What’s with Nandi Hills and its Charm?

What is it that makes a person visit Nandi hills twice in a month? That is what I did. A week back I had gone there with my Christian Fellowship group members and had a wonderful time. Then again last weekend I was there  with my brother and his wife.

Is it because we have no other place to go nearby Bangalore? Or is it because this is the nearest hill station of sorts to Bangalore, so one goes there in summer, to cool off the scorching heat, just before monsoon strikes Kerala coast? I wonder.

But then as we drove past the International Airport, Bangalore, the charm started to work on. On the sides of the broad and smooth road people were selling jack fruits and grape fruits. I made a mental note of it, to buy some on the way back! The drive is just 57 kms from Bangalore.

As we turned on to the small road leading to Nandi Durg (Fortress), one could see vineyards on both the sides. People were selling grapes on the road. Many new resorts were coming up on the sides. As the driver lunged on the mountain road with curves, we got a panoramic view of the hills around and the lands under cultivation.

Managing the last few curves we entered the first arched entrance of the fort. The buses stop inside this entrance. Cars can buy a ticket for Rs.100 and go still further. A bus seems to come every day at 7am and disgorge its travellers and returns at 7 pm to gather the revellers back into its stomach. There are other buses too.

We reached the top around 6 pm. The place was full of cars and people. Not to mention the Rhesus monkeys, which seem very comfortable with the tourists.  Not that tourists are comfortable with them, prowling around, ready to snatch anything from the hands and mouths of unwary tourists.

On the very top is the Nehru Nilaya, a government tourist home and we had booked a room over there for a neat sum of Rs. 2245 per night. It is a beautiful colonial building with high ceilings and wooden rafts on the ceilings along with tall arched windows.

This bungalow was built in 1850s as the summer residence of Sir. Mark Cubbon, KCB, the then Commissioner of Bangalore. Long corridors and two huge dining halls skirted by four comfortable suites are in the first floor. There are rooms in the ground floor too and a flight of stairs lead up to the first floor, with potted plants on both the sides.

History of Nandi hills goes back to 1791, when this fortress belonging to Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, was stormed and captured by the British forces under Cornwallis. Thereafter it became a British legacy, now to be turned into a guest house and a tourist attraction maintained by the Horticulture department of Government of Karnataka.

The temple architecture on the top of the mountain is typical of Chola period and is possible that the hill was famous even before Tipu build a fortress there.

As we slowly walked around the place, absorbing the historical facts as well as the beauty of the nature around, we realised that this hill is at 1478 m (4851 ft) above the sea level and is made of monolithic mass of granite.

From below the Hills look like a sleeping bull and maybe, it got its name from that. Or it could be because of the Temple of Yoga Nandeeshwara which is at the top.

The Office of the Special Officer, Nandi hills is on the top, very close to Nehru Nilaya, and there are path ways leading to his office from many places around the summit of the hill. Enter any one and walk the path of thick and not so thick trees and bushes, you are sure to reach the office of the Special Officer. There is no way you can get lost on the mountains!

Illustrious people like Nehru, Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth II, have stayed in this beautiful bungalow. SAARC summit meeting was held here in 1986. Of course, today you and me can stay there for a price! That is the beauty of democracy!

Before it was seven pm, watchmen with whistles were alerting people and cars to leave the premises. Fear of accidents, suicides and unruly behaviour make these precautionary steps necessary, I suppose.

After a nice meal and rest, we woke up early to the howling of winds. On stepping onto the front balcony of the bungalow, one could see the amazing sight of clouds travelling so low that you could almost touch them and feel them. The trees around were bending and swaying in the wind, and cool breeze blowing relentlessly across one’s face. It was a marvellous experience.

We thanked God for the beautiful creation of His and for giving us this enjoyable time with nature. We turned then to our Bibles and devotionals and meditated on them. Getting ready we ventured out around seven thirty in the morning.

Four of the stray dogs were comfortably sleeping on the sofas inside the long corridor of the bungalow. On seeing us they got up and stretched themselves lazily eyeing us all the time. Amused, we went out to the Food Court to have some breakfast.

   Viewpoint                                                                                                                                                                                                  Hills nearby

 Remnants of the Fort

The place was already crowded and everyone was lapping up soft idlies by the dozens and crisp vadas. There were special counters for masala dosas. We too bought the coupons and had our fill. Hot coffee was available. Imagine getting all this homely stuff on the very top of a mountain!

Then we strolled leisurely across the length and breadth of Nandi hills, passing the viewpoint, the broad premises of the temple, beyond it to the canopy with a raised platform. The wind was so strong it would have blown any person who was thin and not strong! From the viewpoint, one can see the rolling fields, villages, houses and roads crisscrossing the valley below.

We climbed down the vast rock formation which slopes down the hill and reached the spot where Tipu’s Drop is situated. Imagine the poor, unwanted prisoners being hurled along this bump and the precipice to their certain death!

There are also Tipu’s Summer palace and secret way out of the Hills, but were in dilapidated condition. Gandhi House is there too where he is supposed to have stayed. Rivers Pennar, Palar and Arkavati are said to have their origin in this mountain, but all we can see today are the dry sources. Amrit Sarovar Tank is there still with lot of water. 

                                    
                                                                    Natural entrance to the KSTDC Restaurant

Having worked up an appetite, we trouped up to the Hotel Mayura Pine Top, run by Karnataka State Tourism department. After having a nice meal, we roamed around a little more and left the place reluctantly by four pm.

Garden below the Pine Top Restaurant

For youngsters, there is paragliding and cycling. A flight of 1175 steps lead to the top from the very base of the mountain; if you are a trekker, you would enjoy the climb. Motor cycling is the most loved of venture for the youngsters.

Nearby are Skandagiri hills of 1340 m high with a fortress as well. Sir M. Visveswariah, the renowned Engineer and Deewan of Mysore, who build the KR Sagar dam and Brindhavan Gardens, was born in a village nearby, called Muddenahalli, which has a museum.

But simply to be on the top of Nandi Hills and savour the beauty of the place is in itself is the main charm of the place. No wonder people are attracted to visit the place again and again. And it is simply worth it, believe me.