The third day our Toyota River Drive, Kaveri was the most awaited one. Our day’s plan was to integrate the Toyota Innova Crysta customers from Karnataka into our drive.There were nine families and more than 50 people overall to join us. We traveled in a convoy of seven Innova Crysta MPVs and visited Namdroling Monastery and the Dubare Elephant Camp. In between the two visits we attended a session on importance of river conservation as well.
After flagging off from the Toyota dealership in Mysore we drove the Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe. It’s one of the largest teaching centres of Nygingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in the world. It also houses three massive statues of different forms of Lord Buddha. They’re 84ft tall and are gold plated as well. The monastery is also home to around 5000 monks and nuns.
Meanwhile, the Innova’s Crysta’s back seat comfort and space was enough for us to relax as we were tired from the previous day’s drive. There are also tray tables behind the front seats, big enough to accommodate our meals and even a medium size laptop.
After the monastery visit we attended a session on river conservation and protection by CT Ayyappa, who is a river conservationist by profession and works with the Coorg Wildlife Society. He enlightened us on the important of the Kaveri river and how it’s home to a million people and supplies water to the entire city of Bengaluru, Mysore and other districts in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Soon after the session we headed to Dubare Elephant Camp. We were lucky to see the elephants and even feed and interact with them with the help of their keepers and forest officials. It was a thrilling experience.
We’re nearing the source of the Kaveri river and so far, after traveling for about 700km in the Innova Crysta, we don’t have a single complaint. It is ‘the’ MPV for long distance touring in India. Stay tuned.
https://evoindia.com/toyota-innova-crysta-river-drive-kaveri/
https://evoindia.com/toyota-river-drive-kaveri-day-one-blog/