Chandragiri Fort

Chandragiri lies three kms. south of Kasargod town. It has a large square situated high above the Chandragiri river on its southern bank. The fort it said to have been built in the 17^th century by Sivappa Nayak of Bednore, who established his authority over the area and built a chain of forts. The Chandragiri River, on the bank of which it rises, marked the traditional boundary between Kerala and the Tuluva Kingdom. There is a beautiful bridge over the Chandragiri river at Thekkil, five miles from Chandragiri. A mosque is situated nearby and the view of the bridge with the mosque in the background is one of the most attractive sights on a drive along the NH 17 from Kannur to Kasargod. A longest railway tunnel in Kerala  passes through Chandragiri Hills.

Anandasramam - Kasargode

Swami Ramdas and Mother Krishnabai, endearingly called Beloved Papa and Pujya Mataji, founded Anandashram in 1931, in Kanhangad, Kerala, South India. Their life and teachings serve as a beacon to mankind. Their vision was universal and their life was devoted to the service of humanity

Anandashram is located in Kanhangad, in the Mangalore-Shoranur sector of Southern Railway. Most of the important trains halt at Kanhangad. The nearest airport is at Mangalore, about 100 km away, with regular services linking all major cities.

On alighting at Kanhangad Station, one can avail of a bus, taxi, or auto rickshaw to reach Anandashram, which is about 5 km away. On the National Highway 17, there is an area known as Ramnagar. On taking the road leading to Panathur, just about half a kilometer away on the right, stands the arch in this picture.
The Ashram provides a conducive atmosphere for visiting aspirants, to progress towards the goal spelt out above. The devotees are therefore advised to keep chanting the Holy Name as much as possible so as to ensure constant remembrance of Him, to see God in everything and everyone, love and serve all, looking upon them as the very forms of God, and submit to His supreme will in all matters.

 
Standing below the arch one can see the main Ashram building on an elevated hilly spot at a distance of about 250 meters. The path from the arch to the main gate of the Ashram is hedged by thickly grown coniferous plants making it appear as a green wall on either side of the path.
As one enters the gate, to the right is the Reception office to welcome visiting devotees, register their names and allot accommodation.
A few meters from the gate there is a small circular garden and on its southern side stands the flag mast atop which flutters the Ashram insignia with the holy Ram Nam printed on it. The aim of human life is realization of God, for which the easiest way is constant remembrance of God. The flag reminds us of this goal and the act of hoisting the flag symbolizes our commitment to raise ourselves to the higher plane and attain the goal.
In the southern end of the Bhajan Hall is a small room. This small room was the ANANDASHRAM started by Beloved Papa in 1931. It was here that Swami Ramdas  and Pujya Mataji lived with a handful of devotees in those early days of the Ashram, and it was the launch pad for their unique mission of Universal Love and Service. This room is now called the shrine.
The relics of  Swami Ramdas  are preserved in a beautiful silver box, which is placed over a marble platform in the shrine, packed with the holy ashes of Swami Ramdas and Pujya Mataji and several books containing Ram Nam written by devotees. To the left of the silver box, marble replicas of Swami Ramdas’ and Pujya Mataji’s holy feet are implanted. Two beautiful pictures of Swami Ramdas  and Pujya Mataji are placed on the wall above the platform. To the right of the Bhajan Hall is the Centenary Hall.Coinciding with the 100th birthday of Pujya Mataji, a new spacious hall for satsang was constructed and christened Mother Krishnabai Centenary Hall, on the 25th September 2003.

Ranipuram - Kasargode

Ranipuram is a very beautiful place for trekking. It is located in Kasargde District in Kerala It can be reached via Kanhangad and Panathady. Buses are available till Panathady, but better not to wait and hire Jeeps to move on

Distance from Kasargod: 85 km
Distance from Panathur: 18 km
Distance from Bekal: 58 km
Distance from Panathady: 10 km
Distance from Kanhangad: 40 km
Nearest Railway Station is Kanhangad and Airport is Manglore
Altitude:750 m above sea level
Accommodation: Cottages available incase you want to stay overnight

Kasargod is known for throwing up surprises. Along with beaches, temples, forts it also offers trekking options at nearby places. We give here an excellent trekking option. Ranipuram a bio-diversity hotspot lies on the Kerala-Karnataka border it was previously known as Madathumala. Though Ranipuram is in Kerala but its extensive forests merge with those of nearby state Karnataka. Ranipuram is blessed with cool climate all along the year and offers some interesting trekking trails for enthusiasts. An uphill as well as downhill climb can be done at Ranipuram. There is a soft trek to the hilltop, from where you can get a panoramic view of the hills around. This involves both a trek through forest as well as through hill. The track is well laid out with steps in certain places making the journey easier. If you start early morning then by evening you can come back.

Tips for Trekking:

For trekking it is better to reach Ranipuram in the morning itself. Don’t try to trek in the evenings it is dark and the rocks are slippery. As you need to cross several streams on the way it is necessary that you are properly equipped with Good boots and proper clothing. Leeches are very common in the area beware of them. Carry salts with you. In case you get one sprinkle salts on it. Carry enough water

Posadi Gumpe Kasargode

Posadi Gumpe  is a tourist location in kasargode District.

The hillock of Posadi Gumpe, which stands 1060 feet high above sea level, is situated east of Manjeswaram and 15 kilometres south of Bekal. The hilltop offers a view of the Arabian Sea, Mangalore and Kudremukh.

As it is not a well-inhabited area, facilities are minimal. Hence, tourists who wish to trek to the hilltop in order to enjoy the lovely weather and the natural beauty of the place are advised to take food along. The nearest village is Paivalike.

Picturesque views
The journey to Gumpe is a thoroughly enjoyable experience owing to the picture-perfect scenery along the way. The stunning variety of the shades of green, the rivulets that cross the roads at various points and the pristine beauty of the region all combine to make for a sensual treat. 

A lake temple has a vegetarian crocodile

There is a temple in Kasargode, Kerala that is guarded by a vegetarian crocodile. Babia, the crocodile, is said to be the local guardian and messenger of the temple. This is the main attraction and uniqueness of Kerala's only lake temple, Ananthapura Lake Temple situated in the centre of the Ananthapura Lake, on a remote rocky hill in a calm isolated region. The Ananthapura Lake Temple (Sree Ananthapadmanabhaswamy Temple) is a ninth century shrine in the Kasargode district of Kerala. Sree Padmanabha (Lord Vishnu, The Preserver) seated on the serpent God Adisesha is the presiding deity here. It is said that Babia has been living in the pond for the past 60 or more years and lives in a nearby cave. After the worship, the feed offered by devotees is given to Babia at noon. The meal is a kind of gruel made of rice and jaggery. Babia does not eat anything else and eats what the temple officials offer.

     Temple authorities claim that the crocodile does not harm anyone, not even the fish in the lake. It is said that Babia is a total vegetarian and is feed daily after the noon worship conducted at the temple, it is given the prasads offered by the devotees and gruel which is prepared extra for Babia is feed like an elephant by putting to its mouth There is a belief that this crocodile is a messenger of God and always alerts temple officials when there is any unusual thing is going to happen in and around the temple premises. The legend goes that while the great mystic and devotee of Lord Vishnu Sree Vilvamangalathu Swami was doing penance, Lord Krishna in the form of a little boy kept disturbing his prayers. Irked by the behavior of the child, the saint pushed Lord Krishna aside with his left hand. It was only after the boy disappeared into a nearby cave that the truth dawned on the saint. The crevice into which Krishna is said to have disappeared is still there. The crocodile guards the entrance and the shrine. 

    The legend goes that there is only one crocodile in the lake at a time. When one crocodile dies, another one appears in the lake. The sanctum sanctorum, surrounded by a rectangular lake, is another architectural wonder of this temple. Another unique feature of the temple is that the original idols in the sanctum sanctorum were not made of metal or stone, but of a rare combination of more than 70 medicinal materials called `kadu-sharkara-yogam.' Although panchaloha metals replaced those idols in 1972, efforts are now on to reinstall the idols made with `kadu-sharkara-yogam.' The lake temple is open to all visitors regardless of caste or creed. The District Promotion Council has plans to preserve the temple and its surroundings for its uniqueness.