#AtoZChallenge - Nandi Hills

(This month, each day, except the four Sundays, I will be blogging about interesting features associated with Bengaluru, formerly known as Bangalore, as part of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge)

This is not in Bengaluru. But I am including it in this series because Nandi Hills, a hill station around 65 km north of the city, is perhaps the most popular getaway for Bengalureans.

This was a fortress built by the rulers of the Ganga dynasty (350 - 550). It's spread over 90 acres and around 5,000 feet above sea level. It was developed during the reign of Tipu Sultan from 1782, and he used it as a summer retreat. The British stormed it in 1791 during the Third Anglo-Mysore War.

There is a botanical garden with some rare plant species. One can get a breathtaking view of the surroundings. It's a favourite of trekkers too. Many people come late in the evening, camp there, to see the sunrise the next morning.

Atop the hill is a spot called "Tipu Drop". One of the stories is that during Tipu's reign, any rebellion was quelled by pushing the rebels down the cliff. The uprising petered away as the rebels just disappeared. The place is barricaded now for safety.

The three photos here are from what I took during an outing way back in 2006.

Can't believe it's been so long since the last visit.

(Tomorrow, sit down with me for a sweet dish)