India’s own Grand Canyon – Gandikota, Andhra Pradesh

I usually like to travel to a place less crowded and less known to people. In other words, Off-Beat travel is what I like the most. The other day Ramesh, a cousin of mine, suggested the name ‘Gandikota’. We were like “What? Where?". He is an excellent explorer and a point of contact for me to get off beat location details.
Gandikota is in Andhra Pradesh. It is close to a town named Jamalamadugu, Cuddapah District. If you traveling from Bangalore, then it is around 290km one way. Google maps is all that we used to reach Gandikota. Of course, we did refer another blog for the details about this place. You can stay for a night and return the next day to Bangalore.
Suggested onward route:
Bangalore – Devanahalli – Chikkaballapur – Bagepalli – Right deviation to Kadiri – Pulivendula – Jamalamadugu – Gandikota.

Jamalamadugu town is about 13km. It has pretty much everything you would require. Medical stores, provision stores, fruits, meat stalls, and liquor shops as well. But it makes to shop everything you need for Day 1, from Bangalore itself. For Day 2, you can probably buy basic stuff at Jammalamadugu for the return journey.
The onward journey, 80% of the roads are good. Few places, the road gets rough, but thankfully no potholes. Once you’ve crossed Bagepalli and taken deviation to Kadiri, you’ll slow down cause there are many small villages that you will pass by. Do carry surplus water or soft drinks with you.
So, we left Bangalore around 5:30AM after picking up Arun and Deepak. Santosh (our Schumi) was behind the wheels in his Swift VDI. We stopped for a short breakfast before Bagepalli on the way. A small “hotel”if someone wants to call that. We do not care about the ambience. We just need to silence our grumbling tummies (because of the hunger and not because of indigestion). We continued with Google maps to guide us all the way. No human interactions at all. We wanted to avoid that. Some may think that’s sad, but we wanted to check the accuracy of Google Maps. And I must say it is damn good!!!
   
We reached Gandikota around 1:30PM and we drove to APTDC Haritha. This is the only place to stay and eat while you are in Gandikota. They have decent rooms and prior reservation is not required. Even though we were reluctant and called the hotel about a week back, the manager assured that we would get rooms. A non-AC room per night costs Rs.700 + taxes (approx). They are decent enough and we took two of them. I hate cramped space.

We had taken Jolad Rotti (Corn flour rotis) with groundnut chutney pudi (I am not gonna give a recipe for this, you can Google it ). Some fruits, bread, cheese and some savouries. We consumed the rottis to our heart’s content. We did not want to spend at the hotel’s restaurant. We then decided to head to the gorge. We took the car and drove for about 5 mins. You have got to appreciate the architecture. It seems like a maze, wherein it was easy to target from above if enemies attacked. Simply brilliant!!!
The place was hardly maintained. So, one can imagine the cleanliness. As we moved along, we had to stop at a junction where we had to proceed further by foot. In other words Nataraj service ki jai. It wasn’t a long walk ahead. From the junction, we headed left where we could see a massive Gopuram. When we reached near it, we noticed how big the Gopuram was. There were hardly any tourists around. We went inside the enclosure and saw a centre place of worship. However, there was nothing in the centre area. It was empty and stank of bat poo. Man!!! It stank real bad!!!
    
There was an area to the far left end of the enclosure. We were guessing that when any ceremonies/functions need to be conducted, that is where they used to do it as it was on an elevated platform with mantap or roof with pillars to form a housing. We could see outside the enclosure that many windmills are making their way to Gankdikota. Few were functional, few were being installed. We then proceeded to the Gumbaz we saw from the enclosure. We had to head back and reach the junction we took left deviation, we had to take left again. The village has been occupied by few locals and they speak Telugu & Hindi. They sell soft drinks & other junk food. But it is a risk to buy them.
    
We proceeded for about 5 mins walk and we could feel it. We sensed that the gorge is not far away. Behold!!! The rustic rock formations welcome you to the Grand Canyon alike destination. You need to be careful when stepping on boulders. They may be slippery. We went to the far end and got a beautiful view of the gorge. In between this gorge flows a river. There was little water when we went. in summer these rivers dry up and if you are adventurous, you can go down the gorge.
    
We just planned to sit around the place enjoy the view and cool breeze (which by the way gets strong at times). I clicked few shots and got mine clicked by Arun. We sat there till about 5:30PM and headed back to the junction where our car was parked. It even drizzled for sometime while we were at the gorge. Amazing feel that has to be experienced. We drove back to the hotel and headed to the restaurant. We had awesome masala tea and some Omlette along with it. Muaaah!!! Simply superb!!!
We head back to the room as the sun was setting fast and we did not want to waste time.
We had the night to us and we talked, argued and even got aggressive. But in the end, it doesn't even matter. The next morning, we got up and dug into the bread, jam, cheese and fruits for breakfast. Our own English breakfast. We also had the masala tea to complete our breakfast. We checked out of the room by around 9:30AM. Our next destination – Belum caves. Just like the guys in another blog had planned it out. Belum caves is in the district of Cuddapah, Andhra Pradesh. We again put our faith on Google Maps and head out.

We reached Belum Caves by around 12:30PM. The drive from Jammalamadugu to Belum Caves wasn’t that great as the roads were bumpy. We got the tickets and entered the caves. Damn it was crowded. People come in flock to this destination. Everyone is at a stone’s throw away from Belum. Anyways, we just went our way. No guides. We were amazed to see the indigenous rock formations. There were lights to highlight the formations. Amazing!!! The cave is long. Make sure you watch your head at times. I bumped my head into the rocks at one of the narrow passages. Obese people, be advised. It ain’t gonna easy. People with breathing issues are advised to walk slow and avoid going deeper as the oxygen levels dip. But, the management has done excellent job pumping fresh air into the caves at places where the oxygen levels dip.
   
No use spending much time here. We were here for max 1 hour. We head back after sufficient exploration and snapshots. We were hungry and wanted to eat something from a local cuisine. The return journey, we decided to take small deviation from what the Google maps was suggesting. We headed to Anantpur. Belum Caves – Tadipatri – Anantpur – Penukonda – Bagepalli – Chikkaballapur – Bangalore was the route we took while on our return.
The road from Belum to Tadipatri was worse. Very slow drive. The road from Tadipatri to Anantpur was rough. Average speed drive. Anantpur was where we had our lunch. And what??? Biriyani!!! With our stomach full and ready to go, our Schumi wanted to do a one stop strategy. We nodded in agreement. We reached the NH-7 and from there, our Schumi was zipping at 160kmph. Anantpur to Bangalore was around 189km. We stopped for 15mins in between for tea. We reached Devanahalli by 5:00PM. From Devanahalli to Vidyaranyapura, it took 2 hours!!! Screw the city traffic!!!

From left: Myself, Deepak, Santosh, & Arun
Stay option:
There is only one stay option at Gandikota - APTDC Harihta. Advance reservation not required. Decent rooms to stay. Dormitory facility also available.
Average cost per room per night Rs.700 + taxes (Room only basis). The hotel has an attached restaurant. They have sufficient choice for food, however they may not be as tasty as you get in Bangalore. Don’t keep you hopes high.
All said and done, we had an amazing tour of Gandikota and Belum Caves, which would be cherished for a long time to come.
Until next post, Adios Amigos

Birds of Puttenahalli Lake

Bird watching needs a lot of patience. I have just gained interest in bird watching and as I was searching on the internet for locales around Bangalore for bird watching, Puttenahalli Lake near Yelahanka was less known to people.
Few even confuse it with Puttenahalli Lake that is in South Bangalore. This lake is maintained by the forest department. Few bird conservators have been visiting this site regularly and keep a track of migratory birds.
How to get there:
Proceed on the Doddaballapur road from Yelahanka. After rail wheel and axle factory, just about 500m, on the left you’ll come across Yelahanka Bus Depot No.11. 200m, take a sharp left U-turn and you’ll see the gate to the lake.  If you reached Ramanashree California Resort, you've gone a tad ahead. You need to reverse a little and take the small road on the left.
Once you enter the gate, find the caretaker in the office and enter your details in the visitor’s log.
The lake’s boundary is shared by the state highway, a factory on the backside, a resort compound nearby. Despite the busy surroundings, many bird species make this their home.
Here are some of the birds I managed to capture on lens:
Hawk Cuckoo

Pond Heron

Spot Billed Duck

Grey Heron

Common Coot

Common Ibis

Common Sandpiper

Common Ibis

Pair of Spot Billed Duck

Apart from the above sighted, there were also Indian Night Heron and Common Moorhen sighted. End of January every year, migratory birds visit this place.
This place is definitely a worth visit for bird watchers.
In case you need more details on this place, you can reach me by email: aravindprakash@aol.in

Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve

I got to know about this place from one of my close friends and managed to visit this place. Managed to found sufficient information on the internet and with the use of Google Maps, I was able to cover majority of the route.

Located in Tumkur district, Madhugiri Taluk, this reserve is the second reserve only next to Ranibennur Blackbuck reserve in Karnataka.

This reserve has a grassland vegetation and the Blackbucks are easy to spot. Apart from the Blackbucks, there are animals suck as Indian Fox, Indian Grey Mongoose, snakes and birds as well.

There is a watchtower close to the forest guest house from which visitors can get a glimpse of the reserve.

There is no jeep or SUV from the forest department. So, one would have to either choose to go on foot or by own car/bike. Cars with good ground clearance are ideal for the reserve visits. Any car with low ground clearance would be a risk as the terrains are not that great.

How to get there:

You can get to the reserve by either of these routes:-

Bangalore – Yelahanka – Bashettihalli – Doddaballapur – Gunjur – Tondebavi – Gauribidanur – Chikmalur – Maidenahalli (Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve)

Bangalore – Nelamangala – Dobbaspet – Tangana Halli  - Koratagere – Maidenahalli (Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve)

Average distance from Bangalore to the reserve is around 130km.

The road conditions are unpredictable and get rough every now and then. There are several villages on route and it is advisable to drive slow in the village limits.

In case you are in doubt if you are heading the right way, do ask the villagers for route and they will for sure guide you in the right direction. Just mention Maidenahalli and that is sufficient. If you want the route to the reserve, mention “Jin-kae kaadu” (Kannada for deer forest) and they’ll guide you right. Anything else mentioned confuses them.

Stay:

If you would like to stay overnight, the forest department has built a guest house with two rooms. You would need to book in advance with the Tumkur forest department. No other stay options available.

Food:

There is no restaurant nearby the reserve. It is advisable to carry food and water along. If staying at the guest house, the caretaker will cook food if you provide the provisions.

Contact:

1) Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF)
Tumkur Territorial Division,
Kunigal Road,
Tumkur City- 5721 02
Telephone : + 91 0816 2201196

2) Forest Guest House
Mr. Narasimha Murthy
+91 9663943823

Some thing to remember:

Respect the nature. Do not get too close to the animals as they tend to run away. Keep a safe distance from them and you’ll be able to view them without any hassle.

Do not litter the place. Be a responsible tourist.

Better to get there as early as possible to avoid noon sun. Summers get real hot. Best to avoid summer. Rest of the year should be fine to visit.

I believe my inputs will help you a lot. In case you need more information, reach me by email: aravindprakash@aol.in

Explore the Badami-Aihole-Pattadakal circuit

After a long time, I’ve found some time to write about another archaeological marvel in Karnataka. As you already know from the title of the post, it is the Badami-Aihole-Pattadakal circuit.

Being a budget traveller, I would like to minimize my cost but at the same time would like to maximize my experience level at any given destination. I was accompanied by my cousin Arun. He is fascinated by the history and architecture of India. He loves to visit the sites and learn more about them.

History :

BADAMI

Badami was the capital of the Chalukyan dynasty, the dynasty that has made its presence in the southern and central India between 6th and 12th century.  The early Chalukyan dynasty was known as “Badami Chalukyas” as they had their capital at Badami. Pulakesi II was the ruler during this time. The rise of this empire saw the birth of efficient administration, overseas trade. The most important development was the new style of architecture called "Chalukyan architecture".

Kannada literature, which had enjoyed royal support in the 9th century found eager patronage from the Western Chalukyas in the Jain and Veerashaiva traditions. The 11th century saw the birth of Telugu literature under the patronage of the Eastern Chalukyas.

Badami was founded in 540 A.D. by Pulakeshi I. His sons Krithivarman and brother Mangalesha I constructed the renown cave temples at Badami. The greatest ruler among the Chalukyas was Pulakeshi II who had defeated many kings, except had faced a defeat against the Pallavas in Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu).

The rock-cut Badami cave temples were sculpted between the 6th and the 8th century. The four cave temples represent the secular nature of the rulers then, with tolerance and a religious following that inclines towards Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Cave 1 is devoted to Lord Shiva, Caves 2 and 3 are dedicated to Lord Vishnu, whereas cave 4 displays reliefs of Jain Theerthankaras.

Deep caverns with carved images of the various incarnations of Hindu gods are strewn across the area, under boulders and in the red sandstone. From an architectural and archaeological perspective, they provide critical evidence of the early styles and stages of the southern Indian architecture.

AIHOLE

Early inscriptions call this town Āryapura. According to mythology Aihole is the place where Parashurama washed his axe after killing the killing of the Kshatriyas. Aihole has historical significance and is called as “The Cradle of Hindu Architecture”.

Aihole was the first capital of the early Chalukyas. Here they built over 125 temples in various styles and it is believed to be a laboratory of experiments in rock cut architecture. Pulakesi I, one of the greatest rulers of this dynasty, moved the capital to Badami nearby. Badami was then known as Vatapi. It is from these temples that the Chalukyas gained their experience and went on to build the great temples of Pattadakal.

PATTADAKAL

Pattadakal (place for Chalukyas crowning ceremony), the capital of the Chalukya dynasty of Southern India, who built the temples in the seventh and eighth centuries. There are ten temples including a Jain sanctuary surrounded by numerous small shrines and plinths. Four temples were built in Dravidian style, four in Nagara style of Northern India and the Papanatha temple in mixed style. At Pattadakal, the Chalukyan kings were crowned, in the middle of the 7th century, temple building activity shifted from Badami to Pattadakal.

What to see:

At Badami:-

1) Cave Temples – accessible from the main bus stand by walk or by auto-rickshaw.

2) Agastya Lake

3) Bhoothanatha Temple

4) Archeological Society of India Museum

At Aihole:-

Group of monuments

At Pattadakal:

Group of monuments

TRAVELLER’S NOTE: While going from Badami to either Aihole or Pattadakal, do visit the Banashankari temple.

Our journey – detailed

There are several trains from Bangalore which reach Badami. These trains start from Yeshwantpur railway station. The frequent trains running are:

06535 Bijapur Express (Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun)

16535 Solapur Express (Mon, Thu, Sat)

The sleeper class fare from Bangalore to Badami is Rs.244 for an adult passenger. The trains depart Yeshwantpur at 19:45 and arrive the next day in Badami at 07:33.

There are several hotels around the bus stand at Badami. We chose to stay at Hotel Rajasangam International. We got ourselves a standard non-AC room for Rs.800 per day. Check-in at 11:00 and check-out is at 12:00 the next day. There was nothing international about the hotel though the hotel name brags about it. So, I suggest any traveller not to expect too much out of it. There are AC rooms also available. It is better to book the hotel in advance. If you want a star accommodation, then narrow your choice down to Badami Court. They are pricey, but most of the foreigners choose to stay here cause of the facilities and ambience.

Once we reached Badami, we took an auto to the hotel. We checked in, had our shower and set out. We had our breakfast at the restaurant attached to the hotel. NOT GOOD. Definitely not a match for Bangalore’s fast food centres. We then decided to walk to the caves as advised by the hotel personnel. It was hardly a 2km walk. We managed to reach there and visit the ASI Museum. We then took a walk around the Agasthya lake. It was a hot day. Visited the small sites around the ASI Museum. The heat had us walking slow and we had not slept well in the train. So, we decided to head back to our room and it was time for our lunch too.

One thing me and my cousin loved in Badami was the local food eat-outs called “Khanavalis”. These are like mess. They serve lunch and dinner which has the culinary specialities of the North Karnataka – Jolada Rotti and Enagai (Corn Rotis and brinjal gravy) along with chutney powder, onions and some curd. Also with this you get rice served, with pappad, a curry and some pickle. Yummy!!! They are not that costly and they are good for health.

After our siesta, we decided to cover the cave temples during the evening time. We decided to take a rick to the caves. Once we reached there, we saw a massive crowd of school children from more than 5 schools who had come to visit the caves. Lot of commotion. I hate crowded places, but had to live up to it. Life is full of surprises. We visited the caves and watched the red ball of fire set in the West. The auto driver who we had hired was enquiring with us if we wanted to visit Aihole-Banashankari-Pattadakal the next day. We were not sure if we wanted to go by bus or by a rick.

After a lot of discussion about the pros and cons, we decided to hire the rick for the next day’s sight seeing. He quoted Rs.600 for the entire day, we bargained it, but succeeded to bringing it down to Rs.550 only. After having our dinner we retired for the day. Next day we left early, for two reasons. One, is to avoid the heat, and two is to avoid the school crowd as far as possible.

We visited the Banashankari temple first, which is 5km from Badami town, enroute Aihole. Once we finished our darshan, we had our breakfast at a hotel near the temple. Again, not up to the mark. We then headed to Pattadakal, finished our sightseeing there and on our way back, we visited Aihole. We decided not to hire a guide as we felt it was going to be a sure shot cheating attempt by any unregistered guide.

We were amazed by the architectural details but I was not satisfied. I felt Hampi to be more exciting and explore-worthy than this circuit. My cousin had his own reasons to justify they were different experience. I could not disagree. We had our train booked for the next day from Badami back to Bangalore. The same trains run to and fro. Our train was scheduled to depart at 20:00 and reach Bangalore the next day at 09:15.

For those who can spend more time can travel from Badami to Bijapur, visit the sites there and take the direct train from Bijapur to Bangalore. There are trains and buses to Bijapur and it is a 3 hours journey.

Until my next post, Bonne Journee!