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Gavi Gangadeshwara temple

Location: Bull temple Road, Basavanagudi

How to reach there: From city market Bus # 45, 34 etc buses which goes to Gavipuram and gives stop near Ramkrishna Mission. Bus # 45 comes from Majestic.

Gavi Gangadeshwara temple in Bangalore is temple of excellent architecture, historical and geographical importance. This temple is believed to be one of the most ancient temples in India. Later the founder of Bangalore kempe Gowda added to the structure of the temple. Read the history of the temple below from the picture which I have taken there.

From the outside the Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple looks like any typical temple in this part of karnataka. But once you decend through the steps and enter the cave, a altogether different world emerges. In the beginning it may just look like a small cave with a Shiva Linga known as Gavi Gangadeshwara. But once start exploring half bended at places, you will try to appreciate what a place it is. There two passages forming two half ring passage containg small statutes of various sages, gods and goddesses. Just besides Gavi Gangadeshwara idol idol is Guva (cave) Durga (goddess Durga). Behind Guva Durga idol also there is a half ring passage. If you enter the larger passage from the left hand side, little later on the way you will find two ways leading to darkness. In one written leads to Kashi and other ( bigger in size) leads to Shivagange. Really curious, if anyone has ever tried to go through those passages? The terrain of the passage looks difficult as it is decending.

One front of Gavi Gangadeshwara idol is a statue of stone carved Nandi (cow). Here one miracle happens every year on the day of Sankranti ( new year day in many parts of India), the rays of the sun pass between the horns of the Nandi placed outside the temple, illuminating the idol of Lord Shiva. This phenomenon typically happens on the 14th/15th of January every year. This shows how much our ancestors had knowledge of advanced architecture and astronomy. It is natural monolithic cave dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Gavi Gangadeshwara. Check an article on the astronomical importance of the temple. Outside the temple you can go to the top and and take a walk. You will find two nicely sculpted gopuras. I am not sure if they are stone sculpted or cement art. Just at the entrance there are two stone discs opposite to each other ar a little distance. In ancient times temple keepers used to identify time watching the sun rays falling on the discs. After getting down the steps you can see a tall bronze akash deep which typical of the temples of south karnataka.

After the scientific and religious journey, if you want to spend a little time with nature then that facility is also available in the form of Gavipura park. The The park is an awesome place greenery located on a hill. One can get nice view from. In the evening they play classical music or raga. The park has good quality speakers installed all over the place.

On the way back you can view Ramkishna Mission. Ater 6.30 pm things to see like mother’s rock are closed. Am ideal planning would be cover Bull temple, Gavi Gangadeshwara temple, Gavipura park and Ramkrishna mission in a day or a few hours depending on the time you have. You may start with Bull temple – Ramkrishna mission – gavipura park – Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple. This schedule should hold good if you can reach Basavanagudi by 3 pm.

Watch a video:

Filed under : Bangalore, Karnataka, Religious Place

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I always find ariports little romantic – clean wide roads, view of flights take off and touch down etc. These words are in connection to my today’s visit to Bangalore International Airport on a scooty. This was my first visit to the newly built international airport near Devanahalli. The road leading to the Bangalore Internation Airport starting from Hebbal flyover is awesome. It is a 8 lane road and one can zip over 100 km/hr. However, my scooty do not allow me that thrill. In scooty Teenz, above 60 km/hr is dangerous.

Distance: 25 km

Route: Hebbal Flyover – Yehalanka – BIAL

How to reach there: BMTC Volvo AC buses, BMTC Suvarna Buses, MERU cabs, Private vehicle.

Where to eat: Food court is available, SubWay, Cafe coffee day etc

Little further from Yehalanka, you can see a two side ramps leading an overbridge. Take the left ramp and keep driving. On the ramp while you take the turn, it gives an awesome view particularly in the morning and evening. This staright road should lead to Bangalore International Airport. It looks quite neatly built and is much more spacious along with the good looks. One of my friend who recently visited Singapore commented as follows:

After BIAL I felt very good, that made a much better airport than HAL airport. But once I landed in Chingai airport, Singapore – I felt what they have done to BIAL, they could have counstructed much better.

If you can bypass the city traffic by taking the outer ring road, then it should not take more than an hour to reach Bangalore International Airport. The new BIAL has well maintained parking for 2 wheelers and 4 wheelers. For 2 wheelers, 0 – 4 hrs costs RS 20. While approaching the airport from some distance you will able to see the ATC (air traffic control) tower. The ATC tower looks interesting with good design. Once reaching the airport we parked the Vehicle. The airport still looks like under construction at the fringes. We observed a few planes taking off, among them were SpiceJet and Emirates touching down.It just feels awesome watching planes taking off and touching down. We took many pictures which I will share here.

I also noticed that airports can a place for advertising high brand or high value product. In this case KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation) has struck the right cord by display live replicas of Golden Charriot ( a la Place on Wheels) in front of the deparature section. Now we have almost watched the airport apart from the inside for which entry may not possible. We went to cafe Coffee Day and asked for a Cuppachinno and Vanilla milk shake. Sat on a bench nearby enjoying the evening Sun and having Vanilla milk shake.

The BMTC bus stop has been nicely built and buses are available frequently to most destinations of Bangalore city. I noticed one guy was trying to woo few passengers telling it is a government service, AC bus and costs just Rs 150 to any part of Bangalore city. Many Vajra airport service Volvo buses goes almost empty. I think it is a very nice service, please should use it to make it more viable.

Devanahalli fort and Tippu’s birth place

From the BIAL we planned to go to Devenahalli fort. To reach Devanahalli one should take the straight road under the overbridge. The leftside ramp leads to the airport.

Distance: 35 km from Bangalore and around 11 km from BIAL

How to reach there: After travelling around 9 – 10 km on Tumkur/Hyderabad highway you will see a signboard on the right hand side showing Devanahalli 1 km away. Take right turn here and keep driving untill little further you see a signboard asking you to take left turn to reach Devanahalli fort and Tippu’s birth place. From the main road to the destination is 1/2 km.

where to eat: No place to eat anywhere nearby the fort. But you get some stuffs in Devanahalli town.

Language spoken: Mainly Kannada

What to see:

Devanahalli fort: Devanahalli Fort was built by Malla Baire Gowda in 1501, an ancestor of Kempe Gowda. In 1749, one of the generals of Mysore Wodeyar king Nanjarajaiah attacked the fort. Hyder Ali was one who helped Nanjarajaiah to take over the fort and later occupy it himself from the Marathas. It was there in Indian hand untill the time of Tippu Sultan and then to the Birtish in 1971 when Lord Cornwallis occupied the fort during Anglo – Mysore war.
During Tippu Sultan’s time he named this place as Yusufabad but that did not last. Devanahalli was known by various names like Devanadoddi, Devanapura.

As always seen forts are always built at strategic locations where it can be secured and inflict heavy casualties on the enemy. But the Devanahalli fort in that connection looks little strange. It is situated on a plain field. It is said that it originally built as a mud fort and Hyder Ali and Tippu sultan renovated this to a red brink fort. One can climb the side ways and walk along the fort wall to get a good look and view outside. There are people settlement inside these days. Also, one can find few temples.

Also, you will be surprised to know that little before fort is the place where Tippu Sultan was born in 1750. Here, only a structure with four Minaret is left. Read more: http://www.tipusultan.org

Filed under : Adventure, Bangalore, Karnataka

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