The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page

Route : Bellandur - Mysore rd - Big Banyan Tree - Manchanabele Dam - Mysore rd - Bellandur

Round Trip : 113 KM

Time : Mar 1st 2015; 11:45 AM - 6:30 PM

Bike : Thunderbird 350

Riders : Me & Praveen as pillion

Places to Visit:
1. Big Banyan Tree (Dodda Aalada Mara)
2. Manchanabele Dam

Tips from my Experience:
1. Take NICE road unless if you are going on early morning.
2. Carry own food, but don't eat at the banyan tree. Monkeys will not allow you.
3. Dam entrance is closed, but It's worth seeing the landscape and it's just 10 KM from Tree.

This was an unexpected trip, My friend Praveen asked me for a small ride and so we have decided to go to Big banyan tree & Dam .....

Before starting we checked the route maps, there are two ways : one goes through NICE road and the other through Banashankari ORR. We have selected ORR as I don't like to pay the toll fee for a small trip and assumed no traffic after Banashankari circle. We have started just before 12 noon and weather is little hot, and to add that traffic is worse. finally after 1Hr of struggle we have crossed Banashankari. Traffic is getting worse as we moving ahead and many Traffic signals till the Mysore rd.

Got a great relief after reaching Mysore road, but still speed limit is 50 only. Some KSRTC bus not giving the way so I was following him at ~60 KMPH, and suddenly I see a Police vehicle with speed gun, Heart beat raised little bit as the police moving to stop someone.... luckily not ME. I think I was going little less to 60 KMPH , thanks to KSRTC for saving my 200 bucks :) :).

Once we separated from Mysore rd, felt so good with village atmosphere and greenery. Village roads are good but lot of speed bumps. Finally after 2 Hrs of ride, we reached Banyan tree. It's good that there is no fee for parking/ Entrance. Its really a big tree, but I am not convince'd it as a single tree, there are many roots and more over its not even 1 acre area (History says as 3 acres, may be globalization effected its area).

It is really a nice place for family spending a quality time of 2 to 3 Hrs from the City life. There are lot of Monkeys spoiling our mood but at same time fun for kids and animal lovers. Careful with Monkeys, if they see anything with you, they will not leave you. We were eating Groundnut's and walking... and saw one of the Monkey trying to grab the food from a family just in-front of us, they feed little to monkey and with a stick they made it go away. I understand the situation and quickly hide my Groundnut packet inside my Jacket. That bloody cunning Monkey somehow saw my packet and it came straight to me and standing in-front of me on 2 legs and other 2 holding my legs. As a animal lover, I felt good by seeing the Monkey action like how the Dogs do. I have waited for few secs to see what it will do. It is not attacking us nor leaving us. It understand something is there with me. finally I took few Ground nuts and given with hand. Looks like it did't like nuts and left me.

Took few pics of Tree.. and settled at some place. Everywhere Monkeys..Monkeys..behind the visitors for food. I put my Ground nut packet on a bench and eating slowly with confidence that Monkey don't come for it. With in no time, one Monkey came and sat next to me and trying to grab my packet. I quickly grabbed most of the nuts and left the paper with few nuts in it, still the Monkey looks like I grabbed his own property. while the monkey eating with concentration slowly we escaped to some other bench. I have finished the nuts before some other Monkey claims it.

There is no good Hotel in surrounding places, adjusted with some junk food and juices. After spending 2 Hrs, at 4PM started to Manchanabele Dam which is 10 KM (30 mins) ride from Tree. We know that Dam entrance is closed long time back, we just have to see it from road side or nearby fields. View is really beautiful with open water in a wide spread water body from the road itself. We took few landscape pics and started return journey.

This time we don't want to struggle in traffic, so we took NICE road with 36/- Rs toll till Electronic city. We enjoyed the slow and calm ride on NICE road. Suddenly its started raining, what else a biker need ???. Enjoyed the rain ride for few minutes and deicded to stop as our mobiles and wallets about to get drenched, but there is no shelter or nothing to take cover...after few mins, we saw a flyover and took a halt under the flyover till the rain stops. After 10 mins, raid resumed and reached EC . Not much traffic on Hosur road, with in no time reached Silkboard and then safely returned to home by 6:30 PM .

History :

It's Huge :

Strong Roots:

ha ha... Me, having fun with our own Human Root :

Manchanabele Dam Landscape:

Route : Bellandur - Hebbal - NH7 - Lepakshi - Veerapur - NH7 - Hebbal - Bellandur

Round Trip : 308 KM

Time : Feb 15th 2014; 9 AM - 5:30 PM

Bike : Thunderbird 350

Riders : Solo Ride

Places to Visit Nearby:

1. Lepakshi: Nandi statue

2. Lepakshi: Veerabhadra Temple

3. Veerapur: Painted Stork Birds (January to August, not guaranteed)

Below two places also on the way, need a better plan to cover them.

4. Sri M Visvesvaraya House (Muddenahalli)
5. Rangastalam Temple

Lets move to the Trip....

Tomorrow's (15-Feb-2015) World cup match between India Vs Pakistan is definitely a feast for Cricket fans in India, but different thoughts in my Temple. What if I go for a cool Ride ? I will not get free time again, but I can watch the match again.

Mostly I have to go alone, as everyone will be stick to match. Where should I go ? Planning for <300 KM distance, as I must be active for Monday's Office work. Lepakshi is long pending ride from 2 months or krishnagiri dam, confusion to choose which one? krishnagiri will be fun if we go with friends, but Lepakshi will be more feast for eyes even solo and also veerapur Birds will be a good fun. Decided to go for Lepakshi and filled 500 bucks oil for the Bike tummy, renewed pollution certificate which is pending from past week and Air check...All set for Tomorrow's Ride.

Planning is Very much important for anything in Life, and it will be help full to know how much we are successful to execute the plan. I have planned everything....when to start, how much time for temple, when to return. Planned to start 9 AM exactly and return Home by 6 PM.

As planned, Started at 9 AM and reached Hebbal flyover at 9:45 AM. Today is really very less traffic, mostly because of cricket effect. Weather is no nice and perfect warm for the ride, started cruising at @80, in between testing top speed levels. In week-end's roads are generally filled with travelers, but today I don't find a single group or RE bike on the NH7 must be a match effect.

After ~100 KM's of ride, entered into Andhra Pradesh. Crossed single vehicle allowed check-post barricades and just after that saw the Lepakshi turn sign board. Clear sign board will never make you to use a GPS. From Here, 16 KM's more to Lepakshi. Once you take the left turn from NH-7, with in 1 KM distance, you will see a huge bird's statue on the left side of the road, which goes to Veerapur. will visit it while return.

Half of the distance road is good and less traffic, another half is in repair, road extension is happening currently. This 16 KM stretch is a straight road and no GPS required at all. Once you reach Lepakshi, you will mesmerized by a huge monolithic NANDI on the right side of the road. I though of visiting it while return, as it will be difficult to spend time in temple with hot-sun.

With in 200 mtr or less, Veerabhadra Temple entrance road spotted on left side of the road. I though of checking how big is village, so moved further on main road and with in secs, I see the end of the village. Its very small village but it's a Mandal. Returned back to the Temple road and ride inside. Temple is visible straight away on a small hill structure. Reached Temple at 11:45AM. There is no parking area actually, just a small place made for parking and 5/- for two-wheeler. There is no counter for footware, either keep it with some pooja shop or leave it at the temple main entrance, which comes once you cross the steps.

No fee for temple entrance, need to buy tickets if you want special Pooja (Archana). There are many Idols of other gods/goddess inside the temple, main Idol is Veerabhadra swamy. Finished taking GOD's blessing's and then started exploring the beautiful and numerous sculptures of GOD's and wonderful designs.

History of Lepakshi:
A demi-god (Jatayu) who has the form of a Eagle, was an old friend of Dasharatha (Rama's father). He tries to rescue Sita from Ravana when Ravana is on his way to Lanka after kidnapping Sita. Jatayu fought valiantly with Ravana and lost the battle. As he lay wounded, his wings cut off by Ravana, Lord Rama said with compassion, “le pakshi” (rise, o bird!) in Telugu – and hence the name Lepakshi.

History of Temple:
Temple is built on a low, rocky hill called Kurmasailam — which translates to tortoise hill in Telugu, after the shape of the hill. The temple dates back to 1583 and was built by the brothers, Virupanna and Veeranna, who were initially in the service of the Vijayangar kings. However, Puranic lore has it that the Veerabhadra temple was built by the sage Agastya.

The sculptures are marvelous, and there are many of them. Hanging pillar, roof painting, naga sarpa, big foot, kalayna mantapa are the main attractions. Must hire a guide, otherwise we will miss many historical things.

Covered mostly all the corners of the temple and started to NANDI statue at 1:45PM. Its really huge, learned its India's biggest Nandi and 2nd larget monolithic statue after Gomateshwara. Snaped few pics and started to Veerapur.

Took right turn where I saw the Birds statue, Veerapur is around 7 KM's far from that statue. Entire road is in good shape and with sharpe curves, but very narrow, anyhow there is no traffic at all. After reaching Veerapur, stopped at the first cross where forest dept sign board about the birds placed. Asked the locals about the birds, they say: Birds came few months back and left as no water in surroundings. As a natural lover, I felt very sad about how humans (we) are spoiling the nature and other living things as well. With a great disappoint started back to Bangalore.

Reached NH-7 at 2:45 PM and slowly increased speed to @80 and sometimes more. Weather is coll while riding, but so hot when we halt. Reached home safely at 5:30PM (30 mins before the expected).

Pictures:

Route map closeup: (try arrow directions from veerapur to NH-7 directly, instead of coming back)