Nandi hills and around

It was one of those weekends in Bangalore which was rain washed for two or three days and the city had returned to being “green”. 

Not to miss these wonderful weekends, the plan was set to head to Nandi hills the nearest hill station to Bangalore.

My only remembrance of Nandi hills was the visit I paid when I was a kid on a blazing hot summer day. But having seen some of the beautiful mist covered pictures of Nandi in recent times, a visit to this hills station was in the queue to get a firsthand experience of it.

What better day than a weekend which has had some rain previous eve to reload the greenery back in the hills, plans being made and things set, it was time to leave. 

The drive to Nandi hills is not very scenic, now that the New Bangalore International Airport has made its presence felt. However the consequence of this advancement is the good condition of roads that take you all the way to the hills.

There is not much to stop and have a peek en-route but we found some small rose gardens which hadflowers in full bloom. Of course one will not be able to reach the garden but admire its beauty from a distance and let them be in their tranquility. 

Nandi hills are best viewed in the wee hours of morning when mists and clouds swallow up the hills and form their shadow on the farms below. Though our excursion was planned to be at that point of day, it did not come about due to our multiple stops for pictures on our way.

There are around 40 curves from the base of the hill to the entrance which also issues tickets. Once the tickets are bought, cars are allowed to enter inside the site. The roads are formed in such a way that one can see few of the interesting things by being in the car.

The premises on top of the hills are maintained by the Horticulture department and have a done a commendable job.

View points

Some of the additions to the place compared to when I visited last are structures which bear a resemblance to tree houses, view points along the way which have taken up the shape similar to Opera house, Australia. 

There are enough benches in the landscape for the tired to take rest.

We made use of these benches to have our breakfast and it was nothing less than a picnic in the woods of course with yum food.

 There are hidden places which you can enjoy though not listed in the main attractions in Nandi hills like a tank right behind the Yoga Nandishwara temple. You can sit here for hours enjoying the cool breeze and witnessing the ripple effects on the water.

The horticulture department park also extends through length and breadth of the hills and one can get engrossed in the nature here without any disturbance of the outside world. Take enough time to explore the entire park on foot, which is the best way to feel nature on the hills.

Some of the must visit places atop the hills are:

• Nehru park : Huge park with lots of greenery, keep enough time aside to enjoy the place which is worth all the walking.

•    Tippu drop : There are two ways to reach it. One is the pathway through the steps which run beside the Yoga Nandeeshwara temple and for the adventurous you can make your way through rocks and boulders. (This actually gives you thrill but ensure to bring enough warm clothing, its pretty breeze here.)

• Yoga Nandeeshwara temple: It’s an ancient temple and has been well maintained considering the infrastructure available atop. It’s not to be missed

• Tippu’s summer palace: It’s at the other entrance of the park, nothing much to see since it has not been maintained well.

• Amruth Sarovar: Another place which has got nothing much to offer.

• Gavi veerabdhadra Swamy Temple:

•  Ganesh temple

Entry & Timings: 

The entrance gate which issues entry ticket opens at morning 6.30 and the tickets are charged at Rs 5 per person.

Accommodation:

In case you have not quenched the desire to explore the place, then you can stay on the hills. There are various options for varied budget

•  Hotel Mayura Pine top is managed by KSTDC and provides the profile view of the hills

• Traveller Bunglow which is managed by the horticulture department. For reservation contact the horticulture department at Lalbagh. On call bookings are rare and this place requires booking a month in advance (It was under renovation on 1^st September 2012)

• There are various other options on the way to Nandi hills as well.

Food

There are not many options to have food on top of the hills except the Hotel Mayura pine top but none other which requires a mention.
Hence it is advisable to carry food and have a picnic lunch.

Other information

Nandi Hills is one of the unique place in Karnataka which offers paragliding activity.

Nandi Hills is cyclists paradise, a good ~400 meters of altitude gain in ~7 km of ride, The bikers/cyclists from Bangalore storm there on weekends and holidays. It's a very good hill training spot for them.

For enquiries and booking the traveler bungalow contact:

DIRECTORATE, Horticulture Department, Lalbagh, Bangalore-560004.  Phone: 080-2657-9231   
SPECIAL OFFICER, Nandi Hill Station, Chikkaballapur Taluk, Kolar district. Phone: 08156-2678621   (Between July 16th to March 14th)

Bhoganandishwara temple.

This is an ancient temple situated on the foothills of Nandi hills and at a distance of 50 odd kilometers from Bangalore. There is a sign board which informs tourists about the temple in Nandi village but very few take the turn.

The temple is a mix of architectural styles from Hoysalas, Cholas and Vijayanagar empire period.
The façade of the temple overlooks flourishing green lawns which are exceptionally well maintained.  

The temple hosts three main shrines dedicated to Bhoganandishwara, Arunachaleshwara and Uma Maheshwara. The temple is divided into two area one which holds the shrines and the other which looks like a cultural center with an adjoining temple pond. The entire temple possess aesthetically designed pillars, carvings to hold your attention long enough to not let you go.

The serene nature of the temple and its surroundings wiped out all our weariness and we were rejuvenated once again.

For more information contact

Sri BhogaNandiShwera Swami Devalaya
Nandigrama, Nandi Village, Chikkabalapura
Contact Mr. Vijay Ph. No. – 09341170852