It was Republic Day. Woke up early morning as usual for daily running. But this day was not in a mood to run, instead wanted to go some where. I had a spontaneous thought to go for any ride within around 100 kms from Bangalore. Immediately I googled it and decided to go to Lepakshi which is around 120 kms from Bangalore. Since, I have interest on Nandi's in India, it was long pending bucket list to visit Lepakshi. (Also, my bike name is Nandi),
Then, got ready and started my ride towards Bangalore Airport road. Then somewhere after Devanahalli stopped for breakfast. Reached Lepakshi around 9:00 AM after riding in Bangalore-Hyderabad highway, then took diversion in Kodikonda cross to reach Lepkashi.
The Nandi in Lepakshi is one of the seven biggest in India as identified by Archaeological Survey of India and it is monolithic. Out of seven, four are in Karnataka (Bull temple, Bangalore , Chamundi Hills, Mysore and two in Hoysaleshwara temple,Halebeedu) and remaining two are in Tamil Nadu.
Another main spot in Lepakshi is Veerabahdreshwara temple which is built in Vijayanagara architectural style and another significance in this temple complex in NagaLinga carved in monolithic and it can be seen from Nandi mantapa which is around 500 mts away. The pillars inside the temple are beautifully carved with many deities ,
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| NagaLinga |
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| Infront of Nandi and over my Nandi |
There was another group of 600 bikers who had a ride from Bengaluru and mine was an Solo Ride. Though I wanted to visit Penukonda fort, which is near leakshi, due to time constraint, I had to return back and kept Penuknda as unchecked in my bucket list.
Mar 11,2017 - Somanathapura
It was already a month ago had been for any ride due to my other trips. This time again Darshan called for trekking. Initial plan was to go to Narasmha Parvatha trek near Agumbe. After enquiring the local guide from Agumbe, got to know that trek route is closed for some time due to summer. So we decided to go for ride. Earlier had plans for 2 days, since I got some work over the Sunday, I finalized to Somanathapura. Since Hoysala temples and Architecture is one of my interests to know, I was eager to visit this temple. It was around 15 years back I visited this temple. Though he was not interested to visit temple, he just agreed to come as he was eager to go somewhere at least.
After we met near Nagarbhavi circle, we started our ride inside JnanaBharathi campus and connected to Mysore road. As usual had Thatte idli at Bidadi and started towards Mandya and reached Somanathapura around 11 PM.
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| 900 year old Chennakeshava temple,Somanathapura |
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| Keshava |
Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura built by Hoysalas is one of the prominent temples by Hoysalas. This is an Trikutachala temple meaning having three shrines. This temple has shrines of VenuGopala, Keshava and Janardhana. All three are forms of Vishnu.
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| VenuGopala |
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Janardhana
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I was trying to understand the story behind many sculptures. And also explained few sculptures to other tourists over there. Hailing from Halebeedu, I got interest towards Hoysala architecture. Though we can find many similar sculptures in most of the Hoysala temples, there are few unique one also.
After this we went to a ruined Panchalingeshwara temple which is around half kms from Chennakeshava temple.
Good thing about my bike is,it will come where ever I take, however the road will be or there will be no road.
From there, we went to Talakadu which is around 20 kms from Somanathapura and while coming back visited Bhramaramba-Mallikarjuna temple at Mudukutore and returned to Bangalore by evening.
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| Kaveri river flowing in front of Mudukuotore temple,it connects to Talakadu |
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| Mudukutore temple |
April 8th, 2017 -Kolli Hills, Tamil Nadu
My friend Vikram was keep asking me to go for some trips or rides. It was almost a year back we both had been a ride to Chamundi hills in his new bike. I just floated him a idea to ride to Kolli Hills, he agreed immediately and plan was ON.
It was early morning 4:00 AM, I picked him near Jayadeva hospital and we started our ride towards Hosur road via Electronic city flyover. Kolli hills is around 280 kms from Bangalore. Have to reach via Bangalore-Hosur-Krishmagiri-Dharmapuri-Salem-Rasipuram-Kolli Hills.
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| Aerial view of Hairpin curves in Kolli hills |
The specialty about ride to Kolli hills is its 70 hairpin bends. Yes, you read it right. 70 scary hairpin curves and a small road of distance around 24 kms. Meaning of Kolli hills is A mountain of death.
We were tired of riding in hot weather all the way and it was like breezing when we enter the forest area where the real ride begun. Believe me, you cannot stop anywhere in the middle since the roads are very small. Only near 35th bend, you can stop and can enjoy the scenic panoramic beauty of forest. And another fact is, most of the vehicles do not horn at all in the curves. Really they'll scare the opposite vehicles.
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| At first bend, before starting ride |
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| One example of hairpin curves in Kolli Hills.This is 35th one |
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| After finishing the ride at 70th and final bend |
So, after 24 kms of ride in a small ghat road with 70 bend curves, reached a village. From there, went to a Semmedu, top of the hills. Then been to falls.From the temple,have to get down around a Km to reach a falls where around 1000 steps are there..Unfortunately, there was no water in the falls since it was summer, with a disappointment trekked back and visited Arapaleeshwar temple, a Shiva temple.
After visiting temple, returned back to Rasipurm, had lunch and started our ride back to Banaglore with a thrilled experience of riding 70 bends in a single stretch which every biker should experience once.
So, here I end my stories of bike rides for an year. Will come up with stories of upcoming rides. I have many many rides in the bucket list.
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