A good share of my childhood was spent with my maternal grandparents. It is with them I travelled to their hometowns, city of Mysore, places of pilgrimage and many areas within Bangalore by public transport. Despite being exposed to public transport early on, I am till now not a big fan of it. These travels with my grandparents and my father to his ancestral home in the heart of Western Ghats, have contributed hugely in carving out my personality. My love for mountains and travel began in my early childhood. Personally, a ride or an outing is not just about the destination but also the travel and the experiences all along.

Saligrama is the taluk headquarters of Saligrama Taluk, situated close to K.R.Nagara (Krishnarajanagara) near Mysore. It is my maternal grandfather's birthplace. I vividly remember visiting the place with my grandparents in my early childhood. The magnificent 'Thotti Mane' Courtyard House captivated me with its centre open courtyard. The rain enhanced the charm and left an unforgettable memory. During my recent visit to this place, with the broad main road lined with umpteen shops of every kind, there was no way I could locate the house I'd stayed with them. It had grown beyond my recognition, but thanks to a book written in memory of my grandfather, I came across a few Jain Basadis and visited them on this ride.

There are two ways to get to Saligrama: one via K.R. Nagara, Chunchunkatte. I chose the other going through Sagarakatte, through the verdant paddy fields joining the Mysore-Hassan Road (heading towards Holenarsipura). At Manchanahalli, I deviated from the main road and followed the road snaking through agricultural fields and little villages. The fields were veiled in the winter-morning fog. A newly opened nondescript restaurant dished up a decent idli sambar for an unbelievable price of 20 for 2 of them.