Bike Trip to Big Banyan Tree ( Bangalore )

There is a big banyan tree on the outskirts of Bangalore city. They claim it is more than 100 years old and it is spread across 4 acres of land. If that tree could speak, it would tell you all those historic events that happened at the beginning of the 20^th century :). Spread across four acres! May be my ‘sense of area’ is distorted. Or is it that there is an encroachment happening there :). Whatever it be. The tree doesn’t appear to cover four acres of land.

So … on a Sunday I decide to go to this place. Most of the websites told me it is 18kms from Bangalore. That info was not entirely accurate. Assuming the Corporation circle – the place where the town hall is located - as the center of Bangalore, it is true that we need to take a right turn to this place after traveling 18kms on Mysore Road. But if we calculate the total distance, it is 26kms from Bangalore.

How to reach this place? Look for Kengeri first – the place that comes after Bangalore ‘vaitharani’ – the stream of industrial wastes that makes you cover your nose :(. Cross Kengeri and then look for Rajarajeshwari Medical College. It comes on the right hand side of Mysore Road. There is another Rajarajeshwari College that comes on the left hand side of the road. This one is a Dental College and the most important landmark. Just after this Dental College (in fact next to its walls) there is a road. To get into that road you got to take a right turn from Mysore Road. Keep going for another 8kms and you will see this Big Banyan Tree. Btw, the tree is called ‘Dodai Mara’ in Kannada. Keep that in mind. It will help you when conversing with the local people

A caveat: Don't expect anything great out of this place. If you do, you will be disappointed ...