Anthargange Hill, Kolar: My trip from Bangalore

History of Kolar

The history of Kolar is said to be associated with the epic age, which recalls many legend. These are associated with Avani in Mulbagal Taluk, which was also called Avani Kshetra. It is said that the sage valmiki, the author of epic Ramayana,lived here and SriRama also stayed here on the way back to Ayodhya after his conquests of Lanka. The legend goes further to establish that seetha Devi after being rejected by Rama gave birth to her twins Lava and Kusha in this Avani.

Kolar is a place of great antiquity , but has passed through so many vicissitudes  and was so much devastated by warfare and what little now remains in it is ancient. The Cholas and Pallavas have contributed their builders. Later , the city was ruled by the Vijayanagara Kings. The fell of Vijayanagara empire has made room for several feudal lords and subsequently it came under the rule of Mysore Rajas. Hyder Ali Khan and Tippusultan effected several improvements since they were the last rulers before the IV Mysore war, when Tippusultan was defeated and Kingdom was shared by Mysore Rajas, Hyderabad Nijam, Marathas & Britishers ultimately. This town came under the rule of Maharaja of Mysore and since then several improvements have taken place and with a result that it became the district Head quarters. It was Krishnaraja Wodeyar who was responsible for connecting the road and Railways. As seen from study of above facts, the town has got a glorious and rich cultural heritage. The Makbara or Tomb of Hyder Ali‘s father is one of the Principal old buildings in Kolar and it is still maintained by Endowments. The major and important  temples in the town are Kolaramma Temple and Someswara Temple.

Hills Around Kolar

The hills located to the west of Kolar, called the SataSringa Parvata or Hundred peaked Mountain are associated with story of parasurama, son of Jamadagni and episodes of the story of the fight between king Kartaviryarjuna and parasurama on account of Surabhi and divine cow of plenty possessed by Jamadagni , the  killing of Kartaviryarjuna by Parasurama and subsequently murder of Jamadagni by the sons of Kartaviryarjuna and self immolation of Renuka are found on this hill. The oath taken by Parasurama to whole Kshatriya race are said to have taken place on the hills.  It is said that the Kolahala on the death of Kartaviryarjuna gave its name to the town later become Kolar. These hills are typical Karnataka-rocks hill where you can follow innumerous trails to the top (no single top actually: Its flat at the top), or make your own. These soft  rocks are pretty stable and the incline is not very sharp.

Anthargange

  is a perennial spring on the east of the kolar hills and is a religious place which is quite well maintained by the government. It is at Half way on the Hill and there is a temple on top of the hill. The water from this stream, known to be sacred is culminated in a small pond having a mantapa in the center supplied with water falling through the mouth of a stone Bull.

My trip to Anthargange from Bangalore

I  started from Bangalore by morning 7 O clock in the Morning.  I went to Majestic (The Main Area of Bangalore GPS: 12.978 N , 77.570 E) in search of buses moving  to Kolar. There were a lot of buses to Kolar at Platform No 13 of the Kembagouda bus station . The Kembakouda bus station is the KSRTC bus station near the BMTC city bus stand. There is a passage connecting the BMT Bus stand and the Kempagouda bus station. The platform 13 is the last platform and is at an extreme end near the exit of the bus station.

I got into the bus and took hold of the left window seat. The bus started moving by around 8 O clock, The ticket charge to Kolar in that KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) bus was 43 Rs (60 kilometers). The bus was moving away from the busy clouded streets of MG road and the old Madras suspension bridge, along the National Highway 4 (NH 4) crossing flyovers and traffic Islands. As the bus moved away from Bangalore the banks drifted from the untidy city sides to the green plantations all around. After moving for about an hour I could get the glance of the low Altitude rocky hills Patterned with large rugged stones, After  moving further for half an hour the Bus reached Kolar and in a minute I was inside the Kolar bus stand (GPS : 13.136 N, 78.128 E). The bus stand was almost like a village station with just 2-3 buses parked in the large bus station. The ground of the station was not properly maintained / tarred, but overall it was clean.

Promo of Video on Kolar

I had a few doshas from a hotel which was there at the road opposite to the bus stand. I was a little bit confused about the route to the Anthargange  and I was not well versed in speaking Kannada which is the local Language of Karnataka, but I was comfortable with Tamil which is the local language of Tamilnadu. The road to Anthargange  is a broad divided double road passing along the backside of the bus station heading west. It is via this road, the buses come into the Station.

I started walking along this route, Anthargange  is 4 kilometers away from the station, as I was moving, the double road merged into a narrow single road surrounded by all kinds of village life. I could see the huge rugged rocks a few 100 meters away from me, After walking for about half an hour (Moving Very Slowly) I reached  a small town from where there was the entrance arch to Anthargange  (GPS: 13.141 N, 78.104 E) from were the steps to the top begins. There were many shops nearby the entrance. I could see long fleet of steps in my front  leading to the top of the Hill.

While I was climbing each step, I could see monkeys all around me. It was the first time in my life, I was having the sight of such a large number of monkeys. I made as much as shots I could make. After climbing a few hundred steps I reached the Antharganga stream.  There was a temple and a pond here. It was very awesome. When I turned back I had a panoramic view of Decan Plateau. I was able to spot the Kolar Town, in the mess of Green And Concrete Forests.

The pond was about 10 meters diagonally but the water was dirty. I could see many visitors making  a bath in the water and unfortunately I saw someone drinking the water.  There were stairs leading to the pond from all sides which were laid very properly in stones. Climbing further along the rocky hill give me a fantastic view.  These hills are ideal for trekking and adventure. Many of the big stones on the top resembled many objects like human faces, animals etc. On the top of the hill there are high altitude plantations. There is a road to the top of the hill from the west.

By evening I started trekking down , I went back to Kolar town by an Auto and after that I went for a short city shopping at MG road (Mahatma Gandhi Road which is there at Almost all cities of India . The MG Road of Bangalore is a big item in the visitors checklist ) of Kolar with my friend who was doing a course at Gokul College, Kolar. By 5 evening I got on a bus to  Bangalore and by 7  PM, I  reached my room near Madivala . I will be visiting Kolar again with my friend and will be extending my trip to more spots nearby, including the Kolar temple and KGF (Kolar Gold Fields)

Thanks To

• Lovely from Kottayam, Nursing student of Gokul College, Kolar.
• Narendra Rama, Xtacee Adventure Club Bangalore (http://www.flynandi.com).
• My Friends Doing Bsc Nursing  At Medical College , Hoskotte Near Bangalore