[khoj]

Could that be the rotary dial for a celestial telephone.

I notice that you guys are in the complex sans your footwear. Is the temple still in use or is that 'cause of ASI regulations or simply by choice.

I would love to see a snap of you 'smiling' at the bunk guys over the trick but guess will have to make do with the rare sighting of you and your better half in the same frame, infact two if one were to count the group photo. Ciao

[laluks]

Originally Posted by khoj

Could that be the rotary dial for a celestial telephone.

, Quite an imagination

Originally Posted by khoj

I notice that you guys are in the complex sans your footwear. Is the temple still in use or is that 'cause of ASI regulations or simply by choice.

The temple is very much in use

Originally Posted by khoj

I would love to see a snap of you 'smiling' at the bunk guys over the trick but guess will have to make do with the rare sighting of you and your better half in the same frame, infact two if one were to count the group photo. Ciao

[sandsun7]

Nice drive and nice photos Lalu sir.. evening sky has complemented the snaps really well!! BTW how did you miss the 'hanging pillar' ?
I had done a lepakshi trip a couple of months back and was really charmed by the beauty of the stones there!! my TL with some snaps here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2869466.

I feel this is one spot which is not publicized enough by the AP tourism department! Destination and the drive both are really enjoyable. The only negative I could see is the lack of proper food facilities near the temple.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Nice drive and nice photos Lalu sir.. evening sky has complemented the snaps really well!! BTW how did you miss the 'hanging pillar' ?
I had done a lepakshi trip a couple of months back and was really charmed by the beauty of the stones there!! my TL with some snaps here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2869466.

I feel this is one spot which is not publicized enough by the AP tourism department! Destination and the drive both are really enjoyable. The only negative I could see is the lack of proper food facilities near the temple.

Thanks for the links to your log. Wonderful pictures you have there

It was more for the fun of the drive, that we did this trip

[Lukeskywalker]

Ah, finally a travelogue that ends in just one session from you, fantastic pics, and yes, it was a nice impulsive drive and the empty roads made it better.

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

This is the Sai Baba Temple at Awathi about a kilometre and a half after the Nandi Hills turnoff.

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.

"Requesting" ?? I thought it's your car that I've been using with your kind permission, especially with the "strict" checks everytime we meet.

Is this a new CCD which has come up ? Where is the location?

This petrol pump with the CCD is about a kilometre before the trumpet exchange when one is driving towards Bangalore from Devanahalli.

[HighOctane]

I was reading this thread today morning in the saloon and inspired to do a quick trip to Lepakshi. As soon as I returned home, Wify had prepared chicken. So did not wanted to have non-veg and visit Lepakshi. But could not control the temptation to drive on Bellary Road.

So packed food and set for Nandi Hills. The weather was cool at hill top. Will plan to visit Lepakshi in short time.

Meanwhile I had seen Lukeskywalker driving on Doddaballapur Road during August.

[Lukeskywalker]

Lalu, am posting some pictures I took, hope you don't mind

The Cars


A different combo


The temple entrance


The corridor


I just loved the sky with the setting sun






















and it got darker and darker

[idlebrain]

@ Laluks:

Thank you for sharing. Nice pics.

There was supposed to be a crack on the hood of Naga (Snake statue) with a legend attached to it. I don't see any more in your pic. Did they fixed it or what?

@ sandsun7:

In fact, AP Govt did promoting well this place and recently conducted 'Lepakshi Festival'. Probably they need to be little more aggressive.

Most of the tourists/visitors will enter via NH-7 (just like Laluks & other did in this travelogue) and exit via same route. But if you travel further from Lepakshi, (approx 10 kms) there is a big town 'Hindupur' where one can get decent stay & food facilities.

[rameshnanda]

Beautiful photos there. Thanks for sharing laluks. I have been planning to visit this place but still couldn't be able to make it. Your photos are now tempting me a lot.

[NPV]

Driving out on a Bandh day to enjoy the roads - Wow, Srihari sir what an idea sirji

Thanks for sharing the wonderful pictures Lalu and Srihari!

Looks like you started off with 3 cars but added 2 more later ? (There are 5 cars in the group picture)

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by idlebrain

@ Laluks:

Thank you for sharing. Nice pics.

There was supposed to be a crack on the hood of Naga (Snake statue) with a legend attached to it. I don't see any more in your pic. Did they fixed it or what?

@ sandsun7:

In fact, AP Govt did promoting well this place and recently conducted 'Lepakshi Festival'. Probably they need to be little more aggressive.

Most of the tourists/visitors will enter via NH-7 (just like Laluks & other did in this travelogue) and exit via same route. But if you travel further from Lepakshi, (approx 10 kms) there is a big town 'Hindupur' where one can get decent stay & food facilities.

The crack is still there and we did hear the legends attached to it!!
I mean they should promote more here in Bangalore since it is more accessible from Bangalore than from other cities in Andhra like Hyderabad.
For someone coming from Bangalore and returning back, the easiest route any day would be via NH-7. The route back via Hindupur-Gauribidanur-Dodballapura is not anywhere as good as NH-7. So not many would bother to go till Hindupur just to have food.

[arunu]

Excellent pics of low light Luke and Excellent pics from Laluks also.

OT..Is the temple sort of incomplete or what? Refer to the below pics and I can see a mantap / temple which is half carved and other half is still a solid rock.. Any legend behind this. TFS.

Attachment 997189

Attachment 997190

Attachment 997191

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[audioholic]

Did you guys miss the pillar that is suspended from the roof of the structure with no attachment to the floor? The guide there passed a piece of cloth under the entire pillar and removed it when we visited that place a few years back.
Excellent write up and pictures from both of you.

[Utopian]

Excellent travelogue. Thanks for sharing. The temple and the cars have came out really nice in the snaps.
The bandh became a sweet treat for you. Why cant we have some bandhs at our place??

[Lukeskywalker]

Did you guys miss the pillar that is suspended from the roof of the structure with no attachment to the floor? The guide there passed a piece of cloth under the entire pillar and removed it when we visited that place a few years back.

We reached by the time the temple was closing and there didn't seem to be any guides around, so we hardly got to know what the pillars and sculptures were about.