Ramanagaram Rocks!!!!

‘Naach Basanti Naach’ the famous line from the all time super hit movie ‘Sholay’ echoes as one reaches Ramanagaram, just wondering where Gabbar-ka-adda was. Who would have ever imagined Sholay that was shot in Ramanagaram would be such a big hit and that the movie would rock even after 3 decades, I guess such is the might of Ramanagaram Rocks.

Ramanagaram is passionately called the ‘Rock Climbers Mecca’, at 1000+ MSL it is spread over 4-5 kms in radius encompassing 7 major hills, many hillocks and large boulders. A week-end or a holiday would mean that you get to see the Rock Climbers of Bangalore doing what they do the best, climbing those magnificent rock faces and enjoying the aura of the place.

The boulders of all kinds and shapes en-route give enough challenges to a learner and an experienced climber, making the trek up to the hill more and more exciting. The texture of the rock can rip off the skin in case you are not careful enough, but what the heck there is nothing bad in having few bruises here and there when you want to do some good bouldering.

As you explore the landscape you will find few good rappelling faces, you could just fix ropes and start rappelling or could use the bolted routes to go up the rock face and then rappel down. The rock face near the pond on the hill have some 8+ bolted routed and if you are confident enough, know the basics of rock climbing and have climbing gear & equipments i.e harness, carabineers, belay device, ropes, quick draws, climbing shoes and a good partner to belay, you could do some real rock climbing all day long.

What ever the case may be any activity in adventure sports has to be a calculated risk and it’s important to take the calculated risk more seriously. The rocks are always there to climb only if return safe.

The splendid landscape surrounding the hill are picture perfect and gives enough scenery to a lens man/woman to click around. Every shot and every frame can redefine the way one feel about the rocks.

Every place has a history so does Ramanagaram rather a vibrant one also not to miss silky present, it’s the largest cocoon marketing center. The name Ramanagaram was officially christened in 1949, originates from the village Ramagiri on the foot hill of Ramadevarabetta (hill of lord Ram).

Ramanagaram is around 50 Kms from Bangalore on the Bangalore–Mysore highway and is the taluk center for Bangalore Rural district. Situated on the banks of the river Arkavati, mention of Ramanagaram is recorded as early as 268 AD during the rule of Mauryas to Gangas, Cholas, Chalukyas, Hoysalas, Vijayanagar rulers, Kempagowda, Mysore kings, Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and the British.

The hill has a Sri Ram temple that is built in the Dravidian style; to many rulers this place was of great strategic significance. It is also believed that saint Sri Ramanujacharya had visited this hill. There is a mention of Ramagiri in Ramayan, 16th century works of Renukaradhya and in Sarvajna vachanas.

As a traveler who would like to just visit or as adventure sport enthusiast wanting to scale the rock faces, Ramanagaram simply ‘Rocks’. All you need to do is have a Rocking time and keep the place litter free.

Author
BASECAMPER

Save Savandurga

Fascination or is it just a Rock climber’s obsession? Whatever it may be there is a sense of strength in the Rocks that drives me to them every time. One such special place that enhances the inner strength challenging the odds is Savandurga.

Monolith hill considered to be one of the largest in the world rises to an altitude of 1226 MSL. Situated 60 kms west of Bangalore at 12.919654° N and 77.292881° E, the hill is surrounded by the dry deciduous forest and houses some incredible number of bird species. The hill also has a fort on the top that has been part of history ever since the Hoysala’s in 1340 AD and the British in 1792 AD who described it as fort of death that indicates the toughness of the hill.

The gradient is quite good one could choose a difficult route or walk up a slightly easy incline to the top. If you are a first timer it would be safe to take a guide from the village below, young boys who make few extra bucks offering to walk along ensuring you do not get lost or reach a dead end.

The Rock climbing community has put up some excellent routes you could try if you are into some serious climbing, but any serious climbing activity using the rope or any other climbing equipment one would need to pay a climbing fee and take approval from the forest department. It’s a very good initiative to charge a climbing fee and deploy the funds for maintaining the hill. Who would not like to keep this climber’s heaven alive for years to come?

The question that really arises is ‘what is the real objective of the Forest department to charge a fee?’ A look around the hill will redefine all civilized logic you would have thought about. The base of the hill houses a temple, and people walking up the hill are not just the enthusiast climbers but also picnickers and pilgrims who care a damn about the place and litter the place with liquor bottles, paper, plastic and any thing that can be classified as garbage by civilized people. It’s surprising why the climbers who treat the hill like a temple are penalized and not the irresponsible visitors.

What is even more annoying is that there is not a single signboard or a notice board educating the visitors on the does and don’t or ban on water and juice vendors who are all over the hill and contribute to the dump yard. Its time the forest department re-looks at its philosophy on approvals and charging fee and does some thing about it before the hill turns to a dump yard.

It’s a shame that these obvious environmental issues go unnoticed by the department and the climbers are given step motherly treatment. Identifying the actual cause of a problem is as important as arriving at a solution. Just coming up with policies with out a proper assessment serve no real purpose, and its time the forest department realises that.

Author
BASECAMPER

Weekend Getaway - Kalavara Betta

Weekend traveling is limit less when you are in a city like Bangalore. An hour and half drive in any direction to the outskirts can take you to the most beautiful hillocks where tranquility can be described the best. Just to lie on a big boulder, stare at the sky and think about nothing. What more to ask for? One such hideout is Kalavara Betta in the Skandagiri range.

Driving on Bangalore- Hyderabad NH, deviation to Chikkabalapur and the road there on takes you to a small village called Kalavara that comes under Muddenahalli panchayat. Little will one believe that Sir M Vishveshwaraiah the architect of the KR dam, Dewan of Mysore, the greatest engineer India had ever know was born in this vicinity. So much we call as development that it takes away every thing from these villages and not even the basic necessities are addressed. Once you decide to ignore all the hard hitting facts you reach the base of a large mass of rocks.

The route to the top of the hill depends on what you have on your mind, you could take a difficult 4 km route where you get to do some decent bouldering, feel the rocks, beat the sun and sweat it all out or take a 7 km trail from ‘Papagni’ temple that has forest cover, shade and you could get to see the levels of the fort to the top. Either ways, the landscape around mesmerizes you. The smaller hills covered with all shades of green, big odd rocks jetting out and bearing the weather at all times and hoping that they will still be untouched by the human greed for years to come. The left side of the climb gives a spectacular view of the famous Nandi hills, you can see the rock face of the hills more peaceful and wild than the drive-up.

While you’re climbing up, never let an opportunity to look around, as that makes you feel less and less tired. The air gets fresher, the grass cover becomes thicker and you will come across the ruins of the fort that surrendered to the British during the Anglo-Mysore war. The piece of history, the story of life gone by that makes you wonder how such a multi-layered fort was constructed way up the hill yet preserving all the natural surroundings or is just merged with nature.

A good 2.5 hour of climb, feasting your eyes all along; will take you to the top of the hill, greeted by a stone carving of the ‘Basava’ (bull) and a tiny temple and you know its time to take a breather. The peace that surrounds you hearing the chirping of the birds, watching those colorful butterflies is more than one could ask for. Away from the noises of the honking vehicles the endless concrete buildings and the desperate search for fresh air.

If you opt to watch the sunset then choose a full moon day, camp over night and you will get to see the sunrise too. But be prepared to carry basic camping gear, food and lots of water. Sitting on one of those huge boulders watching the endless sky, the green carpet below, the big glowing orange sun setting only to rise the next day defines the life in total. A camera along can do the trick of capturing every moment that you do not want to let go.

Any thing that is this breathtaking has to be preserved for long. Be a responsible traveler and ensure that you do not litter and ‘leave no-trace’ of your visit as you return from serenity only to go back soon.

Author

BASECAMPER