Time to spend – 4 to 5 hours. Distance – 80 KM from Bengaluru. Drive time- one way 2.15 hrs. What to see – Lakes, forest, hillocks, deer park, ancient temples and unlimited trekking. Completely plastic free zone. Where to stay – No hotels or restaurants nearby. My Rating – 4/5
Of course, this place is comparatively lesser known places around Bengaluru. There are mixed reviews about this place but normally I do not care about others reviews as everyone has his own likes and dislikes. But as such my review is that if you want to have a drive across green hillocks, halt to enjoy a big lake, forest and 1000 year old temple, trekking then it is the place. It is different from many other places around Bengaluru.
Location- This place known as Devarayana Durga hills (DD Hills) is located at about 70 KM from Hebbal, Bangalore. It is on NH4 and route is Yeshwantpur – Kyatsandra- Deverayan Durga. All 70 KM road up to DD Hills top is absolutely fantastic. This place is popular among locals as DD Hills.
The weather is cloudy and cool breeze through the windows of car with 1970s songs on – where more we can enjoy. The importance of driving through green trees, forest is no less than the pleasant destination. This journey of 70 KM was freshening no doubt.
We are late to start at 12.30 from Hebbal. Due to tat we could not cover the nearby places and enjoy the place like lake, deer park and the views of hill top. I think it is ideal to start at 9.30 AM from Bangalore.
Road to Tumkur is a bit crowded and so driving was a bit tiring and less of joy. But after about 40 KM we are able to see some green fields and hillocks which infuse some freshness.
Driving through these green nature is a very enchanting experience.
Specialty about this place- This place is unique in sense that it has pilgrimage, unlimited trekking places, wildlife, numerous hillocks, two lakes and forest protected by forest department. Historically it is said that the two temples here Bhoga Lakshmi Narsimha temple on bottom of hill and Yoga Lakshmi Narsimha temple on top of hill are 1000 years old temples and were protected by Chola kings. This the place where ornithologist and naturalist Salim Ali stayed to study birds.
In 2.15 hours we reached the lake which is about 10 KM away from the destination DD Hills.
This lake is surrounded by cluster of hillocks looks a lake which is still natural and not commercialized like Ooty and Kodaikanal lakes. There were about 50 visitors seeing the beauty of lake and taking photographs.
There was only one vendor selling maize and sugarcane juice. This shop was augmenting the beauty of the lake like in novels.
After photography we leave the lake and drive about 6 KM and come across a joint with the below board. Left side is small temple and straight is the ancient temple at top of hill which is main attraction of this place.
Below is the scenic and banded road to the top of hill like we see going to Nandi Hill.
On the way we see a big rock and noticed some visitors trying their legs to reach the top.
The climb to hill by road. Some visitors are also seen walking this distance by foot.
Below is the foot hill of temple. There an ample parking is provided for vehicle free. From here we have to walk and cove 176 steps up to the Yogalakshmi Narsimha temple. I see a few monkeys but they were not aggressive but one monkey snatched the purse of a lady but after sometime left the purse there itself luckily.
These are the steps which lead you to temple.
It seems it was a kind of fort as we can see certain burj towers on was across to temple.
It is said that Lord Brahma the creator of the Universe, has performed
penance for many years in the name of Lord Vishnu for several thousand years. Impressed by his penance, Lord Vishnu has incarnated himself as Lord Narasimha here. The temple on top is at 4000 feet and there are 176 steps to be crossed to reach there. The fort or the temple is built in the Dravidian style.
This is the inside of temple. Due to Corona pandemic sanitazation of hand is provided by the temple guard. We have to leave the slippers before the temple.
This is one of the views of surrounding forest, hillocks and residences from top of hill. The sunrise at Devarayana Durga is often breathtaking and many trekking enthusiasts leave early from Bangalore, just to have a glimpse of the sunrise there.
view returning back. You can spend an hour or so at the temple in cool breeze.
On return we again halted at the lake at foot hill and took our packed lunch at 6.30 PM. We had brought waste bag and kept all waste into it and brought back in case to dispose off. Hence maintained the plastic free zone as our responsibility.
These are the 10 travelers to this place with us.
Epilogue
There are a few worth visiting places nearby this area but for that we have to reach this place by 9.30 AM. Goravanahalli Lakshmi Temple- 22 KM, Namada Chilume -10 KM for natural spring, Siddara Betta – In olden days may be, lots of saints or sages may have meditated here and hence the name. To name more Mallasandra’s betel nut farms, deer park, medicinal plants. Since we did not have enough time we just visited deer park, lake and the two temples.
It is worth visiting pace from Bengaluru away from city.
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