Day Trip to Chikkaballapur and Adiyogi

Been a while since I have actually had a proper trip (due to personal reasons), and that's really painful for someone like me who's always on the lookout for trips, be it long or short. Having switched jobs recently, I knew I wasn't going to get long leaves soon either. So, just as I was dying to go on some short weekend trip, Instagram came to my rescue, and I came across a trek group named Adventure Buddha.

So, last Sunday, I hopped onto a Tempo Traveller with a group of like-minded trippers for a day trip to Chikkaballapur and Adiyogi Bangalore.

Our first destination was the eye-catching Bhoganandishwara Temple in Nandi village, Chikkaballapur. Though the temple was not even close to the awe-inspiring twin wonders of Belur and Halebid (now declared UNESCO world heritage sites), the intricate sculptures and the serenity of the temple complex made for some good photo ops.

After spending some time at the temple and clicking loads of photos, we headed towards the quintessential Bangalore day-trip destination- Nandi Hills. Though I have been to Nandi Hills many times before, I hadn't seen much of it except the sunrise point. So, this time around, we explored the hills a bit. We visited the temple in the Nandi hills complex and spent some time soaking in the view of the surrounding landscape at the peak. The weather was a god-send and the cool breeze complemented it. The group had a lovely time, and we were so engrossed in getting to know each other and clicking photos, we hardly noticed the dark clouds that were approaching us.

Just as we descended, it started to drizzle. The drizzle turned into a full-blown rain as we made our way to our vehicle. While the trip leaders, Vishakha and Aditya, tried cheering us up with fun and games, we were all a bit worried if we would get to visit Adiyogi at all, given the rain that lashed at the windows mercilessly.

Nonetheless, we reached Adiyogi on time, only to notice a long queue of cars and buses, all headed to the Shiva statue. Couldn't help but notice the lack of people management and basic facilities, such as a walkway from the parking area that was located far away from the main statue. Once our vehicle was parked, we had to walk for 5 minutes through a mud-laced (waterlogged to some extent) field, in the dark (with our phone lights showing us the way). It was disheartening to see the pathetic situation of a place that promises to be a world-class spiritual centre.

Nonetheless, we reached the statue just in time for the much-awaited laser show. In fact, the show was why most of us had opted for this trip. The area right in front of the statue was packed with the Sunday crowd- the elderly, kids, et al. And the show didn't disappoint us either. It was overwhelming and left us mesmerised. The faraway thunder and lightning added to the charm of the show, and it seemed the heavens had planned their own light-and-sound show for us. However, just as the 15-minute show ended, there was a rush to click photos with Mahadev in the background. But the gods had probably had enough, so down came the rains, this time, heavily. People rushed out of the venue, but there was no shelter, really. So, we began our arduous walk back to the parking lot, some drenched in the rain, others wrapped in raincoats and holding umbrellas. I saw a man lose his balance and fall badly in the mud. But, eventually, after a harrowing 5-minute walk through the mud, we were finally back to our vehicle.

Yes, the trip was perhaps washed out, and I somehow felt betrayed by the Adiyogi experience. But the trip also gave me a few friends and lots of pleasant memories. Here's hoping I get a chance to savour the Adiyogi experience at my own pace sometime later.