Shree Maruthi Saidham Temple

Date: 30th July 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Timing: 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Weekends and festivals 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM.

Fee: None.

Distance: 56 Kms one way.

Direction: Bengaluru - Nelamangala - Temple.

Parking: Available. Road side.

Food: Available near by.

Photography: Allowed, outside.

Other attractions nearby: -.

We have crossed the temple many times during our trips on this route but never got to visit. This day while searching for some food we stopped right next to the temple. We decided to visit it first. The temple is house to tallest monolithic granite statue of Lord Hanuman. The statue measures 36ft and 100 tons. Apart from the statue there was a Devi and Saibaba shrine inside. The part of Ramayana involving Hanuman was also carved on the wall of the temple.

Few pics from the temple.

Main entrance to the temple.

Statue of Lord Hanuman.

Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita.

Lord Krishna with Radha.

There was also Navagraha and Nagadev idols. 

Kids Attraction 10: Trampoline Park, Play Factory

Date: 16th July 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Timing: 9 AM to 9 PM all days.

Fee: Rs 400 per hour for Trampoline games. Others see pic below.

Distance: 10 Kms one way

Parking: Available.

Food: Available.

Photography: Allowed.

Phone No: 080 2852 8555. Book in advance for bigger groups.

Other attractions nearby: -

Other info: Track pant or shorts must.

Harsh is very fond of trampoline. He used to play at bannerghatta road decathlon and in new golden breeze restaurant on hassan road. One day I got to know about play factory from a colleague and took Harsh there. He was very excited after seeing the trampoline park. We reached the place around 10 AM and no one else was there. After watching a small safety video we can start playing. One parent is allowed to accompany the kid inside. After 30 minutes i too decided to try it and paid 300 for 30 minutes. The place was well maintained and it was a nice experience.

Apart from the trampoline park there are few other games.

The segway and drift car for adults. Need to try these during our next visit.

Take a shot.

Initially Harsh was not ready to jump but once when he started we could not stop him.

He continued to play for another hour. 2 hours of non stop jumping and running.

Indoor cricket.

Dare to Drop?

Indoor football.

Volleyball and racing track.

Around 11 AM another big group of kids came in. It was some one's birthday party. The restaurant on first floor serves buffet for the party..

There is a viewing area in first floor.

Zorb ball and outdoor football with EC flyover in background.

Rate card for all games.

Harsh was ready to play for another half hour but convinced him we will take him often.
Kids will surely have fun, a must visit kids attraction in Bangalore.

Kids Attraction 9: Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bengaluru

Date: 2nd July 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi, Harsh and Sourav

Timing: 10:15 AM to 5:15 PM. More detail in pic below.

Fee: None for science park. More detail in pic below.

Distance: 10 Kms one way

Parking: Available.

Food: Small snacks and water available.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park and Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum.

We skipped Gudibande fort after seeing Avalabetta hill in morning. Since we had reached city soon we decided to visit Jawaharlal nehru planetarium on the way. The place was crowded when we reached and a big queue standing for the sky theatre show. We only saw the science park and exhibition hall. Some of the exhibits were not working as it was not well maintained. We walked around the place and tried out few experiments.

Whispering disc.

Lift yourself.

Pulleys.

Playing with heat and light.

Double cone. There are many more but some of them not working.

Inside the exhibition hall. Check your weight on all planets and our moon. Harsh will weigh 50Kg on Jupiter and 3 on moon.

In front of comparison of planets with sun.

Information about the place.

An interesting place for kids to get introduced to space and some science concepts. 

Weekend Getaway 54: Iravadeswarar Temple, Hosur

Date: 1st July 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Timing: Not fixed. Read below.

Fee: None

Distance: 55 Kms one way

Direction: Bangalore - Hosur - Bukkasandaram - Athimugam - Iravadeshwarar temple. Follow google maps till last 700 m and then read below.

Parking: Available. Road side.

Food: Small snacks available near by.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Chandrachoodeshwarar Temple.

Iravadeswarar temple is located in Athimugam village near Hosur. The temple is 1500 years old and has an interesting story behind it. Virudhasura was disturbing the sages and killing them. The sages complained to Lord Indira. Lord Indira killed the asura virudhasura with help of is vehicle iravatham, the elephant. Lord Indira got brammahati dosha since he killed a living being. He and his divine elephant found a suyambu linga and did pooja for 48 days to get relieved from the dosha. At the end of 48 days Lord Shiva appeared before them and relieved them of the dosha. The face of the elephant was naturally carved on the suyambu linga as the lord was pleased with the dedication of the divine elephant. Thus the name Iravathewarar temple.

Another unique feature of this temple is that there are two deities inside the sanctum sanctorum. Akilandavalli amman graces the devotees from behind the suyambu lingam.

The sanctum was closed when we went. We could only see the Linga from outside and the amman behind was covered with a screen.

Also the nandi is not straight infront of the Linga. Its moved slightly so that the sun rays fall on the linga in the month of Thai (jan-feb) during sunset.

We went around the sanctum and saw statues of lord Vishnu, Bhramha and Durga devi and few other. There is also a navagraha inside the mandapa.

The elderly women who showed us around the temple told us the temple will be open in morning and in evening on Monday's and Friday's. Other days it may or may not be open.

On the pradosham day there will be a good crowd.

There are 5 lingas of varying size to the left of the main temple.

The anthill is believed to be as old as the temple.

There is also a shrine for Lord Ganesha and Akilandeshwari amman on each side.

We spent around half an hour and drove back home. Harsh has field trip to a brick factory this week.. We saw a kiln and stopped by to see the brick making process in advance.

The temple is below the ground level and the linga is further down.

The temple is located in middle of the village with narrow access road. Last 500m was very bad and had to drive very carefully. After Indian oil petrol bunk google maps asks to take left, instead drive another 100m straight and take the left. Within 50m you will find the board and a narrow road which leads to the temple.

A very interesting temple with religious significance left in ruins.

Weekend Getaway 50: Chennakeshava temple, Kaidala

Date: 4th June 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Timing: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Fee: None

Distance: 98 Kms one way

Direction: Bangalore - Nelamangala - Dabaspete - Kayathsandra - Gulur - Kaidala

Parking: Available

Food: None

Photography: Allowed except Main Deity.

Other attractions nearby: Mandaragiri hill, Unique Shantisagar Guru Mandir and Chandraprabha Thirthakar

Kaidala is the birth place of the famous sculptor Jakanachari. He was the master sculptor of the famous Belur and Halebeidu temples. This temple was built by Jakanachari and his son Dankanachari. Jakanachari left his wife at early years and went on to build many beautiful temples. After many years his son reaches Belur in search of his father and was wonder struck by the Belur temple that was under construction. He stays on and one day he points out at a mistake in one of the statue. Angered Jakanachari challenges him to show the flaw. Dankanachari chisels out the navel part of the statue and a small frog leaps out. Jakanachari as said cutoff his right hand. Later he realize its his son and both of them comes back to their village then known as Kridapura.

The father son duo built this temple after Jakanachari had a vision to build the temple in his home village.

There was no power in the temple when we reached. The elderly priest lit up a bigger lamp to show idol from top to bottom. The intricate carvings are a visual treat. Photography of the idol was prohibited.

There was another small shrine and a mandapa. Main temple is well maintained but other sections look abandoned.

Legand says that Jakanachari got back his right hand immediately after completing the temple. Thus the name kaidala.

The temple was built by Jakanachari in his later years. He was around 85 years. Without the right hand Jakanachari sculptured the idol with his left hand or his son Dankanachari carved the statue under the supervision of his father.

Gangadhareshewara next to the chennakeshava temple was closed when we reached. Looks like it was closed for very long time. There mandapa was filled with dust.

There are few carvings on the walls here and there.

The pillars at the entrance had some nice carvings.

Idol of lord Krishna at the entrance.

Lathe turned pillars seen in most hoysala temples.

The Gangadhareshewara temple was dedicated to lord Shiva.

Stone wheels?

The exteriors or the pillars of the temple are no where close to other hoysala temples. However it seems all the effort was put in to carve one of the most beautiful idol.