

See you next week at Paradise….the special place , with more on Mt. Rainier

Meanwhile keep your comments coming in like the marmots….

Pallava glory…Mamallapuram

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Great Temples of India

After seeing the grandeur of the Cholas at Thanjavur and Pandyas at Madurai, let us now shift focus to the Pallavas. Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) near Chennai in Tamil Nadu has a complex of temples and monuments built by the Pallava King Narasimhavarman II. The complex has cave temples and monolithic chariots or Rathas and a Shore Temple built with granite blocks; all built in the 7th and 8th centuries. The complex has more than 40 ancient monuments and temples including the largest open air bas relief in the world.

Mamalla in Tamil means great wrestler and refers to the King Narasimhavarman I. This explains the name Mamallapuram.

It is now believed that this complex is part of a group of submerged temples along the coastline. The tsunami of 2004 that struck the Bay of Bengal coast exposed another granite temple in ruins and large structures on the sea bed about a kilometer offshore. This has also led to the inference that this temple was part of the Seven Pagodas described by early European travelers. The tsunami however did not do much damage to the shore temple itself.

History

What we know today as Mamallapuram was an ancient port probably referred to as Sopatma. It was a very active trading port and that is what brought the western traders here and the shape of these temples led them to be referred to as the Seven Pagodas. Various references to the area by western traders have been recorded from the 13th century onwards. The area came more into focus in the 19th and 20th centuries. It was after Independence that the preservation and restoration of many of these structures was undertaken. In 1984, the site was declared a UNESCO World heritage site. The monuments here have been broadly classified as Chariot shaped temples or Rathas, Mandapas or cave temples, rock reliefs, Structural temples like the Shore temple and excavations.

They are all under the ASI (Archeological survey of India) and are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Architecture

Pancha Ratha Complex (Five Chariots)

These are monolithic rock cut temples in the shape of chariots or Rathas; initially attributed to Narasimhavarman I, and subsequently to Narasimhavarman II ; after the discovery of some inscriptions .

Named after the five Pandavas and Draupadi; they date back to the 7th and 8th centuries. Though they are grouped together by these popular names, they are neither true chariots nor are they dedicated to the Pandavas. They are temples dedicated to Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism; the three main stream Hindu cults.

The first one is named after Draupadi and has a roof like a thatched hut. The sanctum has the sculpture of Durga .The second one called Arjuna’s chariot is shaped like a Buddhist vihara . The sanctum here is empty but the walls have sculptures of Shiva and Vishnu. A large monolithic lion stands in front of this. The Bhima Ratha is the largest structure here. Large sculptures of lion, elephant and bull also adorn the complex.

These were never consecrated as temples as they were not completed.

The Pancha Rathas and monolithic lion

The Cave Temples or Mantapas

Mantapas are traditionally pillared halls or pavilions for people to gather socially or for ceremonies.

The cave temples at Mamallapuram were not completed and in depth analysis gives us an idea of how they were cut into the rock faces to create these pavilions and halls.

One of the main temples here is the Varaha Vishnu temple where Lord Vishnu is depicted in Varahavatara (like a boar) saving Bhumi(earth) from under the ocean.

Varaha Vishnu saving Bhumi devi

Gaja Lakshmi is another important depiction here where two elephants (Gaja) are seen sprinkling water on Goddess Durga.

Gajalakshmi with elephants

Mahishasuramardini cave has depictions of Goddess Durga destroying the demons.

The cave and the sculpture

Krishna Mantapa is another interesting cave temple here. Village life in Vrindavan is depicted here. Krishna holds the mountain Govardhana in his hand and protects the people. Krishna playing the flute, a cowherd milking the cow and such other legends are depicted here.

Krishna holding the mountain up and a cowherd milking the cow

There are many more such depictions here which need to be seen and enjoyed. One can enjoy it more if one is well versed in Hindu traditions and epics.

Arjuna’s Penance and Descent of the Ganga

This is the largest bas relief in the world measuring 29 mt X 13 mt and is a relief carved on two open air rock faces. The legendary Arjuna standing in penance and the descent of the river Ganges is depicted here. During special occasions, the river Ganges was shown flowing down from Shiva’s hair. This was achieved with a water tank on top of the relief. There are more than hundred figurines in this relief and many of them are life size.

Arjuna’s Penance ..the largest open air bas relief in the world

More details of the bas relief

The Shore Temple

This complex is close to the seashore and hence called Shore Temple.

There are three temples in the main Shore temple complex built on a 15 mt platform. Two of these are Shiva shrines where Shiva and Parvati along with their sons Vinayaka and Kartikeya are honored . The main temple has a pyramidal tower 18 mt high and faces the east so that the sun rays fall on the Shiva linga here. A Vishnu shrine lies in between the two Shiva shrines. This is again an example of both Shaivism and Vaishnavism coming together.

The temple and other monuments in the complex are excellent examples of Dravidian architecture. The roaring lions, a typical Pallava icon is seen on the pillars of this temple. Some of the sculptures have been damaged and some are missing. The compound wall of the temple is sculpted with Nandi (bull) and Varahas (boars).

The Shore Temple

Sculptures around the shore temple

Typical Pallava icon…the roaring lion pillars

Other rock monuments

Krishna’s Butterball

A gigantic rock seems to be resting precariously on a sloping rockface and is popularly called butter ball.

The precariously placed rock!!!

Butter Well

This is a deep excavation into the rocky surface which looks like a well.

The excavated well!!

Well, I have tried to put together the salient parts of the Mamallapuram complex. I hope it has given you a perspective of the architectural proficiency of the Pallava dynasty.

With this, the series on Great Temples of India will stop for some time. Continuous dose of art and architecture can get heady. So I move on to some natural wonders with my series on Alaskan Adventures.

Do give me your feedback and comments.

Goddess of Kodachadri

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Great Temples of India

The strange legend of Swayambu Jyothirlinga has always intrigued me. I am talking about Mookambika Temple at Kollur in Karnataka. We have been regularly visiting this temple since many years. In fact, at one point of time, it was an annual “must-do” pilgrimage. I am an ardent devotee of Devi and firmly believe that SHE has been guiding me through the ups and downs of life.

This temple in Karnataka, located 135 kms from Mangalore and 80 kms from Udupi in the Kodachadri Valley of the Western Ghats was a charming and serene retreat once upon a time. The Sowparnika river flowing beside temple, was an added attraction .But sadly, over the years, like in most other places, commercialisation has spoilt the serene charm that attracted me once upon a time…

The Legend :

The legend of the Goddess is intimately connected to the Kodachadri hills near Kollur. There was once a demon here called Kaumasura who wanted to become invincible and towards this end, he prayed ardently to Lord Shiva. The Goddess in all her wisdom was aware of the evil designs of the demon and she made him dumb (mooka). Due to this, the demon was unable to ask Shiva for his wish to be fulfilled. This infuriated him and he harassed a sage by name Kola Maharishi who also used to pray to Lord Shiva. The Maharishi prayed to the Goddess for help and she vanquished the demon. Lord Shiva also appeared in front of the Maharishi who then requested that Lord Shiva and Devi should be there forever. The Maharishi’s wish was granted and that is how the Swayambu Jyothirlinga came to be. Significantly, this linga has a golden line in the middle. The right half stands for the conscious principle of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The left half represents creativity in the form of Lakshmi, Saraswati and Parvati. This linga is now worshipped as Moola Devi.

Another legend says that the Goddess appeared before Adi Sankara during his penance at Kodachadri. When he requested HER to come down to bless the common people, she agreed on one condition. SHE would follow Adi Sankara but at no time should he look back to check on HER. After some time, the sound of the Devi’s anklets were inaudible and Sankara reflexly looked back. The agreement was broken and Devi stopped there. That is the spot where the temple is located today at Kollur.

Though I used to wonder how the swayambu linga appeared, I learnt about this legend much later. Scientifically and objectively speaking, this is difficult to accept. And there in lies my intrigue!!

Adi Sankara

This temple is also linked to Adi Sankara. Even today there is a small shrine inside the temple called Sankara Peeta. It is believed that Sankaracharya meditated here and had a vision of Devi Mookambika . The four armed idol of Goddess Mookambika was installed by Adi Shankaracharya.

The Temple

The sanctum and the entrance to this temple are believed to be over 1200 years old. The parikrama and various other portions have been added subsequently. The temple was patronised by the several Hindu kings particularly the Bednore Rajas and many of the jewels adorning the Goddess were presented by them and the Vijayanagara kings. Photography is not allowed inside the temple and so, the images of various Gods sculpted on the pillars of the mantapa in front of the shrine remain just descriptions. Besides the main sanctum housing both the swayambhu lingam and the idol of the Goddess, shrines of Balamuri Ganapati, Veerabhadra swamy and the Sankara Peeta lie along the inner parikrama (circumambulatory path)

A panoramic view of the temple complex from an adjoining building

The entrance to the main shrine

A beautiful Deepa Sthambha ( lamp tower) adorns the front of the parikrama as you enter the temple complex. All the lamps on this tower are lit in the evening giving a very divine feel.

The lit Deepa Sthambha

The Saraswati Mantapa

As we enter the main temple, there is a small shrine to our left which is in the form of a stage. This is the Saraswati mantapa. Goddess Saraswati is the God of learning and also of the various arts like dance and music. Many artists give performances here as an offering to Goddess Saraswati. The first stage performances of students of dance are also conducted here. During the festival of Navratri; Vidyarambham (children are initiated into learning by holding their hands and making them write on rice) is performed here.

Vidyarambham

The Shiveli (Ceremonial Procession)

A smaller image of Goddess is taken in a ceremonial procession daily around the outer parikrama. Sometimes she is carried by one of the priests , at times in a palanquin and on special occasions on a chariot. These are all ceremonial rituals followed here.

The ceremonial procession

The Sowparnika River

This serene river that flows in front of the temple is as much a part of the temple as is the main shrine. Flowing down from the verdant forests of the Kodachadri hills, in the Western Ghats , it’s waters are enriched with the medicinal properties of the various plants that lie along it’s banks and a bath in this holy river is believed to relieve one of many diseases.

Sadly, the river today is polluted at various places and is a far cry from what she was a few decades ago!!

Sowparnika river

Olden times

During the early days of my visit to this temple, there were no hotels and lodges at Kollur like it is today. The priests of the temple would offer rooms in their house for us to stay and even the food was provided by them. Many of the conveniences we have today was a far cry then. But the serenity and peace used to fill us with devotion . Today, lot of hotels and commercial establishments have sprung up adding to the conveniences but the place has lost its old world charm!

The trek to Kodachadri

A visit to Mookambika temple is considered incomplete without a visit to Kodachadri.

As I said in my opening remarks, this temple and it’s legends have intrigued me for some reason. Even after several visits to the temple over the years, I had not been able to visit Kodachadri. Finally, we undertook this trek in 2018.

A jeep ride from the temple precincts takes one to the sarvagnya peetam (a small shrine) on the Kodachadri hill. That ride was one of its kind. A short distance on a normal tarred road and the driver took a turn on to a stone ridden path. There was no road and we were literally riding on some rocks and at places, the condition of the track had us call out to the Goddess from the bottom of our hearts. After this arduous drive of about an hour and a half, we reached the starting point of the trek.

One of the better parts of the road on the jeep ride

The trek itself was not as arduous as the ride. It was a mud road and we had to keep clear of stones and poky twigs from the bushes at places. After about an hour of this walk, the views of the valley below made us forget the difficulties of the trek.

Views of the valley from the Kodachadri hills

The trekkers and the destination at a distance on the hillock

Finally we could see the sarvagnya peetam and that instilled some more enthusiasm in us.

Sarvagnya peetam

Sarvagnya peetam

A small temple at the peak in Kodachadri where Adi Sankara meditated is called the Sarvagnya peetam. It was while meditating here that the Goddess appeared in front of Adi Sankara and they started their journey to the valley from here. Thus this temple has a special significance .

We offered prayers there and meditated for some time and started our return trek . Coming down can be more tricky at places as we tend to slip on the slopes. However, we managed to reach back and took the jeep back to Kollur.

After a couple of days of stay at Kollur we returned back feeling rejuvenated after this spiritual experience.

I am an ardent devotee of Devi but I must admit that all that is said in the legends is difficult to accept entirely. But faith and religion are always like that and so, I leave it to you to follow your own minds….

After two episodes dedicated to Devi, coinciding with the Navratri festival, we move on next week to the glory of the Pallava dynasty…

Meanwhile, do continue your feedback and comments on my blog….