Part IV - Bekal Fort Trip

Murudeshwar to Mangalore
Verna - Mangalore passenger train passes through Gokarna and Murudeshwar on its way to Mangalore. So when leaving Murudeshwar, we decided to catch the same train to Mangalore. The train was 1 hour late when it reached Murudeshwar. It was supposed to take around 3 hours to reach Mangalore but it delayed further and by the time we reached Mangalore I think it was almost 10:00 p.m. We were definitely very tired due to constant roaming around and extreme heat. The fact that the remaining part of the journey was pretty much open ended and unplanned was making it further difficult in deciding what to do. What ensued was a high voice debate with hungry stomach. First we thought we will just stay the next day in Mangalore and then come back to Bangalore. But it was already very late and the hotels were charging too much. So we thought, to hell with staying in hotels tonight. We decided to move ahead and travel to Bekal Fort.

Mangalore to Kanhangad
Once decide, I went to the enquiry to find out if there is a train to Kanhangad. The next train was only at 4:00 a.m and that was Parashuram Express from Mangalore to Trivandrum. Kanhangad was the third stop after Mangalore. So we waited at the Mangalore station till 4:00 am. What was comforting was that, unlike other stations, here there were no repeating advertisements on TVs. Rather, there were some nice songs playing on FM radio. That was nice time pass. But one horrible thing was too many mosquitoes. Good that we had Odomas with us. So I put it on everywhere on my body and was very happy to see the mosquitoes getting repelled away :-) . Throughout the night we were half asleep and half awake. By the time, the train left at 4:00 a.m, we were unable to open our eyes and were scared that we might miss Kanhangad. But thankfully, I could keep my senses alert and got down at Kanhangad after around an hour of departure from Mangalore. With whatever eyes open, I knew for sure that this journey was fantastic with full moon lighting up the vast sea like a silver plate and coconut trees decorating the sea coast. Oh what a view it was. Just plain brilliant and the only feeling was to just to sleep on a boat in the middle of the sea in that beautiful full moon.

In Kanhangad
We reached around 5:30 a.m. It was pitch dark, the place completely unknown but the station, though small was sweet and well lit. As we came, there was only one auto. All we said was Hotel Bekal International. He nodded his head in NO. But it was actually a yes. So we got in having no clue where we are being taken. But pretty soon, we were brought to Hotel Bekal International. The hotel room was around Rs. 300. But it was pretty ordinary. After taking a short nap, waking up, freshening up, having breakfast, we took a small stroll in the hot sun to reach a bus that was to take us to the Bekal fort. It took us around 20 minutes by bus to reach the Bekal fort. The place huge. We got excited to see the fort and I started clicking around with my camera :-) Then we reached the gate and there you go. Rs. 25 for camera and Rs. 25 for cam corder. The Government has to squeeze money out at every chance it has. Well we paid and went in. Aww!!! did we come at a wrong time? Where is the green grass? Why is it all yellow? May be Maniratnam shot his movie in the rainy season. Thats true!! The hero and heroine were all seemed to be drenched in that movie :-) Well, the fact is, it was not as close to how it was portrayed in the movie. So the smart thing is to go during monsoons and get drenched. Thats when the fun is. But the beauty was the view of the ocean. After the fort, we went to the beach. And here again, Rs. 25 for camera and Rs. 25 for camcorder. :-( Later we came to know that there is a side way to escape this pain. :-) So if you are visiting the beach, look for the side way. We came out via the side way.

By the time we finished visiting the fort and the beach and came out, it was almost 3:00 p.m. Tired, no food, hungry. Went to hotel and took some rest. We were now like in the mood to just get back home in Bangalore. That was 24th December. Christmas eve.

Return to Mangalore
On 25th, we took the early morning train from Kanhangad to Mangalore. Now it was daylight and a beautiful train ride along the sea coast.

Summary

• Murudeshwar to Mangalore by Verna passenger train
  
• Mangalore to Kanhangad by Parashuram express or some earlier train. Just find it out.
  
• To come back from Kanhangad to Mangalore, there are tons of trains
  
• Bekal International is Ok. Not that great.
  
• Dont go in summers. By the way, we went in winter and winter is literally undefined. :-) It was so hot that it does not qualify to be called winter.