Savana Durga Hill is one of the most exciting sites of tourism near Bengaluru, which attract a number of tourists every year. Savana Durga Hill is a famous trekking region teemed with scenic nature beauty. It lies 33 km to the west of Bengaluru, towards the Magadi Road. Savana Durga Hill is well known to be one of the first and the largest monolith hills of the world. The remains of the fort built by Kempegowda can be found atop the rock. There are two rock hills named Karigudda and Biligudda with a pond near by. This hilltop provides an excellent sight for tourism for the visitors who get an opportunity to enjoy trekking as well as boating in the Thippagondanahalli Reservoir that flows nearby. The hill is surrounded with Arkavathy River, which flows along with the hill towards Manchanabele dam. From the top the Arkavathy River can be seen.
The abundant nature beauty, serene atmosphere and calm surroundings are the attracting features of Savana Durga Hill. Besides its scenic beauty, its close proximity to state capital Bengaluru facilitates the access to Savana Durga Hill. This monolithic rock is frequented by trekkers on weekends. It is an ideal place for one day team outings near Bengaluru. The best time to visit this day outing destination near Bengaluru is between the months of November to April.
Nature of Savana Durga Hill
The huge hill is made up of single rock which measures 1226 meters in height and form a major part of old Gondwana land. The structure of the hill has gone through a lot of erosions and weather change that reflects the age of the hill. Savana Durga Hill consists of peninsular rocks; laterite and granites make up this hill.
Etymology of Savana Durga
Savana Durga Hill is formed by two hills, which are locally known as Karigudda (black hill) and Biligudda (white hill). The name of Savana Durga was originally mentioned in the records of inscriptions of Hoysala dynasty, which can be dated back to 1340 AD. History refers to Savana Durga as "Savinadurga" or "Fort of Death", as there were no steps to reach the hill top and it was covered by bamboos and other trees forming a barricade. Originally, this place came under the Magadi rulers who ruled the area in ancient past. This area later on came under Mysore during 1638 to 1728 which was recaptured by Lord Cornwallis who captured it from Tipu Sultan"s force during the Third Anglo- Mysore War.
Places to Visit at Savana Durga Hill
Savana Durga Hill along with its historical background provides a unique site for tourism. Among the prominent places around the hill are the temples of Gandhara-swara and Honnadevi. It also includes the temple of Savandi Veera Bhadreshwara Swami and Narasimha Swami Temple, which are sited at the foothills of Savana Durga. The stream, which is known as "Patal Ganga", also originates from the foothills of the Mountain. With Arkavathy River and Manchanabele dam, this hill is considered to be one of the most attractive sites near Bengaluru. Every year there is a large number of devotees coming here. Other places include Thippagondanahalli Reservoir, Syed Ghulam Qadri"s Tomb and Machinbele Dam are the other well-known places in Savana Durga Hill.
Flora and Fauna of Savana Durga Hill
The hills are home to the endangered Yellow-Throated Bulbuls and were once home to Long-Billed Vultures and White-Backed Vultures. Other wildlife includes Sloth Bear and Leopard.
Surrounding the area is a state forest with shrubs and dry deciduous forest covering 27 sqkm. The degraded forest, which is considered as shrub is highly diverse, recording over 59 tree and 119 shrub species.
How to Reach Savana Durga Hill
Bengaluru International Airport is 35 km from Savana Durga Hill which is the nearest airport. Bengaluru Majestic and Cantonment railheads are the nearest railway stations to reach the hill by train. The cheapest mode of transportation to reach the hill is road transportation. There are number of buses available to reach this place from all major and minor cities of Karnataka.
