Dabbaguli at Manchinbele: Offbeat rustic getaway an hour away from Bangalore

Don’t confuse this Dabbaguli with the off-roading jungle paradise by the Cauvery river on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border that also shares the same name. This Dabbaguli is also offbeat, lush and green. But, it is located on the other side of Manchinbele dam, a gorgeous dam on the Arkavathi river. It is a small agriculture focussed village located by the banks of the Arkavati river at Manchinbele reservoir. And it is my offbeat rustic getaway for a Sunday morning bicycle or motorcycle ride.



At just about an hour away from Bangalore city, Dabbaguli allows you to soak in the beauty of the fruit orchards and farm land in Bangalore rural’s countryside while enjoying the lush expanse of blue and green that make up the Manchinbele dam landscape. If you start early, Nice road will greet you with fog and once you cross Mysore road and enter the small road leading towards Dodda Alada Mara, beautiful nurseries and farmland greet you at every turn. It is here that you feel that you have left the acrid air of the city behind and are breathing pure nature.

My favorite pit stop on this route is the small family run shack/restaurant at the junction of Dodda Alada Mara and Manchinbele dam crossing. The thatte idli with spicy chutney and piping hot chitra anna is the perfect way to kick start your relaxed Sunday getaway. With a full stomach, you can head forward towards Manchinbele dam. If you feel like it, you can walk to the top of the view point and soak in the views. If you wish to head straight to Dabbaguli, cross Manchinbele and a few kilometers ahead, you will see a right turn for Dabbaguli village. After 6 kms of curvy roads, you will finally reach the village of Dabbaguli where pretty little traditional brick homes and the fresh smell of cow dung greet you.



As you keep going forward, you will lose the tarred roads and come upon unpaved roads. If you keep going down the road, you will pretty soon see the shining waters of the Arkavathi and the lush green expanse surrounding it. The surprising thing that you will notice here are huge stage like setups next to the riverside. These are incomplete shooting locations of Kannada film movies. You can park your vehicle here and go for a walk by the riverside. Fruit orchards, flowering trees and large houses will catch your attention. If you happen to reach there at 9 AM or so, you might also find some boats and boatmen ready to take you for a ride on the Manchinbele reservoir.



To me, Dabbaguli is the place to unwind and relax. The sounds of nature, clean air and rustic environment are ideal to super charge your batteries. A walk by the reservoir side and in the village in the early morning sun is nothing short of surreal. And if you wish to catch up on some of your Sunday beauty sleep which becomes very appealing especially after a lip smacking breakfast, then the trees by the reservoir side with the gentle breeze make for that dream bed.

You can do a lot at Dabbaguli if you choose to or you could opt to do nothing. Either ways, your Sunday morning will be full of nature and pleasantness and at only a hour from Bangalore, we couldn’t have asked for a more offbeat rural getaway. Go visit Dabbaguli on your next Sunday day trip from Bangalore and let me know how it goes.



Activities to indulge in at Dabbaguli:

1) Walking in the village

2) Boating on the Arkavathi river

3) Simply chill and enjoy the rustic environment

4) Walk or cycle by the banks of the Manchinbele reservoir

5) Take selfies at the couple of incomplete film shooting locations by the waterside



How to reach there:

Dabbaguli should be between 30 and 50 kms from Bangalore depending on where you are based in the city.

The route would be: Nice road Mysore road exit –> Take right at Raja Rajareshwari college of engineering–> Cross railway track –> Cross Dodda alada mara (Big Banyan Tree) –> Take left at junction towards Manchinbele –> After crossing Manchinbele dam, continue straight till you come to a right where a sign board guides you to Dabbaguli.

Once you reach Dabbaguli, you will have to negate some unpaved roads to reach the banks of the Manchinbele dam reservoir.



Where to eat:

There are a few small shacks near Manchinbele dam in case you wish to have a snack or a hot beverage.

If you don’t mind delicious food served in a simple rustic environment, try the small shop run by a husband and wife at the corner of Dodda Alada Mara and Manchinbele junction. It is here that you take a left if you are coming from the Dodda Alada Mara direction. This shop serves excellent local breakfast like thatte idli, chitra anna and bajji.

If you wish to eat at a nicer place with good toilets and ample parking space, you should try the many restaurants on Mysore road.



Other nearby tourist attractions:

1) Manchinbele Dam: Perfect Sunday morning getaway near Bangalore

2) Savandurga: Monolith hill, temple and rustic day trip

3) Dodda Alada Mara: Bangalore’s 400 year old Banyan wonder

4) Shri Shantmurthy Shanishwara Temple: Offbeat temple with stunning Savandurga and other rock views and an adventure hotspot

5) The various nurseries of Dodda Alada Mara area

6) Channapatna: The city of toys

7) Ramanagara: The rocks where the movie Sholay was shot

Continue Reading...

Dabbaguli: A lesser known Sunday getaway near Bangalore

Cometh the weekend and a lot of us wish to run away from the chaos and traffic of urban Bangalore. I certainly do and head deep into nature where the air is cleaner, the sounds are lower and the pace is slower. If you do too, you will definitely find this article very interesting.

In this time of social media, I am pretty sure most of you are aware of the main weekend trails that lead you out of Bangalore. This one is totally off-beat!



Imagine this…country roads past Kanakapura (an hour from Bangalore city provided there is little traffic) lead you into the unpaved paths of Cauvery wildlife sanctuary via Ragi, Mulberry, Peanut, Castor and other lush farm land and charming villages. An hour of off-roading takes you to the banks of the Cauvery river right inside this wildlife sanctuary. And once you are at your destination, giving you company are wild monkeys, rich birdlife and may be even some wild elephants.



As a thumb rule, the forest department does not permit vehicles entering the fragile zones of a wildlife sanctuary, but located here is a temple called Hollakare Dabbagulleswara that is revered by the people of the surrounding villages and hence people are allowed to visit till this point. And it is this temple that lends its name to this offbeat destination, which is called Dabbaguli (or Dabbagauli), which is actually located in Tamil Nadu. While 99% of the route is in Karnataka, it is at the last few kilometers that you actually enter the state of Tamil Nadu.



A trip to Dabbaguli is a lot of fun, especially if you are into countryside roads, nature and a little bit of off-roading. If you reach really early in the morning, you might come across a herd of wild elephants and even if you don’t, you and your group might be the only people here at Dabbaguli with the exception of the temple priest. The huge trees, the temple and the Cauvery riverside offer the perfect environment to relax after a rough down hill unpaved path. It is not advisable to get into the Cauvery here, but one can simply soak in the simple offerings of mother nature, which we all seem to be missing in our cities.



If you have carried with you a picnic breakfast or lunch, do watch out for the monkeys and do remember to carry your trash back. Once you are done relaxing here and have sought the blessings of the lord at the temple here, head back the same way, but this time spending more time at the villages, admiring the old mud houses, having cheerful conversations with the villagers and exploring the rich farm land, whose produce varies with season.



For me, these small villages are as important an experience as the destination Dabbagauli as it is these farmers who feed our bellies in Bangalore. Do feel free to explore any of the many farm ways, but do ensure you do not trespass and if you wish to enter private property, do check with the farmer, who in all probability would be working in his farm during the morning hours.



If you feel adventurous and have time at hand, you can head all the way to Shivanasamudra cross crossing such beautiful villages. And enroute, there will be popular tourist attractions such as Mekedatu, Mutathi, Bheemeshwari, Galibore, etc. Or you could head the other way and ride all the way to Hogenakkal Falls further downstream on the Cauvery. And you will find many other beautiful countryside on the way.



Whatever your plan might be, Dabbaguli and this part of the Cauvery wildlife sanctuary and the surrounding villages will blow you away with their simplicity and originality. The pack all the ingredients for an absolutely amazing offbeat Sunday trip from Bangalore. While getting away from the chaos of Bangalore is the main incentive, this hidden gem offers way more than you have bargained. Do plan a ride here the next available Sunday you have and experience it for yourself.



Key words of wisdom:

1) Carry a puncture kit with you as there are no puncture shops in the vicinity

2) Carry some food and water with you at all times

3) Stay alert for wild elephants

4) Stay away from the Cauvery as she is known to swallow people from time to time

5) Carry all your trash back to Bangalore so that we let this place remain pure for the years to come



How to get there (route map):

Bangalore –> Kanakapura –> Kodi Halli –> Hunasanahalli (if you opt for the good roads, else you can bypass this location) –> Bannimukkodlu –> Mugguru –> Manchukondapalli –> Dabbaguli (Dabbagauli) on the Dabbagauli – Kottaiyur road in Tamil Nadu. The last stop would be Hollakare Dabbagulleswara temple located by the banks of the Cauvery river.

Rough distance:

110 to 120 kms. The last 15 kms would be unpaved roads.

Entry Timings:

As this place falls under the Cauvery wildlife sanctuary, the forest gate opens only at 8 AM and closes at 5 PM. There are no entry fees, though the person at the forest check post might note down your personal and vehicle details for his records.

Where to eat:

Most restaurants and shops are present only till Kanakapura. Once you turn into the village roads, you will not get anything more than a glass of water, a cup of tea and some packaged local biscuits. For breakfast or lunch plans, I would recommend Kanakapura city. Do ensure that you carry water and some biscuits with you just in case you get delayed.



Nearby Tourist Attractions:

1) Mekadatu and Sangama: A narrow gorge after the confluence of Arkavathi with river Cauvery

2) Bheemeshwari and Galibore Fishing Camps: Stunning riverside fishing camps

3) Gaganachhukki and Barachukki Falls: Two mighty waterfalls on the Cauvery in Karnataka

4) Hogenakkal Falls: A wide array of waterfalls on the Karnataka – Tamil Nadu border

5) Talakad: Subterranean temples from the past

6) Somnathpur Chenna Keshava temple: Well preserved 12th century Hoysala era temple

7) Muthathi: Temple and nature reserve by the river Cauvery

Continue Reading...