Bilikal Rangaswamy Betta

Place - Bilikkal Rangaswamy Betta and Mekedatu Sangama near Kanakapura.
Date - Saturday, 24, June 2006.
Group - 7 members, Anand(Leader), Anupama, MuthuSelvan, Rahul, Selvaraj, Sushmitha and I


We have going for Trekking around Bangalore quite frequently now. The group has a few common people like Anand, Anupama, Muthu, Selvaraj and I. Still there will be atleast 2 new faces for every trip. This time it was Rahul and Sushmita. Anand takes the responsibility of deciding the place and date, collecting information about the place, booking vehicle, inviting people and all other tour conducting activites. It would have been better if he even finances for us. The rest of us just go enjoy and come, not to mention the moral support and cooperation. More than anything else we tolerate him too ;-) I take a camera with me always, take photos mostly of scenaries around, less of people contrary to everyone's liking.

All of us came to Anand's House in Banashankari by 7.30 IST. Had Benne Dosa for breakfast at a hotel. Headed to Bilikal Betta by Qualis. To everybody's liking Jogi songs were played all the way. We reached the base of the betta by 11. We found 2 village children who can guide us to the top. We needed to cross a small river and start climbing. Sadly the river had little water this time. Compared to other hills around Bangalore, here there was some greenery with a few Trees.

The day was cloudy but no rain and it was a big plus to help us in climbing. We had only Water Bottles and some scacks to carry. With boys comfortably outnumbering girls, carrying job was almost equally shared. I took photos of the Hill, foothills around, flowers, river and people also sometimes. The climbing was thoroughly entertaining with Anand trying to pull other's legs and making blunders in the process, while I was getting pulled. Sushmita and Rahul singing old Hindi songs, they made a good singing duo didn't they? Slowly the climbing started to get tougher, real trekking started. We could not take frequent long breaks as we also need time to cover Mekedatu. Rahul was finding it difficult as he had to carry himself which was a Big deal, his back-pain wasn't helping him either. We started hearing noices from another group ahead of us. Mention of few good looking girls motivated Rahul (not that it didn't motivate others). When asked where they were from, they said they were a project team from another Software Company, led by their manager. What better work do these IT Professionals have, sit idle throughout the week and break the stillness by going for trekking on weekends. We overtook them, took a rather long break at a rock, drank water as if we have never had it for a long time. Recharged our batteries and continued our ascent. Finally reached the top at about 12.30, to find a temple on one side and a glorious veiw point on the other.

From Left - Sushmitha, Muthu, Myself, Anupama, Muthu, Rahul and 2 Local Boys

It was very windy at the view-point. It helped us quickly dry the sweat. We took a few group photos sitting at a rock(non-living on the edge). Anand practiced a few of his stunts that scared us more than him. Spent around 1 hour there enjoying the strong breeze, chatting, singing, pulling each others legs and eating. Visited the temple later, the priest told us that around 50 thousand people come there for Sankaranthi, inspite of the difficulty in reaching the place. It seems there is another route by which vehicles including buses can come.



Time was 1.30, we had to start going down as we also planned to see Mekedatu. Coming down was relatively easy, obviously though. But coming down slowly was more difficult, Rahul wouldn't agree any better as he was to last one to reach the top but the first one to go down. Going down puts a lot of stress on the thigh and calf muscles. But while climbing up the stress is on the Back muscle.

We reached down by 2.30. Had lunch at Kanakapura. Sangama was about 30 km drive from the Kanakapura. Buses are available to that place. It was about 4.30 by the time we reached the Sangama of 2 tributaries of River Kaveri. Going to Mekedatu and coming back would require atleast 2 hrs, so we skipped mekedatu and spent time bathing at Sangama. One must cross the river and take a bus to mekedatu. The water current was good enough to prevent one from making any progess while swimming against it. Rahul, Anand and I tried but could hardly move forward, not moving backwards was a big deal for us. But Selva used to defy all odds (current and fact that others couldn't) and mange to move. We then played tug of war including one girl also in each team. It was more fun to celebrate after winning than playing itself.

We started back as soon as it was getting dark at 6.30. Many of us fell asleep while coming back. Got up only after reaching Anand's house. Had another round of chatting at Anand's house, mainly discussing about how the trekking went about, who did what etc.

For Rahul and me the adventure was not yet over rather it only started. Our houses at Rajapalya near ITPL is a good 30km drive along Ring Road till Marathahalli and a deviation there. A horror was to happen at the Ring Road but we luckily escaped. We were going at about 40 kmph on Rahul's HeroHonda Passion. He cannot go much above that speed though. A lorry was coming behind us at its full speed coming closer and closer as moemnts went by. Rahul showed an indication to the lorry to slowdown as there was a speed breaker ahead. The lorry didn't slow down but it shifted to the right lane and hit a car which slowing down at the road-hump. It would have certainly hit us had it continued coming on the left side and it would have been the last day for us in this world. Only the car suffered the damage and nothing happend to people inside it. We felt lucky and just escaped from the scene not bothering what happened at that spot later.

I shouted at Rahul for him going in the middle of the road at such a slow pace and not taking any defensive measures when the lorry was threatening to run over us. He was not perturbed at all and was not understanding why I was bothered. He was wearing helmet for the first time and didn't realise everything that happened. He explained that he did the right thing by showing indication to the lorry to slowdown and there was no fault in him. I plead, "Boss, I agree with you that it is not your fault. Lord Yama doesnot give his verdict based on whose fault it is. It is our responsibility to take defensive action by going to a side and avoid being run over and killed."