Tour de Savandurga

So it all started when I was mugging up to utilize our last day of long weekend. I was discussing with Pranjal when Shreyansh suggested for few places and finally we agreed for Savandurga!!!

We asked few other friends and finally we were 7 in count. Savandurga is about 60 kilometers from Bangalore. It is Asia's one of the highest monolith hills and famous for trekking and rock climbing. I woke up by a miss call of Sarjit at around 5.15 AM which was just to show that he woke up early. We had four bikes and all of us met at Udupi bus stop in BTM. Me, Shreyansh, Sarjit and Prajjwal were driving. We just crossed under bridge of Jayanagar and Sarjit was behind Shreyansh with blowing horn of his bike. This continued for next 4-5 kilometers till Shreyansh took a side and said that his ears are paining. I couldn't control my laugh and soon we were on the toll gate of Mysore road. After paying money, we raced our bikes on the beautiful highway, leaving Shreyansh behind, who was busy clicking selfies. We stopped at a tea stall and till we finished, it drizzled. We wiped water from our bikes and engines ignited again.
There was a right turn after Rajarajeswari dental college which lead us to our target. Road was narrow with sharp turns at some places. After riding around 20-30 minutes, we took a right turn and that mesmerized me. A water body with a huge hill on its back side. This was Manchanabele reservoir. Whole place was full of greenery. A drizzle made whole place unforgettable since weather added another flavour.

I thought that I had clicked best picture with smartphone till I found below one, clicked by Anuj.

I took off my helmet since I was not on highway. Pandit was sitting behind me and he whipered ,"Mangoes" There were Mango orchards on both sides of road and they were making Pandit to behave like a greedy. I smiled and increased speed. As I was spending time on road, I was falling in love with it. Trees covering it from both sides made it my second favorite biking road after Coorg.
After a ride of around 1-1.5 hours we reached to a check point where we had to pay INR 80 for 4 bikes. I always think why we pay money to non-government local people who will never take responsibility if something happens to you or your bike. I don't know where this type of money goes. Anyway, just after crossing it, we saw a beautiful rock body and I couldn't stop myself from clicking a picture.

Since I was busy in clicking, others crossed and went ahead. I saw them standing under a tree with a big white temple and a huge hill. That was Veerabhadraswamy temple.

Veerabhadraswamy temple, Savandurga

I walked a few meters to cover huge hill in my lens and fortunately I got a good click.

We started again by taking a right turn and soon we reached parking area. There is another temple at foothills. Local worshipers were there to visit. We started with a short walk in a grove after which base of hill can be reached.

grove at foothill of Savandurga

As I crossed that grove I saw a group of rocks on my right side.

But that was just a demo, when I saw in front, I started doubting myself on trekking.

Savandurga, view from foothill

But, I could see Shreyansh, Sarjit, Pandit, Pranjal and Ujjwal were already ahead. I thanked God for stopping rain. It seemed very slippery. I started walk and suddenly I turned my head towards right. Temple was peeking from grove and hill.

In spite of trekking straight (which had a danger of slipping) we decided to take right and go for a round trekking. We jumped over few rocks and found a way which was already been followed by many others. We crossed stone stairs made by trekkers and reached in a grove where Pandit was resting after taking off his shirt and showing his wooden skeleton. We also rested for few minutes and after around 100-200 meters, Anuj and Prajjwal took a straight way and I ,with others, moved more right for a safer side. Sarjit asked me to see back for the beautiful view of river Arkavathi.

After a walk of few meters, I saw another view on just right side...other hills covered with flora and our bare hill on which we were trekking.


Sun was showing its effect and I started sweating. Sarjit had same condition,so, we took rest under the shadow of a huge stone. Anuj also crawled in with us. View from that stone was really beautiful.

We started again and on our right side, river was still giving us a scenic view to fill in our eyes.

We walked a few more meters when I heard Pandit shouting, " Elephant...!!!" I was confused, elephant and at this place? Then I saw where he was pointing to...

Elephant rock, Savandurga

Yes, it was an elephant but not a real one. I rushed to take another picture from nearby and got a clear view...

Elephant rock, Savandurga

I thanked Pandit for showing this to us. On our left side, there was a boundary at around 100 meters of height...

Mid way, Savandurga

I thought this is our target and though it was a straight ascent but I reached on top in few minutes by walking like a monkey. Others were resting under a bush. We clicked a picture and when I saw ahead, that was not end. There was a vendor under a swing like tree selling double priced tetra pack juices who told that it was just mid way.

Now, we took a right where a footpath like boundary wall was made. We started walking on it and when I saw on my right, there was a big stone resting without any support. I have seen butter rock in Mahabalipuram and it was similar to that...It was just still...no movement...

Now, Arkavathi river was on our left side...making scene beautiful...

We were little tired but walking with joy...cracking jokes...pulling each others leg...
There were many paths made by flowing water...which helped us in climbing...I took help of one of them and climbed around 100 more meters. Now the scene on my left was so beautiful...a big hole on rock...full of water and a tree...with river flowing far away...

I continued trek to reach a bushy place where Pandit was resting and others were pulling his leg. I clicked picture of nearby dry hole full of bushes...

We started again and encountered another pond like structure...it seems they get water when it rains...

We crossed few big cactus bushes to find a man made restroom type structure on our left. On our right side, I could see a white temple which was our end point. But, I took a left to see beyond that man made restroom...there was a pond...which seemed to have a human intervention in its design...
River was flowing far away...

I returned back to our path and again there was a grove to cross...We jumped over rocks...and rushed towards temple...

temple view from far, savandurga

We crossed a cave like path with white flowered trees....and adjusting ourselves on that bases made by trekkers we finally reached top most point...
There was a Nandi temple...

Nandi temple, hill top, Savandurga

I jumped over the rocks to see left side view from Nandi temple...

On the right side of Nandi temple, there was another hill on which rain water flowed through rocks making a scene as if rocks cried...

After removing his shirt again, Pandit was singing loudly under a rock...when a vistor went near him and gave few coins...
We laughed loudly...
Pranjal called us...telling shadow of Nandi temple is very cold. I walked till the end and met with another scenic beauty...

End point view, Savandurga

Again same vendor came with juices...but this time prices were tripled...with were thirsty and lack of option forced us to buy juices...

This was my first trek on a monolith rock...full of beauty and good experiences...
A must to visit place!!!

Trip credit : Shreyansh, Pranjal
Pic credit : Me, Anuj
Jokes credit : Sarjit, Pandit

                                           Thanks for reading. Please don't copy the content
                                                               Twitter : @Tomar_official

Tour de Anthargange

So it all started before labor day's long weekend when Sarjit and me had a discussion on utilizing this long weekend. Finally we agreed on Anthargange!!!

Sarjit asked Shreyansh and Anuj and they both were also ready. Anthargange is a mountain in the south-eastern part of beautiful Karnataka. It is famous of caving and trekking. We need to drive for around 70 kilo-meters from Bangalore to reach here. Me and Shreyansh started at around 6 AM in the morning and reached Domlur , where Sarjit was waiting with Anuj. Highway was very busy and due to traffic in morning I thought we should have left a bit early. We didn't have much fuel so stopped at Indian Oil's. Sarjit was keen to post his travel plan on social network. We clicked few pictures there. Our next stop was SLV Delites, a roadside hotel. We ordered Kesari bath, Dosa's, Idly and Vada's. Food was good and place was clean.

SLV Delight Hotel

We started again. There is a resort, Confident Amoon, on highway which they have constructed on the theme of Egyptian Gods. It couldn't stop myself from taking a picture of their entrance.

Entance of Confident Amoon, resort

Rocks with flora were making highway look very beautiful. This was first time that my 135cc bike touched 112 Km/h.

Roadside view on highway to Kolar

We saw one signboard saying " Welcome to milk and silk city if Kolar". Kolar is also famous for its gold mines. We took a left and entered in thr residential township. Anuj was guiding us with maps and soon we crossed a road covered with orange flowers.

We reached Anthargange at around 8.15 AM. I saw it's gate with something written in Kannada and a Shivalingam on top of it.

We parked our bikes and started walking on stairs. "Monkey's", Anuj said when Sarjit was busy taking selfies. I think there were 30+ monkeys. I kept my specks inside in the fear that any of them will come, slap me and will snatch my vision. It is a forest area and around 100-200 stairs are there to reach the temple. There is a pond which gets water from a Basava ( stone bull). People were filling containers with water coming out.

Water from Basava and Pond 

We visited temple and prayed in front of Shivalingam. There were two persons sitting inside temple who started playing one musical instrument. I asked its name and they answered, Nadaswaram.

We came out but didn't know from where to start and at same time one small boy came," Bhaiyya, caving?" I was not too sure if we should take him but then Shreyansh said, 'let's take him". He told his name was Siddhesh and we started trekking by taking left of pond. Shreyansh and Anuj were ahead with Siddhesh and me and Sarjit were a few meters behind them.Suddenly a big monkey came from somewhere and Sarjit, instantly threw water bottle that he was holding. Now, our only hope of water was with that monkey who was drinking it like people drink cold drinks in advertisements. Granite rocks were very sharp and there were cactus plants also.

Cactus in Anthargange

At some places you will find stairs on rocks which make the path easy to walk.

Stairs on rock

I had a bag with my helmet and other stuff. After few meters I started feeling tired. I saw behind, trees on the ground were looking very small. On my left and right, there were huge rocks with plants on them.

"Where are you", Sarjit shouted from some height and I replied back. I started again and after some distance I stopped again. Bright Sun was in the sky, I was feeling the warmth of it. But it was so quiet...not a single word...full of serenity ,which I badly miss in big cities like Bangalore. Road with orange flowers was visible from there. I wanted to spend some more time but I could hear others calling me. Insects in the grass also started making sound as if they didn't like my presence in their area. I started again crossing the stones and rocks.

Others were sitting under a tree with Siddhesh and a vendor, Naveed who was selling buttermilk and water melons. They had a school book of Hindi and Siddhesh started reading it loudly. We had buttermilk and started again to enter trekking cave, as they call it!

Entrance of Trekking Cave

Siddhesh as a kid was very mischievous and was jumping over the rocks. I was a bit concerned about this and he asked," easy way or tough way?" I said, "tough!" Sarjit stared and Anuj smiled at me at the same time. Caving is most beautiful part of Anthargange and it makes you to believe in yourself and your body. We jumped, crawled and somehow came out of this. Shreyansh was confused, " which was the easy one?" Siddhesh smiled and shouted," It's same, I was just playing". I laughed and the we headed downside to enter in another cave called Water cave.
Since water cave had very narrow openings and too dark, Shreyansh opted to sit on the entrance. We turned our mobile lights and entered. This cave was very cold in spite of high temperature outside. We saw some water inside that. Sarjit was wearing jeans and stylish shirt and he had difficulty which crawling inside the cave. I think person with heavy body should avoid entering this.
We came out, tired and satisfied. Siddhesh was keen to run back for new customers, so we paid him and started returning. It was more hot now and we reached down soon. After having cucumber and water, we headed back. We stopped at one roadside food court to have lunch.

Food court, Highway star

Overall trip was memorable and satisfying!!!

Pic credit : Me, Shreyansh
Trip Credit : Sarjit
Map guide : Anuj

                                         Thanks for reading. Please don't copy the content