How to get there - Madhugiri is located around 40 kms from Tumkur and all you need to do is to ask around in Tumkur for directions :)
What is there - Madhugiri's claim to fame is that there is a fort atop the second largest monolith in South India (after our very own Savandurga) ..... Definitely worth a visit!!
The blah - With work getting so hectic that I couldn't even plan a weekend trip, I just had to jump on a plan by Moch and Bhatta to go to Madhugiri ...... Vinay joined in too.
Waiting for the guys to arrive at Yeshwantpur, I spammed everyone with 'Happy Friendship day' sms' [:D] and off we were! With only some minor causes of concern due to my wobbling rear tyre, we reached Tumkur for breakfast. Dosas, Idlyz, packed lunches and a mechanic visit later (actually two mechanic visits as I realized that my brake spring was broken too!!!) we enjoyed the countryside enroute Madhugiri.
Vinay got a bit more of the countryside than he wished for, as a bee got a bit too friendly and gave him a gentle sting ....... an anti-allergen seemed to make things better. My enthu seemed to get a bit 'out of hand' when I jumped five feet in the air - failing to notice a huuuuuuge speed hump while travelling at 80 kmph - and barely managed to cling-on to my bike!!! Phew!!
We reached the base of the hill and Vinay's first reaction was .... "We came to climb this??" ..... He had a different story at the end of it tho!
Image - The fort at Madhugiri from its base ....We started to climb at a pace where even the slowest snail would go to the top and sleep before we would catch up with it!! The first pit-stop was for this snap below .........
Moving on, things got hilarious when Vinay managed to find his way up a certain wall ...... and couldn't decide what to do next!!!!
Although I knew that he would be on solid ground if he climbed across the wall ..... I thought it was more fun watching him come down the same way he went up!!! And that's what I did!!! (Am sure Amit is shaking his head now and saying "Wicked ...... PJ is just plain Wicked")
The best part abt this place is undoubtedly the fort ...... Each place beckoning you to take a break and get some snaps clicked!! Though it has been a few years, Dil Chahta Hai isn't quite forgotten by the looks of it!!!
With the sun hiding behind the clouds, Moch and Bhatta might have found the weather a bit too romantic .......... I guess 'Basic Instincts' can't be hidden for too long!!
Climbing a monolith is quite a different experience from hiking in the forests or mountaineering or rock climbing ...... Hard ground below your feet, no trees to rest under - just the promise of a view at the top added maybe with a pleasant breeze ........ and freedom from the crowds of the city!! And as we climbed higher, I saw something that I had NEVER seen in all my trekking days ......... And it took me a moment to accept that this was actually happening!!! Lo and Behold ..... without further ado .................. Mr. Vinaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy Kaaaaaaaaalro .......
After a quick lunch ..... and feasting on Toblerone (slurrrrp), we were at the top ....... enjoying the cooool breeze ........... definitely worth the climb!!
