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Introduction
Need a break from the heat and dust of the plains?
Welcome to the Nandi Hills one of the hill resorts of Karnataka.
The Nandi Hills or the hills of the Nandi have been named after
the bull of Lord Shiva. The pleasant hill resort of Nandi Hills is
also known as Nandigiri or Nandidurga amongst the locals. The
Nandi Hills have attracted people since long. Nandi hills were the
summer haven of Tipu Sultan as well as the British. The palace of
Tipu Sultan and the Bungalows of the British stand in testimony of
the same. Now Nandi Hills are popular with the tourists and act as
ideal weekend getaway for the people from Bangalore. In the past
the Nandi Hills have attracted the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Pt.
Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi, Sir Mark Cubbon, Queen Elizabeth II et al.
Sight Seeing
So climb up the 1,175 steps that lead to the top of
the Nandi Hills, the effort is truly worth it. Once you reach the
summit of the Nandi Hills you will spot the ruins of the Fort that
once belonged to Tipu Sultan. Do visit the Tipu's Drop the tourist
attraction is a 600 m high cliff face from which the prisoners are
believed to have been thrown. Tipu's Drop offers some wondrous
vistas.
While at the Nandi Hills do visit the Amrita Samovar. The
sparkling water of the Lake of Nectar is a major tourist
attraction at the Nandi Hills.
At the base of the Nandi Hills in the Nandi Village is the Bhoga
Nandishwara Temple that follows the Dravidian style of
architecture. Atop the Nandi Hills are the temples in honor of Sri
Ugra Narasimha and Sri Yoga Narasimha
The other sites worth visiting at the Nandi hills are the Gandhi
Nilaya and the Nehru House. The adventure seekers may indulge in
paragliding at the Nandi Hills
Excursions
In close proximity to the Nandi Hills is
Muddenahalli. Muddenahalli is renowned as the birthplace of
Visveswaraya. While at Muddenahalli do visit the Museum that was
actually the home of Visveswaraya- the great architect who built
the modern Karnataka.
Further excursions can be made to the Hills with nature's bounty
like Biligirirangana Hills, Agumbe Hill and the Madikeri Hills.
Weather
You may plan your visit to the Nandi Hills any time
of the year. The Nandi Hills experience pleasant and moderate
temperate all the year through. The Nandi Hills is the perfect
hill resort as the summer temperature varies between 29 and 23
degrees. During the winters the temperature at the Nandi Hills
hovers between 21 and 11 degrees
Location
The Nandi Hills are situated at an altitude of
1478m above sea level and 65 Km from Bangalore. The Pennar, Palar
and Arkavati Rivers start off from the Nandi Hills
Getting there
By
Air
The airport at Bangalore is the nearest to Nandi Hills at a
distance of 65 km.
By Rail
The railway station nearest to the Nandi Hills is that of
Chikkaballapur just 9 km away. Though it is the railhead at
Bangalore though 65 km away from the Nandi Hills is connected with
all the major places in India through rail. There are frequent
trains that connect Chikkaballapur with Bangalore.
By Road
The excellent road network links the Nandi Hills with the
important places like Bangalore and Chikkaballapur. Nandi Hills is
situated on the Bangalore - Hyderabad National Highway
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