Jenukallu Ranganatha Swamy Betta near Ramgiri

The everchanging sights during a train journey is like no other mode of travel. The open lands, farm plots, plantations, hills, waterbodies, streams, villages, jungle, sky, sunrise, sunset, and what not. Besides nature, there's something else which are captivating: the zipping railway tracks, rising & dipping electric cables between poles, dancing shadow of the train when sun is low, and when the sky is dark, the interior lights create an illusion of falling & rising ground. With so much for the eyes to capture, there can't a boring moment.

I have traveled Dharwad-Bengaluru-Dharwad by train a number of times. I see the same sights, over the years, there have been little manmade changes here and there but the sights are enjoyable as before. Of all things, the most interesting are hills and rock formations. Dharwad-Bengluru route has two distinct parts, Dharwad-Harihar route traverses through black soil plains with gentle undulations, hardly any hills except a few between Byadgi and Harihar. Once across river Tungabhadra at Harihar, there's a notable change in the terrain. No more black soil fields, all we see is brown or red soil land littered with individual hills, ranges of hill and rock formations. Rocky outcrops are beautiful things. Some of them on farmer's plots and they are left they were.

About 40 km after Chikkajajur and 30 km before Hosadurga, is a place called Ramgiri. The train doesn't stop at Ramagiri station, it slows down a bit. As we pass the station this rocky hill comes into view. At the summit of the hill, is an historical temple and a large tree, probably a Ficus. As you see, the hill is long and towers over the surrounding. It seems to be of strategic importance. This hill, as per the entry on Google Maps is Jenukallu Betta and the ancient shrine on it is of Sri Ranganatha.

A slightly closer view of the hill. On the eastern slope of the hill is another temple, a sheltered staircase connects the temple to the ground below.

Going by the looks of the stone, it looks like granite. Those rocky slopes could be slippery even in dry conditions. At the summit is a mass of rocks, and a large standing amidst those rocks. As per photos on GMaps, Ranganatha Gudi is behind those rocks. I guess the path to that temple is on the other side i.e. the eastern face of the hill.

Since the train was moving, I could take just a few shots whenever the foreground was free from trees or bushes. The railway tracks kind of curved around the hill, of course at a good distance. As we pan across the hill, we find patches of dirt covering the rocks underneath.

The hill seems like an ideal spot for trekking and rock climbing. I think, this hill was covered by trees not long ago.

This is the last picture I could shoot. The rocks are actually jutting out of the dirt. The two peaks of the hill and part of the western slope are visible. The way these rocks are angled, it seems like the earth's crust rose, like a fold in a carpet, during tectonic shifts.

Not sure if I'll ever visit this place but the memories of seeing this will remain.

.........