July 2nd, 2026

A cloudy morning, gentle diffused sunlight and the aura of nostalgic heritage greets me as I stand before a relic of a bygone era that has been lovingly coaxed back to life.

I am in the precincts of a railway station featuring a charming stone building which is one of four railway station structures that have been painstakingly restored from the decrepit condition into which they had deteriorated.

A project undertaken by INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), these buildings that are over a century old, have been given a new lease of their ‘old’ life.

The heritage route covers four distinct stations, beginning at Doddajala, wending through Devanahalli and Avathihalli and culminating at the charming Nandi station right at the base of the Nandi hills.

Avathihalli also has the distiction of housing a compact silk museum labelled Story of Silk, which is a tribute to the sericulture cottage industry that has been the hallmark of this region right from the 18th century.

So chug along the heritage track as I embark on a journey to visit structures that take us back in time, not too far from our very modern, bustling Bangalore city, Karnataka, India.

Live the experience with me as I try to tempt you to visit these architectural gems for yourself and revel in their quaint colonial charm and the pleasant relief of their restored glory.

About INTACH (The Guardians of Heritage)

Before we proceed on this journey, a quick nod to the saviors of historical architecture – INTACH, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. Founded in 1984, this non-profit organization has been the vigilant custodian of India’s vast and mostly unprotected heritage.

With a current number of over 228 chapters across India, they step in when historic structures are teetering on the brink of being lost to time (or wilful destruction) and skillfully perform the task of restoring their architectural soul.

Thanks to their sincere efforts, neglected monuments are rescued from dilapidated obscurity, so that we get to simply walk in and experience a bit of the past in its intended glory!

A Journey Through Time … The Heritage Railway Stations –

Dotting the landscape from the outskirts of Bangalore to the misty foothills of Nandi Hills, this series of four ancient railway stations have halted their surrender to the ravages of time and have been given a credible new lease of life with skilled restoration techniques by INTACH. The painstaking revival has made sure that the architecture has stayed true to the original vintage style which was an aesthetic blend of the vernacular as well as colonial, complete with traditonal Mangalore tiled sloping roofs, high circular windows, grilled window counters for dispensing tickets, Kadappa (Cuddapah) flooring, stone pillars, stone walls and even the plump black electric switches of yore!

Apart from INTACH, the restoration of these station buildings have been done in collaboration with South Western Railways and sponsorship from some private parties like Mineral Enterprises Limited, Discovery Village and other contributors.

The four stations, beginning at Doddajala on the right of the National Highway NH 44, moving through Devanahalli on the left and weaving back to the right to Avathihalli and finally crossing to the left again to culminate at the Nandi station in its picturesque setting right at the base of the Nandi hills, are an ideal destination for enjoying a quiet morning drinking in the beauty of restored glory, sufficiently far away from mainstream civilization.

The stations are functional, providing services to all of 3 trains that run on this route with destinations that include Chikkaballapur and Kolar. So in all, a total of 6 to and fro trips occur on this line. Apparently there are daily commuters who still use this train service.

The timings, paper tickets (which take you back in time), fare and other details are available at the stations.

Doddajala – 

Devanahalli – 

Avathihalli – 

Nandi – 

While Avathihalli showcases the story of silk, the Nandi station has an upcoming Railway museum adjacent to the existing heritage building. The remaining stations will hopefully be injected with something equally exciting, in the times to come.

Upcoming Rail Museum

The Avathihalli Silk Museum – 

The absolute highlight of this route lies inconspicuously at the Avathihalli station. In an ingenious move to blend heritage with local culture, this station has been converted into a small silk museum!

Named Story of Silk, this museum tells the story of how silk is produced in the regions across Bangalore Ruraldistrict (now called Bangalore North) and Chikkaballapur  district,  encompassing the regions of Devanahalli, Avatihalli and Shidlaghatta.

The space beautifully depicts the fascinating journey of silk, from a humble silkworm to the final resplendent fabric, through a series of highly informative and colorful posters. It is a brilliant, thread-bare analysis, so to speak 😎, that pays homage to Karnataka’s rich silk weaving history.

The posters offer a wealth of information right from the mating of the moths, to the rearing of the silkworms, to reeling, weaving and all the other processes that eventually result in the production of the glossy fabric which is created in the homes of the many local artisans of this region.

Getting there –

The total distance from the city center to the final station at Nandi, is a very manageable 60 km, which translates to a pleasant 1.5 hour drive on the excellent NH44 highway. And when I say  ‘pleasant’, it is barring the actual city driving of course 😏

Private cars or cabs are the best way to do this trail. The drive is quite scenic towards the end of the journey, as the majestic Nandi Hills loom into view.

One could also be adventurous and take a trip on any of the 3 trains that ply on this route.

Things of interest enroute from Bangalore – 

There are several other places of tourist interest along the NH 44 route from Bangalore. Chikkajala fort with its beautiful stepwell, Nandi hills, ancestral home and birthplace of  ancestral home and birthplace of Sir M. Visvesvaraya, the Isha Foundation at Chikkaballapur or even Lepakshi and other destinations of tourist interest across the Andhra Pradesh border, are places that one can make a combined visit to, while on the heritage railway station hop.

Chikkajala fort – 

Ancestral home of Sir M. Visvesvaraya (now a museum of his personal belongings) – 

Where to eat – 

Well, my long time readers know very well that no story of mine is complete without talking about food!

While there is absolutely no dearth of eateries along this route, I was fortunate to discover a relatively new restaurant, a rather charming place called Koteshwaram – Temple of Divine Food (Koteshwara is a historic coastal, famous for the ancient Kotilingeshwara Temple and is situated in Kundapura in Karnataka).

A relatively new place, this lovely and spacious restaurant with traditional  decor, serves the usual generic South Indian cuisine, as well as a few regional delicacies from the coast.

The food is very tasty and the pure vegetarian cuisine is authentic, making you feel like you are enjoying a home-cooked meal. The serene, hygienic ambience makes it a perfect place for dining. Also, the wash rooms are impeccable.

Later on the way back, we made another pitstop at Swarnadri Palace located at the prominent Kempegowda circle junction on the highway.

This too turned out to be a bustling restaurant serving delightful South Indian fare, as well as the ubiquitous Indo Chinese and North Indian, without which most of these places seem not to function!

Please Note –

This trip was in collaboration with INTACH and I thank them for the experience. My narration is based on the inputs I received from various sources as well as my personal experiences.

For more pictures see My Facebook – Avathihalli Railway Station Silk museum And Other Station Restorations By INTACH (coming soon)

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July 2nd, 2026