A day out to Varanga

Varanga is a scenic and tourist place in Udupi district, Karnataka. I never had an opportunity to visit this place despite belonging to the same district. We often explore other parts of the world under-evaluating our own wonderful place. The scarcity of time, desire to go out during this pandemic made us consider visiting this nearby place and have some great time after a long time being locked inside the home due to the pandemic.

Grateful to my niece who proposed this place and to my MIL who took care of AP granting me some relaxing opportunity to go out with PK and BP along with my niece. I was pretty excited when my niece added saying “It’s a boat ride to the temple“. We four set out in a car to Varanga which was just an hour and so to reach the place. It was in the month of January which was the ideal time to roam in a coastal area.

The journey was so easing amid lush green trees and a smooth road. It was calm and less crowded when we parked there. Its perfect pilgrims centre depicting the Jain temples and attractive architecture. I could feel the cool breeze and my eyes started searching for the lake and boat which had preoccupied my mind and was more thrilled about.

This beautiful village has wonderful Jain temples called Basadi. We noted three basadis in three directions from the place where we parked. Nothing special was visible at first sight, but when start walking around the place you find the serene beautiful temples.

Kere Basadi

“Kere basadi” is situated amid of lake (That’s how the name is – ‘Kere’ Means Lake). It’s a beautiful view from the boarding of the boat until reaching the temple. Its also called chaturmukha basidi as it has the idol of tirthankaras in each of the four directions of the temple (Sri Parshwanath, Sri Neminath, Sri Ananthnath and Sri Shanthinath). The view of the lake around the temple, cool breeze, fishes in the lake, trees around the edges of the lakes, everything seems to be so serene and blissful.

Neminatha Basidi

It is a stone temple built 1000 years back. Two stone elephants greet you as you enter the main door. There is a tall golden stamba (Pillar) in the entrance as well. The architecture of the temple is mesmerising, art on the huge pillar of the temples all over is simply beautiful. The Shrine is a huge, black coloured idol of the tirthankara seated in Padmasana posture.

Chandranatha Basidi

This Basadi is next to the open parking area and the ticket to Kere basidi boating is issued here. It is a traditionally built house and also called Matada Basadi.

Do visit this place if you happen to explore the Udupi district in Karnataka.

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