Author: Dhiraj Shetty

I am a journalist based in Bengaluru. Every day, every moment, each one of us sees a different aspect of our home, the planet Earth, and its people. Sharing them enables others to experience our point of view. Centre of South is about my experiences in travel and food. I relish local food and conversations with people in places I visit. I share some of my travel stories and about the food I try. Yea... I guess sometimes people do wonder why is this chap clicking pics of his meal! I would be happy to offer tips or guidance in south India. Most visitors to India are drawn by the Taj Mahal, which is one of the wonders of the world, and the forts of Rajasthan. I invite you to look beyond these two places, at south India. I will be writing about the interesting places in this highly developed part of India, where the people are better educated, enjoy a better standard of living as compared to the rest of India, have built a reliable network of roads and transport services, and can count on state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure. South India is safer than any other part of India, and the gateway to south India is Bengaluru (aka Bangalore). Where do you want to go in south India? I would be happy to assist fellow travellers

If you are 150 years old, flaunt it like Kolavara Heritage

Homestay in Thirthahalli near Kuvempu house and memorial in Karnataka

Heritage homes are nice to visit, and nice to see. But, for the owners, a heritage home is more of a headache because it is very difficult to maintain. Not everyone who inherits a heritage home is up for the challenge. So, it is nice to meet people who have taken up this challenge.

Kolavara Heritage is a 150-year-old home near Thirthahalli, Shivamogga district. Located amidst an arecanut plantation in the Malnad region of Karnataka, the heritage home is beautifully maintained by the owners. Members of the family have been residing in the house from the time it was built.

Besides being a place of interest by itself, Kolavara Heritage is close to Kuppalli, the birthplace of Kuvempu who is considered the greatest Kannada poet of the 20th century. Kuvempu’s ancestral house and his memorial are less than 10 km from Kolavara Heritage.

Ancestral home of Kuvempu, in Kuppalli, is beautifully maintained. A must-visit place for any person interested in the heritage, architecture and ancient homes of Karnataka
Kuvempu’s house in Kuppalli

Kuvempu’s ancestral house is beautifully maintained. Everyone must visit his home. The architecture of the house, the rooms inside, the layout of the house…simply extraordinary. His memorial, Kavishyla, is within walking distance, but involves a steep climb when you take the route from his home. Luckily, there is an easier alternative for those who are intimidated by the climb.

The memorial is on the lines of the Stonehenge in the United Kingdom. It is located on the top of a hill that Kuvempu used to frequent in pursuit of tranquillity and inspiration.

Kuvempu’s house and memorial are out of the way for any tourist to Karnataka, but if you chose to visit, you will not regret the effort.

Best time to visit the memorial is early in the morning.

While tourists are not allowed to stay, or even take photos, inside the house of Kuvempu, for people who want a feel of how it was to stay in his house, Kolavara Heritage is next best option in the area.

Other nearby places you can visit are Sakrebyle (Sakrebailu) elephant camp where you can interact with the gentle giants. Yes…a real interaction. Not a zoo. You can get close to the elephants…you can even give them a bath. This is definitely an extraordinary experience.

Then you have the Tiger and Lion safari, which is 10 km from Shivamogga, on the route to Sagar. Further up the route is the world famous Jog Falls.

So, you have a lot of places to see in and around Kolavara Heritage in Shivamogga district of Karnataka.

You can get to Shivamogga from Bengaluru by train.