Where architecture and nature go hand-in-hand!

Note: This article is strictly for people who love to pick up their bags and rush out for any extended weekend trip!

Just kidding guys! This is going to be my very first post and I’ll feed you with my latest escapade (to ensure that it is a fresh-out-of-my-mind article).

By now, I believe most of you have noticed that 2009 presents its public holidays mostly on a Friday or a Monday. And the first thought that came to my mind was the numerous weekends that I have to explore around Bangalore.

My first opportunity came in the very first month of the year, when we had the 26^th Jan’s leave on a Monday. All I had to do was talk three more of my friends into the trip, book a car and zoom away! Well, of course we decided on the place first.

The trip was to consist of Belur, Halebidu and Chikmagalur – all in just three days. There were lots of speculations as to which is the best time to leave, i.e., drive during the night or leave early on Saturday morning. Finally, we took the driver’s suggestion and started off at 6.30am on Saturday, since he said we can catch up on Belur-Halebidu on our way to Chikmagalur, instead of doing the other way round.

The pleasant January cold and the mild sun did wonders to our journey. Sleepy-heads though I am, I surprisingly stayed awake the entire way to Belur. Whenever you plan to go, try not to miss the yummy idlis (each of which was the size of a big plate!) and the coconut water from the road-side vendors (mere 10 bucks and the water so sweet and in so much quantity, it’ll make you realize the difference of healthy country-side food and the polluted junk we get in the cities). One note of caution: try to take a 4-wheel drive instead of a small family car. The roads are BAD, sometimes beyond comprehension. Especially once you reach Chikmagalur, the uphill pot-holes will sure be too much for your Santro or Zen.

We reached Halebidu around 12.30pm. By that time we were actually cursing the heat. The sun scorched its fullest and a bare-footed tour of the temple didn’t help much either. Still we rolled up our sleeves and started looking around. I have heard from others who have already visited the place that is it similar architecture like that of Hampi. Maybe it was, but for us it was a marvel. The carvings were so intricate that it leaves you amazed that the masons didn’t chip off their fingers along with the stone. One more thing to keep an eye for is the angular structure of the temple. As you cover the circumference, I assure you complete awe of the symphony of the various stories that were carved on the walls, along with the temple construction itself. Then there is the serene lake beyond the green grass around the temple. You can sit under the shades of a tree and spend an entire day in its quiet and beauty.

We reluctantly left Halebidu and headed towards Belur. The second destination was somewhat a bit of disappointment as compared to the first. After the extravagant engravings of Halebidu, Belur looked somewhat bland. The temple supposedly still under construction, so many parts were of cement, which took away the charm. A brief and already tired look around Belur and we moved off for Chikmagalur.

One mistake of a hurried trip is lack of planning. We took for granted that hotels will be available, since it is not the peak season. We were definitely wrong, since it was not only us who decided on stealing away the weekend in the lap of nature. The search for a room lasted over an hour before we could settle down on a nice soft bed. I don’t need to say how tired we were. A thorough wash and a quick dinner that helped us sleep a dead man’s night.

Next morning, we left around 9.30am and headed for the Baba Budan Giri range and Baba Budan’s darga (Datta Peeta – Manikya Dhara falls) at the top of one of the hills. It was supposedly a falls but a big disappointment for us. I’ll suggest you skip it and head for Hebbe falls directly. Another caution: you won’t be able to visit the falls in monsoon because of its sheer bad roads. You CAN’T take your car to the falls directly. There is a point where you have to let go of your vehicle and book jeeps (per person 100 bucks and they will require eight people, or you can book one jeep for whole 800 bucks). The road leading to the falls wasn’t a road actually. Amongst boulders and dirt tracks, we bumped and jostled in the truck, sometimes we were on the slope of the hill-side, since there were no roads at all! It took all of 40 minutes to reach the village, and another 20 minutes’ walk through streams, hillocks and thin pathways.

The sight that awaited us, Police couldn’t have sung – ‘Take my breath away’ – with more emotion! Some 170 odd meters high waterfall, it was like God is pouring tons of milk. The water splashed and gurgled with all its beauty. Numerous ph­­­­­­­­­oto clicks later we left the place, with the promise of visiting it again and another falls that we missed – the comparably beautiful Kalahatti Falls.

A shocked realization woke us up the third and final day – it was our day to head back. We packed up and left the hotel around 9.30am. We were going to the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary first, covering an area of about 500 sq. km. Another lovely getaway, you can book cottages here for just 500 bucks a night. Safari happens at 9am and 6pm, so obviously we missed it. We couldn’t wait till evening to head back for Bangalore, but a small stream hidden amongst the pine trees consoled us. We couldn’t have asked for a better time there. The added surprise was the wonderful lunch we could glean from the residents of the area.

We started off around 2pm, thinking we will reach Bangalore by 8pm. Our driver had something else stored for us. On the way, around 5pm, he asked whether we would like to see Gomteshwar. Not knowing what it is, we played along. What we experienced was a climb of numerous stairs, climaxing in an 18 meter tall granite monolith of Buddha and an expansive view from the hill-top! It was only after we climbed down counting, we realized that there were 1,200 stairs up and down. Sounds mind-numbing, but yes, we actually made it to the top and down again. Being a holy place, it was even more surprising to see old people climbing with the same enthusiasm that we had.

After a break for dinner, by the time we reached home it was around 11.30pm. It was a long day for us, but we knew it’s going to be even longer day at office the next day.

Distance:

1. Bangalore to Chikmagalur – 240 km

a. Bangalore to Halebidu – 220km

b. Halebidu to Belur – 7km

c. Belur to Chikmagalur – 14 km

2. Chikmagalur to Hebbe Falls – 40 km

3. Chikmagalur to Bhadra – 25km