Friday, February 4, 2011

Thattekere Lake (Kanive Mahadeshwara Lake) and the route

I had been thinking that I always have to drive at least 300 kms away from Bangalore to get a glimpse of forest until I drove on Ragihalli-Thattekere-HarohaLLi stretch which is just around 25 kms from namma Bengaluru. Most of this stretch falls inside the Banneraghatta National Park. My illusion about this "national park" was that it is a big zoo with bigger crowd hovering inside the park, and there is nothing more than that. My confusions were cleared when I got to see the real stretch of the national park around Ragihalli and Thattekere. Spread over a wide area this place is a home to a giant lake, vast landscapes, numerous water bodies, and various species of birds. There are traces of elephants too.

You can reach Thattekere lake either through Bannerghatta road and Ragihalli enjoying the drive through forest or from Kanakapura road towards Harohalli and then taking a left turn. There are a lot of big lakes on the Kanakapura road and you might get a beautiful sunrise on one of these lakes if you are an early bird. The place around the Thattekere lake is not at all commercialized (and it should never be);  even now in a couple of villages nearby  the buses make only 3-4 trips in a day. There are no hotels around for several kms, so carry some eatables along. During the first visit we drove 8 kms past the Thattekere lake missing a deviation. It is not so difficult but there are more chances that you will miss an important deviation to reach the lake from the main road. The best ever landmark help, is asking people in the village. Follow their directions.

Google Map:

One of the best lakes I have seen in and around Bengaluru. The lake is spread over the forest and looks majestic being situated in the middle of the small hills. There is a temple called Kanive Mahadeswara temple near the lake. There are not many villages and people around. The water is not polluted at all (looks like it is a private property). The Lake on one side has a line up of tall Nilgiri trees and the forest hills on the other side. We walked around the lake to get different views and the walk itself was refreshing. Spending idle time sitting along the lake, listening to the recurring sweet music of the small tides in the lake hitting the shores, the trees making sounds by breezy winds as the birds also chirp, is a pure bliss. If you are lucky, with all this soothing environment you will get to hear woodpecker pecking the tree trunk. We were lucky to find two of them!

For nature lovers, for people who enjoy village side drives, for bird watchers and bird photographers this place is a paradise. Being a nature admirer, one humble request is, please don't litter any of these places you visit. The nature will always remember and respect us for not leaving behind the traces of our visits to it's territory. So please don't pollute the place! 

Following are the few pictures to show the place and few bird life. For more detailed post on bird life around please visit: Ragihalli-Thattekere on Bangalore Captured.
(The blogger has spoiled the quality of the images to some extent, for sharpness)

1. My friend and I climbed up a small rock hill on the way to Ragihalli to find an amazing view; were surprised to see the vast landscape at just around 20 kms from Bengaluru;
2. Thattekere, a giant lake 
3. Thattekere Lake, in the nature's lap 
4. Black-winged Kite, sits on a wire
5. Purple Sunbird reaches out to a dried up leaves
6. Pied Bushchat, Female
7. Grey wagtail sits on a rock in a small water body on Harohalli-Thattekere road
8. River Tern in a delightful flight
9. Rose-ringed Parakeets fight for a tomato, in a huge tomato field!
10. Can easily be one of the worst shots, but sighting woodpecker is always exciting; found this one close to Thattekere Lake
11. My first sighting of Common Hoopoe; The bird is not too shy and doesn't fly away (like Kingfisher) a longer distance when it finds people around; It actually posed for quite a few shots but it was in the bush, didn't get a clean shot.
12. Asian Paradise Flycatcher; There were two of these that we sighted near the Thattekere Lake
13. Bay-backed Shrike
14. Rufous Tree-pie
15. Grey Wagtail takes a stroll as the small waves from the lake hit the shores; with 55-250mm lens, I literally sat very close to this Grey Wagtail; for sometime it ran around with fear but when it came to know that I am not a threat, the bird moved around freely, giving me an opportunity to take closeups. 

34 comments:

  1. Lovely pics and writeup.. 3rd and 15th one are my fav's..:)

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  2. hi..

    Thanks for this information ri.. and so many beautiful images of the birds, very nice work :)

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  3. You have some absolutely stunning images...I really like the last one. Quite a good capture!

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  4. got to know abt ur blog from one of my friend.Just loved ur photography .Now I am ur follower...Nice pics Prashant.Keep it up :)

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  5. Black Winged Kite - One amazing bird. This and the Pied Kingfisher have a lovely way of hunting which I am sure you know, hover and dive... thanks for covering this route. Any precautions to be taken while heading here?

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  6. Thank you all, for commenting and dropping by!
    @Phoenix, no precautions required, the road is good; also not many vehicles on this road. :)

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  7. @Sudhir, thanks buddy, I am looking at your blogs too :)

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  8. Nice pics as usual and thanks for sharing the info! guess this place is a must visit one.. may be this weekend itself! :)

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  9. wow.... its amazing I always wanted to be a wild photograper and also an Ornithologist I just love birds they are so very fascinating.
    Thanks for giving a glimpse of National Park in Namma Bangalore...i had the same taught as yours about Bannerghatta. Stunning Photographs.. :-)

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  10. ITs was a good place.. i Recommend this.. But not much birds now..

    i have clicked some pictures..

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=147033232027182&set=pu.129934797070359&theater

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  11. Wow. Great photography and place is really unbelievable. Can you tell which camera and lens you are using..

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  12. @Gokul, I am using Canon 450D, 18-55mm IS lens, and 55-250mm IS lens

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    Replies
    1. Which is the best month to visit this place ? Is it fine to travel this weekend or the next ?

      Thanks,
      Prabu.T

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  13. Thanks a lot for the pics. I also had the notion that Bgehtta aprk is big zoo. Ur blog dispels that. The pics are awesome. Thanks again

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  14. Nice writeup and a great set of pics buddy. I am looking forwared to drive to this place now...

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  15. Thanks for posting about this place with some great pics. This place is indeed rich in bird population, and the lake surroundings are quite serene with not many humans around. However, the access though Ragihalli is not easily motorable. Going through Kanakpura or Nisarga layout is a better option.

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  16. Thanks for posting about this place with some great pics. This place is indeed rich in bird population, and the lake surroundings are quite serene with not many humans around. However, the access though Ragihalli is not easily motorable. Going through Kanakpura or Nisarga layout is a better option.

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  17. Thanks to your post, I did go. It is just as you have described it. Untouched!
    I hope it stays the same.

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  18. Awesome I want go der by cycling :)

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  19. Thanks for the location share :) must see for a Weekend get away :)

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  20. This for this weekend.. Hi Kevin here crazy fellow like you.. Please share me some more places around Bangalore. @ kevin.d.pinto@gmail.com

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  21. Me and my friend had been today. But they have fenced the area. We were not able to ever the lake. We tried with the route you have shared. It was disappointing

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  22. Is this place accessible by car?Is it opened on all days?Also please give me the route.Can we swim in the lake

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  23. amzing pics bro;
    mind blowing job, keep it up

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  24. Hi Dude,

    I have few questions. can you send me you contact number?

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  25. I am working on a project about rural Bangalore and the lakes near by, and I found your blog really helpful. Keep up the good work :)

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  26. Nice to know that there is such a beautiful unpolluted lake in our own Backyard. Very keen to visit soon.

    Lavakumar
    JP Nagar
    Bangalore

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  27. This place now comes under BNP(Bannerghatta National Park) area. I went there with my family, friends and my dog. We were stopped by forest guards and asked to return back. Even the temple is inside BNP and they only allow people from near by villages for festivals and weddings only..

    We were disappointed after getting there via bad roads. We finally went to one of the pet friendly resorts on Kanakapura Rd.

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  28. Hey, great pictures! Just wanted to know if the route through Ragihalli forest to Thattekere Lake is good enough for a scooter?
    Are there any other routes to Thattekere Lake?

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  29. There are crocodiles as well... please be careful

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  30. excellent write up and pics. Nice work and thanks.

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