The
240km drive from Bangalore to Chikmagalur is an enjoyable one and in fact
the route goes along one of our favourite roads in India. The destination
is fabulous, especially during the monsoons — gentle hills, coffee
plantations, bubbling brooks and impromptu waterfalls, all a part of the
environs that surround the little town of Chikmagalur in north-west Karnataka.
This serene town where life goes on in an unhurried manner is ideal for
a weekend break, when you’re driving in from Bangalore. If trekking
and exploring happen to be your cup of tea (rather coffee), then you’d
have enough of little and pleasurable trails to cover over a week.
Though Chikmagalur itself lies in the plains, the surrounding areas are
in the Sahyadris or the western ghats and quaint hillstations like Kemmanagundi
are a pleasant drive away. With drives that are so good and the views
so ethereal, thanks to the clouds and mist that seem to roll in on a whim,
Chikmagalur makes for a fabulous getaway during the monsoon season.
Planning
for your trip
Locals
informed us that Chikmagalur, located at a height of 1900 metres, is at
its best during the rains. But you’ve got to be prepared to get
drenched and be feasted upon by leeches, if you want to trek the forests
during the wet season.
Foreign tourists descend on this peaceful town from October to February
as they prefer the cool clime that the surrounding hills offer during
that time. Remember that since Chikmagalur is an ideal getaway from Bangalore,
especially during a long weekend, it helps to book your accommodation
well in advance as the places to stay are quite limited.
Pack in a pair of sturdy walking shoes, an umbrella or a raincoat (irrespective
of the time of year you visit). Also, if ornithology is a passion with
you, grab a copy of your birdwatching guide as there are plenty of birds
to spy.
The
route
There
are three basic stages in the drive from Bangalore to Chikmagalur. The
first is from Bangalore to Neelamangala, where you turn off NH 4 towards
Hassan and Mangalore. It is imperative that you get to this turn-off by
8am. This will give you very little traffic on the otherwise crowded NH
4. Any later and you’ll already be irritated and stressed out by
the time you get to Neelamangala. This would be a shame, because from
here to Hassan the road is a dream — it is Autocar India’s
Road No. 27 (‘50 Best Roads’, October 2003). Fast and smooth
with exciting corners, minimal traffic and tantalising tar, this road
will have enthusiastic drivers fighting to take to the wheel.
The last stage is from Hassan to Chikmagalur via Belur. We suggest you
take a tea break in Hassan and let all that adrenaline buzzing your system
settle down because from Hassan onwards the roads narrow down considerably.
You will have to slow down and keep an eye out for pedestrians and cattle.
The fabulous scenery, however, more than compensates for the pedantic
intrusions — the road runs atop bund walls dividing a reservoir
into two, green fields abound bordered in the distance by the Sahyadri
mountains that seem to grow as you drive towards them.
Bangalore to Chikmagalur is a short drive that should take you four-and-a-half
hours, but one you would want to repeat.
Chikmagalur’s
Coffee Connection
Did
you know that the first coffee in India has its roots in Chikmagalur?
Local lore has it that a Shah Hazrat Jamal smuggled in a strange plant
from Yemen, unaware of its history or why the Yemenis were so possessive
about it.
The plant took stolidly to the Chikmagalur clime and soon flourished.
Jamal still didn’t know what the berries the plant produced were
used for. They were quite horrid to taste — the actual flavour of
coffee really comes into its own when the beans are skinned and roasted.
It was by accident that Jamal unlocked the secret of coffee. His tent
caught fire and in the smouldering ashes he found the beans roasted to
a fine dark brown, exuding an aroma that refreshed the senses.
The place where the coffee plants were first grown is now called Baba
Budan Giri and the tomb of Shah Hazrat Jamal is located here.
Did
you know that the first coffee in India has its roots in Chikmagalur?
Local lore has it that a Shah Hazrat Jamal smuggled in a strange plant
from Yemen, unaware of its history or why the Yemenis were so possessive
about it. 
There
are three basic stages in the drive from Bangalore to Chikmagalur. The
first is from Bangalore to Neelamangala, where you turn off NH 4 towards
Hassan and Mangalore. It is imperative that you get to this turn-off by
8am. This will give you very little traffic on the otherwise crowded NH
4. Any later and you’ll already be irritated and stressed out by
the time you get to Neelamangala. This would be a shame, because from
here to Hassan the road is a dream — it is Autocar India’s
Road No. 27 (‘50 Best Roads’, October 2003). Fast and smooth
with exciting corners, minimal traffic and tantalising tar, this road
will have enthusiastic drivers fighting to take to the wheel.
July 2004
