Bijapur with the Gumbaz...

The route to Bijapur via the Pandharpur road was bad. The road is simply broken down completely in places and there its about 30 km of gavel-covered dirt road after crossing Pandharpur. The 200 km trip took about 5 hours with ample breaks in between.

I reached Bijapur at 9.30 pm and was waiting for my friend who was to join me from Belgaum. I rendezvoused with my friend at the bus stand in MG road and we headed to a friends house where authentic north Karnataka festival dinner was awaiting us. We dined and exchanged tales, caught up after the years and planned the day ahead.

There are over 65 places to visit in Bijapur. Of them, the most popular is obviously the Gol Gumbaz. Our plan was to visit the Gumbaz, have a quick lunch and push off to Hyderabad

Gol Gumbaz or Gol Gumbad meaning rose dome, (a reference to the flower/rose/lotus petals that surround the dome at its base, making it appear as a budding rose)-- is the mausoleum of Mohammed Ali Shah, Sultan of Bijapur. The tomb, was completed in 1656 by the architect Yaqut of Dabul. The structure is composed of a cube, 47.5 metres (156 ft) on each side, capped by a dome 44 m (144 ft) in external diameter.  Eight intersecting arches created by two rotated squares that create interlocking pendentives support the dome. At each of the four corners of the cube, is a dome-capped octagonal tower seven stories high with a staircase inside.The upper floor of each opens on to a round gallery which surrounds the dome. Inside the mausoleum hall, is a square podium with steps on each side. In the middle of the podium, a cenotaph slab on the ground marks the actual grave below, the only instance of this practice in the architecture of the Adil Shahi Dynasty. In the middle of the west side, a large half-octagonal bay protrudes out. With an area of 1,700 m2 (18,000 sq ft),the mausoleum has one of the biggest single chamber spaces in the world. Running around the inside of the dome is the "Whispering Gallery" where even the softest sound can be heard on the other side of the mausoleum due to the acoustics of the space. It is said that the Sultan, Ibraheem Adil Shah and his Queen used to converse in the same manner. During his time, the musicians used to sing, seated in the whispering gallery so that the sound produced could reach every corner of the hall.

After immersing ourselves into the rich history of the Gol Gumbaz and the adjacent museum showcasing the Adilshahi curios, we headed to an authentic north Karnataka Restaurant for lunch.

The route to hyderabad was via Gulbarga-Humnabad-Zaheerabad-Sangareddy. A total distance of 400 km. We started at 2.30 pm post lunch and reached hyderabad by 11:30 pm with ample breaks for chai and dinner. This leg of my journey was less taxing; besides I had a fellow rider for company and we split the ride time.

Total trip analysis: Hyd-Pune-Bijapur-Hyd
Total km covered: 1390
Best fuel economy: 38 kmpl
Worst fuel economy: 27 kmpl
Bike handling: steady and easy to ride on highways
Top speed: 125 kmph
Average Speed: 60 kmph
Suspension: needs improvement. Tends to be hard even when adjusted the load setting.
Seating: saddle shaped split seat is great for the rider. Beyond 300-350 km, seating becomes uncomfortable. pillion seat: small size. Does not offer adequate padding; can get a tad uncomfortable beyond 350 km.
Engine: continuous riding for over 100 km heats up the engine. Beyond 40000 rpm, noticeable vibrations occur (service team warned me about this. This should come down after the second service).
Lights: the fancy projection lamp its very useful and on the highway. The blinkers (hazard indicators) were very useful on the highway to signal my presence to speeding four Wheelers.

Change of plans...

On the return trip from Pune (detour), plans changed. A classmate from college called me and invited me to Bijapur.
Will check out the Gol Gumbaz and head to hyd tomorrow. I will have company as my friend will be joining me to hyderabad. And two toffee are better than one, any day!
Gol Gumbaz, here I come...

Wanderlust... Ride on you crazy diamond!

What is it that makes you travel?

Is it in your basal instincts... A remnant trait of our nomadic hominids?
Is it an urge to discover cultures and customs, countryside and coves, secret beaches and crowded bazaars?
Or its it the Adrenaline coursing through your veins as you can hear the rush of the wind and screech of the rubber on the road as you negotiate hair pin bends on.... a ghat section?
Or are you looking forward to the moments of calm on the highway that gives you the time and space to organize your mental clutter?
Is it the incredible learning experience on the highway - about people, places and the local-speak?
Is it a high octane fuel-injected 28.8 BHP of raw power churned out of a 500 cc engine that has a thump in synchrony with your heartbeat?

What ever your reason, pickup that bike... And Ride...
Ride... when "going there" matters more than "getting there"
Ride... every time you feel that the concrete jungle you live in has boxed you out (or in)
Ride... when the mundane his you and routine becomes a load
Ride... when you want to connect with yourself

Ride... when the journey matters more than the destination

Trip 2 - Hyd to Pune

Opening Stats-
1. Date of purchase : 12/12/12
2. Last service done : first free Service
3. Opening Odo reading : 1856 km
4. Fuel used : Xtrapremium high octane petrol form Indian Oil
5. Accessories Installed : Mobile Charging point (cigarette lighter type)
6. Gear: full face helmet (Vega Boolean), jeans, sweatshirt, pullovers
7. Luggage hold- saddle bag (custom stitched)

After the exciting first trip of 850 kilometers to Ahobilam and Yaaganti, the Beast deserved another long haul. Incidentally, I had to visit Pune for a continuing education course on the 12th and 13th of Jan. This gave me another long ride opportunity. Approximately 1250 km round trip meant I could explore the Beast a little bit more and test her boundaries.

Immediately post first service, I got a mobile charging point installed (will be detailing it in another post) fire long trip so that I can simultaneously charge the phone on the ride. I finally managed to get my permanent registration done. It was surprisingly simple, took me less than 25 min, i dint have to go through any agents and I dint have to wait in long queues! (That is a giant leap for the RTA. Kudos). I was told that a number would be assigned and the same would be sent to my residence by post. However, I could get the details of the number after 7 pm online on the AP Transport website on the same day.

I started the next day (still with the T/R number plates as I got my permanent number late the previous evening) at 5:20 am from Hyderabad and tanked up on the Mumbai highway at Indian Oil bunk. I recommend the XtraPremium high octane petrol for the RE TBTS 500 (will soon write a post about the different fields I've tried and researched about for the beast).

I covered about 70 km and had to halt at Sangareddy owing to extreme chill. I had underestimated the cold and I hadn't yet purchased biking jackets and other biking wear. My sweatshirt, a thick hoodie and a pullover did good to keep me warm, but lack of gloves made my fibers numb. What makes the cold worse is the wind. At high speeds, due to the winds, even a 20 degree temperature feels bitingly cold.

At a dhaba outside Sangareddy, forced by the weather, I had to reluctantly make my first pitstop at 6:45. A nice Charpai (a cot weaved out of rope around a wooden frame) came of good use as I lazed for over an hour waiting for the sun to come up. Had hot idlis and a dosa for breakfast before I started back on the ride at 9 am with the Sun keeping me warm and comfy.

The next pitstop was at Basvakalyan. Not out of necessity, but due to a cop who pulled me over for a routine traffic check. My bike still had a T/R registration. Karnataka cops are the sweetest when you talk to them in Kannada! When he demanded the papers (which I was carrying with me packed in my saddle bag), I asked him in Kannada the significance if the place. He was so excited to tell me about Basvanna of the 12th century and his socio-philosophical movement. He told me to take a detour and visit the beautiful place and ecotone its history and spirituality. He even told me that I dint have to open my luggage to show the papers. If I was catering them, it was ok.

The cop asked me where I was coming from; when I told him I was a Dental surgeon from Hyderabad going to Pune to attend a workshop, he was stupefied! He asked me why I was riding a bike when I could have chosen to drive or use a train or even fly to Pune. Unfortunately, what a rider experiences cannot be put in words. It has to be experienced. (I ride, so I am!)

I'm glad I took the detour and visited the shrine of Basvanna which was about 3 km off the highway. The 102 foot statue of Basvanna in a serene Sukhasana (yogic seating pose) is reminiscent of the social and cultural impact his literary works had in the 12th century. Basvanna was a philosopher, Statesman and reformer of his time. Basava fought against the inhuman practice of caste system, which discriminated people based on their birth, and certain rituals in Hinduism. He spread social awareness through his poetry, popularly known as Vachanaas. Basavanna used Ishtalinga (image/linga of god in one's body) to eradicate untouchability, establish equality among all human beings and a means to attain spiritual enlightenment. His literary works have been a vital part of the Kannada literature; and his life was dedicated to eradicating the social strife which plagued the region in medieval India.

Spending an hour at Basvakalyan, I was refreshed physically, mentally and spiritually. My next stop was at Solapur for lunch. A simple but very tasty "rice plate" which I understood was a traditional version of a Thali its those parts consisting of two chapatis, a bowl of rice, a curry made of sprouted green gram (moong), Daal (lentils), and yoghourt, sided with raw onions and pickled lemon. After my very tasty lunch, the ride from Solapur to Pune continued.

The mobile charger point was very useful as my power-hungry phone was running low after all the pictures I took on the way and the phone-calls and email checks during the Pitstops.

This leg of the journey was slower due to the four-laning work in progress. But for the constant diversions on the road, it was fairly good stretch of road. With another pitstop for chai, I finally reached Pune by 9 pm- exhausted but enriched.

Ride Summary:
Total Distance: 580 km
Top speed: 125 kmph
Average speed: 55 kmph
Fuel economy: 39 kmpl
Nature of ride: strenuous
Ride highlights: discovered Basvakalyan and its rich heritage
Ride lows: beyond 400 km, back started to hurt.

Return journey... Coming soon.