Rustic Ramanagara

Restless Ramblers D.5-Rustic Ramanagara

Unfavorable circumstances, shaky views, those yellow signboards displaying Ramanagara-55kms and that sudden right turn...As name says it we're the Restless Ramblers.

We started of pretty early for the airport as Keyur was flying to USA and Sujan backed out at the 11th hour leaving the fervent of all ramblers me and Sumit disarrayed. As we weren't wearing our thinking caps amidst the commotion, hardly we could think of any adventurous places so convincing our minds we opted for Mysore highway 24-hr CCD to have a kick of caffeine. We took the controversial NICE Road towards Mysore highway and while driving a yellow signboard displaying Ramanagara-few kms ahead brought us to our senses thereby prompted us to increase the wheel revolutions of the bike and reach Ramanagara.

While we stalled for tea and usual pressure relievance, we came across a scenic railway track with semi-white stones adding glitter to its beauty. Flashback!!! It was a Jai-Veeru's reincarnation. They managed their way to the nearby bushes, climbed the mango trees, captured some self-timered shots and best of all getting our hands at big raw mangoes tucked at a vulnerable height. We managed to provide flexibility and much needed elasticity to our hands which helped us managed to get around 13 mangoes in all and a visible proof that got us caught red-handed. But these childhood instincts and mastered pranks were not submissive and somehow we managed to be at large.

Sipping hot tea and cherishing our proud possession, we glided through the 15'' inch wide road towards the Ramanagara temple. Surviving all types of cuts and curves, there we were at the feet of Ram temple. Initial stairs were smooth with some really ravishing rocky sites in patches and green covers helping our momentum. We reached the temple with a serene reservoir by it was the source of cool sweet water as we discovered it later. The pujari, yet to get into traditional attire shot few of the Jai-Veeru gestures. Now we were about to get into less explored territory, the one beyond the temple which according to us is the perfect site for camping as it is not only safe but also sacred.

Marching ahead, for once you try visualizing the high rock as Sambha's seat, the large plateau with people celebrating Holi, Cave like structures as Gabbar's den and ubiquitous rocks providing climax of Sholay. We were really getting into Jai-Veeru groove and continued wandering ahead till we reached a hanuman temple, stairs beyond which, were leading us to the pinnacle of the crest. Few chameleons and varieties of lizards did provide us some jitters on the way but there was a sigh of contentment once we were swapped by cool gentre breeze. This plateau was barren, full of thorns with just a filthy reservoir full of toads. We'd our moments of mischief with stone throwing, echoing and 360 degree view covering railway track mentioned earlier to the tiniest of vehicles on road and deep vegetation and gigantic rocks on other three sides.

While the sun was ascending, we thought of descending to prevent sunburn and bowing to the almighty and inspecting the undergoing construction of a new cave-temple, we reached the pit and left for home unusually pretty early humming 'Yeh dosti hum nahi todenge, todenge......chhodenge' and for this time Jai-Veeru survived to share the reminiscence.

So guys plan out for Ramanagara, one of the nearest trekking sites to Bangalore and among the very best. While you are there, kindly take responsibility in keeping it clean and free from evidences humans leave behind.

----Rambler Ravish (next is Antargange)

Picturesque Pearl Valley

Restless Ramblers D.4-Picturesque Pearl Valley (Muthyala Maduvu)

Evening 5.00, Feverish we, Dusk setting in, Opportunity grabbed- We're the Restless Ramblers.

As our lethargic minds refuse to take off in the morning and lazying around continued in the evening, it was tough to charge ahead. Nobody wanted to travel much and googling opportunized us with as Muthyala Maduvu came knocking to our heart. The dusk was about to set in and leaving the city traffic behind was going to be an uphill task. But God bless, B.T.M to Pearl Valley via Bannerghatta Road is a smooth crawling with very few curves. Hardly any chance of losing the way if you seek direction enquiring about 'Anekal village' and as soon as the jaywalkers hear about it confidently they guide you through.

It was almost 18:00 and we were yet to take up a 3km serene road to Muthyala Maduvu via Pearl Valley resort. As always, call it a coincidence or an absolute opportunity that we had to be all alone in the dark as the last visitor left the site on a disparaging note. To keep munching till the valley's pit we bought icecreams with the seller taking advantage of his monopoly. We reached near the small waterfall without much of panoramic views except the setting sun behind the hilly peak and the dried up waterfall at the bottom and the filthy water full of mosquitoes didn't deter our resilient spirits. The hard earned self-timered snaps with the yellow rock behind us reminded us of the 'Lakshya' cliff. We went ahead through the ramshackle temple, a lonely child that stood by it (reminding us of 'Vastushashtra' movie), fear of reptiles and muddy terrain. We'd our share of fun clinging on the trees, exploring the walkable path and feeling the cool breeze seducing our minds.

As we didn't want to end up on a tragic note, we took off for the top under the miser moon that hardly provided us any visibility. The best part of any exploration is to be among the lone group amidst the darkest of nights (while I typed this line, my fingers and my mind are out of sync). We'd a chilled mazaa at the restaurant there which hardly provided anything else and we left the Picturesque Pearl Valley with our stomachs craving for food which finally got sufficed by Apoorva Garden restaurant on the Bannargatta Road. To sum it up it was one of our dumpy rides with equal share of frolic.




---Rambler Ravish (Next is Ramanagara)