Introduction:
Garuda Guha is the Base
camp and Registered Office of the BEV Society. Garuda Guha is
situated in Parashuram
Kshetram,
upon the banks of the Sauparnika River at the foot of Kudachadri
Mountain. Garuda Guha basecamp is centrally located in the heart
of Kollur Town the location of the world famous Mookhambika
Temple. There is a cave on the site with an ancient shrine of
Garuda. The base camp is on the banks of the hallowed Sauparnika
River whose panacea waters flow from their source at the summit
of Kudachadri Peak. The waters are reputed to contain 64
ayurvedic herbs and the "Sanjeevani Oshadha's" brought to earth
from heaven by Sri Hanuman. Pilgrims who drink and bath in the
ambrosial waters at this spot can be cured of many physical &
mental diseases. His Holiness Chidananda Swami is the Founder of
Garuda Guha Ashram and guardian angel of the visitors to the
base camp.
Visitors:
Visitors
may first alight at the BEV Base Camp, Garuda Guha and take
meals, refreshments, night halts and get more information about
the Eco Village site at Kudachadri. There are phone and internet
facilities here along with overnight guest accommodations. There
is a small hostel at the base camp that caters to the needs of
older students who have graduated into 11 and 12th standard from
the BEV Village School at Kudachadri.
Visitor
Information:
Between October and
November is the best time to visit the sanctuary. There is a
facility to conduct nature camps for students at Aane-jhari,
wonderfully located on the banks of the Sowparnika stream and an
ideal location to observe birds. There are also may hotels and
rest houses in Kollur which provide accommodation to visitors.
The Mookambika temple at Kollur has its annual fair in
February-March for which people visit in large numbers and
accommodation at this temple is not easy to get. Apart from
this, there are the temples of Belakallu and Kodachadri both in
the northeastern part of the sanctuary. The annual fair of the
Belakallu temple is in December.
Other interesting places nearby include the Arasingundi
waterfall (6 km from Kollur, via Dhalli). Belakallu Tirtha
waterfall (12 km from Kollur via Nuksal), Kodachadri hill
station (51 km from Kollur by road, 15 km by trekking path),
Maravanthe beach (25 km from Kollur) Udupi (60 kms), Dharmstalla
(120 kms), Subrahmanya (140 kms), Murdeshwara (90 kms),
Someshwara Beach (45 kms) and Hosadu Abbi waterfall (40 kms).
In Byndoor BEV is in affiliation with the Sai Vishram Beach
Resort where first class resort facilities with vegetarian
cuisine are being developed including recreational attractions
like: wind surfing, river rafting, sailing, boating, snorkeling,
and coastal trekking are available.
How to Get Here:
When you reach India....By rail or road form Bangalore to
Shimoga (270 km) and then by road to Sagar (85 km) and then by
the Hosanagara-Nagodi Ghat road on to Kollur (75 km) which is
inside the sanctuary. Otherwise by road from Mangalore to
Kundapur (98 km) and then on to Kollur (32 km).
See Map Locator..
