Hebbal Protest: A temporary sigh of relief
Thursday, August 23, 2007



The candle lit protests organized on two consecutive Saturdays during August and enthusiastically attended by hundreds of nature lovers finally yielded the desired effect: The Oberios decided to let go of the ambitious floating restaurant on the Hebbal Lake which is home to a variety of water birds and other wildlife.

However the fate of other lakes in the city and the larger issue of whether govt-private partnership in the so called ‘restoration’ process of the water bodies and the lung spaces actually works is still a fiery debate.


Trekking in the monsoons


Trekking through the ever green jungles of the Brahmagiri mountains

So, you are all set to hit the mountains when it pours heavier than cats and dogs? The mountains of the Sahyadris, or the Western Ghats, as they are more popularly known as, adorn their verdant most costumes during the months of monsoon and, although some might argue otherwise, they make for some really memorable treks. If you don't mind roughing it out a little bit to see the Ghats at its best, then take a look at a few suggestions. Being in Bangalore, you are never more than an overnight’s journey away from any of these beautiful places:

1. Karnataka’s highest: The Mullayanagiri, Chikmagalur. Well, the highest mountain of the state is definitely not the toughest one to climb. The trek begins at 'Sarpahaadi' on the Chikmagalur-Bababudangiri road. It’s a short trek of 3 hours that takes you to the top of the world (ok, the state)! There is a temple at the top and you could request a halt at the priest’s quarters for the night. The winds are strong, the temperature is cold but the sights will just take your breath away.

2. Rockets in the jungle?: Yana, Uttara Kannada. The giant rock formations that mock the man made rockets were first made famous (rather regrettably) by the Kannada movie "Nammoora Mandara Hoove". A local bus from the town of Kumta takes to the starting point of the route. The trek is mostly on flat ground and you can stay at the little temple nestled at the base of the rocks.

3. A sage on the hill: Kodchadri, Shimoga. A tougher trek than the others, but the route is no less scenic. The trek starts a few km off the temple town of Kollur. The high point is the view of the Arabian Sea from one of the kerbs on the way to the mountain top, on a clear day of course. There is a Bhatta’s house near the top and he can take care of your food. There is a govt inspection bungalow too, up there.


Melkote: Frozen in time

Although the darkness was momentarily blinding as I stepped into the shaded entrance of the Sri Cheluvanarayana Temple of Melkote, it was a pleasant respite from the scorching April sun. My eyes slowly opened to the dimly lit space and I could see the greasy granite walls of the temple that magically kept the air cooled for the grateful few hundred of Vaishnav devotees who came in late on that sunny morning. This idol of Lord Vishnu, affectionately referred to as ‘Cheluvaiah’ by the locals, takes the center stage at Melkote, one of the four most sacred places of Vaishnavism in South India.



The temple, built in the Vijayanagar style, houses some of the most intricately carved pillars that I have ever seen. Many huge granite pillars are slit into multiple thin ones with complicated carvings of deities and Hindu symbols. The niches and spaces fashioned out of the granite never fail to make one ponder about the immensely gifted ancient sculptors. The outer gopuram is comparatively quite modest though, painted in cream, another trade mark of the Vijayanagar style.


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