Trip to Savana Durga on Wheels

It’s impossible to stay within the four corners on a weekend in Bangalore. Office stress, traffic, Pollution, oh god list grows like anything. So many people spend thousand rupees for hours in a man made resorts etc…

Don’t spend thousands of Rupees for Bangalore weekend for peace and happiness, spend few hundred for Petrol and food. There are n number of places around the radius of 100 to 150 kms near Bangalore and easily return home by sunset. Either on Kanakapura Road or Mysore Road.

We went such a place known to everyone. Covered Big Banyan Tree, Manchanabele Dam  and Savana Durga Lakshmi Narashimha Temple.  Left Bangalore by 11 am with my Suzuki Access 125 filling 3 liters petrol.  Weather was playing hide and seek game. It was about to rain …no rain…I was at constant 40km speed as it was new vehicle and don’t want to take risk.

En route to Big Banyan tree (BBT) stopped at beautiful  lake.  This place on either side of the road nursery farms made more beautiful.  Took few rural lifestyle snaps.  See the  above snap..Do they have any Weekend ? Before BBT at Ramohalli newly built Bhruhat Mukti Naga Temple is there. For that you have to take Right turn on this road and go little further. There is a big board mentioning the direction.  We didn’t go there. Pending for next visit. By the time we reached the BBT it was 12.30.

Even its Sunday there was not that much crowd.

Monkeys were hanging from the tree and giving good entertainment to people.

BBT was maintained very neatly.  Have a full slow walk on the path around the tree, enjoy the monkeys play, and relax on the stone bench forgetting everything bothering you.

From BBT proceed on the same road i.e., Magadi Road approach. After 3 kms we reached CHANDAPPA CIRCLE. The Byalalu village.  Worldwide fame village after ISRO setup the ISSDC (Indian Space Science Data Centre) also   this is Deep Space Network (DSN) centre to track Chandrayaan I.

“The Indian Space Science Data Centre forms the third element of the Chandrayaan-1 ground segment. ISSDC receives (from IDSN as well as other external stations that support Chandrayaan-1), stores, processes, systematically archives, retrieves and distributes the precious scientific information sent by Chandrayaan-1 cameras, spectrometers and other scientific instruments from the lunar orbit. It has state-of -the- art computers and data storage devices. ISSDC is also located at Byalalu.” –source..ISRO web site.

Take right turn at Chandappa circle which leads to MANCHANABELE DAM .  Enoute around 3 kms road is not good.  Actually no road. Manage slowly till u get good road. Scenic panoramic view of Arkavathi River between the hills welcomes u . Enjoyed the cool breeze, natural pollution free.   I had the doubt that in July weather water will be there?

But there is plenty of water making the view very beautiful. Take right turn on the kachha road drive carefully as this fully a stone road. Further a Km drive you will reach Dam backside  BWSSB’s Jack well pumping station.

Note:  on this road before taking left turn to this Jack well on the right side observe the Warning Board as this is a lonely place and don’t venture alone especially for couples. Beside the Jack well there is a small foot road below the hill which takes to Reservoir gate. On request they may allow to enter the Dam.  Return to the main road and take right proceed further downhill crossing the Dam, quarters this road leads to Savanadurga.

After crossing the dam and Manchanabele village you will see a board on Right side leading to Savanadurga.  From here almost 9kms very good road till Magadi – Ramnagara Main Road. A 100% thick vegetation forest, pin drop silence, here and there can found the  shepherd, cowherds,  and KSRTC bus on this road. While driving in this dense forest makes fear.  Good landscapes, Boulders are festive for lens.

On the approaching main road take right turn which goes to Magadi.  Travel till u reaches a village Nayakana Playa. On the right side you will find age old Tourism information Board and the same state rusted Arch welcomes to Savanadurga.  Now prepare to travel on the road which is filled by stones and pot holes only. A 3 km small ghat road stretch inside the forest.  First you will see a big boulder looks like a sleeping elephant and a beautiful sleepy village Savandi Durga present called SAVANA DURGA. First on the left side there is an ancient temple called “Sri Kshetra Sri Savandi Veerabhadra Swami Temple”. You can find a Single stone Garuda gamba, Architectural Pillar mandapam which is in depilatory state, big single stone Arch much more. Around this temple there are few more ruins of temples and fort can be visited.   From there few distance below foot hill, the famous Sri Lakshmi Narashimha Temple located.  As it was closing time (Sunday from morning to till 4pm and again reopens @ 6pm) we had a peaceful darshan of lord and relaxed for some time and left to Bangalore back. If you plan only for Savana Durga can climb the hill and reach the top to enjoy the beauty of Nature and below these two Temple atmospheres.

While returning we came via Magadi.  After crossing the Hospet junction take right towards Bangalore.  Don’t forget to purchase the real fresh farm vegetables on the road side. Fill your baggage for next one week, because this quality will not get in Bangalore. At Thippagondana Halli Reservoir there was no water found in Arkavathi. Very Sad Bad days ahead.  I took the deviation at Tavarekere which leads to Kengeri.  Don’t approach this road in night if you are a two wheeler. It is a very thick dense bushes road and very lonely place.  At last by 9pm our trip ended and entered the concrete jungle to carry forward the same Mon-key-Mou circus.

Distance: Total 120 Kms.  Bangalore to Dodda Alada Mara or Big Banyan Tree +- 23kms…..BBT to Manchanabele Dam 13 kms…MB Dam to Savana Durga-18 kms.   Savanadurga to Bangalalore Via Magadi Road…60 Kms.

© Article & Photos …..Ramesha JS