the light baggage

Overview:   The twin hills of Aretippur in Mandya district is a mix of history and adventure. The village has been recently studied by the archaeologists and several Jain statues have been discovered, and more have been found carved on the rocks of Kanakagiri hills. There is also a small pond in Kanakagiri, which, according to the inscriptions there, is known as Kanakagiri Teertha. The adjoining Savanappana Gudda, is an equally interesting place, with a 10 feet tall Bahubali statue atop the hill. This statue was installed in the late 10th century, and perhaps before the gigantic Gomateshwara statue at Shravanabelagola.                           On the way towards Channapatna, one can visit the hill temple of Siddheshwara at Alur Doddi and Chola era temple dedicated to Lord Rama ar Kudlur. This temple at Kudlur was built by the Cholas dating back to the 10th century. The temple has carvings typical of the Cholas and several inscriptions can be seen clearly inside the temple

Overview:   While driving back from Hospet to Bengaluru, a slight detour to this little place is worth visiting. The drive from Hospet to Sandur is itself a pleasure with winding roads and hills in the backdrop gives a heavenly feeling. The Swamimale hill range is a part of Western Ghats on its eastern edge, which is abundant with different species of wildlife and also popular for medicinal plants. This hill is also believed to be rich in minerals which is a result of volcanic eruptions several centuries ago.               There is also an ancient temple in the middle of wilderness. The Kumaraswamy temple complex, which also houses Goddess Parvati’s shrine, dates back to the Rashtrakutas during the 8th century.               References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krauncha_Giri How to reach: From Bangalore, Sandur can be reached via NH4, take a deviation near Chitradurga on to Hospet road. Turn towards Ballari at Kudligi. Plenty of buses ply from Bangalore t