Paradigm@hue: Resounding Silence at Turahalli

Place Name: Turahalli

Distance from Bangalore: approx 10 KM from Banashankari Temple

Route: Banashankari, Kanakapura Road (4 wheeler / 2 wheeler)

Duration: Half day Trip

Road Condition: Good

Best time to visit: October to Feb

My work was getting hectic everyday due to the ongoing project, impeding my travel. The thought of visiting this place- Turahalli, had occurred to me since it was suggested by my friend. Turahalli was in the vicinity of his house. Never happened to know that the only forest cover in the Urban Bangalore is Turahalli.

I started from home at 7:30 am with the sun rushing his way to work, enjoying the chill breeze hitting my face. The drive was a pleasant one and I reached my friend’s home at 8 am. Finishing our breakfast, we set out to explore this silent forest, which is quite unknown to most, owing to the commercial areas around. Shobha Forest View is one of the upcoming project there. The forest covers an area of about 600 acres. While we have Turahalli on one end, we have the Banashankari 9th stage at the other end. We paved our way into the forest through the muddy roads with the sound of vehicles being heard around. As we walked further down for about 500 m, we could see the light filtering through the top branches of the trees and the earthy smell. Though it is not a dense forest, the flora was moderate. The green meadow hidden in the folds of the forest housed many birds. As we trekked on, climbed rocks, we could catch a glimpse of the ariel view of the surrounding places. The refreshing breeze was energizing to continue with our trek. We chanced upon an ancient temple. This place is a popular destination not just for movie/serial shooting but also to the adventure freaks who love rock climbing and rappelling. We could also spot a few cycling enthusiasts. As we walked through, the crackling branches touching above had many hidden wonders of the bountiful nature. Traversing through the area, we reached the peak, which had a temple and a banyan tree nearby. As we rested below, the shade of the tree offered soothing peace and tranquility of nature.

As we trod our way back home, marveled at the beauty of the nature, one thought lingered in our minds – we will miss this abode, due to urbanization which is fast catching up!