Chickmaglur is known for its scenic beauty and nice roads. India Car has included the road from Banaglore to Chickmaglur in its top 50 roads in India.
We went for a weekend visit to Belur, Chikmaglur, Halebid and Shravabelgola in that order. This way we avoided the bus-loads of tourists who would have accompanied us. We spent the night at Chickmaglur at Planter’s Court. Since we reached there early evening, we decided to take a walk in a nearby park. On asking a few locals, they all recommended we visit the MG park which is located on a hill.
As we drove through the small lanes of the town, we were a little apprehensive about finding a small 80x60 feet park, but the MG park proved to be a great experience. In the late evening, we could see the entire ton below us on one side, and the untamed, un-touched hills on the other. The park itself was well maintained with lovely flowers(about 15 varieties of roses that I counted). The park has a water lily pond and also a rock formation. There are very creative and huge play area for children. At the very top of this hill where the park is located, .there are (but of course) two small temples where the bells chime every evening to mark sunset.
The guards in the park shoo away mischief makers and loungers. There is also a track and a platform for a toy train within the park, but when we went, the train was in the shed.
We went back to the park the next morning and were rewarded by the panoramic views and a wide spectrum of verdant landscape that we had missed in the evening. I was veyr enthusiastic to buy some plants from the nursery, but the park had none.
There was some very creative pieces in the park including a water tank in the shape of a tender coconut!
I guess the Rs. 2 entrance fare keeps most people out, as it was not very crowded beth the times we went there . But be careful, the gatekeeper will often plead no change and keep the note you’ve given him(happened to us both times).
All in all, a must see place.
open from 6:00 in the morning to 8:00 in the night.