Last weekend, I was at Nandi hills, a short 50km drive from Bangalore, hoping to witness the magnificent foggy mornings that usually happen in the winters and rainy seasons. Not to disappoint me, it was indeed foggy, cool and beautiful. Cold breeze on my face is something I always long for and that’s just what I got when I went up. I was hoping to find a spectacle like this while I was there, and though it did not happen, I still got to see clouds above and below me, magically segregated by a line of blue sky!
Cloud formation on the hill
A typical foggy morning on Nandi hills. This is an old image made during the monsoons two years ago. It was cold, windy, foggy and very very beautiful
Also see: Weekend getways from Bangalore
I waited till 9am looking for cloud formations, and was ready to return when it did not happen. It is on my way back that I noticed a small strip of paper oscillating on a tree, and wondered if it is a pfc. I went to have a closer look, it indeed turned out to be a paradise flycatcher(pfc). I was lucky to watch it for nearly an hour. Sometimes I got as close as a couple of meters to it and watched its acrobatics – flying around with its tail taking some time to follow it! I had never had such close interaction with this beautiful bird.
The Paradise Flycatcher has an amusingly long tail. When it flies, it looks as if the tail is lagging behind and trying hard to catchup – a very funny sight!
This was my first ever sighting of a Blue Capped Rock Thrush, and he made sure I will remember this sighting, by posing nicely for a photograph!
As I went behind the flycatcher, I was also treated with some more sightings like the Grey Wagtail, Blue Capped Rock Thrush, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Purple Rumped Sunbirds and a few more species. I managed to make decent images of the Blue Capped Rock Thrush and Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, but the pfc which was hanging around me for a long time never gave me a chance to make a good picture of it.
A Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher
What if I did not get to see the magical cloud formation I was looking for, the day still rocked, thanks to the great weather and the pretty birds.
About Nandi Hills
Nandi Betta is a hill 1200m above sea level and is just a 50km drive from Bangalore. It is incredibly beautiful in winter mornings and all through the monsoon days as gets filled with fog and spreads a mystical magic on the hill. To reach Nandi Hills, take the 6 lane Bellary road towards the new Bangalore International Airport and drive on the highway till Devanahalli. Continue on the highway and after a 5 minute drive from Devanahalli, you will see a left turn which takes you to Nandi Hills. For those who want to stay through the night, government accommodation(typical PWD guesthouse) is available in limited numbers but no other options. Food is available on the hill top but is very basic and don’t have high expectations.
With the rains subsiding and the earth still wet, it is a good time for people who are looking for a weekend break and would like to get out of the city. This is a time when the rivers are still full of water, the forests and hills are green and everything looks beautiful. If you are wondering where to go, here is a list of places you can read about on India Travel Blog.
DAY-TRIP, LEISURE, PICNIC
1. Muthyala Maduvu or pearl valley
2. A morning in Nandi Hills
3. Muthathi
4. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
5. Sangama, Mekedatu and Chunchi falls
6. Shivanasamudra – Gaganachukki and Bharachukki waterfalls
7. Talkad
8. Balmuri Falls
9. Hogenakkal
10. KRS dam and Brindavan gardens
11. Melukote
12. Manchanabele
13. Devarayanadurga
14. Madhugiri Fort
TREKKING
1. Hiking in Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary
2. Trekking on the railway tracks to Yedakumari between Sakaleshapura and Subrahmanya
3. Bandipur National Park
NATURE, WILDLIFE
1. Driving to Coorg
2. Driving in rain: Jog falls, Karwar, Kali and Goa
3. Mullayyanagiri and Charmadi, Chickmagalur, in the monsoon
4. Bandipur National Park
5. Bhadra wildlife Sanctuary: Muthodi
6. A birding trip to Wayanad, Kerala
7. Dandeli: Wilderness and adventure
LEISURE, HISTORY, CULTURE AND MORE
1. Driving from Bangalore to Goa via Jog and Murdeshwara
2. Hampi
3. Belur and Halebeedu
4. Melukote
5. Gokarna
6. Badami and Banashankari
7. Aihole
8. Pattadakal
9. Mahakoota
10. Lepakshi
Also see: Riverside picnic places around Bangalore
If you are in and around Bangalore, have a half day at your disposal and would want to visit some nice waterfalls or a quite place near the town, head to Muthyala Madu(Muthyala Maduvu, and also sometimes awkwardly called pearl valley). But keep in mind that you can find water in the falls only for some days after it rains. As of writing this, there is good amount of water and I expect it might last for another month.
I was there yesterday and it was my first visit. I was not expecting much and presumed it could be no more than just a small stream. It actually is a small stream but very beautiful, nevertheless. There are a couple of waterfalls in a small narrow valley. The falling water hits the rocks and bounces up in droplets of water all through these waterfalls. And the bouncing and falling droplets in the backdrop of the sun are a visual treat, appear like drops of pearl which brings in the name for Muthyala Madu(Muthu is pearls in Kannada, Madu is a small water body).
If you have not seen the place yet, do not miss being there as early as possible since the amount water should be reducing by the day and you may not get to see much in winter. Of course the fall will come alive next rainy season.
Muthyala Madu Information
It is an hours drive from Bangalore and must be almost 40kms. Its in the periphery of Banneraghatta National Park. To reach the place, head out on Banneraghatta Road, continue beyond Banneraghatta National Park and reach Anekal. Take a right from Anekal and drive for an other 10 minutes to reach the valley. Don’t expect good roads, but you should be able to manage without much problems. An alternate, slightly longer road is to reach Anekal via Attibele by taking Hosur Road. Don’t expect to find any food or accomodation, but unfortunately you can find some one selling beer and soft drinks!! Start early and reach by 8 or 9am to enjoy the quiteness of the valley in early morning and also to avoid noisy day trippers who arrive later in the day.