Sonda (also referred to as Sodhe) is a temple village in Uttara Kannada, headquarters of Sodhe Matha, established in the 13th century by Saint Madhavacharya. Sonda’s high altitude (2000 meters above msl) gives it a hill station like weather.
Annual car festival at Honda is held every year during Holi Poornima (usually falls in March).
Major attractions in Sonda
- Sonda Vadiraja Matha
- Brindavana surrounded by shrines of Maruti, Gopalakrishna and Rudra
- Rama Trivikrama Temple & Stone Chariot, built in post Vijayanagara style
- Shankaranarayana Temple (1.5 kms from Sonda, hidden in forest, built in Chalukya style)
- Digambar Jain Temples
- Mundigekere Bird Sanctuary (5 kms from Sonda)
- Gadige Matha
Nearby: Unchalli Waterfalls (50 kms), Magod falls (44 kms) and Lalguli Falls (52 kms) and Attiveri Bird Sanctuary (67 kms) are some of the interesting places in the region worth visiting along with Sonda.
How to reach: Sonda is 413 kms from Bengaluru and 131 kms from district HQ Karwar. Hubballi is the nearest airport and railway station (104 kms). Buses are available to reach Sonda from Sirsi (15 kms), Hubballi or Yellapur (35 kms). Hiring a taxi from Sirsi to explore Sonda and nearby attractions is recommended.
Stay: Yatri Nivas, home stays and budget accommodations are available in and around Sonda. Sirsi, Yellapur and Hubballi city have more options.