On our way back from Aihole we couldn’t help discussing Raju’s interpretation of why the horse-faced woman was so made. Frankly the thought of drinking a horse’s semen as a cure for alcohlism is revolting enough to put anyone off alcohol for life.

At Aihole my sister in law introduced us to a local sweet called Karadant. This north Karnataka specialty is perfect for winter.

Made out of dry fruit, gum and jaggery we enjoyed munching it on the way to our next stop – lunch at a typical Lingayat Khanavali at Kudal Sangama- the confluence of the two rivers Krishna and Ghataprabha.

Lingayat’s are a sect within Hinduism and Kudal Sangam is very special for them. With pilgrims coming from all over the world at the oddest of times, this home-style, unpretentious eatery is open all round the clock. It serves food that is truly farm to table .The fenugreek leaves that were served as an accompanient to the greens, were so fresh and tender without a trace of bitterness. The buttermilk and paper thin jowar rotis were simply unbelievable.

After such a sumptuous meal we made our way back to Bijapur for the last night.

Ilkal saris and sweetmeats.

Even though I don’t wear saris everyday, I love looking at them. Our Indian textiles are so vibrant and varied with each part of the country offering different wares.

We took the local rickshaws to the market whichwqa chockablock with people.

Flowers, spices, jewellery and saris. You could buy all these and more in this busy bazar.

As the shopkeepers rolled out one sari after the other, it was hard to choose which one to buy .

Handwoven in a small town by the same name, these saris are mesmerising. The sheer simplicity and timelessness of this design brings out an earthiness that we all possess.

Having sampled the Karadant at Aihole, we had to take some back home . So after a visit to the spice shop where we could order freshly ground customised spice mixes, we ordered the sweets to be delivered to the hotel.

And that night we slept well, satisfied that we had seen everything we wanted to see save one monument that we had left for the last.