A Quiet Stay, A Lasting Memory

After crossing Hassan, we stopped for lunch at The Ossoor, located just outside Sakleshpur. The restaurant is beside a coffee estate, making the place peaceful and relaxing. There are a few outdoor seating areas where you can enjoy your meal while admiring the beautiful surroundings. Before continuing our journey, we bought some fresh coffee and spices from The Ossoor shop.

We then left the Bengaluru–Mangaluru highway and took the road towards Mudigere. The drive itself became an experience to remember. The road passed through endless coffee plantations in the Western Ghats. Passing through small villages and estates, we caught glimpses of the simple life of people whose livelihoods revolve around coffee cultivation.

Once we reached the resort, we checked in and were surprised to find that it had only five rooms, and we were the only guests on our first day.

The resort had just one staff member who took care of all our needs throughout the three days. He was a very calm, polite, and helpful person. His wife was the cook at the resort. They prepared all our meals, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and evening snacks, with great care. Every meal was served on time, and the food was delicious, fresh, and hygienic. 

Since there are no restaurants, tea stalls, or even small shops nearby, it is better to book a package that includes all meals if you plan to stay at the resort. The resort is simple and does not have many luxury amenities. It has a swimming pool and a small indoor games area with table tennis, carrom, and a few other games.

In mythological movies, we often see the homes of gods surrounded by moving clouds. Devaramane gave us a similar feeling. From the parking area to the viewpoint of Devaramane Betta, clouds floated all around us. It felt as if we were walking through them.

To reach the viewpoint, you need to do a simple to moderate trek of about 15–20 minutes. The climb is worth every step. From the top, we enjoyed a breathtaking view of the Western Ghats, standing in the middle of the clouds.

There is also an ancient temple dedicated to Kala Bhairaveswara, making the place spiritually as well as naturally beautiful.

After an early dinner, we went to bed with happy hearts, looking forward to a peaceful and relaxing day at the resort the next morning. I always feel that the true beauty of a place is best experienced in the early morning. So, as usual, I was excited to wake up early and enjoy the fresh air, birdsong, and peaceful surroundings of the coffee estate. 

When I woke up early in the morning, I couldn't see anything beyond our balcony because everything was covered in thick fog. But sometimes, what is hidden can be even more beautiful than what is visible. The coffee estate wrapped in mist, the cool breeze, and the peaceful silence made the morning feel truly beautiful.

The staff, his wife, and her helper served us breakfast at around 8 a.m. After breakfast, we all went to the swimming pool. Before we entered the pool, they cleaned the water for us.

There are many trekking spots around Mudigere. Since we wanted a relaxing trip, we skipped trekking and drove along the Charmadi Ghat route to enjoy the lush green beauty of the Western Ghats.
 
There are several waterfalls along NH 75, including Charmadi Rock Waterfall. However, as it was summer, most of the waterfalls were dry. Even without the waterfalls, the drive was beautiful with its winding roads, green hills, and fresh mountain air. We stopped at the Charmadi Ghat viewpoint and enjoyed a refreshing matka soda on a hot summer afternoon.

It is easy to imagine that Tipu Sultan named it "Manjarabad" after the spectacular views from the fort. Since "Manzar" means "view" or "scene" in Persian, the name could be interpreted as "City of Scenic Views."