Namada Chilume - Spring of Tilaka

Many times, we plan and visit places situated far away from Bengaluru. In this chase, we forget to visit and admire closer to us. This weekend I had the same thought. Tumkur is the neighbouring district of Namma Bengaluru. I had visited Tumkur, but to the same handful of places. When I researched, I was surprised to see Tumkur is much more. I messaged my friend circle and without any second thoughts, all were ready. Woot! :D
Namadha Chilume was the first place in the list of exploring Tumkur.

Highlights :

• Distance from Bengaluru : 70 km


• Places explored : Namadha Chilume, Deer Park.


• Mode of transport : Car


• Type : Weekend, Nature, Sight-seeing


• Ideal for : Friends, Couples & Family


• Companions : 6 friends (Me, Teju, Rakshit, Prasant, Pradeep, Tharun)


• Budget : Fuel, Food.

Mode of Transport

Tumkur is just 1 to 2 hours from Bengaluru. It's an awesome and nearest weekend getaway from the city. Tumkur is reachable by train, bus and private vehicles. The nearest railway station is Kyathsandra.

We started out on a Sunday morning at 7am in Pradeep's car. Leaving early morning helped us from traffic. Also, the NH4 roads are good and helpful with sign boards.

Route to follow :
Majestic > Yeshwanthpur > Tumkur Road/ NH4 > Nelamangala > Dabaspete > Namadha Chilume.

Our friend Tharun's native is Tumkur. He welcomed us to his newly built home. The place was so peaceful and lively. After having healthy breakfast, we started to drive towards Namadha Chilume.

Moments at Namadha Chilume

In just half an hour, we reached Namadha Chilume. The place is conserved by Karnataka forest department.

 

[caption id="attachment_1646" align="alignnone" width="5184"] The entrance[/caption]

 

The place is a good picnic spot and peaceful. The visiting hours are from 10am - 5pm every day. An entry ticket of Rs. 15 / person will be collected at the entrance. We also bought a handful of grass to feed deers.

 

[caption id="attachment_1678" align="alignnone" width="5184"] The herd of deer[/caption]

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1666" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Spotted deer[/caption]

 

When entered, to the right we can see the Deer park. We were so happy to watch deer and feed them. We can only find lots of deer and monkeys here. Be sure to lock your vehicle properly, the monkeys here are clever and can be a trouble. :D

 

[caption id="attachment_1657" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Monkey family :D[/caption]

 

The path further has huge trees along sides. The conserved trees were mostly of medical significance. The place is full of greenery. That greenery and fresh air, we cannot find in Bengaluru. The spot is apt for photography.

 

[caption id="attachment_1659" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Captured by Tharun[/caption]

 

The government guest house is also present here. On walking further, we reach to small hill and the sacred water - Namadha Chilume. This is a natural spring. The spring issues from the surface of the rock.

 

[caption id="attachment_1653" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Namadha Chilume - Spring of Tilaka[/caption]

The History

[caption id="attachment_1650" align="alignnone" width="5184"] The Mythology[/caption]

 

According to the epic Ramayana, It is believed that Lord Rama, along with Sita and Lakshmana, stayed here during their exile in the forest. Rama searched for water to apply tilaka to his forehead (In Hinduism, the Tilaka is a mark worn usually on the forehead). When he could not find any water, he shot an arrow at the rock. The arrow penetrated the rock, made a hole, and the water came out. The spring can be seen even now.

Henceforth, this place was called Namadha Chilume, meaning "Spring of Tilaka". (naama = tilaka and chilume = spring, in Kannada). This sacred water is seen all throughout the year and never dries up.

There is a small guest house near the hill. The famous ornithologist "Dr.Salim Ali" is said to have stayed in the guest house. He is referred to "Birdman of India". Lot of people come here for research on forest and trees.

 

[caption id="attachment_1647" align="alignnone" width="5184"] The sculpture at entrance[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1656" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Basava at Guest house[/caption]

 

The place is clean and peaceful. The tourists here should not pollute the environment. The hunting of deer is strictly prohibited and is a punishable offence.

We spent a memorable time here. Then, we headed towards Devarayanadurga. Follow to my next post. Thanks to Prasant and Tharun for the snaps :)

Exploring Tumkur can be a short one day trip. Namadha Chilume is a peaceful place one can visit.

Keep exploring ! :)