Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Know this before buying your travel camera to satiate your hunger of clicking photos!

Are you the one who travel often and love photography?Are you one of those who always wanted to buy a camera for travel but confused which one to buy?Are you a newbie travel photographer looking for a camera for beginner travel photography? If your answer is "Yes" for any one of the above questions, then this post is for you.



 Amazing travel photos are some of my most treasured souvenirs!


Different people will have different requirements and budgets for buying a camera. Gone are the days when camera had the limited features. Modern cameras are filled with head spinning features and people confuse with which one to choose. This post clears your mind and helps you to pick the perfect travel camera for your next trip.


1.Size and Weight: Yes, choose a camera that is top class in quality and at the same time make sure it is not heavy and does not occupy much space in your baggage.


2.Manual Settings:  Good camera means good degree of control-ability i.e., one can expect to control the settings in order to dial in a perfect shot under any circumstances.


3.Fast Lens: Most of us wouldn't be willing to spend another 20,000-30,000 bucks on a lens immediately after purchasing a camera. So, one can make sure that the lens on the camera itself is decent enough for a perfect shot. For this, you can refer to the focal length which is usually refereed as f/number – f/1.4, f/2.8, f/4. The lower the number, the better the shots you will capture in low light.


4.Zoom Range: It generally refers how far you can zoom in and click without compromising the image quality. The zoom range is measured in X – 2X, 4X, 8X etc. But, keep in mind that the bigger the zoom the bulkier the camera gets. So, this factor is personal preference.


5.Pixels: Each image comprises of small pixels. More the number of pixels, the better the picture quality would be. A 20-megapixel camera means the image would have 20 million small pixels. However, there is a common misconception that more pixels mean better image quality. But what you really need is a higher pixel counts with a bigger image sensor to obtain clear shots.


6.HD/4K VIDEO : Most quality travel cameras will shoot video in HD 1080p. Some even have 4K capabilities — which I honestly think not necessary unless professional work is involved.


7.WiFi/Bluetooth: This is again not mandatory but this feature enables to stream Videos/Images instantly.


8.Weather Resistance : Being a travel camera it is necessary that the camera withstands the forces of nature.



Know your Camera:


1.Point & Shoot- For The Beginner Travel Photographer.


2.Action Camera- For The Crazy Adventurous Souls.


3.DSLR Camera- For Professional Travel Photography.


4.Mirror-less Camera: Best Camera For Videography.


Happy Trails!


See you in the next post.


Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Spiritual Retreat @ Velliangiri Hills

Have you ever imagined to take a short break from your city's hustle and bustle and have your soul filled with peace? If so, this is the post for you.

The foothills of the Velliangiri mountains, about 40 kilometers from the city of Coimbatore in southern India, serve as home for the Isha Yoga Center. Created as a powerful center for inner growth, this popular destination attracts people from all parts of the world and is unique in its offering of all the four major paths of yoga - Gnana (knowledge), Karma (action), Kriya (energy), and Bhakthi (devotion).


You can reach the place through local bus or by taxi. You do have frequent buses from Gandhipuram bus stand which costs around Rs. 50 for one way and the taxi will cost you around 2000 bucks for the roundtrip. The travel duration is roughly about an hour.


isha1.jpg

As you can see, the place is wooded to fill our eyes with green and nose with earthy smell. Around 200 mts from here, you will reach the entrance for the yoga centre where the statue of "Nagaraja" welcomes you whole-heartedly. If you feel down because of the journey, hydrate yourself by drinking "Neera" from the stall which is a minute from the entrance.It costs about 20 bucks/shot and it is so delicious.I am sure you won't settle for just one cup.




[caption id="attachment_237" align="alignnone" width="2160"]img_20180826_122606.jpg Statue of Nagaraja at the entrance[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_238" align="alignnone" width="4160"]IMG_20180826_123243.jpg Only stall where you get Neera shots[/caption]

So, what next? Its time to handover your mobile, footwear and other electronic gadgets at the counter. Yes! remember what I said at the beginning of this post? Exactly,Peace!You will not be able to access your mobile for the whole day.


After this, head straight to theerthakund where a dip is essential to enter the premises. Dry yourself in the sun and head towards the shrines there. Believe me, the shrines are beautiful. First is Bhairavi Devi shrine and then head to Dhyanalinga. It is the largest mercury-based, live linga in the world. The earthy colors, the natural granite, and the fusion of unconventional surfaces and shapes that adorn this space create an ethereal ambiance and an apt atmosphere to receive the grace of the Dhyanalinga. One can do meditation as long as they want. I don't do meditation usually but I ended up meditating about 30 mins.


If you feel hungry, head to Isha's Pepper Vine cafeteria where good and healthy food is served for an affordable price. After having your meal, you can head for shopping which is right opposite to the cafeteria. One can shop for clothes(both men and women), ayurvedic products like soap,hand wash, lotions, etc.You also have workshops for Yoga,Meditation,etc which you can sign up for free of cost and if you are planning to stay for the night you can book cottages which is by the way will be unavailable during Mahashivaratri and other such occasions.You can also sign up for several volunteering opportunities.


8975678996.jpg

[caption id="attachment_241" align="alignnone" width="1000"]shoppe.jpg Few things from Isha Shoppe[/caption]

Now, are you ready to experience some village lifestyle? Get ready to hop on bullock cart which will take you to your next and final point, which is Adiyogi Shiva statue. Largest and tallest face in the world, made up of 500 tonnes of steel. Height of 112 feet symbolically denotes that Adiyogi gave 112 ways to explore the human system.The statue is surrounded by mountains and the best time to visit this point is evening around 5 P.M.




[caption id="attachment_243" align="alignnone" width="2160"]img_20180826_173041.jpg Bullock Ride to Adiyogi statue[/caption]

img_20180826_173818.jpg

[caption id="attachment_245" align="alignnone" width="2160"]img_20180826_181300.jpg Adiyogi Shiva[/caption]

TIP FOR THE TRIP:



  • To see the place at its best,visit during Mahashivaratri.

  • Don't litter the place.

  • Don't waste the food.

  • Try visiting Siruvani dam which is not far from Isha Yoga Centre.

  • You can also couple this trip with Ooty.


See you in the next post.

Happy Trails!

Monday, August 6, 2018

Bhrigu Lake- My First Himalayan Trek to God's Pool

Bhrigu Lake is a high altitude Himalayan lake located at an elevation of around 4,300 metres (14,100 ft) in Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh.It is named after Maharishi Bhrigu. It is located to the east of Rohtang Pass and is non-motorable. It can be reached by trekking either from the Vashishth temple, which is famous for its hot water springs, which is close to the town of Manali or from Gulaba village. Actually there is no settlement in Gulaba and is an area of the Pir Panjal mountain range.



DIGGING DEEP:


Legend has it that the sage used to meditate near the lake and hence it has been rendered sacred; the locals believe that due to this the lake never freezes completely. You are not allowed to camp at the Bhrigu lake and one must descend few meters to find the suitable ground.



ITINERARY:


Manali- Gulaba- Rola Kohli- Bhrigu Lake- Rola Kohli- Gulaba- Manali

DURATION :


3 DAYS & 2 NIGHTS

If you are a beginner and have a craze for high altitudes then try the trek to Bhrigu Lake.I planned trhis trip with my friends. We rented a Gurkha (Force Motors) and started our journey towards Gulaba from Manali. Gulaba is accessible from the highway between Manali and Rohtang Pass.Gulaba has no settlement and it is an area of the Pir Panjal mountain range. It is about 22 kms from Manali. As the route has lots of traffic always it is good if you start the journey as early as possible. We parked our vehicle next to the check post at Gulaba and packed the necessary things for the trek. If your baggage is heavy you can give it to Packhorse. They charge around 400 bucks for one way. We all carried our stuff by ourselves. The trail for the trek is just across the road where we parked our car.




[caption id="attachment_media-41" align="alignnone" width="3120"]IMG_20180731_112924.jpg Check post at Gulaba[/caption]

Our plan is to reach Rola Kholi which is the campsite within evening. Rohla kohli is 7 kms from Gulaba.

We started our trek at 12 P.M. I did not expect the trail would be so steep at the beginning itself. First 1 km was like a warm up climb. We breathed real heavy but after sometime our body got adapted and was easy thereafter. After few minutes of the trek itself we was in the middle of beautiful Alpine meadow. After a climb of nearly an hour we reached the tip from where the trail to next mountain tip would be visible. I can say it as an endless carpet of grass stretched all over.




[caption id="attachment_media-47" align="alignnone" width="4608"]DSC00023.JPG Alpine Meadows[/caption]

We also found brown oak, cedar and birch trees on our trail here .If you turn behind you can find the beautiful stretch of Solang Valley and Beas river. Also, we found number of small streams on our way. These streams are dry during summers but fill our bottles rest of the season. The trail is fully damp and the only way to get grip is through your poles. In fact many of us slipped at many places. There is a waterfall crossing after few hours of trek. This is bit difficult and you have to be very careful. Our legs went inside muds as the place was damp and marshy. I advice you to check the place by using poles before stepping onto it.


 

[caption id="attachment_189" align="alignnone" width="3456"]dsc00040.jpg Beautiful stretch of River Beas[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_190" align="alignnone" width="4032"]IMG_1118.JPG Waterfall Crossing[/caption]

The trail gets flattened thereafter for about a km. This path was completely cloud-covered. We couldn't see anyone here and started shouting to make sure of our presence. After few minutes of walk I started hearing echo of "You're my Heart, You're my soul" song and as the clouds started clearing I was pleased with the view of Tents amidst mountains. We were excited to see people at last after 5 hrs because we didn't find anyone during our trek.




[caption id="attachment_media-75" align="alignnone" width="4608"]DSC00051.JPG Cloud covered trail- "Spot me if you can"[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_media-80" align="alignnone" width="2304"]DSC00065.JPG This was the view I got as soon as the clouds started clearing at Rola Kholi Campsite[/caption]

As soon as we reached we found a place next to the stream to make our tents. We made three tents as we were six in number. We planned to stay there for the night. I took rest for an hour and woke up at 7 P.M. As soon as I stepped out of the tent I felt so freezing. The temperature was 3 degree Celsius. We booked our cook before itself through a localite at Manali. He served us Rice and Rajma for the dinner. Rice is a good option during trek as it has good amount of carbs. After dinner , we spoke to other people there and had good time.




[caption id="attachment_media-85" align="alignnone" width="5184"]DSC08802.JPG I was totally in love with my tent[/caption]

The next day , we all planned to woke up at 5 A.M. but due to the weather we managed to woke up by 6 A.M. The night before was hell because we couldn't sleep properly as we kept on sliding in our tents because our tents were made on slopes ( you can see it in the pic above) and there was no adequate friction between our sleeping bag and the tent's base. The morning was kind of challenging for us because we don't have toilets up there and have to dig our own pits. Thank God! I had toilet paper roll. It was time for breakfast. We were served with Bread Omelette and Tea.


Next, is trek to Bhrigu lake which is approximately 4 kms from there. Our plan was to reach Bhrigu lake and come back to the tents by evening. We left all our belongings at the tent itself and packed just our lunch to have it by the lake. We were warned not to litter around the lake as it was considered sacred. We started trekking from Rohla kohli. As before first few steps were like warm up. The trek was not so steep as before. First 3 kms were covered by grass and wet muds here and there. We were able to observe two peaks during this trail, one was Mt. Hanuman Tibba and another one is Friendship Peak.




[caption id="attachment_media-90" align="alignnone" width="4608"]DSC00083.JPG Mt. Hanuman Tibba (right) and Friendship Peak (left)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_media-95" align="alignnone" width="4608"]DSC00079.JPG Rola Kholi Campsite- This pic was taken on the trail from Rola Kholi to Bhrigu lake[/caption]

Last 1.5 kms of the trek is climb through rocks. One must be careful here because the rocks are loose and may get you out of balance. After 1 km trek on rock we reached an amazing spot ( It's in the pic below). We rested here for a while and continued trekking after that.




[caption id="attachment_media-105" align="alignnone" width="2304"]IMG_20180730_103111.jpg We reached this spot after trekking around 1 km in the rocky road which you can see in the pic itself[/caption]

After getting to the tip of the rocky road we found plains with combination of yellow and pink flowers below which we saw Bhrigu lake. We shouted out of joy and was able to hear our echo. It took around 2 hours for us to reach here from Rola Kohli. Before we went down for the lake we sat and had a chat with others whom we wet the other night at our campsite. The view of Bhrigu lake was ---------( I don't know what to put in the blanks) from there. The lake is kinda oval shaped and the people there believes that the lake doesn't dry up or freeze completely even during heavy winters. Then we went near the lake and did meditation for a while. We were warned not to wear footwear near the lake as it is considered sacred. There is a temple beside the lake which has a Trishul as the one with Lord Shiva.




[caption id="attachment_210" align="alignnone" width="812"]tscreenshot-99.png I bet you are thinking it is an PC's wallpaper but believe me it is not[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_media-110" align="alignnone" width="3456"]IMG_20180730_112902.jpg View of Bhrigu lake down the plains[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_media-125" align="alignnone" width="5184"]DSC08786.JPG Bhrigu Lake[/caption]

It was just 11 A.M. so we decided to have our lunch back at our camp site itself. We decided to make the descend bit more challenging and took the unusual trail. We all were scared because we were not getting the proper support to hold and get down. One of my friend even rolled over the rocks. So please don't do this kind of stuffs. At last we made it to our tents by 2 P.M.We had our lunch there and started clicking pics. So, what now for the rest of the day? Few of us said we descend to Gulaba that day itself but majority of them was not convinced because the trail becomes almost invisible at night. Everyone went back to their tents as the place was bit cold.


That evening, I walked few metres and was sitting near cliff. Suddenly from no where I heard my name. It was one of my friend calling me to come over. As I went near him I was surprised to see a bottle of rum in his hand. I ran and got a cup for myself. Everything was good until we found that we had nothing to mix with it. We went to our cook and asked him if he had anything. He had Frooti nothing else. I had to drink it any cost and decided to drink rum with frooti. Why not a new combination at a new place??? All of my friends joined later and had a great time.




[caption id="attachment_205" align="aligncenter" width="415"]screenshot-97-e1535546850865.png New combination at new place! LOL - You'll experience the same if you forget too...[/caption]

Later after dinner we went back to our tents. It started to rain later that night and the temperature was near zero degrees that night.

The next morning we gave our baggage to packhorse and started our descend to Gulaba. As usual, the descend was quite easy and was able to make it to Gulaba in 2 Hrs. After that we went back to our hotel at Manali.

[caption id="attachment_media-120" align="alignnone" width="4608"]DSC00056.JPG Views during descend[/caption]

This trek is a must go for mountain lovers and the trek difficulty is moderate. So what are you waiting for???Go grab your bags now!!!

TIP FOR THE TRIP:



  • Arrive a day before the trek to Manali.

  • Carry all the necessary items needed for trek ( but avoid unnecessary things as it increases the load).

  • Kindly do not litter the place.

  • Avoid trekking at nights.

  • Know your trail in advance else book a guide for your safety.


See you in the next post.

Happy Trails!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Shivanasamudra-Talakadu : A Waterfall-Desert Duo

Shivanasamudra is a beautiful waterfall located in Mandya district of Karnataka. It is surrounded by deep forests of Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. If your interests are waterfalls then you should definitely hit the place. Shivanasamudra is located around 140 kms from Bangalore. I must say that the route was so awesome. I couldn't take my eyes off. So, be ready with your cameras.


Formed by Cauvery river, Shivanasamudra is a divided waterfall with several parallel streams formed adjacent to each other. This town splits up the Cauvery river into two different falls, one is Gaganachukki and the other is Bharachukki. Both are collectively called Shivanasamudra falls but people refer Gaganachukki as Shivanasamudra falls commonly . It is one of the famous tourist spot in Karnataka.




[caption id="attachment_161" align="alignnone" width="817"]IMG_20180614_110842 Enroute Gaganachukki falls. I lost myself while listening to "Upenantha" song (telugu song) on this road[/caption]

My first spot was Gaganachukki which was shaped like horsetail. Although the falls was not at its full swing during my visit, the view was good. You'll get the best out of this waterfalls during late monsoons. If swimming was there I would have jumped right away, but, unfortunately swimming was not allowed. To get the best view go to the watch tower nearby the falls. A Dargah near to the falls also gives specatuclar view of the falls. Located not far from Gaganachukki, Bharachukki's view point is around 12 kms drive. This falls is more wider and a perfet hangout place.




[caption id="attachment_162" align="alignnone" width="673"]barachukki-and-gaganachukki.jpg Gaganachukki falls[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_163" align="alignnone" width="1334"]IMG_20180614_112946_HDR.jpg Barachukki Falls[/caption]

This trip will be at its best when it is coupled with Talakadu. But, before that don't forget to take a coracle ride in Cauvery river on the way to Talakadu.

[caption id="attachment_164" align="alignnone" width="817"]IMG_20180614_124444.jpg Coracal Ride- Shivanasamudra[/caption]

Let me say why to visit Talakadu?What if I say that this place has the most ancient temples of history?Still not excited?What if I say that this town is buried in sand even today? Yes,it is true. There are quite a few temples to visit. You will be walking over several temples buried beneath your feet hits. The place is also famous for wine making. So, next time you buy a wine bottle from Bangalore don't forget to check the label. You can also find number of cafe that serve food prepared by Brahmin. So if you ever wanted to eat food from Agrahara, you may try it here.




[caption id="attachment_165" align="alignnone" width="817"]GOPR1859_1529257680257_high.JPG Sri Keerthynarayana Swamy Temple-Talakadu[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_166" align="alignnone" width="1600"]Talakadu Karnataka Pixelated Memories Sahil Ahuja (9).JPG The path that leads to temples at Talakadu[/caption]

OTHER PICS FROM THE TRIP:


[caption id="attachment_media-53" align="alignnone" width="1080"]Screenshot_2018-08-18-01-01-33-0195972445.png Road between view points for falls.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_168" align="alignnone" width="1600"]IMG_7077-1.jpg Old bridge that is on the way to Talakadu[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_169" align="alignnone" width="919"]DSC_0185.JPG Under the bridge[/caption]

For those laid-back and willing to experience change in the pace and subject of travel, make a note of this trip.

TIP FOR THE TRIP:



  • Best time to visit is during monsoon.

  • Carry an Umbrella with you as the place receives rainfall more often.

  • Pack your foods because the food options are limited.

  • Carry liquid cash with you as ATMs are very less.

  •  Don't litter this wonderful place.


See you in the next post.

Happy Trails!

 

 

 

 

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Take a Break from Bengaluru's Traffic and hit this place !

Are you tired of Bangalore's Traffic? Want to take your date somewhere unique and budget friendly or Looking for a place to hangout with your friends? Then, drive to Hessarghatta.


Drive till Chikkabanvara might be little tiring. But after that, the road that is from Chikkabanvara to Hessarghatta is speechless. The road is filled with greenery and is almost empty all days of the week.




[caption id="attachment_media-9" align="alignnone" width="1080"]Screenshot_2018-08-23-19-05-15-0115780521.png Hessarghatta Road[/caption]

Here is the list of things you can do here:

1. Hessarghatta Lake


If you are looking for a place where you can take long walk, chill-out with your friends then you should definitely visit this lake. This lake attracts variety of birds which includes Brahminy kites, Black drangos, common mynas. There aren't many places to visit in Bangalore that can boast of this variety of birds. So, this is a great spot for bird watching. Unfortunately, the lake is dried up during summers. Hence, visiting it during monsoon would be a great choice.


 

Screenshot (94)hasserghata lake

2. Hessarghatta Grasslands


This grassanlands makes a good spot for your snaps. This grassland isn't far from the Lake. Visiting it especially the farms nearby makes you feel like you are living in alternate world.


grassland.jpg

3. Horse Riding


Make your date a STABLE date. I personally feel taking loved ones to horse riding romantic. What about you? If you are the same person as I am then you should head to Modern Horse Riding School. It costs approximately Rs. 500-650 per ride. They also have professional courses if you would like to take up.



4. The Dhabas


You'll find quite a good number of Dhabas at this route. These Dhabas are one of a kind. Most of the Dhabas are good, well maintained and full of greenery. Few of them also have an option for outdoor seating. Alcohol is also served at these places. Mushroom food varities are a must try at this road. You'll find many restaurants selling them. These Dhabas also organizes events for various occasions.




[caption id="attachment_180" align="alignnone" width="600"]215565_store_images_6_app_2017-07-22-15-05-18-000389.jpg Tikki Village- Hessarghatta Road[/caption]

See you in the next post.

Happy Trails!

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Lepakshi- A Journey to Land of Legends

Do you have just a day and like to road-trip near Bangalore? Do you Like to travel across the state?If your answer is yes, then buckle up to Lepakshi.

DIGGING DEEP:


Lepakshi is a small village located in the Anantapur District, in Andhra Pradesh, India. A Legend has it that, this was the place where the bird Jatayu fell, wounded after a futile battle against Ravana who had abducted Sita and going to Sri Lanka with her. When Sri Rama reached the spot, he saw the bird and said compassionately, “Le Pakshi” — ‘rise,o bird!!’ in Telugu and that is where the place is believed to have got it’s name from.



MY STORY :


Lepakshi is approximately 125 kms from Bangalore. We started our journey around 7 A.M. We reached Lepakshi around 9:15 A.M. As soon as you get down, you feel like you are the ant-man in front of 4.5 m high statue of Nandi. This Nandi is carved out of a single rock and is believed to be second largest monolith in India. The place is clean and you can walk through the gardens to have closer look.


 

[caption id="attachment_126" align="alignnone" width="4160"]IMG_20170113_112345 Enroute Lepakshi[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_127" align="alignnone" width="3456"]IMG_20170113_085309990.jpg Nandi at Basavanna Temple. It faces towards the Nagalinga behind Veerabhadra Temple[/caption]

Then we went to Veerbhadra temple. This temple is dedicated to Veerabhadreshwar. Each pillar on the temple has unique carvings. Moving from one pillar to another pillar itself may be a fascinating journey for any art lover. You should not miss the hanging pillar there. To check, you can flick a paper from one side and watch it coming out from the other side. You can also spot the beautiful Vijayanagar murals on the ceiling.




[caption id="attachment_128" align="alignnone" width="2048"]DSC02577.JPG Veerbhadra Temple[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_media-15" align="alignnone" width="2602"]Hanging-Pillar-Lepaksi.jpg Hanging pillar of Lepakshi[/caption]

Then, come outside of the temple to have a look at pillars surrounding the temple. There are about 70 pillars at this 16-Th century temple. Walk through it and get to the huge Nagling which is at rear side of the temple. We haven't witnessed any such Shivling in the rest of the country so far.




[caption id="attachment_media-30" align="alignnone" width="4608"]IMG_20170113_101900195.jpg Pillars outside the Sanctum[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_media-25" align="alignnone" width="2048"]DSC02601.JPG NagaLing at Lepakshi[/caption]

Walk straight and turn to your right. You'll be standing in front of a incomplete structure. It is Kalyana Mandap (marriage hall).

[caption id="attachment_media-35" align="alignnone" width="846"]Screenshot (87).png Incomplete Kalyan Mandap. It is said that if its construction was completed, Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati's marriage would have happened here.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_media-40" align="alignnone" width="4160"]IMG_20170113_093001.jpg Temple backyard[/caption]

Overall, I can say Lepakshi is a hidden treasue of a place.

TIP FOR THE TRIP :



  • Carry your own food as the route has no restaurants.

  • Reach the temple early because the temple is full of rocks and gets warmed up faster.

  • Best option for travel is by your own vehicle. Other option is to take buses plying from Bangalore to Hyderabad and change to tempo later from the border check-post.


See you in the next post.

Happy Trails!

 

 

 

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Kailasagiri- A trek to Human-made Caves near Bengaluru

I decided to stick to my New Year's resolution this time. So, I planned a small trek at Kailasagiri near Kaiwara with my friends.

DIGGING DEEP:


The Pandavas from Mahabharata are believed to have lived here during their exile.  The hill is also called as the Bhima Bakasura betta where Bhima is believed to have slain Bakasura.


MY STORY:


Kailasagiri is 7 kms from Kaiwara which itself is around 80 kms from Bangalore in Chikballapur district. This time we took our bikes instead of car. We were 5 in number and had 3 bikes. We loved our ride through wide, scenic and empty road. After 2 hours we reached foothills of Kailasagiri.


WhatsApp Image 2018-08-16 at 23.53.00 (1).jpeg
Enroute Kaiwara- Wide and empty road


As soon as you park you vehicle and turn you can see a board which guides you to the trek path.

BGBTD-SRT-to-Kaiwara-Sri-Maha-Kailasagiri-Kshetra-5.jpg
Trek starts here

The trek starts with climbing the steps and later to steeper roads. The trek needs moderate fitness level and the difficulty level is quite easy. Don't miss the views of Kaiwara town while climbing the hill. You can find lots of monkeys on your path. So, be careful with your valuables. We reached the hill top within one hour. By the time we reached the top few of them were exhausted. It's better to carry water bottles with you as there are no shops. We rested for a while sitting on the rocks and clicking photos in front of the cave temple. Up there, it was hot but the wind was good. The boulders on the hill make it excellent spot for rappelling.


BGBTD-SRT-to-Kaiwara-Bheema-Bakasura-Betta-17.jpg
Trek route at Kailasagiri

Now it is time to enter the cave. The efforts made to construct the cave were impressive. You get a positive energy when you enter the cave. The weather inside the cave is totally opposite to the one in outside. It was cold inside. As soon as we entered the gate we found a stage like structure where people were meditating. Then we walked further to the temple. Sanctums of Lord Shiva and Ambuja Durga are here. After that we did meditation for 20 minutes and started pulling back to our vehicle.



WhatsApp Image 2018-08-17 at 00.34.59.jpeg
View from top of the hill
WhatsApp Image 2018-08-16 at 23.56.44.jpeg
Kailasagiri Hill Top
 
WhatsApp Image 2018-08-16 at 23.53.00.jpeg
Those blue doors are the entrances for the temple

BGBTD-SRT-to-Kaiwara-Sri-Maha-Kailasagiri-Kshetra-12
Lord Shiva's sanctum inside the cave

At the foothills of the Kailasagiri, we found prashad distribution centre which is the only eatery there. We had our lunch there and it was quite good. We left to Bangalore that evening.



BGBTD-SRT-to-Kaiwara-Sri-Maha-Kailasagiri-Kshetra-4
                             Prashad distribution centre- the only eatery at Kailasagiri

Kaiwara is a beautiful, easy-to-trek place which one can reach easily and have fun.

TIP FOR THE TRIP:

  • Pack your food and carry water bottles.

  • Be careful with your valuables during the trek.

  • Don't litter the place and avoid plastics there.

  • Climb the hill early in the morning or later at evening.

  • Fuel your vehicle before itself because there is no fuel stations until you reach the highway.

See you in the next post.

Happy Trails!



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