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2017: a year of treks

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Apart from the typical touristy/personal trips to places like Coorg, Chennai, and Mysore, it was an eventful year for me, of treks - long and short. Velliangiri hills - [March 11-12] This chain of 7 hills situated on the outskirts of Coimbatore (near Isha Yoga Foundation) holds spiritual significance in Hindu religion. At the summit, there is swayambhu (self-manifested) idol of Shiva in a cave - also known as Southern Kailash. Although trekking/hiking is involved, it is better referred as a pilgrimage. The plan was made from casual conversation among a group of friends. Full moon nights during summer are the best time for this yatra , as it is a 6 hour hike one way. We undertook the pilgrimage bare foot (along with most other pilgrims) as the hills are considered sacred. Combination of darkness and uneven terrain posed different type of challenges. The view of shining lights of Coimbatore city and cool breeze make up for the challenging climb through the seven hills. Some local
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The changing times

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Changes over 9 years Development is inevitable. It impacts us in different walks of life. While we enjoy the advancements for the most part. The damage done to the environment in the process is not so apparent. This picture shows the effect(s) of development in a (once) pristine suburb of Bangalore. A reference to the blog from that year can be found here .
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Southern Kailash

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March 12, 2017 - view from seventh hill, Velliangiri Hills One of the toughest pilgrimages in South India, coincidentally also known as the Southern Kailash  ( Then Kailayam ) - is a pristine mountain range in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It is revered as one of the abodes of Lord Shiva, and accessible by foot passing through Seven Hills. The hills are also home to many siddhar  (type of saints) and sunai (natural springs). The trek that takes 5-6 hours one way for a fit person, is usually taken up by pilgrims barefoot (the hills are considered sacred), with a bamboo pole for support. Its worth mentioning that the entry is controlled by the forest department, and they allow access only from February to May. Due to the daytime heat, the trek is usually taken up overnight and ends sometime early next day. Full moon nights are preferred as moonlight helps treading the tricky path at many places. We followed suit and started our trek at around midnight. There was a huge rush of
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Exploring wilderness

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October 14, 2016 - Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka On a road trip to Wayanad and back spanning 3 days and 750+ kilometers - passing through BRT Tiger Reserve (Biligiriranga Hills), Bandipur National Park, and Nagarhole National Park - among other state forests, we had rendezvous with many wild animals. It was a pleasure to drive on the roads with sparse traffic, while enjoying the remaining time lazing around. Being the more pleasant time of the year in terms of weather added up to a fantastic break.
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Potato chip rock

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September 11, 2016 - Avalabetta Some 95 kilometers away from Bangalore is a quaint little place called Avalabetta - short detour from the excellent Hyderabad highway. A decent and well marked road leads right up to Sri Narasimhaswamy temple. This place was made famous for a wafer-thin protruding rock. People posed for selfies and groupies on top of it, and fondly christened it as the "Potato chip rock". Now the "authorities" have cordoned off the area as a crack has developed. So one can only see this from afar. It is, however not the only attraction, we had a wonderful time inside the temple and amid beautiful scenery.
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Shevaroyan delight!

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February 20, 2016 - Childrens' Seat, Yercaud The name of the hills - Yercaud, originates from Tamil words Yeri (lake) and Kadu (forest). Very easily accessible from most South Indian cities due to its proximity to Salem. Although not as popular as its counterparts, it still provides for wonderful break from the humdrum of city life and revitalizes your soul. Major tourist attractions are the Lake itself, various gardens, Ladies Seat, Gents Seat, Children's Seat, Pagoda Point and them some not so famous but worth visiting places like Servarayan Temple and Karadiyur view point.
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The Vizag blend

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December 6, 2015 - Yerrada Beach, Vizag Visakhapatnam, also popularly known as Vizag is located on the coast of Bay of Bengal. Its a charming city with lovely views of the sea from throughout the city. We visited some of the many tourist attractions - Marine Drive, Kailasagiri, numerous beaches, Simhachalam, Borra Caves, Araku Valley, and Dolphin's Nose. The Steel plant on the outskirts of the city is also a big landmark. This photo is the best representation of the fact that Vizag has a unique blend of hilly terrain, beaches and sea.
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Flowers galore

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January 18, 2015 - Lalbagh, Bangalore Every year a flower show is organized by the Department of Horticulture at Lalbagh on the occasion of Republic Day and Independence Day. The show typically starts a week before, and ends on Republic/Independence day. Apart from the regular arrangement of flowers, there is a different theme on every occasion. On this occasion it was formation of Red Fort with red roses.
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