Chikmagalur

Now is not the time to travel | Stay Home, Stay Safe and Break the Chain | Hope things get back to normal soon | 

This  is from our Chikmagalur trip in April 2021 before announcing Karnataka lockdown 

Day 2 of our Chikkamahalour trip, we got up early and had a traditional Chikmagalur breakfast from a near bye Rausturant Soundarya. Had dosa, vada, and Buns. Since we are in the land of coffee, and we get very tasty coffee here we decided to have coffee too. Time is around 10:30 am after packing up and checking out we first made our way to Hirekole lake. On the way we are planning to visit few more attractions in Chikmagalur

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First we are going to ಹಿರೆಕೋಲೆ ಸರೋವರ Hirekole Lake

It is around 9 kms from Chikmagalur town and will take 10-15 minutes to reach there. We reached hirekole lake. 

Surrounded by the beauty of mountains in the Western Ghats, Hirekolale Lake is one of the most wonderful places to visit in Chikmagalur. This beautiful man-made lake is awe-striking for every spectator  and must not be missed while visiting Chikmagalur tourist places. It was built as a source to supply water for drinking and irrigation purposes to the town of Chikmagalur. The lake is encompassed by gorgeous surroundings and offers a serene retreat for people coming along with friends and family wishing to have a great time.

Hirekolale Lake offers the most mesmerising views of the landscape. It is a delight for photography lovers who are looking to add a perfect shot to their travel albums. One can also appreciate the exceptional views of Mullayanagiri Hills from Hirekolale Lake.

We spent half an hour and continued our journey. 

We reached Siri Nature Roost this is a resort near to Chikmagalur town. 

We pit stopped here to pick up some coffee.

This resort is a tribute to Chikmagalur’s centuries portraying their tradition and history. So be excited to have the touch of tradition in the lap of nature.

After having a nice coffee, we are heading to Ayyanakere a lake located in Sakharayaoatna (Sakrepatna) Villege around 24 kms from Chikmagalur town. From here we need to drive 27 kms to reach Ayyanakere lake. It is also know as Dodda Magoda Kere 

After driving 45 minutes we reached here. 

Lovely, beauty, attractive, majestic, extraordinary, awesome and so on - if you think about adjectives for this incredibly superb place, you will be at loss. Words cannot describe the beauty of this place. You need to experience by visiting the site on your own. If you visit this place during the monsoon season, the happiness will double up.

The huge lake of Ayyanakere is one such spot that deserves to be on a tourist’s itinerary but can hardly make it due to the lack of publicity and facilities. But the beauty and peaceful ambience of the place make it a worthy destination.

Though the area was under the rule of different dynasties such as the Hoysalas, Keladi rulers and Mysore kings, it was during the period  of Rukmangada Raya in 12th century that Ayyanakere lake was built. He was ably supported in the venture not only by the local chiefs but also by the Hoysala ruler, Narasimha I.

The sprawling lake was built to meet the needs of the people whose livelihood was agriculture. Ever since, this large perennial water body has  supported cultivation for as many as 1500 ha extending over 20 villages at the least. With an abundant water supply, the main produce here is coconut, arecanut and sugarcane. Some believe nearby town of Sakrepatna gets its name from the large amounts of sugarcane grown there (sakre in kannada means sugar), but it is actually a corrupted version of Sakharaya Patna, named after a palegar (chieftain) of the same name.

The conical shaped peak at the backdrop, the sunrise or the sunset, the ocean sized waterbody, giant shaped trees on the banks or the clouds that kiss the hills.

We spend some good time here, now going to visit Veera Narayana swamy temple in belavadi. Need to drive 28 kms from here. It is located 30 kms southeast from Chikmagalur town. From Bangalore it is just 222 kms. 

The Veera Narayana temple is located in  Belavadi   village. This temple was built during the rule of the  Hoysala Empire in the 13th century by Veera Ballala II. Known to legend as Ekachakranagara, Belavadi is said to be the place mentioned in Mahabharatha where  Pandava  prince  Bheema  killed the demon Bakasura and protected the village and its people. It is a short distance from the famous temple towns of  Belur  and  Halebidu.