If you are looking out for a half day(12 hours) or 6 hours journey around Bangalore(provided you are starting your journey from Bangalore), Big Banyan Tree(Dodda Aalada Mara in Kannada) is surely one of them followed by few areas surrounding it. Its hardly 25 to 30 kms from centre of the city. As the name suggests its really a giant Banyan tree that has a history of 400 years. The main tree has spread out its aerial roots widely covering an area of three to four acres. The whole area is fenced. There is a temple of Lord Muneshvara(Lord Shiva) inside the Big Banyan Tree complex.
You can see few monkeys playing around. There are a few shops and hotels that come to view as you enter into the place. But better you can get the food from somewhere else, since the quality of food here is not so good. There is one more place called Manchinbele, a water reaervoir, 8 kms from big banyan tree. Its a dam built across river Arkavathi for irrigation purpose. The view of the river is awesome.
How to reach there:
If you are travelling from Bangalore, take the route that goes to Kengeri. Go straight towards mysore road till you reach, Rajrajeshwari Dental college, then take right turn. This junction is also called Kumbalagod. People said there is a board indicating Banyan tree, but I didn't see that on the main road. Anyway you can ask the local guys for route.
Here are some interesting facts about Banyan tree:
Origin of the word Banyan:
Its the national tree of our country, India. The name was originally comes from India where early travellers observed that the banias or Indian traders used to do business under the shade of the tree.
In the Gujarati language, banya means "merchant or trader." The name was picked by Portugese followed by English with the same meaning. Later English writers began to tell of the banyan tree, a tree under which banias used to do business, the tree provided a shaded place where people used to do meeting or merchants sell their goods. Eventually "banyan" became the name of the tree itself.
Mythological meaning:
In Bhagawat Gita Lord Krishna says:
Translation:
The Lord Krishna said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.
Following are the few snaps I took.
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banyan
http://vedabase.net/bg/15/1/
You can see few monkeys playing around. There are a few shops and hotels that come to view as you enter into the place. But better you can get the food from somewhere else, since the quality of food here is not so good. There is one more place called Manchinbele, a water reaervoir, 8 kms from big banyan tree. Its a dam built across river Arkavathi for irrigation purpose. The view of the river is awesome.
How to reach there:
If you are travelling from Bangalore, take the route that goes to Kengeri. Go straight towards mysore road till you reach, Rajrajeshwari Dental college, then take right turn. This junction is also called Kumbalagod. People said there is a board indicating Banyan tree, but I didn't see that on the main road. Anyway you can ask the local guys for route.
Here are some interesting facts about Banyan tree:
Origin of the word Banyan:
Its the national tree of our country, India. The name was originally comes from India where early travellers observed that the banias or Indian traders used to do business under the shade of the tree.
In the Gujarati language, banya means "merchant or trader." The name was picked by Portugese followed by English with the same meaning. Later English writers began to tell of the banyan tree, a tree under which banias used to do business, the tree provided a shaded place where people used to do meeting or merchants sell their goods. Eventually "banyan" became the name of the tree itself.
Mythological meaning:
In Bhagawat Gita Lord Krishna says:
sri-bhagavan uvaca
urdhva-mulam adhah?-sakham
asvattham´ prahur avyayam
chandam´si yasya parn?ani
yas tam´ veda sa veda-vit
Translation:
The Lord Krishna said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.
Following are the few snaps I took.
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banyan
http://vedabase.net/bg/15/1/
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