Murdeshwar – Udupi - 109 km
The ride to Udupi was a mixed bag as roadworks continued. Even though I kept an
eye out for a smaller coastal path, I couldn’t locate any and kept going. The
roadworks were a royal pain in the ass, and the road was dreadfully narrow,
congested and poor. However, halfway to Udupi, a new road emerged making it easy
cycling.
Udupi was an additional temple town, home to a 13th-century Krishna temple
surrounded by eight monasteries. Even at the best of times, Udupi is a hive of
activity. Still, on this day the town was even more crowded due to the Udupi Paryaya
festival - a festival held each year in which the outgoing Swamiji hands over duties to
the new Swamiji. As the centre was swarming with devotees, all accommodation was
chock-a-block full. It took cycling around to find a bed. In the end, I settled for the
fancy Hotel Sri Ram Residency. Even discounted, the price was far more than usual
but also considerably more luxurious.
A walk around town revealed festivities, including music, a show at the square, and
temples decorated by strings of flowers.
Udupi, Karnataka – Kasaragod, Kerela - 110 km
On the outskirts of Udupi, roadside stands provided breakfast - one of my favourite
places to eat. They were dirt cheap, and the conversations with villagers were
priceless.
Roadworks were in full swing, making it a miserable day of cycling. My chosen path
crossed the state border into Kerala which appeared conservative. It seemed a Muslim
part of the country and a conservative one on top of that, as there appeared more
burkas than in Tehran. More surprising was an election or a celebration, and strings of
Communist Party flags decorated the roads. This combination could put the fear of
God into many a person.