Divine pond adorns summit of hill

Nature delight

Visitors are most likely to find something unique in all the prominent places of pilgrimage and tourist spots of Chikkaballapur taluk.

The  Bhoganandishwara temple in the heart of the taluk has two pushkarnis (kalyanis) or holy ponds which draw the attention of the devotees and visitors. This temple is perhaps the finest and the most ornate Dravidian temples in Karnataka.

The Ranganatha Swamy temple, or Rangasthala as it is locally known, about five km west of downtown in Thippenahalli, off the State Highway to Gauribidanur has a splendid stone statue of Vishnu. The three pushkarnis found here have been neglected.

Channarayaswamy Betta, also known as Channagiri, next to Nandi Hills, has a kalyani on the top of a hill. Though Nandi Hills is the origin of the Arkavathi river, it is the stream from Channaraya-swamy Betta that is a major feeder of the river.

Nandi Hills has a motorable road to the summit, but Channarayaswamy Betta does not even have a foot trail, and devotees and trekkers have to negotiate bushes and boulders on the way up. Doddarayappanahalli serves as a base camp to go atop the hill, a climb of two kilometres.

The pushkarni atop the hill has been shaped out of the rocks  and the water is found here throughout the year. During the rainy season, the water appears clear, but the rest of the year it is greenish due to the moss.

Elders of the taluk have interesting stories to tell about Channarayaswamy temple. It is not definitely known when this temple was built along with the pushkarni.

Hundreds of years ago the palegars who ruled this regions as well as the devotees were mystified with the hills and built temple, forts and other structures on top.

Therefore on most hills in Chikkaballapur one can find a temple or some other structure. People visit less frequently to Channarayaswamy Betta as it is quite high.

Great efforts have to be made to reach the top. Therefore it is more greener. There is also water in the pushkarni throughout the year.