1000 year old Yoganandiswara Temple Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

erik88l-r: As there's been no cache to find for months, I'm archiving it to keep it from continually showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements. If you wish to repair/replace the cache sometime in the next 30 days, just contact us (by email), and assuming it meets the guidelines, we'll be happy to unarchive it.

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Hidden : 5/6/2007
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


I have replaced the cache with a magnetic nano cache container which has only a rolled up log sheet. Please get your own writing tool.

I have also made the cache simple and removed the puzzle.

This is my 2nd hide on this hill which has a lot of history near Bangalore. It is 65 km from the heart of the city and the road to Nandi Hill is wide and is easily motorable. As a teenager, I have cycled to and up the hill many times. The summit of the hill is at a height of about 4900 ft and the motorable road climbs gently initially and then changes to hairpin curves toward the top. I remember that it was exhilarating cycling downhill even though it was painful cycling up.

You will find lush green vegetation atop among the fort wall that circles the hill at the top. The fort walls has steep drops beyond them and have holes in them for the muskets that the soldiers of Tipu Sultan fired on the advancing British soldiers in the later half of the 18th Century. Due to its height, this hill is generally a few degrees cooler than the surrounding valleys. This was the reason why it was the summer retreat for the kings and the British Raj later. Nowadays, Bangaloreans come here with picnic baskets and spend the day with their friends and families.

The Yoganandiswara temple at the foothills of Nandi Hills goes back to the period of the Banas, Cholas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagar Kings. The Yoganandiswara temple atop the hill goes back to the Chola period (10th to 12th Century). It received extensive patronage from the Vijayanagar Kings. The intricately carved “mantapa” atop the temple is one of the more photogenic parts of the temple. The temple also has a “kund” – a pond with stone steps leading to the water. I would advice you to stay away from the water – it didn’t look clean. You will find many “Nandi” in the temple. Nandi is the affectionate name of the black bull which is the ride of one of the revered gods of Hindu.

You can hike up the hill using the road or by using the 1200 steps that take you up 1800 ft from the valley which itself is at a height of 3000 ft. The steep and long drops from the sides of the hill are spectacular and would have attracted a lot of rock climbers – if it was allowed. The soldiers of Tipu Sultan would throw the captured British soldiers over the fort wall down these 1800 ft drops to their death.

You will get a panoramic view of the valley and if Bangalore wasn’t covered with the smog, you would be able to see the city from here. There is one restaurant here, but I would bring my own picnic basket or packed lunch from Bangalore. There are plenty of vendors selling chilled bottled water and if you are not scared of the dirty looking knife that is used to cut open the tender coconuts that are being sold on your way to Nandi Hills, the water and the flesh of tender coconut is a great energy booster. You will find many vendors selling table grapes and other fruits on the roadside as well.

Now watch out for geo-muggles and find the cache. Don’t forget to take pictures.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

sbetbggra zrgny cvcr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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