Dodda Aalada Mara

The Dodda Alada Mara in Bangalore, a marvelous artifact of nature, is a 400-year-old banyan tree. The tree, unexpectedly, is spread over more than 3 acres of land, making it one of the largest Banyan trees ever. The tree, located on Bangalore’s Mysore Road, has become a great tourist attraction. In the late 2000s, when Dodda Alada Mara suffered from the disease, the structural integrity of the tree was hindered and now the tree just looks like a bundle of a large collection of trees. A variety of species, including monkeys, were also home to the immense dispersion of the tree.

The small temple dedicated to Lord Muneshwara is here (Lord Shiva). The Large Banyan Tree is thought to symbolize the Hindu Gods’ holy trinity. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are represented respectively by the root, stem, and branches. For quite some time, the massive banyan tree has also been a well-liked outing as well as a favorite location for many film shoots. The nearby attractions are Manchinabele Dam, which is 8 km away, and Mukti Naga Temple, 3 km from Dodda Alada Mara. The temple of Mukti Naga houses the world’s largest monolithic statue of Lord Naaga, about 16 feet high and weighing 36 tons.

The distance from Bangalore Airport to Dodda Alada Mara is approximately 64 km and there are several options that you could use to travel after you land. From Bangalore airport, there is a taxi service available and it can take up to 2 hours to reach Dodda Alada Mara. You can also take a bus to Dodda Aladamara from the airport, but it can take up to 4 hours to reach it.

The Large Banyan Tree can be reached at the Kumbalagod junction on Mysore Road by traveling 7 km down the narrow road to the right. Buses can be taken to Kengeri from Majestic and then to Dodda Alada Mara from Kengeri. There are direct buses to Dodda Alada Mara from the KR market, which stops right beside the tree.

Between January and April, the best months to visit Dodda Alada Mara are after the rainy season and before the summer season. Temperatures around these months are decent and tourists can easily enjoy a relaxed day and various other activities with less humidity.

The park remains open all day, every day, from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with no entrance fee. Cameras are approved.