Day Trip to Nagarjuna Sagar - A Tranquil Sojourn

 

            Day Trip to Nagarjuna Sagar - A Tranquil Sojourn

Authored By: Gaurav Sethi

Since I have arrived in Hyderabad for my Post Graduation, I’ve always had a grudge that dwellers from Pune, Bengaluru & Chennai are fortunate when it comes to having weekend or short trips places to visit nearby. Panchgani, Lonavala, Khandala and the likes for Punekars and Coorg, Madikeri, Mysore for Bangaloreans, Mammallapuram, Pondicherry, Coimbatore for Chennaites. Unfortunately, Hyderabadis don’t really have many such destinations at a one-day turn around to bost off.

Notwithstanding the above though, a day trip to Nagarjuna Sagar has been the most preferred option for the Hyderabadis & so I with my friends also decided to explore & experience this most popular one-day road.

 

So, let’s get stared, fasten your seatbelts and off we go!!!

 

But before I pen down the trip proper, let me give you a bit of history byte about the place itself. Earlier known as Vijayapuri, Nagarjuna Sagar is situated between Guntur of Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad. The name of the place which means ‘the city of victory’ has been derived from Acharya Nagarjuna, a Buddhist saint. Built across the Krishna River in the Nalgonda district is one of the earliest megastructures in India. It was part of the green revolution and aimed to help farmers. Constructed in the 1960s, the dam is 150mts tall and 1.6km long with 26 flood gates and is jointly operated by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The megastructure is in its full glory when the flood gates are open, usually in the months of August, and September.

 

The place now has a religious and as well architectural importance too along with the natural beauty. During the construction of the dam, various ruins of ancient Buddhist civilisation were excavated. These have been preserved at Nagarjuna Konda, a mesmerizing island museum situated in the centre of a man-made lake. It is consisted of relics of the Buddhist saint, Acharya Nagarjuna along with various stuff related to Buddhism. Nagarjunasagar makes for an amazing weekend getaway trip for one and all from Hyderabad.

Route Info

Nagarjuna Sagar is about 192 Kms from where I stay (Yapral, Secunderabad). The easiest way is to take the Nehru ORR Road and get down at Bongloor, Exit 12. From there, take the Sagar Road that takes you straight to Nagarjuna Sagar. It’s the state highway 19 which starts from Chanchalguda and connects to Nagarjuna Sagar.

The road is a mix of two-lane and single lanes as it passes through small towns along the way. The road condition for the majority of the route is good barring few small rough patches along the way. What you need to be wary of though is cattle and bikers jumping on the route at times especially from connecting by lanes & laterals. You’ll pass through towns like Ibrahimpatnam, Yacharm and Mallepally to name a few. It’s a straight road followed by some ghat section when nearing the Nagarjuna Sagar dam.

 

 

Food & Refreshments

 

While you’ll find a number of small eateries and carts along the route but not exactly a proper dhaba / restaurant, which actually is a bit surprising given the business of the road. Small towns enroute do those small eating joints but then, that’s it.

 

At Nagarjuna Sagar though you’ll find a few places which again aren’t too great shakes, frankly. On the bridge opposite the dam, you’ll find a lot of people selling fresh fruit juice. At Ethipothala falls too there are fruit juice, and ice cream vendors. There’s also a very basic canteen inside that serves tea, water, cold drinks and a few dishes.

All in all, not a route where you’ll find good food per se. For our trip, we friends potlucked & packed a mix of South & North Indian dishes which turned out to be saving grace (How? Will cover later!!).

Best Time to Visit

While the Hyderabad to Nagarjuna Sagar road trip can be taken at any time, there’s always the best time to visit. It’s usually in the months of July to October when it rains, and Nagarjuna Sagar comes to life. Though you may find a lot of people visiting around that time.

 

In terms of the time of the day, it’s best to start at say 5 to 6 am in the morning and plan to reach Nagarjuna Sagar by sunrise. The views then are breathtaking and the coolness in the air is something worth experiencing. If you leave a little late, be ready to drive under the scorching sun.

We began our journey around 0630AM on 06 Jan 24, a wee bit little later than what we had planned. Couple of friends joined us on the way and before we knew we were out of Hyderabad on highway.

With few breaks on the way, essentially to kick off the fatigue that comes along when you travel on motorbikes sitting continuously, we reached our destination, Nagarjuna Sagar around 1130AM or so. Few of our friends picked up assorted bhajis (basically fritters or pakoras) and fish fry from the adjoining small carts & eateries to relish during lunch. Remember, earlier I had said the food carried from home was a savior. That’s because these bhajis and fish fries were laden with dollops of chilies!!!

We went around on our bikes looking for interesting locations and views on the other side of the Nagarjuna Sagar dam where a small river flowed since the gates of the dam were not opened. This side of the dam had its own beauty with stones and rocks all around, number of birds flocking the area and kids having fun in the water. A dip in the water had an amazing effect on our spirits too!!

  

Ethipothala Falls

Though we didn’t go, but a little further from the Nagarjuna Sagar dam are the Ethipothala Fall. It’s a 70 feet river cascade on the river Chandravanka – a tributary of Krishna. There are three streams which are amidst lush green forests. It isn’t one of the largest waterfalls but worth the visit if you’re here. There’s also a temple of lord Dattatreya nearby and devotees throng this place.

 Conclusion

We started back for Hyderabad around 3PM so as to make it back before last light, stopping only for a tea break enroute. The trip all in all was fun with friends and we got to witness myriad colors of nature (lush green fields enroute, the enormity of the falls, blue water, enchanting colors of the sky during the sunset on the way back). I came pretty much satisfied with this trip & I am sure my friends did too!!

So, when are you all planning to get up & get going for a short trip close by with friends & families because life isn’t going to stop for anyone. Make the most of it before it slips by!!