[laluks]

October 06th 2012. Saturday. A dawn-to-dusk 'Karnataka Bandh' was called by Kannada outfits to protest release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. There was an eerie silence today and I was loving it.

I was sitting in front of the PC facebooking and campaigning for supporting wifey on a contest she was participating on. I was chatting with many of my friends when Lukeskywalker came on chat. It was already 2PM and I was ready for my afternoon nap.

Lukeskywalker : I feel like going on for a drive
laluks : When?
Lukeskywalker : Why not now?
laluks : Well then what about Karnataka Bandh?
Lukeskywalker : We are headed off towards Andhra Pradesh, should be OK.
laluks : Well then I am in. See you soon.

The roads would be empty, that itself was reason enough. Civvy wanted to blaze the roads, its been a while and what best opportunity than this. I've confirmed with Lukey and drove out by 2:45PM towards a common meeting point near Yelahanka on the New Airport Road.

Reached the meeting place by 3:15PM and to my surprise we have Starvegabond and his family waiting for us.

Wow a three car convoy drive on free roads to Lepakshi. That's the best way to enjoy the free roads I must say

Lepakshi was nearly a 100KM from our meeting point. And beautiful four lane roads all the way till AP. Take NH7 all the way till AP border. After the first toll booth take the service road and left turn to Lepakshi. About 15KMs further you are in Lepakshi.





More details on Lepakshi can be read here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepakshi

[laluks]

We all met up at a meeting point near Yelahanka. After exchanging the pleasantries we started our drive by 4PM.

Our first stop was the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple near Chikballapur.




Wishing Tree


After offering our prayers we started our drive by 4:30PM.

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[laluks]

Lukeskywalker all charged up for the drive


Roads were practically empty, and boy we were quite happy about it


Black Storm


The convoy


We blazed the roads and reached Lepakshi by 5:30PM. Amazing roads and practically no vehicles on the road due to bandh made the drive very much enjoyable. Though I was already 140Kms from home never felt the distance.


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[laluks]

We reached Lepakshi by 5:30PM


Black Storm - One of the best kept Safaris I have seen. I was so impressed that I have started requesting Lukey to give the Safari to me.


We parked our cars


Our first visit at Lepakshi was to the Monolithic Nandi.


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[laluks]

Details about the Monolithic Nandi


Monolithic Nandi


Kiddies try some rock climbing


Ladies and Kiddies at Lepakshi


Our next stop was the famous Veera Bhadra Temple.

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[laluks]

After offering our prayers at the main temple, we strolled around the beautiful temple premises.

Lepakshi Veera Bhadra Temple




Chaviti Vinayaka


Naga Linga


Some carvings on the stone




Some Sculptures




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[laluks]

Open air Kalyana Mantapam








Lukey checking it out




Sr. PPG and wifey at the Mantapam


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[laluks]

Some random clicks of the beautiful temple premises














Jr. PPG and Starvegabond enjoying the beauty of the temple


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[laluks]

Jr. PPG was asking about this pattern


Seems it is colour palette / dining plate


Sita Amma Padam


Some inscription in stone - Lukey and Starvegabond was pulling my leg by telling this as the first ever TLog written on stone


Who is this?


Jr. Lukey points to the sky


It was indeed getting dark


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[laluks]

Some pictures from the main temple












We came out of the temple by 6:15PM


Please note the Darshan is possible till 6PM as told to us by the priest.

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[laluks]

By now Lukey's Brother joined us


While they were checking out the temple we went in search for something to eat.

There is a Mosque nearby


Who is this ?


Bangalore Bakery - we have a very well guarded secret here


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[laluks]

By 7PM we left from Lepakshi.

Black Storm and Civvy wanted fuel.

So we stopped at a Club HP + Coffee Day place by 8PM

This HP pump tries short filling tactics to you. They tried the tactic of filling me for 300Rs when I asked for a full tank and then adding Rs300 to the full tank cost. I smiled at them and said, guys try some other trick. This one is outdated!

Kiddies wanted some chocolaty stuff from Coffee Day


Lukey and Starvegabond with our Cars


The Full Team for the drive


These guys clicked the above picture for us In return we clicked one of them too. The Poor i20 was waiting till the photo session was over


We stopped by Tawa N tandoor at New Yelahanka Town for dinner by 9PM


By 10:30PM we finished our dinner and drove back to respective homes.

We reached our home by 11PM. Since the drive got me all charged up completed this Tlog too.

What a way to spend a Bandh day! Thank You Lukey for the idea. Thank You Starvegabond for joining in. Even though it was decided at the spur of the moment, it was a wonderful and successful drive.

It was fun.

The End

[moralfibre]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues Section. Thanks for sharing!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by laluks

So we stopped at a Club HP + Coffee Day place[/b] by 8PM

Nice one that too for a drive starting late in the day !
Is this a new CCD which has come up ? Where is the location?

What a way to spend a Bandh day! Thank You Lukey for the idea. Thank You Starvegabond for joining in. Even though it was decided at the spur of the moment, it was a wonderful and successful drive.

Bandh day almost sounded like birthday to me and I was left wondering for a moment whose birthday was it!

[laluks]

Originally Posted by ampere

Nice one that too for a drive starting late in the day !
Is this a new CCD which has come up ? Where is the location?

This CCD was about 40Km from Bangalore as per a signboard

Originally Posted by ampere

Bandh day almost sounded like birthday to me and I was left wondering for a moment whose birthday was it!

, I never noticed the similarity of the two words!