Mangalore at one time was the major sea-port and ship building centre of Hyder Ali’s kingdom. It has a population of 480,000, and it is a centre for the export of coffee and cashew nuts. It has a languid tropical atmosphere and a strong Roman Catholic influence.

        Mangalore is hilly and has windy, disorienting streets. Fortunately, all the hotels and restaurants, the city bus stand and the railway station are in or around the hectic city centre.

        Sultan’s Battery is the main remnant of the past. It is 4 km from the centre, on the headland of the old port. Another attraction is the Shreemanthi Bai Memorial Government Museum, just beyond the KSRTC bus terminal. The Kerala style Kadri Temple, whose Lokeshwara statue is reputed to be one of the best bronzes in India. The pained ceilings of St. Aloyslus College Chapel are to be seen. Also to be seen are the Rosario Cathedral, the Gokarnanatha Temple or the Mangladevi Temple, which gave the town its name.

        There are quite a few interesting places around Mangalore which are worth visiting. Ullal, 13 km south of Mangalore is one such place. There are a number of Jain Bastis in Dharmastala. The town Venur, approximately 50 km north-east of Mangalore has eight Bastis and the reins of a Mahadeva Temple. The 11m high Bahubali Statue, dating back to 1604, stands on the southern bank of the Gurupur River.

        Sringeri is the southern seat of the orthodox Hindu hierarchy. It is a small unspoilt town nestled among the lush coffee-growing hills of Chikmaglur, approximately 100 km north-east of Mangalore.

        Udipi, which has spread its influence all over India through hotels and restaurants, is 58 km north of Mangalore. It is here that the 13th century religious leader, Mahadevacharya, lived and preached. The town’s Krishna Temple is very famous and draws many pilgrims.

        I learnt a lot about Mangalore from my training mate Indira Manjeswar, who was with me in Gandhigram in 1955. I visited Mangalore while I was at Mysore in the sixties. i had gone to Mangalore to receive a Guest and we drove via Coorg, another beautiful place, which has given us many Military Heroes like Field Marshall Cariappa, and General Thimmayya. It is said that in Coorg, it is the ambition of every mother to send at least one son to the Indian Army. With their distinctive way of wearing the saree, the Coorgi women look extremely beautiful.

        So, this is Mangalore and its adjoining places decorating Mother India’s neck as pearl necklaces !

Type of Travel:	Day Trip
Duration of Stay:	1 day only
Average Expenditure:	Shoestring (less than Rs.500/day)
Group Size:	Less than five
Best Suited For:	Couples
Best Time to Travel:	Sept - Nov