Hyderabad – Mantralayam a day trip.

vito_parry · 22nd February 2010, 17:15

Being our weeding anniversary wife asked for a trip to mantralayam. Trip to mantralayam was due on her birthday last year but could not do it due to the massive floods. But this time after some goggling and looking at Google maps, mapmyindia and also some queries on Team-BHP regarding the routes and their conditions was ready to do this trip.

Route taken

Hyderabad - Jedcharla - Beechupalli - Itikyala - Leeja - Santhinagar - Raajolee – Mantralayam.

Distance (350 Kms)

Back to Hyderababd

Mantralayam - Kurnool - Beechupalli - Jedcharla - Hyderabad.
Distance - 300 KMs

Toll collected (To and Fro)
Jadcherla – 60 Rs, Beechupalli – 58 Rs and
After Kurnool - 38 Rs ( One way) while coming back.

Initially planned to do the trip through Gadwal but later decide to go through Leeja keeping in mind that the recent floods would have destroyed the bridges near gadwal. But it was same even going through Leeja.

It was 3:30 AM on 19th Feb and the alarm goes off. My wife gets up and was doing all the packing required for the child. Pulled myself out of bed and woke up my child (2 years old) to get her ready for her 3rd long drive ( Beyond 350 Kms) after Shiridi and Srisailam. Was ready by 4:45 AM with all the sandwiches for breakfast, Lunch and child’s food. Was against eating outside as I was not sure of the food availability in mantralayam after the town was submerged in floods last year. Behind by 30 mins to schedule started off at 5:00 AM and had taken the city road to reach NH7 as there would be no traffic at that hr and in no time we are on NH7 cursing at around 110 Km/hr. Crossed shamshabad, Shadnagar, jadcherla and there comes the first Toll plaza. Paid 60 Rs (to & fro) and were again on the road towards beechupalli and for the second toll plaza of 58 Rs. The drive was uneventfull till beechupalli as my daughter is fast asleep to complete her remaining sleep which was broken in the morning. It was 7:30 AM in the morning and trip meter shows 180 Kms. 2 ½ hrs and 165 Kms done and only 90 odd Kms remaining was like telling to myself and wife can reach Mantralayam in another max of 2 ½ hrs as the roads from here would not be as NH conditions. But least would we know that infact there would be no roads at all and would be on a 4X4 terrain.

Once we crossed beechupalli had to get down from NH and take a route towards Ittikayala – Leeja – Mantralayam. Enquired the route and as per the locals roads are ok. Initially road was ok for about 6 kms but became from bad to worse and later it was only meant for the bullock carts and tractors. The roads are being filled with red mud and gravel at some places and at some places were just left as they were. We were hungry and had our sandwiches in the car as it was too dusty that I didn’t want to roll down the glasses. Some how reached Leeja and enquired about the route to mantralayam and its condition. Got the information that the bridge near leeja is destroyed and had to take a route around Santhinagar and Raajolee which had come around 70 kms +.

While on the de-route we were crossing many flood effected villages and flood relief camps put by the Red cross. The road to Raajolee had to cross River Tungabadra Barrage. Little did we know that the bridge was destroyed by the floods last year. Even the locals did not mention about the bridge being destroyed and the route is not meant for a hatchback. Going through the villages and trying to cross the bullock carts and theses (village roads) pathways full of sludge meant for tractors and bullocks was tough but all credit to my Santro, never gave me a feeling that it will not be able to take all the beating but once at mantralayam gave me a smile and just got a feeling it wanted more J.

As we are crossing each village one after another and getting strange looks by the locals, not sure what their looks mean but suppose they were thinking what a small car is doing in this part of the world. At one point I see a RTC bus coming in the opposite direction and read the board as Tungabadra Barrage. And was in a feeling that we are close to the barrage and also to mantralayam as it is on the banks of the river. Could see the river running parallel to the so called road and at one point we were welcomed with the remains of the mass destruction left by the mighty floods. The broken bridge, some gates of the barrage thrown away far, ruins of a town on the banks, a sole witness to the floods.

One can easily see how much the barrage had taken the beating of the mighty force of the water. The doors of the barrage could be seen thrown away a long way down the river. Could not capture the doors as my Sony dig cam W100 had no such zoom to capture such long distances. Have taken some pictures will post them soon. The bridge is under construction and the repairs were are going on.

We have crossed the barrage and thought we are some were close to mantralayam and are expecting to see the town any moment. But the road never ends and stopped to ask a lone local working in his field to enquire. He says we are still about 30kms from mantralayam. What

still 30 Kms more and came back to see the trip meter and see that we have come about 310 kms and the time shows 11:00 AM it almost took us 3 ½ hrs to cover 80 kms. But to our luck the road from here had small gravel filled and was able to do 50 – 60 kms/hr and reached mantralayam at about 11:45 AM.

Headed direct to the Temple and had darshan. We had different queues for people wearing pants and people with dotis. People with pants are not allowed near the brindavan (as it is called locally) but can have darshan from about 10 feet away. We are supposed to remove our shirts in what ever queue we are as per the tradition followed. There was no rush at all and completed our darshan and got some Prasad to distribute back home and some shopping by wify and we are all set for the ride back to Hyderabad.

Started at about 1:30 PM and had taken the route through Kurnool as I don’t want to waste time and also don’t want to test my Santro anymore though it was ready. Had our packed lunch under a tree on the way to Kurnool which is about 85 kms from mantralayam. Reached Kurnool at 3:00 PM and were on the NH 7 and my Santro is starving so have to stop by at HP bunk which had a Dhaba, restrooms and play area. Had some Panner pakoda and got refreshed our self and were ready to get back to Hyderabad which is 198 Kms from this HP bunk.

Forgot to mention the temperatures are already shooting up soo high that on the way coming back I remember seeing a display board show 44 degrees centigrade.

This is my first travellog and am not good at writing these. So

bare with my mistakes.

I have taken some random pics of the route where ever i can and posting them. 10 Pics at a time

Thank you.

vito_parry · 22nd February 2010, 17:33

Some more pics of the trip

MX6 · 22nd February 2010, 18:21

I can still see the ruins left by Tungabhadra in spate. And yes, those belts have loads of Sunflowers. I used to love those train journeys from Bengaluru to Mumbai as the trained snaked across these terrains, criss-crossing between AP and Karnataka repeatedly. Glorious views of Sunflowers one could see!
I'd once taken the meter guage train from Hospete to Guntakal. Took a bus from there to Mantralayam. There's an interesting bit to that. Maybe a travelogue someday!

vito_parry · 22nd February 2010, 18:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by MX6

I can still see the ruins left by Tungabhadra in spate. And yes, those belts have loads of Sunflowers. I used to love those train journeys from Bengaluru to Mumbai as the trained snaked across these terrains, criss-crossing between AP and Karnataka repeatedly. Glorious views of Sunflowers one could see!
I'd once taken the meter guage train from Hospete to Guntakal. Took a bus from there to Mantralayam. There's an interesting bit to that. Maybe a travelogue someday!

yes there are lots of ruins then teh sunflowers this time. Not sure if this is the season for sunflowers but could not sopt them once on teh entire trip most of the landscap is dry and barren.

ElantraGT · 22nd February 2010, 19:28

Vito Parry, thats a neat travelougue. I am amazed with the number of bug splatters on your windscreen.

I once saw a sun flower field in Tamilnadu on the way to Tirupathi (after thiruthani). They are a darling to watch and I spent close to 2hrs taking photos of the field. I will try to see if I still have them in my laptop and post a few here if you dont mind.

vito_parry · 22nd February 2010, 19:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElantraGT

Vito Parry, thats a neat travelougue. I am amazed with the number of bug splatters on your windscreen.

I once saw a sun flower field in Tamilnadu on the way to Tirupathi (after thiruthani). They are a darling to watch and I spent close to 2hrs taking photos of the field. I will try to see if I still have them in my laptop and post a few here if you dont mind.

@Elantra the entire front part of the car, Bumper and the windscreen was full of bug splatters.. that whole thing happened while on the NH7 in the early horus. Iam posting the front part of the car. No issues you go ahead and post them.

roamingrao · 22nd February 2010, 20:12

Vito parry, hope you had a satisfying darshan.

on way back, which route did you take to reach kurnool and was the road condition better than rajavolu - leeja route ?

vito_parry · 23rd February 2010, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by roamingrao

Vito parry, hope you had a satisfying darshan.

on way back, which route did you take to reach kurnool and was the road condition better than rajavolu - leeja route ?

@roamingrao the road to kurnool from mantralayam is good infact very much better as thers is no road at all while coming from raajolee its just red mud and gravel. it is gonna take some time to complete those inner roads.

I have taken the route through Yemmiganur which is 20 Km from mantralayam and Kurnool is 70Kms from there.

TrueDreamer · 23rd February 2010, 16:23

The sunflower pics are amazing. NH7 looks great as well.

Are they working on rebuilding the temple / town? I see some tipper trucks in one of your pictures.

vito_parry · 23rd February 2010, 17:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueDreamer

The sunflower pics are amazing. NH7 looks great as well.

Are they working on rebuilding the temple / town? I see some tipper trucks in one of your pictures.

Thankyou TD. Yes the temple is under renovation and is taken up by karnataka and andharapradesh states with crores of rupees. Could not take any pics od the details which are present in the temple as photograpy is a no in the temple premises.

The construction work which is seen is work going on one of the bridges distroyed by the massive floods last year. This is near raajoole.

22nd February 2010, 17:15	#1
vito_parry BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 63 Thanked: 39 Times	Hyderabad – Mantralayam a day trip. Being our weeding anniversary wife asked for a trip to mantralayam. Trip to mantralayam was due on her birthday last year but could not do it due to the massive floods. But this time after some goggling and looking at Google maps, mapmyindia and also some queries on Team-BHP regarding the routes and their conditions was ready to do this trip. Route taken Hyderabad - Jedcharla - Beechupalli - Itikyala - Leeja - Santhinagar - Raajolee – Mantralayam. Distance (350 Kms) Back to Hyderababd Mantralayam - Kurnool - Beechupalli - Jedcharla - Hyderabad. Distance - 300 KMs Toll collected (To and Fro) Jadcherla – 60 Rs, Beechupalli – 58 Rs and After Kurnool - 38 Rs ( One way) while coming back. Initially planned to do the trip through Gadwal but later decide to go through Leeja keeping in mind that the recent floods would have destroyed the bridges near gadwal. But it was same even going through Leeja. It was 3:30 AM on 19th Feb and the alarm goes off. My wife gets up and was doing all the packing required for the child. Pulled myself out of bed and woke up my child (2 years old) to get her ready for her 3rd long drive ( Beyond 350 Kms) after Shiridi and Srisailam. Was ready by 4:45 AM with all the sandwiches for breakfast, Lunch and child’s food. Was against eating outside as I was not sure of the food availability in mantralayam after the town was submerged in floods last year. Behind by 30 mins to schedule started off at 5:00 AM and had taken the city road to reach NH7 as there would be no traffic at that hr and in no time we are on NH7 cursing at around 110 Km/hr. Crossed shamshabad, Shadnagar, jadcherla and there comes the first Toll plaza. Paid 60 Rs (to & fro) and were again on the road towards beechupalli and for the second toll plaza of 58 Rs. The drive was uneventfull till beechupalli as my daughter is fast asleep to complete her remaining sleep which was broken in the morning. It was 7:30 AM in the morning and trip meter shows 180 Kms. 2 ½ hrs and 165 Kms done and only 90 odd Kms remaining was like telling to myself and wife can reach Mantralayam in another max of 2 ½ hrs as the roads from here would not be as NH conditions. But least would we know that infact there would be no roads at all and would be on a 4X4 terrain. Once we crossed beechupalli had to get down from NH and take a route towards Ittikayala – Leeja – Mantralayam. Enquired the route and as per the locals roads are ok. Initially road was ok for about 6 kms but became from bad to worse and later it was only meant for the bullock carts and tractors. The roads are being filled with red mud and gravel at some places and at some places were just left as they were. We were hungry and had our sandwiches in the car as it was too dusty that I didn’t want to roll down the glasses. Some how reached Leeja and enquired about the route to mantralayam and its condition. Got the information that the bridge near leeja is destroyed and had to take a route around Santhinagar and Raajolee which had come around 70 kms +. While on the de-route we were crossing many flood effected villages and flood relief camps put by the Red cross. The road to Raajolee had to cross River Tungabadra Barrage. Little did we know that the bridge was destroyed by the floods last year. Even the locals did not mention about the bridge being destroyed and the route is not meant for a hatchback. Going through the villages and trying to cross the bullock carts and theses (village roads) pathways full of sludge meant for tractors and bullocks was tough but all credit to my Santro, never gave me a feeling that it will not be able to take all the beating but once at mantralayam gave me a smile and just got a feeling it wanted more J. As we are crossing each village one after another and getting strange looks by the locals, not sure what their looks mean but suppose they were thinking what a small car is doing in this part of the world. At one point I see a RTC bus coming in the opposite direction and read the board as Tungabadra Barrage. And was in a feeling that we are close to the barrage and also to mantralayam as it is on the banks of the river. Could see the river running parallel to the so called road and at one point we were welcomed with the remains of the mass destruction left by the mighty floods. The broken bridge, some gates of the barrage thrown away far, ruins of a town on the banks, a sole witness to the floods. One can easily see how much the barrage had taken the beating of the mighty force of the water. The doors of the barrage could be seen thrown away a long way down the river. Could not capture the doors as my Sony dig cam W100 had no such zoom to capture such long distances. Have taken some pictures will post them soon. The bridge is under construction and the repairs were are going on. We have crossed the barrage and thought we are some were close to mantralayam and are expecting to see the town any moment. But the road never ends and stopped to ask a lone local working in his field to enquire. He says we are still about 30kms from mantralayam. What still 30 Kms more and came back to see the trip meter and see that we have come about 310 kms and the time shows 11:00 AM it almost took us 3 ½ hrs to cover 80 kms. But to our luck the road from here had small gravel filled and was able to do 50 – 60 kms/hr and reached mantralayam at about 11:45 AM. Headed direct to the Temple and had darshan. We had different queues for people wearing pants and people with dotis. People with pants are not allowed near the brindavan (as it is called locally) but can have darshan from about 10 feet away. We are supposed to remove our shirts in what ever queue we are as per the tradition followed. There was no rush at all and completed our darshan and got some Prasad to distribute back home and some shopping by wify and we are all set for the ride back to Hyderabad. Started at about 1:30 PM and had taken the route through Kurnool as I don’t want to waste time and also don’t want to test my Santro anymore though it was ready. Had our packed lunch under a tree on the way to Kurnool which is about 85 kms from mantralayam. Reached Kurnool at 3:00 PM and were on the NH 7 and my Santro is starving so have to stop by at HP bunk which had a Dhaba, restrooms and play area. Had some Panner pakoda and got refreshed our self and were ready to get back to Hyderabad which is 198 Kms from this HP bunk. Forgot to mention the temperatures are already shooting up soo high that on the way coming back I remember seeing a display board show 44 degrees centigrade. This is my first travellog and am not good at writing these. So bare with my mistakes. I have taken some random pics of the route where ever i can and posting them. 10 Pics at a time Thank you. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Technocrat : 22nd February 2010 at 17:24. Reason: Removed extra font, size & color tags, please avoid copy pasting from external editors like MS word etc, thanks
	(1) Thanks

22nd February 2010, 17:33	#2
vito_parry BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 63 Thanked: 39 Times	Some more pics of the trip Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

22nd February 2010, 18:21	#3
MX6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: City of seven islands. Posts: 2,878 Thanked: 235 Times	I can still see the ruins left by Tungabhadra in spate. And yes, those belts have loads of Sunflowers. I used to love those train journeys from Bengaluru to Mumbai as the trained snaked across these terrains, criss-crossing between AP and Karnataka repeatedly. Glorious views of Sunflowers one could see! I'd once taken the meter guage train from Hospete to Guntakal. Took a bus from there to Mantralayam. There's an interesting bit to that. Maybe a travelogue someday!
	() Thanks

22nd February 2010, 19:28	#5
ElantraGT BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 441 Thanked: 12 Times	Vito Parry, thats a neat travelougue. I am amazed with the number of bug splatters on your windscreen. I once saw a sun flower field in Tamilnadu on the way to Tirupathi (after thiruthani). They are a darling to watch and I spent close to 2hrs taking photos of the field. I will try to see if I still have them in my laptop and post a few here if you dont mind.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2010, 20:12	#7
roamingrao BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 342 Thanked: 193 Times View My Garage	Vito parry, hope you had a satisfying darshan. on way back, which route did you take to reach kurnool and was the road condition better than rajavolu - leeja route ?
	() Thanks

23rd February 2010, 16:23	#9
TrueDreamer BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 277 Thanked: 19 Times	The sunflower pics are amazing. NH7 looks great as well. Are they working on rebuilding the temple / town? I see some tipper trucks in one of your pictures.
	() Thanks