Introduction
Nandi hills and skandagiri. The quintessential weekend getaways for Bangaloreans. Well, it used to be just Nandi hills before. Slowly and gradually, poor Skandagiri got added to the list. It wasn't a well known place or well trodden path on the tourism circuit. It's actually a very desolate and secluded place. I'm sure someone must have said the same thing about Nandi Hills once upon a time. Now its a popular destination for not just private trekkers, but trekking companies as well. To be honest, there weren't even that many trekking companies way back in 2009. That's when I first discovered these two hillocks and have been repeatedly visiting them again and again.
Horagina Betta is located very close to these two. They're all conspicuously bunched up together right there, next to the new airport. Or rather the new airport is next to them. The hills have always been there. 😁
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I got to know that one can trek up Horagina betta too, but I still haven't got around to that in all these years. It was an instant decision to go check it out that day, since we had plenty of spare time on our hands with nothing else to do. We didn't plan to trek Horagina betta, rather just check out where it is located and the surrounding forest area. So we didn't carry any trekking essentials or outdoor gear.
We decided to drive down so that we'd get to move around freely even if it rained. We didn't want to get caught in the water logged city once we got back. Rural areas seem to be quite resilient to extreme weather or changing patterns in weather. It had even rained on one of the days during the previous week. Bangalore weather has become quite unpredictable in the last 2 years.
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| All clouded up |
So with that, we left from Hormavu at around 3 in the afternoon. It didn't feel like afternoon since it was cloudy and drizzly all day. The airport expressway didn't reflect the emptiness of roads in the city and was filled with plenty of cabs and buses, most of them going to the airport. It was a blissful drive on the six-lane 80km speed limit expressway, but who follows rules eh ? Everyone was happily over-speeding and honking, for us to move out of the way. No idea what's the damn hurry!
I couldn't tolerate all the tailgating and honking anymore and quickly pulled in to the third lane. After changing lanes, we happily cruised at a constant speed of 70km/hr. We neither had any flight to catch, nor anywhere to be, that necessitated driving like these maniacs. We got to the place pretty soon and exited the main highway to get onto one of the approach roads to Skandagiri. The scenes were so spectacular and dazzling, because of the cloudy sky, with hills and trees together. It was cold but humid due to the clouds, so the cold didn't really prick at you. We turned off the AC, and rolled down our windows the moment we exited the highway. We approached this scenic place where there was sink in the road. Right in the middle of it, was a railway crossing. It looked really spectacular; exactly what a rural scene should look like.
We halted a few meters before it to take pictures and admire the place:
Once we crossed this spot, we kept cruising along fields and settlements that came one after another. It was quite an idyllic sight, of villagers going about their daily chores, walking on the sides of the main road, and kids playing all around the place. I drove cautiously at the places where we crossed settlements. Even the municipality had thoughtfully installed speed-breakers there.
Once we got into the curvy, wide open village roads, especially the one that lead to Nandi Hills from behind, a kind of nostalgia crept up on me. "We've been here before", said the voice in my head. I started thinking hard, and then recalled that it was almost a year and a half back that I had done the half marathon at the Nandi Habba festival which was organized here. Now that's how I felt so connected to the place the moment we reached this point. This section of road leading to Nandi hills from the opposite direction was the last leg of the race that day. So I pulled up those memories and got served a wonderful dose of heaving, intense pain and fatigue. 😄
I hadn't trained for that one, I recollected. All the thoughts of me running on this very road came flooding back like a whoosh of strong wind and hit me right in the feels. I recalled run-walking this section, just before reaching the start point for the climb. I don't remember running at all during the climb as I was exhausted to the core by then. I think I walked up the whole way and was one of the last participants to finish. But hey! I was still lapping everyone on the couch right? I also recalled it being an extremely cold day that morning, and the freezing ride in the cold on the airport expressway on my Activa. I didn't have a car back then. I was shivering to the bone when I got to the start point. I hadn't worn any jacket or sweatshirt to protect me from the wind. I just went wearing a dry-fit running tee. Imagine riding in Bangalore cold during winter, wearing just a dry-fit running tee (and shorts!!), that too on the outskirts where its easily 5 to 6 degrees cooler than the city. And not at city, but highway speeds of 70kms and above. Damn, those were some crazy days!
we crossed hillocks, open straight roads with sweeping views of tall Eucalyptus trees on either side, narrow valleys and roller coaster kinds of ascents and descents:
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| Scenes from afar, before getting inside the valley |
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| Inside the valley |
We then encountered this beautiful place where it resembled a mountainous ghat section like you have in the western ghats. We got down to take some pictures:
The weather was exceptionally good, it being a valley, and a cool breeze was blowing all the while we were there:
We could access all three hills using any of these rustic, old-world village roads. Skandagiri, Nandi hills, or even Horagina Betta. There was one more hillock we spotted on the way, and we inquired with a local about it. He gave us the correct name, but I don't remember it now. It was rocky like Kolar, and was a treat to the eyes, with rolling grassland and lots of trees interspersed in between. I was thoroughly enjoying driving on the twisties, with its narrow curves and turns, where you couldn't even see any vehicle approaching in the opposite direction. Read all about my love for twisties in my Kavaledurga blog. That place is blessing for adrenaline junkies!
The other unknown hill that we crossed:
It was almost evening by then, and we were craving for something to eat. We made the spontaneous decision to go to the airport and grab a bite on our way back to the city. Getting to the airport from this place feels so surreal, and enigmatic. It feels like you've almost traveled from one country to another.
At one moment all you can hear is the sound of the birds and insects, feel the breeze, take in the rustic charm of the countryside landscape, and all the ancient architecture of the villages. You'd be among grazing herds of cows, goats, chickens, and what not, interact with locals in Kannada, say Hi to the village kids, savour some delicious village fare, admire rolling hills and greenery, and be totally immersed in nature.
The next moment you are at this global, cosmopolitan village surrounded by glitzy steel infrastructure, and flashy, colourful signboards, where you can eat food from a dozen countries, take a walk in a landscaped garden, shop for clothes, socialize at a bar or coffee shop, or shop for some imported chocolates, all while being surrounded by people from all over the world.
Here, the only insects you'll be hearing is the buzz of humans and vehicles. And the only birds you'll see are gigantic mechanical ones, taking to the sky with a butt load of people. 😄
What a contrast! And the distance between these two worlds is just around 30kms, give or take a few more. I have never changed scenery so fast in my life! Not in any of the treks I usually do. We got to the Kempegowda International Airport in around an hour or so. I stopped cruising after we left the valleys of Chikballapur and started driving faster so that we could spend sufficient time at the airport.
Kempegowda International Airport (KIA)
We got the airport, parked the car, lounged around the arrivals and departures for a bit, scanning all the eateries and outlets. The new airport looked so trendy and modern. Like I said before, you have multiple things to do. You could buy fresh organic produce, have juice from a gourmet juice bar, shop for clothes and electronics, or take a walk in a beautifully landscaped garden. KIA is not just an airport. It is a weekend hangout for all the weary workers of the city. For those late night and early morning drives with friends for coffee, breakfast or dinner. After checking out all the new shops and eateries that weren't there before the renovation, we sat down to a nice hot cup of coffee.
I ordered a vegan shake to-go to sip on while driving:
The Quad by BLR is an event space by KIA to host music concerts, live shows, performances, and other kinds of festive events. It's a great crowd puller, and many from Bangalore drive here just for the experience. There are music concerts organized here regularly featuring esteemed artists and rock stars. You enjoy the dual benefits of a nice long drive, plus the thrills of attending a music concert.
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| The Quad by BLR |
Quad is an event venue, shopping complex, and chill-out zone, all rolled into one. It's got coffee shops, ice cream parlours, gourmet food stores, bars, and high-end clothing and electronics outlets as well. It makes for a perfect destination to go on a long drive with family and friends over the weekend. You can either sit here at the Quad, right by the big display, which is it's center stage and crown jewel, or at any one of the dozen eateries right by the arrival and departure gates. The eateries by the gates are always buzzing with people and activity. Sometimes you might even find it difficult to get a seat there and you'd have to carry your food to the seating of another outlet.
For those who prefer some peace and quiet, 'The Quad' is the preferred option. You can sit around the main circle, listening to the melodious tunes playing on the speaker. It is a very vitalizing atmosphere to be in, especially if you want to take your mind off work and enjoy a space with vastness and a serene ambiance. It's got fancy lights, but just quaint and delightful enough to not hurt your eyes. It's got some smooth house music playing, but not loud enough to give you a migraine. It's got a decent amount of crowd, but not so less that you start feeling scared. Everything here is antithetical to the city. 😁
I guess that's the reason it makes for such a good escape. It is a perfect oasis of calm and serenity for anyone looking to unwind after a hectic week of 10 hour work days or crazy deadlines. Or even for those whose flights have been rescheduled, or those waiting for their friends and relatives arriving on delayed flights. And lastly, it's for folks like me, who want to sit and relax after trekking, driving, cycling and exploring the hillocks of the surrounding rural, hilly landscape. 😜
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| Hit a bit of traffic on reaching the city |
Getting back to the city
It was such a blissful feeling to be at the airport after all that rural cruising and exploration. I just didn't want to get back to the madness of the city. But we had to leave, as night was soon approaching. We got back to the car, and left from there. The return journey was pretty uneventful. There weren't any major hiccups, or anything of the sort. It was rainy all the while; sometimes heavy, sometimes light. We were totally silent, and just taking in the peaceful cruise on the airport expressway.
We drove at a constant speed while going back as well. After dropping my friend home, I hit a standstill chunk of traffic at the Hormavu underpass, which took forever to pass. It wasn't because of the rain, but because of white-topping work that was going on. After driving continuously for such a long time, it felt so weird to, all of a sudden, sit in a vehicle that just inched at snails pace. It did take a while to get past this point. When I was finally out of it, I heaved a sigh of relief and stepped on the accelerator. I comfortably got home just in time for dinner. All in a days work!
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