Devarayanadurga is a hill station near Tumkur in the state of Karnataka in India. The rocky hills are surrounded by forest and the hilltops are dotted with several temples including the Yoganarasimha and the Bhoganarasimha temples and an altitude of 3940 feet.[1] It is also famous for Namada Chilume, a natural spring considered sacred and is also considered the origin of the Jayamangali river. Another famous temple in the area is the Mahalakshmi Temple at Goravanahalli.
Devarayanadurga once known as Anebiddasari is a well known pilgrim spot amid green hills and is guaranteed to revive your spirits with its beautiful rocky terrain.
Here is a quick look about the place and its history.
History:
The place is also known as Karigiri which means elephant hill in Kannada. When the Devarayanadurga hill is seen from the east side it resembles an elephant. Hence the name Karigiri (Kari-elephant, giri-hill). The hillock got its name Devarayanadurga after it was captured by Mysore king Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar in 1696. Earlier it was known by the name Anebiddasari and later Jadakana Durga when a chief named Jadaka ruled the town.The hill is situated at an altitude of 3940 feet and is home to diverse flora and fauna. Devarayanadurga is the birthplace of rivers like Jayamangala which joins the Krishna River and the Shimsha River which joins the river Kaveri at Shivanasamudra. The hill chains at Devarayanadurga also mark the boundary of Krishna and Kaveri river basins.
17th century fort ruins, historical remains dating back to Hoysala and Vijayanagara period and the traces of
Wodeyar dynasty rule can be seen in Devarayanadurga village and the Kumbhi hills of Devarayanadurga.
Things to do:
Ancient temples:
The Devarayanadurga is dotted with many ancient temples. Many of these temples had the support of Wodeyar kings.
The Devarayanadurga area consists of three hilly elevations. On the highest elevation is the Yoga Narasimha
temple which sits on Kumbhi hill and is situated at an altitude of 4200 feet.The temple of Yoga Narasimha is believed to be 1000 years old. Right next to the temple is a sacred pond by the name Pada teertha. The source of Pada teertha waters can be traced out by exploring the Sri Pada teertha cave near by. The cave is devoid of any light and has steps to take you inside. With a torch or a lamp you can make out a lake and the shape of a wheel (known as Sudarshana chakra) nearby it.
For a bird’s eye view of the countryside you can climb to the top of Kumbhi hill. This will take you about 10-15 minutes to reach the top. At the top there is a stone structure with a bell known as “Garuda Gante”.
The temple timings are morning 10-1 and evening 2-8. On the way to the temple you can see the idols of Hanuman and Garuda at the small temple of Garudanjaneya.
At the middle elevation of Devarayanadurga hill you have a government traveler’s bungalow and two natural
springs by the name Rama-teertha and Dhanus-teertha. The Dhanus-teertha is in the form of a bow. Close by you can also visit the beautiful cave temple of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana.
At the base of the hill you have the temple of Bhoga Narasimha. Every year during the months of Feb/March there is car festival conducted here and this week long festival is celebrated with much fun-fare by the devotees. The temple timings are 9-3 in the morning and 5-8:30 in the evening. In the temple during lunch hours, food is distributed free of cost.
Namada Chilume, a natural spring:
Namada Chilume is a natural spring gushing out of a pit in a rocky ground. This place is 5 kilometers away from Bhoga Narasimha temple and is a must see spot. Legend has it that Sri Rama; the hero of mythological story Ramayana needed water to apply forehead marks. Not finding any source of water nearby he created this spring.
Even if the legends don’t inspire you, you still need to check out this place as the crystal clear waters of
this small water hole are worth seeing. Nearby there is a spotted deer park and a twenty acres garden dedicated to medicinal plants. There are about 300 varieties of rare plants here .Plants to treat all types of diseases under the sun can be found here. Wounds, cuts, antidotes to poison and cures for common diseases of man like stomach, respiratory, bone disorders etc are grown here. The place is worth a visit. You can take few ayurvedic plants back home as well.
Bird sighting:
The place is home to many species of birds like spotted owlet, Coppersmith, red bulbuls, Robins, King fishers etc. The famous ornithologist, Dr Salim Ali also stayed near Namada Chilume for bird watching. You can check out the guest house where he stayed. This guest house was built in 1931.
Trekking and rock climbing: The rocky terrain offers many opportunities for trekking. The hill is about 1188
meters and is great for moderate trekking. Check out bmcindia.org/events/ for more details.
Cycling:
If you are a cycling enthusiast then you can register for cycling events at http://www.ICYCLE.in. The trails are not for beginners as it is level3 trail with cycling trek nearing to 75 kilometers or so. But you can check out level 1 trails meant for beginners.
Festivals:
Two important festivals taking place at Devarayanadurga are the car festival which is a happening event during March/April and the Narasimha Jayanthi during May.
How to get there?
The route to be followed is Bangalore-Nelamangala – Dabaspet – Devarayanadurga. When you reach Dabaspet you need to take a right under the flyover. After another 20 kilometer stretch you reach Devarayanadurga.
If you are planning to travel by bus then there are buses till Dabaspet from Majestic bus stand. From Dabaspet you will need to take an auto to reach the temple.
Where to eat?
En route to Devarayanadurga you get popular hotels like Kamat Ruchi and Café Coffee day.
The base of the temple also has shops selling tender coconut and light snacks items like biscuits, cut fruits, salted cucumber etc.
Accessibility:
The roads are in good condition and the drive is a pleasant one. You can take elders and kids along with you for visiting the temple and the natural spring. There are 100 or so steps to climb for viewing the Yoga Narasimha temple. This will not be a problem as the wide stone steps provide ample space to sit. About 10 minutes on foot will take you to the temple.
Devarayanadurga once known as Anebiddasari is a well known pilgrim spot amid green hills and is guaranteed to revive your spirits with its beautiful rocky terrain.
Here is a quick look about the place and its history.
History:
The place is also known as Karigiri which means elephant hill in Kannada. When the Devarayanadurga hill is seen from the east side it resembles an elephant. Hence the name Karigiri (Kari-elephant, giri-hill). The hillock got its name Devarayanadurga after it was captured by Mysore king Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar in 1696. Earlier it was known by the name Anebiddasari and later Jadakana Durga when a chief named Jadaka ruled the town.The hill is situated at an altitude of 3940 feet and is home to diverse flora and fauna. Devarayanadurga is the birthplace of rivers like Jayamangala which joins the Krishna River and the Shimsha River which joins the river Kaveri at Shivanasamudra. The hill chains at Devarayanadurga also mark the boundary of Krishna and Kaveri river basins.
17th century fort ruins, historical remains dating back to Hoysala and Vijayanagara period and the traces of
Wodeyar dynasty rule can be seen in Devarayanadurga village and the Kumbhi hills of Devarayanadurga.
Things to do:
Ancient temples:
The Devarayanadurga is dotted with many ancient temples. Many of these temples had the support of Wodeyar kings.
The Devarayanadurga area consists of three hilly elevations. On the highest elevation is the Yoga Narasimha
temple which sits on Kumbhi hill and is situated at an altitude of 4200 feet.The temple of Yoga Narasimha is believed to be 1000 years old. Right next to the temple is a sacred pond by the name Pada teertha. The source of Pada teertha waters can be traced out by exploring the Sri Pada teertha cave near by. The cave is devoid of any light and has steps to take you inside. With a torch or a lamp you can make out a lake and the shape of a wheel (known as Sudarshana chakra) nearby it.
For a bird’s eye view of the countryside you can climb to the top of Kumbhi hill. This will take you about 10-15 minutes to reach the top. At the top there is a stone structure with a bell known as “Garuda Gante”.
The temple timings are morning 10-1 and evening 2-8. On the way to the temple you can see the idols of Hanuman and Garuda at the small temple of Garudanjaneya.
At the middle elevation of Devarayanadurga hill you have a government traveler’s bungalow and two natural
springs by the name Rama-teertha and Dhanus-teertha. The Dhanus-teertha is in the form of a bow. Close by you can also visit the beautiful cave temple of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana.
At the base of the hill you have the temple of Bhoga Narasimha. Every year during the months of Feb/March there is car festival conducted here and this week long festival is celebrated with much fun-fare by the devotees. The temple timings are 9-3 in the morning and 5-8:30 in the evening. In the temple during lunch hours, food is distributed free of cost.
Namada Chilume, a natural spring:
Namada Chilume is a natural spring gushing out of a pit in a rocky ground. This place is 5 kilometers away from Bhoga Narasimha temple and is a must see spot. Legend has it that Sri Rama; the hero of mythological story Ramayana needed water to apply forehead marks. Not finding any source of water nearby he created this spring.
Even if the legends don’t inspire you, you still need to check out this place as the crystal clear waters of
this small water hole are worth seeing. Nearby there is a spotted deer park and a twenty acres garden dedicated to medicinal plants. There are about 300 varieties of rare plants here .Plants to treat all types of diseases under the sun can be found here. Wounds, cuts, antidotes to poison and cures for common diseases of man like stomach, respiratory, bone disorders etc are grown here. The place is worth a visit. You can take few ayurvedic plants back home as well.
Bird sighting:
The place is home to many species of birds like spotted owlet, Coppersmith, red bulbuls, Robins, King fishers etc. The famous ornithologist, Dr Salim Ali also stayed near Namada Chilume for bird watching. You can check out the guest house where he stayed. This guest house was built in 1931.
Trekking and rock climbing: The rocky terrain offers many opportunities for trekking. The hill is about 1188
meters and is great for moderate trekking. Check out bmcindia.org/events/ for more details.
Cycling:
If you are a cycling enthusiast then you can register for cycling events at http://www.ICYCLE.in. The trails are not for beginners as it is level3 trail with cycling trek nearing to 75 kilometers or so. But you can check out level 1 trails meant for beginners.
Festivals:
Two important festivals taking place at Devarayanadurga are the car festival which is a happening event during March/April and the Narasimha Jayanthi during May.
How to get there?
The route to be followed is Bangalore-Nelamangala – Dabaspet – Devarayanadurga. When you reach Dabaspet you need to take a right under the flyover. After another 20 kilometer stretch you reach Devarayanadurga.
If you are planning to travel by bus then there are buses till Dabaspet from Majestic bus stand. From Dabaspet you will need to take an auto to reach the temple.
Where to eat?
En route to Devarayanadurga you get popular hotels like Kamat Ruchi and Café Coffee day.
The base of the temple also has shops selling tender coconut and light snacks items like biscuits, cut fruits, salted cucumber etc.
Accessibility:
The roads are in good condition and the drive is a pleasant one. You can take elders and kids along with you for visiting the temple and the natural spring. There are 100 or so steps to climb for viewing the Yoga Narasimha temple. This will not be a problem as the wide stone steps provide ample space to sit. About 10 minutes on foot will take you to the temple.
