Chitradurga, a city famous for its fort and for its renewable energy farms is quite an underrated option for a quick weekend getaway from Bangalore.
Besides the fort there are a few other touristic activities to indulge in. Or if you want, you can simply take some time off your busy schedule to bask in nature and find some solitude.
Getting there
Located less than 200 kilometres and only 3 hours by road, you can drive down or take one of the many buses that ply between Bangalore and Chitradurga. The train will take you about 6 odd hours making it almost not worth the effort.
Summers are scorching hot, so the best time to visit are the winter months between October and February.
Places to visit
Rock fort
Possibly the most famous landmark and thing to do is the rock fort. It has got 7 layers of fortifications and contains several other constructions within the fort.
The architecture began from the 11th century onwards, will leave history buffs and designers speechless. An interesting person to look for is to find out if you can meet Jyoti Raj famously known as Kothi Raj, this guy loves climbing different parts of the fort without a harness and loves to entertain people.
It is best to visit the fort early in the morning to avoid the scorching heat of the day.
Museums
There are a number of museums to choose from depending on what your interest lies in. You can choose one of the following:
- Sri Maharshi Valmiki museum – house to coins, artefacts and other historical things from ancient kings of Chitradurga.
- State Archaeology museum
- Kamana bavi museum – used to be some kind of a water source. Like a step well/pond.
- Gandugali Madakari nayaka antiques – is a museum on the last and the most important ruler of Chitradurga.
Jogimatti
A forest reserve at a height of 1159 metres and only 10 kilometres away from the city. It has a waterfall named Himavat Kedara and a great place for bird watching. It also has a zoo called the Aadumalleshwara zoo.
You can go for a small trek inside Jogimatti for a quick rendezvous with nature. There are a few old temples along the way.
Chandravalli park
This is an archeological site where excavations have been found from as early as 2nd Century BC. A lake, a valley surrounded by 3 hills and a few temples make this another great spot to experience nature.
The cave systems here are worth exploring. For me this was one of the most unique experiences in Chitradurga.
Bird watching is a popular activity and if you get lucky, you might be able to spot some snakes too.
Vani Vilas Sagar
Also known as Mari Kanive is the oldest damn in the state of Karnataka and has a huge botanical garden called Panchavati. It is located between Bangalore and Chitradurga. It is about 60 kilometres from Chitradurga.
Stay
There are a few basic accommodations available to choose from. Either of the following places should ensure cleanliness, basic amenities and not too expensive an affair when it comes to the stay.
Food
While fine dining and luxury might not be as easily accessible, there are a few places that serve some amazing local fanfare. Check out the following:
- Lakshmi tiffin room (LTR) – Try their Kaali Dosa with ghee and also their masala dosas.
- Mysore Café for idlis and soup.
- Several dhabas have mushroomed around the city – if you are craving North Indian food then simply walk into one.
- Some local delicacies on the menu are operation chilly, pakodas, masala mandakki, goli soda and chilly with papdi.
