Weekend escapade to Gandikota!

Crew Members: Intel Mallus (9 members).

Duration: 1 day.

Date: 27th September 2014.

Terrain: Rocky.

Expense: 1800 Rs per head.

Vehicle: Tempo Traveller.

Abstract: Exploration in hot sun!

Mallus group of Intel used to plan a trip every once in a while. But lately the group had been slogging when it come to trips. Last trip that we executed was cave exploration at Sidharabetta during Jan 1st! It has been a year almost!! 

Fortunately, we had a good number of people available for the weekend and we started a trip discussion with Shivanasamudram falls in mind on Friday. Arun suggested Gandikota. I was a bit reluctant initially considering the distance and the time window we would get to spend there. As the group had girls as well, we never had an option to extend the trip beyond a day. Gandikota is ~300 Kms one side journey from Bangalore and since everyone was okay with it, we decided we'll accept the challenge.

Since the strength of the group was 9, we decided to take up a Tempo Traveller and tried contacting our office shuttle vendor. They proposed a package with 13 Rs per Km for non-AC vehicle and 300 Rs bata for the driver if we are to return before 10PM or else bata would rise to 600. We were okay with it. When they learned the destination is in AP, they said none of their vehicles have permit in AP and we'll have to take one from AP border RTO office and that will cost us additional 3500 Rs. We thought of trying to get some other vendors who have All India permit vehicles. We failed in finding alternate options. We had to take a fast decision as it was already Friday evening. When we all met, everyone started throwing their opinions and few were not very interested in doing such a strenuous journey, which made Arun pissed and he decided to stay off the trip. None of us could convince him and thus we decided to go ahead with the plan to Gandikota. We asked one of our drivers to reach Bellandur and make the first pick at 5 AM on Saturday and then come towards Old Airport Road where remaining 8 of us would board.

Unlike normal trips, this time, all 9 of us were ready by 5 AM and guess who came late! By the time driver reached Bellandur, it was 5:55 AM and I was pissed. I rose my voice at him when he reached our pick up point. He said some lame reasons and thus he costed us one hour!

We soon started our trip and I asked to him to drive straight to Chikaballapur. He didn't know the route beyond Chikkaballapur and Google was all we could bank on. We reached Chikkaballapur by 8 AM and there is this hotel Sandarshini which is our regular place during treks around Chikaballapur. I just love the Kesari Bath they make there. We didn't waste much time there as we still had 220 Kms to cover. I checked for the route to Kadiri with the cashier and we soon got the the engine running.

We had a fun filled journey from there with long sessions of Dumb charades and Anthakashari. In between, by 10:15 AM, we saw a direction board pointing right deviation to Kadiri from highway. But the driver said, RTO office is in the highway still ahead from where we'll have to take the permit and then come back. He added AP RTO checking is extremely strict and thus skipping permit payment would be a great risk. 

In another 45 mins, we reached RTO office. I collected 3500 Rs from the group and I asked driver to go with me. He said 'You need not come sir. The RTO is a very short tempered person and he might shout at you'! I replied 'Why would anyone shout at the public just like that'! We started walking towards the office and the driver repeated again, 'RTO would shout at you sir and you may opt to skip that' and I said, 'If that is the case, I'll better opt to hear what he has to say' and we reached RTO. I could sense what really was happening there and got it confirmed when the RTO said the permit fee! It was 2850 Rs! Remaining 650 Rs would have went to driver's pocket if I had believed his words! While walking back to the vehicle, he said this extra money is generally taken by the drivers and that's a common way of earning money followed across the vehicle renting agencies. I told him, 'If you had told me that the bata was 500 instead of 300 and told the truth that permit fee is 2850, we would have given you the amount. But you are not going to get anything out of this as you opted to lie about it'.

Our route was supposed to be Chikaballapur -> Kadiri -> Pulivendula -> Jammalamadugu -> Gandikota. We checked Google maps and saw an alternate route via Anantapur. This route through Anantapur would help us avoid the drive back till the deviation to Kadiri and thus decided to take that up. Antakshari sessions continued. I am not a big fan of Antakashari, because of which I was sitting in front, monitoring the maps and directing our driver. 

By 12:30 PM, when we were very close to the destination, we missed a turn and travelled ~20Kms ahead and we had to take a U-turn and come back. The deviation that Google showed us was a muddy road and we checked with the locals around. They said our deviation would take us to the reservoir project there and not to fort! They suggested to drive to Muddanur and from there to take the road to Jammalamadugu and take a left deviation that comes just before the bridge over Pennar river! And that was like another 60Kms! Another hour of drive in that heat was unbearable! We had no option left! By 1:30 PM, we reached the bridge and just before the bridge started we could see a board asking tourists to take left deviation to Gandikota. The road was narrow and either sides were vast and barren. 18 Kms of that stretch finally, took us to the Haritha APTDC motel which marked the end of our one side journey! None of us cared about the destination for a moment as our stomachs were rumbling with hunger! They offered us fried rice, chapathi, fulka, dal and onion-tomato masala! We had enough of drinks as well. Note, the hotel is a vegetarian one. 

By 3 PM, 3 hours off from our plan, we started walking towards the fort! A 500m of would from the motel would take one to the fort. Sun was at its peak and we all had a layer of sun screen applied hoping it would help us retain our fair complexion! :D

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Fort entrance had couple of tuck shops run by villagers that had drinks and biscuits and stuff. We entered the fort through the massive rusted gates.

Sky was very clear and I love clicking pics of architectures in such a background.

Apart from monuments, the fort premises host huts for lot of villagers. There were lot of goats grazing in the fort. We walked and could see a small school where the kids of the village go. There was a tomb kind of structure as soon as we entered and it was named Charminar.

We walked ahead along the lanes between the huts. A board saying "Madhavaraya Temple" was placed on the lane pointing to the left deviation. We walked towards the temple. The gopura of the temple was massive and was mostly ruined! But the color contrast it showcased was awesome!

There was a shrine inside well maintained in the middle of a lawn. We moved around clicking more pics. We had to cover as much as possible in the short time that we had left.

While leaving the temple, another board saying 'Great Bath' was pointing towards right. We had to walk some 15 mins and found high fort walls and lot of structures around. There were villagers cultivating plantains directing us. We walked around and we could see the walls ending at a point which appeared like a cliff. We thought that could be the Grand Canyon look alike view point. The only easy way to reach till there was to climb the stairs to the fort walls and walk over it. We managed to cover some distance over the wall and noticed a bunch of Lion Tailed Macaques seated at a distant point and the girls were reluctant to go forward. So, myself, Jerry, Melroy and Renju decided to go ahead and explore the place leaving the girls and couple of boys behind. We walked till the cliff jumping couple of walls blocking the passage and found the cliff is not actually the cliff that we were after. But still the place looked beautiful.

We walked back and joined the group. We decided to walk back to the Charminar point and ask some one the route to the Canyon view point. By the time we reached Charminar point, we were very tired and our throats were craving for water. We hydrated ourselves from there and we were told the view point is straight down the lane from where we took the deviation towards the temple. We went past a mosque and granary. After the granary, there are a couple of stairs on the ride side which will take you to the Gorge! It was 4:30 PM already and we walked as fast as we could to reach the point! The view there was breathtaking! We had enough photo sessions there and decided to sit there enjoying the silence and wind till 5:30 PM. One could trek down to the Pennar River along the pipe way. We didn't want to try it out though.

By 5:30 PM, we started our walk back to the fort gates and sun was on the way to disappear. Charminar looked awesome with sunset.

We walked towards the motel dragging ourselves! Sunset view along the hills with windmills was mind blowing and I couldn't resist myself from clicking a pic!

We reached the motel soon and ordered cool drinks and tea. By mistake, we ordered Onion Pakodas and that costed us almost 45 mins there. It tasted good and we left the plates clean wiping it out! :D

We started our journey back to Bangalore by 7 PM and we decided to take the route that we were actually supposed to take. All were tired and dozed off. Verdict on the case with TN CM Jayalalitha's came out on this day and we were getting news from our friends about the riots and happenings in Bangalore. We were a bit worried and finally discovered our routes are unaffected. We reached Kadiri by 9 PM and decided to have dinner from there. I had no clue how we reached back in Banglore from there as I was sound asleep! Melroy and Renju were the ones who were guiding the driver and guess what by the time we reached Bangalore it was 2 AM!! 

It was a wonderful and very tiring journey!

Things to remember:

1. Try not to get fooled by the driver if you are planning to rent a vehicle.

2. APTDC Motel have AC/Non-AC rooms and Dormitory facility.

3. There are no other food options around but this APTDC motel.

4. There is no entry fee and the fort is open 24x7!

5. Plan and execute in such a way that you'll have at least 3-4 hours to spend there. I would recommend to stay at the motel for a day and explore the place in the evening and early in the morning.

Dos:

1. Take Bangalore -> Chikkaballapur -> Kadiri -> Pulivendula -> Muddanur -> Gandikota route.

2. Have enough water if you are planning for a single day trip. No matter how early you start, by the time you reach there, sun will be ready to suck every bit of fluid out of you!

3. Carry sun screen lotions, caps, goggles.

Don't:

1. Place is very well maintained with little plastic garbage around! So, carry your wastage to the nearest bin.