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CHIKBALLAPUR or CHIKBALAPUR

Chikballapur or Chikbalapur or Chikkaballapura is the District Headquarters of Chikballapur in Karnataka and about 57 km north of Bangalore. The north-south National Highway NH-7 goes through the town, functions as the Main Street of the town, and is locally known as Bengaluru-Bellary Road or BB Road.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN CHIKBALLAPUR
The popular Nandi Hill Tourist Destination is about 22 km south of downtown Chickballapur off State Highway 74 and the link road. It is about 15 km to the foot of the hill and the winding road with exciting hairpin bends to the top is about 7 km. There is an excellent botonical garden on the plateau at the top with a perimeter pathway that offers spectacular views of the surrounding country.

The two State of Karnataka Guest Houses and Hotel Mayura provide good lodging facilities including Western style bathrooms. The restaurant in Hotel Mayura offers a good menu while the other "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant offers some food. There is a modest "Guest House" where Mahatma Gandhi stayed that has become something of a pilgrimage centre and provides concrete evidence of Gandhi's simple life. Some may enjoy the ambience of the Yoganandishwara Temple. The wireless Police Control Room is there for emergencies. Buses run regularly betweeen Bangalore, the silicon plateau of India, and the top of Nandi Hill. At less regular intervals, with the patience of Job, one can take a bus from Chikballapur to the top of Nandi Hill.

The Ranganatha Swamy temple, or Rangasthala as it is locally known, about five km west of downtown Chikballapur, off the State Highway to Gauribidanur is well worth a visit. The stone statue of Vishnu is simply splendid. The black stone sculpture carved in the Vijaynagar style is best viewed when there are no other visitors to the temple. The temple priest is more than willing to accommodate a special viewing for a small consideration offered to the diety. Please respect the religious sensibilities, but go there for sheer artistic splendour.

The Heritage Primary School in Kandavara, about two km south of downtown Chikballapur on State Highway 74, may be of interest to history buffs. Bharata Ratna Mokshagundam Vishweshwaraiah did his primary schooling in the U-shaped 1845 building. The Dwaraknath Reddy Ramanarpanam Trust (DRRT), under the leadership of Anita Reddy, rehabilitated the building in 2006. An effort has been made to create a modest interpretive center in one of the classrooms. A native son of Kandavara, Mr. Narayana Swamy Katari, who retired as the Chief Secretary of the State of Karnataka in 1967, went to the same primary school.

TREKKING & ROCK CLIMBING IN CHIKBALLAPUR
Trekking, mountaineeering, and rock climbing are the best things to do in Chickballapur.

There are five hills, locally known as Pancha Giris (literally five hills), about 15 km south of Chikballapur, including the tourist destination known as Nandi Hill. The five hills are known locally as Nandi Giri, Chandra Giri, Indra Giri, Brahma Giri, and Hema Giri. Also, there is a sixth hill known locally as Kalavaara Hill or Skanda Giri.

The Nandi Hill, along the face known as Tippu's Drop, is good for vertical scaling as long as no one expects it to be comparable to the El Capitan in the Yosemite Mountains in California.

The Kalavaara Hill is very good for camping overnight at the top. On a good day, you will literally be above the clouds and see the clouds roll by. Knowledgeable people hike up the hill on a moonlit night and tell others that all those who can must do so.

The two hills, locally known as Pandava Hill and Kaurava Hill, named after the legendary fraternal enemies of Mahabharatic fame, about 11 km north of downtown Chikballapur, are also very good for mountaineering.

For those who want to attempt rock climbing, please take everything with you, including the kitchen sink, because you will be alone with your companions. The redeeming value of "taking it with you" is that you can take it back with you as well.

HOW TO REACH CHIKBALLAPUR

By Bus
The buses operated by the State Transportation Department (KSRTC) and Private operators. There are regular and reliable buses running between Bengaluru and Chickballapur. Travel time is about two one and half hour. During peak hours there are buses almost every ten minutes. Regular and reliable the buses.

By train
There is a passenger rail connection between Bengaluru and Chikballapur. The frequency of trains less. The train takes longer and runs at the scheduled times whereas buses are available at virtually all hours of the day and most of the evenings and nights. If you are travelling as a group, take the train, not as a mode of transportation, but as a platform for picniking and partying in general. Samosas and pakodas (fritters) never taste as good as when there is the rolling Indian countryside in front of you.

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