remembering Nidgal Betta

I haven't travelled out of town for the past few months, so the past few weeks I have been posting unpublished photos from my photo archives. This time I happened to pick Nidgal Betta. I'd visited Nidgal Betta on Dec 29th 2014. It was one of the toughest treks in my experience. The three boys from the village made my trip, without them I wouldn't have reached even half way the hill. The hill is wild and one needs to be familiar with the paths to reach the fort and eventually the peak. The trek from the fort ruins to the peak sapped me out. However, the view at the top made me forget my physical state. I have to thank those boys again for indulging a total stranger. Do check out the two part Nidgal Betta trek. And, here are some more photos of the morning.

Nidgal village is situated at the base of Nidgal Betta. The trek passed over the smaller hill, then into a valley and then we went up the main hill. This photo was shot on the smaller hill. You can see a bastion in the foreground, and there's a temple Shkhara next to the bastion. Notice the red patches on the slopes of the bigger hill, those are Gulmohar trees.

This is the temple next to the bastion. I guess this structure is the gateway of the temple. We did not go in due to time constraint.

I guess this is in the valley, looks like we had just left the smaller hill and, entered the slopes of the bigger hill. That seems like a tamarind tree. Notice the turret at the top. Wish I had got a closer look at the turret.

This is one of the many gateways on the bigger hill.

Given the remote location and wild terrain, the ruins have been preserved well.

Remains of a mud-wall. The layers give us an idea of how the wall built- layer by layer. I wonder what's the condition of the wall now i.e. after 12 years.

In the wild terrain it's natural for eyes to catch on to the wonders of Nature. There was a plant with balloon like dry pods. Probably there were tiny seeds in them waiting to be carried far away by winds. Close to the bottom-right of this image is an orange colored insect. I don't remember seeing it then. If I had, there would be a close-up image of that crawly creature.

Leaves cast their shadows on a granite rock. Those shadows are like live artwork at the mercy of Sun, and clouds too. Wonder how the live art looks like during a full moon.

This shot was taken on the crazy climb to the peak. While I rested at the lower end of the slope, my friends had perched on the crest. See how comfortable sitting like Ayappa Swamy. And those shadows are enigmatic.

At the peak of Nidgal Betta is a little temple with an idol of Nandi. At that little temple are two inscriptions. Do check out that temple- Basavanna Gudi and the sights from up there.

On the way back, I caught this tree's shadow on the rock. Notice the curvy shadow cast by the trunk. The trunk, rock surface, angle of Sun light - all have a role in that live art. Or do we call it ghost art because it vanishes eventually.

The first thought on seeing this rock formation was a shoe. A gigantic well used shoe. On this hill was so much to see. The different sights and views at different times of the day and, different seasons too.

The peak in the background and a ruined structure. The ground I was standing on can be considered at half-way up Nidgal Betta. On this small shoulder like formation are rampart walls and a few other structures. This little structure seen here is a temple, inside are relief sculptures and an inscription. An unexpected discovery was a huge cannon made of forged steel. Going by the historical evidences seen here, Nidgal was definitely an important place. For reason, Nidgal lost its prominence and faded away. It's become a hidden gem now.

December being a dry month, we get to see dry grass. Dry but beautiful. The contrast of shadows on shiny grass is a sight to behold.

Here's a portion of the cannon lying in a bed of grass. It seems like a XVI century creation, the types that could be seen at Vijayanagara, Kalburgi, Rayachuru, Golconda forts to name a few.

A gateway in the fortification around the shoulder.

The three sisters holding on their positions for centuries defying gravity.

Lastly, a partly burnt log of wood. This reminds me of a hidden shelter on the way to Basavanna Gudi. It was a one chamber shelter below a massive boulder. Whoever made it had constructed two walls with dressed stone blocks and mud. The interior had mud flooring. It could comfortably shelter a couple of adults. It was ideal for anyone who wanted to stay away for a while. It's not a secret hideout or something but it was like middle of nowhere.

Now, after typing out these lines, my heart yearns to visit Nidgal again.

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