Enjoy nature on top of 'grazing buffalo'

Nature seeks inspiration from nature often and ‘Yetthinabuja’ is one such example.

The hill gets this name because of its startling similarity to the mounted back of a grazing buffalo. It is called Shishilakudi too because of its proximity to Shishila village and in Tulu it is called ‘Yerusunipu’.

This is the most frequently visited trekking spot. Reaching the hill is quite simple. If one takes Mangalore-Bangalore highway, then they will have to pass Nelyadi and reach Periyashanti.

Here take left and reach Kokkada-Arashinamakki and then Shishila. While public carriers go only till Shishila, private vehicles can be taken till Sudedandi, from where it takes three and half to four hours to reach the base of the hill.

If one travels from Mudigere side, then they will have to take Sakleshpura route from Hand post and reach Bairapura. Going further from Bairapura, one will find a Jain temple. From the temple, the trek is of only half an hour till the base of the hill.

The uniqueness of this hill is that no matter, which route the trekker takes, he will have to start the trek uphill from a single point. There is no other route from the base of the hill to the top.

Amedhikallu, Singanibetta, Udayagiri, Uliyamale, Pandavarabetta, Jenukallubetta and Deepadakallu are some of the other hills near Yetthinabuja.

As far as stay is concerned near Shishila, there is Shishileshwara temple where one can seek accommodation. Apart from this, Gopu Gokhale, a progressive farmer has also made some arrangements for trekkers to stay.

Any time of the year is an apt reason to visit this area but the beauty of the region doubles during October, November and December when the valley is green. In the area, the trekkers can find elephants, Wild India Gaurs and deers.

It is said that a timber route was functional in the area but now it has been covered in the forest.

Though there is one group, which demands opening of the timber route because it would cut down the distance between Dharmasthala and Mudigere drastically, there is another group which is opposing the same on environmental grounds.