Trip to Shravanabalagola

It is a huge 18 meter high monolithic statue of Lord Gommatheshwara on the top of a hill (Vindyagiri or Indragiri) is considered the tallest in the world. Just opposite to the the Gomatheshwara statue is another hill (Chandragiri) with some Jain temples and the tomb of Chandragupta Maurya.
How to Reach - Distance 149km. From Bangalore take Tumkur road (NH4) to reach Nelamangala (Approx 28 kms). From Nelamangala take left turn to drive along Bangalore-Mangalore highway (NH48). Kunigal town is on the way approx 46 kms from Nelamangala. Continue on the NH48 till you reach Hirisave, from here take a left turn - a state highway connects Hirisave to Shravanabelagola covering 18 kms of very good and scenic roads.

Trip to Sringeri

We set out on a journey to Sringeri on June 2nd.
This was where Shankaracharya, the great 9th century philosopher and social reformer, established the first of his four mathas, the other three are at Joshimath in the Himalayas, Puri to the east and Dwarka to the west.