Shivgange betta | Shivaganga Hills | Day trip from Bangalore

Shivagange hill, one of the popular weekend getaways from Bangalore and one of the noted trekking destinations in Karnataka. For most of the folks from Bangalore, a quick search for ‘trekking places in Bangalore’ ends up in Shivaganga hills. This famous pilgrimage is only 55 km from Bangalore on the way to Tumkur and is known for its moderate to tough trekking trail and sacred temples. Along with our friends, we decided to visit Shivagange hills on a fine Saturday morning.
#Shivagange #KarnatakaTourism #Stepstogether

At the entrance, there are two temples namely Gangadhareshwara temple and Honnadevi temple which can be reached by climbing only few steps. Both of these temples are cave temples and are very old.You can also find a big Ganesha statue on your left side while climbing these steps.

From the left side near the Gangadhareshwara temple, there is a path that leads to the top of the hill. The trek path is a difficult one and if you are just a beginner, it will exhaust you. We went in a peak summer season which made our trekking a more tiring one. Be cautious about your belongings as there are lot of monkeys throughout the trek path.

There are rock cut steps in many places which eases the trekking a bit. And the mesmerizing aerial view of the surrounding gives a soothing experience as you climb. There are small shops selling water, buttermilk, juice, churmuri, etc throughout till the top. Big salute to these guys who come here every day and serve basic necessities. You cannot stop appreciating them during your trek. If not these people, you would need to carry loads of water. But while eating or drinking, be careful of the monkeys. They can appear from anywhere.

In the mid-way, you will find a small temple called Olakal Theertha where you can find a water spring. You need to put your hand into a deep, small opening to touch the water. It is believed that if you could touch the water, that means you are a person of good nature. It is also a belief that if you touch the water, then you are free from all the sins you have committed.

Little more ascend towards the hill, you can find a big Shiva and Parvathi statues in a sitting posture. From this statue, till the top of the hill, the trek is the most difficult one. The trek trail becomes very steep and the steps are extremely narrow. There are railings for your support. Hold them tight and climb. These railings are a blessing in disguise. If not these railings, climbing till the top would have been highly difficult. Near this trek path, there are lot of monkeys. But, unless you show them food/water or do anything harm to them, they won’t create any problem to you. They will be jumping from railing to railing and will be trekking along with you. But, don’t you worry. They won’t hurt you unnecessarily.

Surprisingly, though the steps were steep, we dint feel that tired while climbing this stretch. May be because we were too cautious while climbing that we could not pay attention to our tiredness. As you are nearing the hilltop, the cool breeze touches your face and the atmosphere suddenly changes to a pleasant one. At the top of the hill, if you take a left, there is a big Nandi statue (bull) carved out of a rock which can be reached by climbing few more steps...
Read the full post at: https://stepstogether.in/2017/12/17/s...

#shivagange #stepstogether #kartanataktourism

Timelines:
00:00 - Intro
01:04 - Reaching Shivagange
02:10 - Gangadhareshwara temple and Honnadevi temple
02:43 - Shivagange Trekking
03:09 - Olakal teertha
03:18 - Shivagange Trekking phase 2
04:47 - Shivagange Hill
08:18 - Shivagange Hill Return Trek

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