Day 4 - 'Maalekallu Tirupati' and onto Bengaluru

'Maalekallu Tirupati' Near Arasikere. I have been visiting Arasikere since my childhood. It is my aunt's place. This hill has a temple of Balaji or Srinivasa at the top and I understand that the priest climbs the 1200 steps to the top everyday in the morning to perform the 'Pooja'. My cousins used to tell us stories of the priest finding a tiger lying on the step one day and a bear climbing down another day. That was half a century back and was possibly true! Since then I have been eager to climb the hill but never had an oppertunity. I climbed the hill early one morning last week and enjoyed every one of 1200 steps. Apart from the squirrels which were scurrying here and there and a few birds, there was not another soul on the entire hill. 

The steps to the top

The 'Mantap' where the climb starts.

Halfway up the hill. The Govindaraja temple at a distance below. 

Wonderful view and solitude at the top. 

Resting place on the way

A charming old structure.

Sri Balaji at the top. I understand he was free till recently and was imprisoned after some miscreants damaged the idol. 

Blackheaded Ibis seen at the bottom of the hill.

A large lake on the way to Bengaluru. Between Tiptur and Turuvekere - A route which we were not supposed to take but ended up on, by mistake. 

Google said "you have reached your destination". Our house in Bengaluru.