It was my crave since 6 months that I should do a bike ride. It was time for my bike to get serviced and change its wheels to get set for a long ride. It was time for the speedometer of my bike to touch 80s and 100s. And it was time for me to enjoy the rain and ride on my bike.
The much awaited moment arrived over the last weekend and I was very excited to do it. Saturday evening I was done with all my duties in the city and was free to do anything on Sunday. Since I had got my bike serviced and new wheels were waiting to see some rough way, I decided to do a biking trip. As soon as I think of a bike ride, I think of my granny’s place. It is almost a 3 hour ride from Bengaluru and will be good fun riding on the NH7.
Initially I thought of doing the trip alone. But then I have a friend who does not join for most of the treks I do and hence I wanted to take him. I checked with him and he was ready to get on my back seat. I had not told him where we are going. And he did not ask me either. I planned to leave on Sunday morning at 4.30 am. Before I slept in the night, I was talking to my friend Ravee on the bike ride plan. He suggested me a place called Maidanahalli Black Buck Sanctuary and I even read about it on his page here. Since it is closer to my granny’s place, I decided to go there first and then go to my village.
We started at 4:45 in the morning and by 5:20 we were out of Bengaluru. Sudhee did not know the destination and I kept it as a secret. All I promised him was, wherever we see a Deer, we will stop the bike. So that was it. My bike was just like a horse, and the rains were welcoming us to the road.
The Road Via Doddaballapur
Our route was via Doddaballapur, Gowribidanur, Madhugiri and then Maidanahalli. We reached the Black Buck Sanctuary at 8:30. As we entered the forest gates, two of the black bucks looked like they were dancing to welcome us. They were running faster than my bike and crossed the road. It was a great welcome for us. After that, we were loaded with some beautiful sightings. Jayamangali Black Buck Sanctuary is a very beautiful place and a perfect habitat for these black bucks. According to the forest guest house warden Narasimha Murthy, there are about 1200+ black bucks in the sanctuary. Not many people visit this place; but at the same time, there are many challenges in maintaining the reserve area as well.
We sighted many beautiful black bucks and I enjoyed photographing them. Also the place is full of beautiful birds. I sighted almost 12 species of birds and I am sure there will be many more. Forest guard Narasimha Murthy was very helpful to us and he offered us to go there once again and stay overnight so that we would get to see many more beautiful bucks during the morning and evening time.
Male Black Buck Running (above). Female Black Buck (below)
I was never aware of this place until Sunday. And there are only two Black Buck Sanctuaries in Karnataka. One is near Madhugiri and the other is in Ranibennur. I could not believe myself such a beautiful place exists that is so close to Bengaluru. It is a worth visit for me. Hopefully the forest department will take measures to maintain it well and conserve these beautiful wildlife which are truly the gems of this place.
Bee Eaters enjoying the rain
By 13:00 we left the sanctuary and started riding towards my Granny’s place which is in Hindupur taluk of Andhra Pradesh State. It was almost 80km from the Sanctuary and we reached my granny’s village Budili at 14:30. By then, hot food was waiting for us. It was a very long time since I had visited my granny. And she was waiting to see me and was complaining to my dad that I hardly visit her. She is an 89 year young lady who is staying in that village alone. And no surprise that, she feels like seeing us very often. I paid my respects to my granny and started from there by 16:30 and rode back on the NH7 to Bengaluru. It was almost 370km bike ride and was satisfied by the end of the day. Even though there was not much rain, it did rain just to make us happy. Sudhee enjoyed the 50km stretch covered in 30 minutes while returning back.
NH7: Hyderabad - Bengaluru Highway
Srik
