Kurijalu & Gangdikal Trek 12,13,14th Sep

Posted by Poornima Belawaadi

It was time for another trek and  time decided to visit Kudremukha and trek Kurijal and Gangdikal peak which is in Kudremukha Range. Myself,Vishwanath,Manjunath,Anand Verma, Meghana and Dharukesh started off from Bangalore at 10.30 PM and reached Kudremukha forest office at 6.00 AM.We had tea and moved to Bhagavathi nature camp at 7.00 PM.

Bhagavathi Nature Camp

Dormitory @ Bhagavathi Nature Camp

Tents
Bhagavathi Nature Camp

We refreshed in a small tent and took a small walk in the park. Hot upma and tea was ready for us in the kitchen ! It was yummy ! After having breakfast, we stated to trek Kurinjal Peak at 9.00 AM along with the forest guide.The weather was really supporting us but the leeches were sucking our blood throughout the trek.
In the forest

There we go !

 Buy 11.30 we trekked three forth of the route and were able to see the peak.The scenery was beautiful and the view was amazing ! We rested for a while and the photo shoot began ! We were waiting for the clouds and fog to clear and luckily weather favored us.What a spectacular view it was stunning . All were so happy for that our hard core walk paid off !
Viewing the peak

Behind me is the peak

On the way 

Trails

Western Ghats view

Break for sight seeing

Peak pic


 We reached the peak by 1.00 PM and had chapathis and chati on the peak itself.We were about to leave and there you go,RAINS ! It started to rain so heavily and we got totally drenched within no time. There was a small tower house just below the peak, we had to wear out jackets and raincoats and start the trek again.We had no time to even look back .
On the peak

At the dormitory in the evening ,,,totally relaxed..

. All that we did was walk,walk and walk,….Finally we reached the starting point back again at 3.15 PM.We had to walk till the camp area in the rain and everyone were totally wet inspite of all the wear and care.We shifted to dormitory  and had our tea and snacks(avalakki ) ! It was followed by small chats.The forest guide took us to Lakya dam and a place where we could find Kurinjal flowers !
Kurinjal Flowers

Peacocks @ Nature Camp

Kurinjal flower

 We reached back the camp at 6.30 PM and moved to kitchen to have dinner at 7.30 PM.Rice, Sambar,and beetroot salad was served hot along with curd and banana! We hit the bed by 9.00 PM and woke up at 6.30 AM.

It was time for Gangdikal trek ! Vishwanath sir prepared avalakki for us. After having the breakfast, we left Bhagavathi nature camp at 7.45 PM and started to trek.This treak really had beautiful view than Kurinjal trek.It was hard too.With great difficulty we managed to reach the peak by 11.00 AM . After  taking few snaps and enjoying the view, we trekked back and reached the camp at 1.30 PM.

Heading towards Gangdikal

On the way

Just before the peak

Near the peak

Just 10 Min to go 

On the peak

Nature Camp Kitchen


We had to quickly get ready, pack our clothes and move to Hornadu for the lunch.We reached the temple at 2.30 PM, had the darshana and ate temple lunch.We left Hornadu and reached kalasa at 3.30 PM.After having a coffee break at my home, we left to Bangalore at 4.00 PM and reached Bangalore at 10.30 PM.It was really a very good trek with a hell lot of new informations and new experiences .Thanks to Vishwanath and Summiters for the organizing the trek.

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Nishani Trek_Bhagamandala 22nd Aug

Posted by Poornima Belawaadi

It was a time to try something new. Decided to try trekking..I had done many trek near by Bangalore but this time wanted to make it a bit big ! So, myself,Jigna, Gokul, Sandhya and Ramakrishna Sir started to Nishani Motte trek near Bhagamandala.Nishani motte is a relatively unknown peak in the talacauvery/ branhmagiri range. It lies to the south of Bhagamandala in a range which extends from Talacauvery in the north to Somamale in the south in one contiguous stretch without any break, going through peaks like Nishani motte, Tumba male, and Tadiyandamol. This stretch forms the border between Kannur / Kasargod districts in Kerala and Kodagu district in Karnataka. Last year's attempt to get to Nishani motte landed us in Nishani betta (in a range north of Bhagamandala), and in all sorts of trouble with forest department due to a mining dispute in that area.We stared off from Bangalore at 10.30 PM .On the way our vehicle(Qualis ) tyre got punctured near Mandya. We were a bit scared that the incident may delay the schedule.But thank god ! Everything went on smoothly and the tyre was fixed with the help of other cab drivers :) 
                We reached Bhagamandala by 6.00 AM and got refreshed in a guest house, had idlis for breakfast in a hotel  and started off for the trek.
Bhagamadala Forest Office


In front of the Forest office with Prakash and the another guide


Our team from right-Jigna,Sandhya,Myself,Gokul,Ramakrishna and Prakash our guide
We sprayed dettol to avoid leeches.It was a thick jungle and the route for about 3-4 kms was easy.Later on we were attacked by leeches and the path turned out to be tough as we started climbing the mountain.Prakash our forest guide accompanied us till the camp area.On the way we also met two trekkers from Andra, Ritwik and Ratna who  reached peak on the same day.
Trek route


Trek route


On the mid way


Trek route
There was still one hand a half hours to reach our camp and it stared raining heavily.Hmmm, and my shoe !! Oh God the sole came off and i had to throw it half the way and had to put on my slippers. I was too tired . We had walked almost 12 kms and my legs had given up and all were hungry.We had ragi biscuits and Jigna gave us some apricots.Leeches were all around my feet and literally had to run all the way.Uf ! finally reached camp house at 1.30 PM.
Before we reached camp this was the weather.Awesome


On the way to a camp , we found this house.


Our sleeping place in the camp


Jigna cooking


Camp house


Popcorns


Soup


 All were tired to the core. Jigna prepared rotis and served us hot.We took a nap till 5.00 PM and had yummy soup and popcorns for snacks......I had a hot water bath and for 2 hrs we chatted in the house and then had chapatis and rice for dinner at 8.30 PM and went to sleep.Early moring all woke up at 6.30, had tea and noodles for breakfast and left for the peak at 8.30 AM.It took one and half hour to reach the peak.Almost 4 kms.Weather really was against us with rain, fog and mist all around.Sandhya had decided to give but we motivated her and all of us reached the peak at 10.30 AM.Every struggle paid off.
Next day morning on the way to the peak


On the way to the peak




On the way to the peak


On the peak.HURRAY.WE MADE IT !


Myself on the peak with the camp house dog which followed us. :)


We took some snaps and reached back camp at 12.30.From there, we packed our bags and trekked back in the jeep route for 6 kms .Our driver was waiting there ! Then we headed towards Bhagamandala and had kodava lunch at a guest house ! We reached Bangalore at 10.PM...Total of 18 kms trek to the peak and trekked back for 6kms.It was really challenging i enjoyed a lot.Love u Coorg :)

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Kaiwara-Kailasagiri-Muddenahalli-Devanahalli-Nandi Hills 29.06.2014

Posted by Poornima Belawaadi


 It all began with a lot of planning for almost a month ! Myself and 6 of my cousins finally decided to go for a day trip.Tata Sumo was all set picking up each one of them on the way.We left Bangalore by 7.30 and had tiffin break at K R Puram.
Morning Breakfast
Journey was accompanied by snacks(Biscuits by Adi, Cake by Archana , Avlakki by Harsha unluckily solen by monkeys at Kaiwara ! and chips by me ) and some funny talks.... Our first spot was Kaiwara.Kaiwara is a small town in the Chickballapur district  located northeast of Bangalore.Kaiwara is famous for Saint Narayanappa, popularly known as Kaiwara Thatayya in Kannada and Telugu, who was a bilingual poet. He lived there during the last half of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century. Narayanappa prophesized and composed Keertanas (poems in praise of the Lord in different forms) in praise of Amara Narayanaswamy, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, in both Kannada and Telugu languages.
Kaiwara Temple

Inside KaiwaraTemple

Kaiwara

Kaiwara Taataiyya
After visiting the temple we moved towards Yoginarayana Mutt: Ashram dedicated to the Thatayya where he was buried alive as a ritual of Jeevasamadhi. Thatayya did all his meditation in a cave which is 3 km from Kaiwara and they call it as Gavi. During his period of meditation, a tiger and a leopard used to guard him and few years later he was enlightened.The cave was beautiful surrounded by greenary and hills around.We took some funny pics there and also had raw mangoes.It was almost 9.15 AM by the time we left Kaiwara and reached Kailsagiri at 10.00 AM.
Yoginarayana Mutt
YoginarayanaMutt


Taataiyya's meditation place
The other attraction of Chintamani is the temple at Kailasagiri. This is a famous cave temple located on the hill. There are three shrines in Kailasagiri dedicated to Lord Shiva (Four faced), Goddess Parvathi and Lord Ganesha.
Kailasagiri cave

After the darshana , we had to leave for our next destination - Shree Nakoda Avati 108 Parshwanth Jain Temple at Devanahalli.It was a beautiful temple . Marvellous architecure and very neatly maintained.Though photography was probhited we managed to click few followed by lunch in the lunch hall at temple premises.
Jain temple architecture

Bhagavan Mahaveera
Jain temple Devanahalli
Jain temple
Temple premises
Temple lunch

 

It was 1.30 by the time we left Devanahalli with munching watermelons on the way and we reached Muddenahalli -Birth place of Sir  M.Visweswaraih, one of the India's most accomplished engineers. He was a recipient of the Indian Republic's highest honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1955.There is a memorial of Sir M. V. located on the family-owned land at Muddenahalli, with the Nandi Hills as a backdrop. The museum was renovated in view of 150th Sir MV Birth ceremonies conducted on September 15, 2010. The memorial exhibits his awards, titles and personal belongings, including his living room, spectacles, cups, his copy of the Webster's dictionary, and a block with which his visiting cards were printed. Models of the Krishna Raja Sagar dam, which Visvesvaraya designed and supervised the construction of, are also exhibited. The memorial is located adjacent to his house, which was refurbished and regarded as a temple by the locals.
Sir.M Vishveshwaraiah Samadhi

Sir M Vishveshwaraiah's house-Muddenahalli
From there we headed towards Bhoganandeeshwara temple just below Nandi Hills.The Bhoganandisvara temple is architecturally one of the most important specimens of Dravidian order datable to circa ninth to fifteenth century A.D. Enclosed in its own prakara measuring 112.8m x 76.2m with double mahadvara, this complex consists of twin temples dedicated to Siva as Bhoganandisvara (north) and Arunachalesvara (south). Between the two is a small intervening shrine.Each temple consists of a garbhagriha, a sukanasi and a navaranga. Both sukanasi and navaranga are provided with sculptured jalis. Both temples have individual nandimandapas in front. In between the two shrines is a kalyanamandapa built of black stone intricately carved with creepers and birds, even excelling the meticulously worked Hoysala specimens. The prakara has two Devi shrines and other related structures like vasantamandapa tulabharamandapa and a square stepped tank.
Bhoganandeeshwara Temple premises

Bhoganandeeshwara Temple Entrance

Inside the temple
Kalyani

With tons of photo sesions, we left to Nandi Hills accompanied by rain showers.What a weather it was ! Perfect time to pary.. cake cutting, view from hill top followed by the sunrise/sunset  view point and a park walk. Beautiful atmosphere it was! Loved it... Finally we left Nandi hills by 6.30 and reached Bangalore at 9 PM..
Nandi Hills Sunset point

Celebration time

@ Sunset point
Thanks to Archana and my sister for the treat in her bakery ! Thanks to Bhavana, Harsha, Ramkumar, bro Mohan and Aditya ..What else can i say ? Awesome journey ... awesome trip !

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