kotilinga

The main attraction of this peaceful retreat, which is surrounded by plush greenery, is a huge Shivalinga. Measuring 108 ft, this shivalinga is tallest of its kind in the world and accompanying it is a 35 ft tall Basava, surrounded by lakhs of small shivalingas spread over an area of 15 acres. So far, around 86 lakh shivalingas have been installed. The entire project involves the installation of one crore shivalingas of various sizes, hence the name ‘Kotilingeshwara’.

The Land of Pristine Beauty Coorg - Karnataka, India

Coorg is a land of bounty and lush greenery that never seems to end. Mainly a land of agriculture, Coorg or Kodagu is a small hill station in the state of Karnataka. Coorg is one of the cleaner regions of Karnataka with environment conscious natives.

Coorg was originally known as Kodaimalenadu or the land of dense forest on steep hill. Coorg district is very beautiful with scattered villages, hamlets and a few townships. Coffee and pepper are the most cultivated crops here and driving / walking around Coorg is indeed a delightful option.

Reaching there

Hampi - A Tourist's Paradise

Hampi- an archaeologist`s paradise and a tourist`s most sought after destination, is situated about 365 km from Bangalore.

Reaching Hampi:

The primary connectivity to Hampi is by road. Rail connection comes second and the air link is the third option.

Shivasamudram falls - A One day trip from Bangalore

Shivasamudram falls....also referred as Bharachukki and Gaganachukki falls.

Route --> Vijayanagar - Kanakapura- mavalli - shivanasamudra

Distance --> 140 Kms from Bangalore

Money spend --> Petrol + 32 Rs (Toll) + 50 Rs (Fees for the falls)

Duration --> 10 hours total.

Ideal Time --> Middle of rainy season

Ideal for -- > Large groups, Family, Weekend Getaways

Nandi Hills – A lovely hill station near Bangalore

Nandi Hills or Nandidurg is a hill station, situated 1,478 mt. above sea level and 65 km from Bangalore, in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka. It gets its name from the ancient Nandi or bull which is meant to be the mount of Lord Shiva. Later developed as Tipu Sultan’s summer retreat this hill-station was patronized by the British too. These hills are the source of the rivers Palar, Arkavati and Pennar and rolling green slopes surround the Amrit Sarovar Lake, making it a popular weekend destination.

Beautiful, cool and serene, Nandi Hills have a lot more in store than just perfect scenic landscape. There are 1,175 steps to reach the top of the hill but the view of the whole city below is wonderful from up there. Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace and Tipu’s Drop, a 600 ft. cliff face from where Tipu Sultan used to throw his prisoners, offers a spectacular view of the valley and are popular tourist places. A ramble through the ruins of Tipu Sultan’s fort is exciting and not to be missed. Bhoga Nandishwara Temple, a fine example of Dravidian architecture, is situated at the foot.

Kalavaarahalli Betta - A Place above the clouds near Bangalore

This place is called Kalavaara Halli and the mountain is called Kalavaarahalli Betta (also called as Skanda Giri).  It is located near Chikkaballapura - a small town under Bangalore rural district. It is about 1750m from sea level. Distance from Bangalore is 70+ kms and Nearest Town/Medical Help is Chikkaballapura.

There are 2 routes to kalawara betta. One is take a turn towards Nandi Hills and go further to kalawaraVillage crossing Muddenahalli. This is shorter route than the one from Chikaballapur. Second one is to go to chikaballapur and then to kalawaraVillage. From KalawaraVillage ask for Omkara Jyoti Ashrama / Papagni Mutt. There is a shiva temple and vehicles can be parked there. This is at the base of the Hills.

Jog Falls - The highest untiered waterfall in India

Jog Falls, created by the River Sharavati, is the highest waterfalls in India and is situated in the Shimoga district, of Karnataka. It is about 375 km from Bangalore and 30 km from Sagara and situated in a pristine and scenic location. Roads are in good condition at most of the places and the beauty is scenic throughout. As the river plunges 829 feet down, it separates into four distinct waterfalls popularly named Raja, Rocket, Rani and Roarer. During the monsoons, the falls are hidden behind a thin veil of mist, surrounded by lush green vegetation, giving the place a mystical atmosphere.

The falls when seen from the top might seem small. Only when you focus hard and look down the valley, you can make out little human figures bathing. The height of the waterfall is appalling approximately equivalent to a 25 story building. Reaching Jog is the simplest part. Only the actual thing starts-1400

Hogenakkal Falls – A Thrilling experience near Bangalore

There are many local points to see in Bangalore like ISKCON temple, Nandi bull, Assembly hall, Banargatta zoo, Vishweshwara Museum, HAL museum etc… But all these are OK.  Plan one extra day to stay Bangalore and visit Hogenakkal falls. This can be really a memorable one day picnic from Bangalore.

It is 150 KMs from Bangalore. You can hire a taxi for a day and can follow following route to reach the destination.

Route : -Bangalore-Bannerghatta-Jigani-Attibele-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharampuri-Hogenakkal

Then started the collection part. First at entrance you shelled out Rs.20 as entry fee into hogenakal, then entry into book of forest range Rs.10 (for forest guard, you feel it is bribe), then after entering Hogenakkal, parking fee Rs.20. This parking fee is for parking on roads. Then again a parking fee of Rs.15 in TNTDC compound. Again fee for ride in coracle Rs.15 to be paid to some agent. But you’ll give a receipt. This is for the charges of coracle. Then you have to negotiate with coracle. The rate can be fixing