Friday 8 May 2015

A Brief Glimpse of Nandi Hills

Nandi Hills - One of the best Sunrise view in & around Bangalore

Nandi Hills or Nandidurg is an ancient hill fortress, located at a distance of around 52 km from Hebbal Kempapura in Bengaluru, the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Located at a height of 4,851 feet (1,479 meter) above sea level in the Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka state, Nandi Hills has been a favorite picnic spot for any kind of traveler, especially the young enthusiasts on weekends. Previously, during the Chola period, Nandi Hills was called, Ananda Giri/Hills, which means the Hills of Happiness. The present name of Nandi Hills is based on the shape of the hill, which resembles a sleeping bull.

Nandi Hills offers an amazing scenic beauty and excellent climatic condition along with fresh, soothing, cool & pollution-free breeze to feel and inhale. Though there is nothing much in Nandi hills and if you have been to various hill stations then, you might find it below average, but still, it has become a popular tourist destination because of its wonderful landscapes, pleasant weather, Nandi temple, Brahmashrama and also for its unbeatably best sunrise view in Bangalore.

Nandi Hills can be visited anytime during the year but, during the rainy season (generally during June till August), visit to this place is not much favored as it is extremely wet during this time. It is best if you start early from Bangalore at around 3-4 AM in the morning and reach the hill top before sunrise. Even if you reach there before the sunrise, you should be lucky enough to view it from the hill top as during most of the time of the year, the surrounding remains foggy in the early morning that generally gets cleared after an hour or two of the sunrise.
"I'm a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of clouds." - Mike Tyson
An usual early foggy morning at Nandi Hills top


"We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality." - Iris Murdoch

The view point

In the case if you are not able to view the sunrise from the hill top, which happened to me too, don’t get upset because, the early morning ride to the Nandi Hills itself is a wonderful experience that will freshen up your mind and make you forget all your worries. The early morning breakfast accompanied with a cup or two of hot coffee or tea on the cold hill top, is a great add-on to the traveling experience to Nandi Hills.
My Travel Companions, Mom & Dad

The Happy Granny

A self-timer pose

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them." - Henri Matisse

"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry, don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way." - Walter Hagen

Wondering, how to reach Nandi Hills?
The best and the only way to reach Nandi Hills from Bangalore, is by road. You can rent a car or ride your own vehicle. There is a motorable road to the top of the hill. The road is very good to drive to Nandi Hills, even on 2 wheelers but, be careful while you are riding as there is only one road to the hill top and you can expect vehicles coming from the other side as well. Two wheelers are not allowed after a certain point. You need to park your vehicle there and trek to the hill top. Four wheelers can climb to the top. There’s an entry fee of Rs 10 per person, Rs 100 for parking car (including entry ticket for all passengers) and Rs 20 for two wheelers.

Driving directions to Nandi Hills from Bangalore -

From Hebbal flyover, take NH7 and drive straight until you see a signboard in English, displaying "Nandi Hills 22 km", which is located at about 10km after passing by the BIAL airport flyover. Take a left diversion from here and drive straight to reach Nandi Hills. You can also take the help of GPS to reach there.



Important Note:

Earlier, the entry & exit timings to Nandi Hills were from 6 AM to 10 PM but the timings are now limited to 5:30 AM to 6 PM to avoid crimes.
Make sure that you carry some warm clothes with you as the temperature in the hill top, especially during the early morning is very less when compared to the temperature in Bangalore city. The riders in two wheelers need to carry jackets or windcheaters in order to protect their body from the cool breeze.
Be careful with food as there are monkeys that snatch food items and many dogs as well on the hill.
Do not leave the windows or doors of your car open, even if you are sitting inside and do not keep any eatables in such a way that they are visible from outside.
There are no ATMs in Nandi hills. So, better make sure that you have enough cash for your food and snacks. It is also advisable to bring your own packed food since eating options at the hill top are very limited.
You should also take care while driving the car or two wheelers, as there are around 40 sharp curves on the way and it is a two way road with vehicles coming from the other side as well, that too amidst dew and fog.

***Don’t be a LITTERBUG there! Please use the garbage containers placed there to dump your litter.

The notorious snatchers of Nandi Hills



"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." - Jawaharlal Nehru


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1 comment:

  1. Arko, khub bhalo laglo...darun.....

    ReplyDelete