Two months in and we made it to Uttari Betta, a destination shrouded in history. Locally known as Huthridurga, this peak is a staple for Bangaloreans looking for a quick escape.
I booked my slot again with the Bangalore Mountaineering Club but honestly there wasn’t any real mountaineering involved. It was more of a breezy, easy-peasy and catch up with your friends kind of trek.
By 8:30am, we stopped for a quick breakfast in Kengeri. The food was quite underwhelming but we fueled up and packed our lunches before the 1.5-hour drive to Kunigal, where the betta (hill) is located.
There are two timings for this trek – one a sunrise trek and another a day trek which we opted for. The sunrise option looked quite interesting because the pickup is at around 11pm and then you reach the betta around 2am. You hang around until dawn to begin the sunrise trek. I have heard the views are amazing this early morning and I can imagine the weather must be great as well.
The big sad
The drive through the Kunigal region is beautiful, with miles of plantations, cattle, and the Kunigal Kere (lake) providing a lifeline for local irrigation.
However, seeing the quarries was heartbreaking. Watching ancient hills being massacred to pave the way for national highways, leaving nothing but muddy scars on the landscape, is a stark reminder of the cost of progress in the so-called modern world.
We went in February so the land was mostly dry but I am sure post monsoon this place would be worth visiting with lush greenery and a landscape that would totally go on Kannada songs.
About the Uttari Betta trail
It’s a simple trail. 2km each way. So in that sense nothing extensive. There are two points or lookouts here from where you can see the whole of Kunnigal. It has fortification and a temple on the top plus many small shrines spaced across.
It’s mostly rocky with a lot of grass. If you just want to get out of the city and breathe in some fresh air then it’s a great spot. It’s so beginner level that it’s perfect if you want to introduce your kids to the joy of trekking.
What I gathered about the history of Uttari Betta
Firstly, it’s actually Huthridurga and is among the nine historic fortified hills around Bangalore. It gets its name because it’s simply the fort near Huthri village. It’s built by the legend Nada Prabhu Kempegowda and was later under the Adil Shahi’s. For a brief period under Tipu Sultan too.
It’s been referred to in Puranas as Kamagiri. And another version of history calls it Devagiri named by Yalahanka Nadaprabhu Kempaveerappa Gowda.
Apparently there’s a watercolour painting of Huthridurga by a british military post officer which is somewhere in London. The fort has eight gates each named after the town it faces.
Karnataka tourism has done a good job of protecting this site. There are steps with railings that take you to the top. There are still people who stay in the vicintiy of this hill. Good thing to see was under the PM Jal Jeevan Mission’s Har Ghar Jal program each house has received a water connection.
Views views views
The views go in all directions. No wonder this was a fortified hill. We went in the midday so it was quite hot and since its basically just climbing stairs I didn’t feel the need to eat the packed lunch.
The vegetation had dried and the authorities had done a controlled burning of the grass. So there was a lot of burnt ash around.
We even got to see the Benki Mara aka Flame of the Forest aka Palash in Sanskrit. Bright orange in the middle of dried landscape was quite a sight to catch.
Big sad part 2
Plastic.
Literally everywhere. Thankfully not as much as we see in the city. But still a lot. There’s a Shakareshwar temple on the top which wasn’t open but on the side of it there was a small shop serving maggi, tea, water, cigarette or anything the trek goers would want to indulge in.
That plastic was just thrown around here. On top of it plastic from stuff like yoga bar and energy drink. Which meant the problem was across different classes of people who visited.
We often talk about Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World is One Family), yet we struggle to treat the land outside our front doors as our home. I carried a bag from home to pick up what I could, but the scale of the mess felt overwhelming.
Little hope
To my amazement I came across a group of trekker who had solely come here to clean the betta. They accumulated almost 9 bags of litter. They are called Chaaraniga. It was so heartwarming to see them do this out of pure will.
My friend also told me about Eco Crew which is an initiative that rewards recycling. Amazon packages, milk cartons, anything that comes in plastic or unsustainable material, you can gather it for months and then give it away to them. My friend has been able to unload kgs of waste. This is something I should be doing too.
By 2pm we reached the base. The 9 bags of waste collected by the group was left near the entrance. I left what I had collected as well. Hopefully the right people will come and take it away.
We headed back to bangalore after what was not at all a tiring trek. But I am glad I could talk to my friends about how we can contribute towards a clean and green environment. And even more glad to have met people who are alreay doing something about it.
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