Big banyan tree and Manchinbele

Yet another get-away on the Bangalore-Mysore road, the Dodda(Big) Aalada mara (Banyan tree) is kinda unique-sy place to visit. It's one huge, very old banyan tree that has grown sideways over a lot of land. As you walk around the park darting around the aerial roots of the banyan, it's difficult to believe it's one single tree. After you leave the highway and take a right to go to Ramohalli to see this wonder, the roadside is full of flower-nurseries growing mostly marigolds.

Carving names and messages and dates and initials on the tree trunk is quite popular with the vandals:

Further down the same road is Manchinbele. Bad roads lead you to the dam that is anyway inaccessible due to 'permission denied' issues. You can however go to the waterbody behind the dam, this time darting among massive potholes and watching your back. Since the roadside is full of shrub, kingfishers and sparrows  make their presence felt. The lake-side is a pleasant place to spend hours, and is visible from the winding roads leading to it: