Offbeat Hangout Spots In Bangalore ..... (P.S For a Couple)

What are some of the offbeat hangout spots for a couple in Bangalore. Apart from the obvious ones like the Malls, theaters, parks etc I have come up with some offbeat ones which are generally less frequented by the general junta who are in search of some alone time :P. Including some tit-bits which would be helpful when planning for the special date with your loved one :).


Nandi Hills : The Chill Zone

The most obvious answer in the list. But my suggestion is go early in the morning and definitely in a bike. The chillier the better !!!!! :P .  There is very less chances of seeing a sunrise since majority of the time these hills will be engulfed in mist during early mornings and it makes sense to head out with the first rays of the sun keeping the security aspect of a couple in mind. Once there one can spend close to 2 hrs exploring the mist filled park, the temple, Tipu drop.

Some useful titbits:

• There are decent eateries at the base of the hills as well as some enroute. Not much options near the top.
• Paid restrooms available near the parking area.
• Some care should be taken driving up and down the hairpin bends.

Savandurga: The Trek

Some time back I came across an article that one should go on a trek with their life partners once,  before they get married. According to the article one gets to know more about their future life partner over a single trek than any amount of meetings over coffee or movies can possibly provide. If you have a trek in mind then I suggest you head out to Savandurga. Its definitely not a walk in the park and therefore it will push you as a couple over the edge. The outcome of such an exercise, you would come out as a team, facing the odds together hand in hand. :)

Some useful tit-bits:

• The entire trek takes around 5-6 hrs depending on the pace. 
• There is very less tree cover so avoid this trek in summers.
• No eateries nearby. Its better to have it in Mysore road (eg Kamat Lokaruchi) and then take the Ramanagara-Savandurga route. Eventhough this route is longer it is quite enjoyable with winding roads. 
• No public toilets near the base of the hill. In case of emergency one has to request usage of the toilet inside the Kalyanamantap. 

Hessarghatta And Nrityagrama: The walk , talk and dance

If going for long walks, birdwatching etc is in the wish list, then head out to Hessarghatta for an appointment with nature just in the outskirts of Bangalore. One can go on endless long walks in the dried up lakes surrounded by a carpet of grass and migratory birds flocking around.  But when we were there, a police patrol was cracking down on couples even holding their hands. If one continues on this route they come across Nrityagrama and Taj Kuteera which is at the dead end of this route. After paying an entry fee of 30 bucks one can explore this quaint place. Lot of rustic buildings surrounded by greenery. One can see live classes of various traditional Indian dances like Kuchipudi, Bharathyanatyam and so on.
Further there is a kucha road diversion between the Hessarghatta lake and the Nrityagrama (diversion towards "Our Native Village" resort) which leads to one of my most favourite places around Bangalore. A grassland up till the horizon, see it to believe it :).

Some useful tit-bits;

• The only decent eatery is the Taj Kuteera (5 star, so get ready to empty your wallets :P )
• Nrityagrama is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 2pm.
• One has to take a diversion along the eight mile off Tumkur road to reach this place.