सफर के इक नया सिलसिला बनाना है , अब आसमाँ तक नया रास्ता बनाना है!
Time to spend – 3 hours. Distance – 65 KM from Bengaluru. Drive time – one way 2.00 hrs. What to see – Nothing special. Only a water body. Solitude and good for camping and picnic. Where to stay – No hotels or restaurants nearby. My Rating – 2/5
Comparatively very less known among people this place is not really far from Banglore. It is just in vicinity of 60 KM. My nephew suggested this place to come out of the blue of Corona cool down period of 4 months.
I had already been to Ladhak for 10 days earlier in Aug, 2019 and hearing that this place is known as “Chhota Ladakh” or “mini Ladakh” to keep the curiosity I did not explore anything on internet.
We started from Hebbal, Banglore at 12.30 PM and reached at destination in 1.5 hours at an average slow speed by car. The route was old Madras road- Hoskote and before reaching Kolar we took right turn. After right turn we we left Kolar NH and come across some scenic hillocks on
base of which we can see beautiful marigold fields. We stopped here for some photography.
Part of this road leading to Chhota Ladhak is good but about 2 KM before the spot the road is “kachcha” but you can drive the car up to place where
we have to park the car. The boulders are kept here inorder to forbid mass of people or break the serenity and beauty of the place.
We actually thought that car will not go near the Lake so we parked car in a village about 2.5 KM before and setout for the picnic with my dear relatives and nephew family.
What is so typical about this place?
This place has drawn some debate in public and is said to be a headache for the Kolar police department. As per police about 13 visitors to this place have lost their lives in this secluded and dangerous surrounding terrain of this natural lake and only 4 bodies could be recovered so far. But public is of opinion that this lake is not an ocean that bodies can not be recovered. Second debate is that some people say it is very much polluted lake full of chemical impurities. But public argues that there is no other source of water here except the rain water then how it can be polluted. One of the visitors recently quoted in recent that his friend also drowned here in January 2020.
Over all seeing the lake I can say, yes it is a dangerous lake and the formation of water body is in too steep terrain almost vertical and hence I also did not dare go near the lake and kept a distance of ten feet while taking the photograph, There are chances of falling or slipping into the hole.
The surrounding of this place has plain lands and even habited by village with some pucca houses and field growing tomato and Macca.
Why this place is unknown on map of Bangalore?
I guess the reason could be that the one and only spot here is this beautiful dangerous lake. There is no other spot. But if once people come here they will definitely come here again and it is very serene, quaint and virgin place to camp and enjoy the nature in original.
Truly my opinion – Over all this lake looks like a lake on moon or Mars. It looks as if we have come on another planet. Camp here or spend few hours picnic, take photographs and then vaporize with the virgin beauty of this place in your heart.
Here was the scene of car dumping in film Drashyam. You can take lot of photographs around lake and cherish these moments later in life. Behind and on way are the majestic hillocks, presenting sight in the backdrop to stop, think and behold….and snap.
Epilogue
I recommend you to travel to this place with family, have picnic or may be camping itself. This is a very small spot so not so popular but definitely you will not erase this place from your memory ever.
My friend Venkat comments who visited the place a day after my visit.
“It’s nice!! Fresh air and little offroading around 1km..little struggled to go up as there is blockage of the route with big Rocks. Only bike can reach but not easily reachable..going up and coming down..otherwise good family picnic spot… nearby beautiful mountains and landscapes…”
Bangalore has penty of weekend getaway places –
Savandurga Hills – 48 KM, Nandi Hills – 60 KM, Skandgiri – 61 KM, Devarayandurga – 72 KM, Anthargange – 80 KM, Ramnagaram – 55 KM, Makalidurga Fort – 61 KM, Madhugiri – 106 KM, Kuni Betta – 125 KM, Bilikal Rangaswamy Betta – 70 KM, Channaarayana Durga – 100 KM, Kabbaladurga- 50 KM, Bheemeshwari – 105 KM, Vatadahosahalli Lake 100 KM, Mysore 150 KM and Chitradurga fort. While places local to Banglore are –
Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple-Vishveshsaraiyya birth place, Bangalore Fort, Tipu Summer palace, Devan Halli FortTipu birth place, Rangan titu, Srirangpatana, Somanathapuram, Turahalli forest, pearl valley and Chhota Ladhak.
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