A short night’s sleep in the hotel later, the Amravati exploration began in earnest. The biggest attraction (literally) in Amravati is the Dhyana Buddha statue. This 125-foot statue of the Buddha is essentially one of the most elaborate roofs to a structure you will ever see, because the base of the statue houses a museum on Buddhist culture. The sunlight bouncing off the serene, soaring white statue was perfectly balanced by the almost glowing Wildfire Red shade of the Yaris. I also checked out the mighty Krishna River gurgling nearby before heading out of Amravati and towards the other side of the River’s bank and the famous town of Vijayawada.
This bustling city also forms part of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region and is accessed by the formidable Prakasam Barrage. On the other side of the bridge and just a short stint down the road is the famous Bhavani Island, my next stop on this journey. This island spans 133 acres, making it one of the largest river islands in India. The island is a haven for water sport enthusiasts and offers a whole bunch of fun activities besides. A regular ferry service takes you across and back and you can even live in the hotel built on this island if you choose. I explored the island all afternoon and even stayed back to catch a spectacular sunset before heading back to the hotel.
The next morning it was time to make our return journey to Bengaluru; only I chose a different highway this time. On the way out, a tall and decidedly blue statue caught my eye. It wasn’t, as you would imagine, a statue of Lord Shiva. No, instead it was a statue of Jake Sully in his Avatar form, from the hit James Cameron movie Avatar! He wasn’t alone either, as alongside his statue was one of Neytiri astride a Flying Banshee right next to him! For a film nerd like me, they were the coolest statues ever! It wasn’t all modern art explorations for us, though, because my next stop was the Undavalli Caves. A few of this collection of caves date back all the way to the fourth century AD and are adorned with various religious carvings.
Our 650+ kilometre drive back to Bengaluru was similar to the drive out — a combination of highways first wide, then narrow, before we arrived at the metropolis, once again after darkness had set in. Our flight back out was on the following evening, which allowed me to catch some rest and opened up a small window of opportunity for even more exploration. An opportunity I couldn’t possibly turn down. So, after a hearty breakfast, I headed out into the town and my favourite part of it, Cubbon Park. This leafy green haven in the middle of the bustle was a great place to relax, unwind, and take in the bountiful nature surrounding me. The Yaris’ cabin with its plush seats, high-quality dash, air-con with automated temperature control and roof-mounted air vents in the second row, and cutting-edge infotainment and instrumentation perfectly complemented my urge to chill out for a bit.
This drive is testimony to the suitability of the Yaris as a four-wheeled companion for the young professional who has an adventurous streak within him or her. It drives great, looks gorgeous, and comes with a host of cutting-edge features that make it an absolute standout in its segment.
