Biligiri Hills -Karnataka

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The cheeping of the birds and the buzzing of the bees wake up the wildlife from their daily doze. A portion of Biligiri Hills is regarded sacred by Sholaga people. Sholaga people are the natives of Biligiri Hills. About five thousand Sholaga people reside in this area and practice hunting and shifting cultivation .In 1974 the region was declared as the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary. It encompasses a total area of approximately five hundred and forty kms above sea level. A simultaneous ban was imposed on shifting agriculture and hunting. In order that they were not completely estranged from their occupations, a small portion of land was allocated to them. Finally, they could carry on agricultural activities.

Another interesting getaway from Mysore for nature enthusiasts is the Biligiri Rangana Hills popularly known as the B.R.Hills. Though these hills are famous for the ancient temple on top of the hills, it is also home to a lesser-known wildlife sanctuary. The Biligiri Rangana Hills are 120kms from Mysore. The Billigiri Rangana hills are ideally located between the Cauvery and Kapila rivers. It is at a height of about 5, 091 feet above sea level and runs north to south for about 16kms. The lower hills are covered with rich deciduous forests that are home to a large number of elephants.

The wildlife sanctuary covers an area of about 550sq.km. and is inhabited by a number of animals including elephants, sloth bears, bison, deer, porcupines and a number of other wild animals. It is said that the sanctuary has more than 250 species of birds like the Paradise Flycatcher, Racquet Trailed Drongo and the Crested Hawk Eagle, to name a few. The sanctuary is inhabited with such a large population of wildlife that one does not have to go looking for them. There is accommodation in the sanctuary in the form of Jungle lodges and resorts. The best time to get a good look at the wildlife is at dawn.

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River Rafting:
The calm, blue waters of the Cauvery offer some excellent scope for river rafting. A glide through the river flowing through lush green forests is perfect for freshening the hearts, minds and souls of the tourists.There are many camps that organize rafting though September to May. Tourists would be accompanied by experienced guides who would take them for rafting and also provide a few tips on how to practice it to perfection. Tourists often come to this place for the perfect rafting experience. This place is far away from the maddening crown. The beautiful natural scenery and the quiet of the place would surely make everyone want to come to this place again and again.

Trekking:
BR Hills, tucked away in the south eastern part of Karnataka offers an excellent opportunity to trekkers. This is the perfect place to trek amidst lush green surroundings and a variety of wildlife.The place has a wildlife sanctuary which is the habitat for a large variety of flora and fauna. Tourists, with the help of experts can go on a guided tour to the place and learn a lot of the area.Tourists can also trek up to some of the tourist sights of the area including the Biligiri Rangaswamy temple and Dodda Sampige Mara

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Himavad Gopalaswamy Hills:
Himavad Gopalaswamy Hills in the district of Mysore is another place that is popularly visited by the Biligiri Hills` tourers. Lying in the lushly tracts of Western Ghats, it is a real tourist paradise. It is also a famous hill resort. People enjoy trekking here. The Gopalaswamy Temple lies at the hilltop and is a special attraction among tourists. This place of worship is dedicated to Lord Hoysala.

Flora and fauna:
The Biligiris are charnockitic hills, covered with tropical dry broadleaf forest, part of the South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests ecoregion. The forests range from scrub forests at lower elevations, degraded by over-use, to the tall deciduous forests typical of the ecoregion, to stunted shola forests and montane grasslands at the highest elevations, which exceed 1800 meters. The forests form an important wildlife corridor between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, linking the largest populations of Asian Elephants and tigers in southern India. The most conspicuous mammals are the herds of wild elephants. The BR hills is the only forest east of the main Western ghats mountain ranges in the central southern peninsula to harbour these panchyderms in large numbers. The forests were the study area for R. Sukumar, a scientist who studied the elephants of the area in the early eighties. A recent survey has revealed the presence of 17 Tigers in this sanctuary.

Dodda Sampige Mara:
One of the must-visits while you are on a tour to BR Hills is this unique site. This is actually a thousand year old tree. The name when translated into English means the "Big Champak tree". The temple is situated about 4 km from BR Hills. The tree reaches upto 34 m in height and is about 20 m broad. This is a holy site. There are many lingams close to the trunk of the tree

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St.Philomena Church:
st.philomena church mysoreThis is one of the largest church's in india. This is built in gothic style of construction and eyecatching structure. There are two 165 Ft towers which are beautiful to view. "Krishnaraja Wodeyar the fourth" laid the foundation stone for this church in 1933 and was completed in 1941. This church was constructed using monitary benefits from all over the world. This church is visited by people from all religions in the city during Christmas. Located to the north of the city, this colossal church is a stunning neo-Gothic structure built from 1933 to 1941. Also known as St Joseph's Church, it was designed after the Cologne Cathedral by Rev Rene Feuge, bishop of Mysore in 1933. The lofty crosses on the twin towers are 120 feet high. The church looms 165 feet into the air, its twin spires touching the sky. The interiors, much like any other church, are peaceful. The stained glass lends a lovely yellow light to the interiors of the church. The beautiful image of Philomena, who is known as a martyr for Christ, is placed uncharacteristically in an underground chapel.

Chamundi Hill Temple:
chamundi hill temple mysoreHome of the presiding deity of Mysore This hill is in the outskirts of mysore city and 13 kms from Mysore is the temple of patron Goddess of Wodeyars, Chamundeshwari. It is a well-known 335 meters high landmark. Half - way up along the stone steps is Nandi, Lord Shiva's bull. It is a majestic 4.8-meter monolith. At the top is the 12th Century temple of Chamundeshwari, the patron goddess of the Wodeyars. Form the top you can take a beautiful view of Mysore's Lakes, Parks and Palaces. The gigantic statue of the demon Mahishasura, from whom Mysore got its name is very close to the temple. You can take the "Darshan" of "Jwalamukhi Amma" temple, which is approximately 3 km from Chamundeshwari temple. In 1827 the temple was repaired by kings of mysore. In front of the temple there is a statue of "Mahishasura" the demon king. Mysore was once the city of demon king mahisha hence this place was known as "Mahishooru" and hence " Mysooru" or "Mysore". From the hill summit one can have a panoramic view of the Mysore city.

Lalitha Mahal Palace:
lalitha mahal palace mysoreBuilt in 1921 by Maharaja Krishna Raja Wodeyar Bahaddur IV, this palace initially housed royal guests. Designed by E W Fritchley, an English architect, the palace is today a five-star hotel. Now a popular venue for local film shoots and other social gatherings, a visit to the palace may help you understand the mystique of royal Mysore.

Sri jayachamarajendra art gallery:
sri chamarajendra art gallery mysoreA treasure house of masterpieces. It is popularly known as Jaganmohan Palace. Certainly worth a visit. Paintings, portraits of kings, ceramic, porcelain and glass objects the art from England and Japan, Chinese wooden furniture and carvings, etchings and Roman relics, all in all, quite a feast for the eyes. On the ground floor there are paintings and murals that depict the genealogy of the Mysore kings and princes. This ornate and charming royal residence was built in 1861 for the wedding of Krishnaraja Wodeyar. It was converted in to an auditorium and museum. It is a colourful baroque building with domes, cupolas and finals which forms a highly imaginative creation .The Jaganmohan Palace was converted into an art gallery in the year 1875. It exhibits paintings, which date back to that period. The artists of that time used natural vegetable and mineral dyes. The famous traditional Mysore "Gold leaf" paintings are also exhibited in the gallery, as are oil paintings of contemporary artists like Raja Ravi Varma and Svetoslav Roerich. It is just opposite to the City Bus-Stand and walk able distance from the KSRTS Bus-Stand or the Main Bus-Stand. Apart from these, regular cultural programs are also arranged there.

Folklore Museum:
Located in the Mysore University Campus, this museum has a spectacular collection of more than 6,500 unique folklore exhibits. Wooden figures from Karnataka villages, wooden and leather puppets and other interesting items from various villages around Karnataka are on display. Don't miss the carved wooden chariot

Nanjangud :
nanjangud mysoreThis place is 25 KMs towards south of Mysore on the way to Ooty. This is a place of worship and is located on the banks of river "KAPILA" . The temple here is of prime importance, which is the temple of "Lord Shreekanteshwara" (Shiva). The temple here is one of the largest temples of south India. The temple is spread around 1 Acres. There are 121 statues of Shiva in different avatars, also there are 65 Lingas. There will be festival during March and April where lakhs of devotees gather for the occasion.There is very good bus facility from Mysore City by KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) a government run bus service in Karnataka to Nanjangud and the journey is of half an hour and costs around Rs. 14/-. Since there is no good facility for staying in nanjangud, visitors stay in Mysore and visit nanjangud.

Shivanasamudram:
shivanasamudra mysore80 km from Mysore or 27 km from Somanathapura, which is the island town Shivanasamudram. The twin water falls (350 feet), Gaganachukki and Bharachukki are the most alluring spots near the island. It was here that the Karnataka State first produced electric power in 1902. There are temples dedicated to Ranganatha, Someshwara, Veerabhadra and Marramma. There is regular bus service from Mysore. For reservation of accommodation at the Inspection Bungalow, contact the Executive Engineer, Electrical Division, Shimshapur .

Somanathapura:
somanathapura mysoreThis place is 38 Kms towards east of Mysore. Somanathpur, a small village on the left bank of river Cauvery is an outstanding centre of tourist importance for its wonderful Hoysala temple, dedicated to Prasanna Chennakeshava constructed in 1268 A.D by Soma, an officer of the Hoysala Kingdom. The temple is built on a star shaped plan similar to other Hoysala temples at Belur-Halebid. It is a triple shrine temple, of which two are dedicated to Lord Janardhana and Venugopala, the two different forms of Lord Vishnu. The Keshava temple is a trikutachala , situated in a courtyard 215 ft. in length and 177 ft. in width, surrounded by a prakara . It has a verandah along its interior, divided into 64 cells each formally housing a deity. Rows of lathe-turned pillars support the ceiling of their frontage. The temple proper stands on an elevated jagati, which is 3/4 mtr. In height and it is sufficiently broad giving the old structure the shape of a casket. The jagati enables the visitors to go round the temple and have a clear view of the fine sculptures on the outer walls. The jagati is designed with the projections and recesses in harmony with the contours of the outer wall as is common with any Hoysala temple. The outer wall is divided into two portions.

Belur and Halebid:
belur and halebid mysoreThe sheer intricacy of the workmanship on the windows, pillars and entire stone facades in the town of Bhaktapur, Patan and Kathmandu, is unimaginable. The stone carvings on the temples of Belur and Halebid left me breathless as well. Square foot after square foot of stone was covered in the figures of the most amazing grace. Most of these have been carved out of a single block of stone. I spotted many halfdone panels - just the outlines chiseled on the stone - next to the completed ones. The artisans apperently droppred their tools when they heard of the impending invasions and fled Belur and Halebid. 155 km from Mysore, Belur is famous for the Hoysala temples of the 12th Century. Sri Channakeshava temple, built in 117 AD with fine bracket figures carved in stone, attracts a large number of visitors. 16 km from Belur is Halebid. The exquisite carvings of the temple here are the main attraction to the visitor. About 150 km from Mysore, the construction of this temple began even before the temple at Belur, but it could not be completed even after 80 years of construction. The twin Shiva temples with their common platform and garbhagrihas, one beside the other, have a common broad navranga. One of them houses the Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleshwara Linga and the other the Shanthaleshwara Linga. Both temples are complete with a main sanctuary, chambers, a colonnaded hal facing a pavilion that holds the seated figure of the sacred Nandi Bull. What surprised me most was that the grounds of the temple, with its 12 and 13th century sculpture, including Lord Ganesha and Nandi, are a varitable archaeological museum. Some of the most renowned carvings and friezes include the Bhishma Pitamah on a bed of arrows, Lord Rama hunting down the golden deer and Lord Krishna with his flute. The outer walls too are covered with artistic work of the highest quality.

Biligiri Rangana Hill:
biligiri rangana betta mysoreThis place is a religious place, which is in "Chamarajanagar District" . 90 Kms from Mysore & 230 Kms from Bangalore, the Biligirirangana range of hills are picturesquely situated between the Cauvery & Kapila rivers. At a height of 5,091 feet above sea level, this hill stretches from north to south for about 16 Kms. All round are deciduous trees. And roaming amidst the long grass and tall trees are animals. Plenty of them! So if you're looking for a cool time with a little bit of wild excitement thrown in, welcome to B.R.Hills. Wake up to the chirping of birds & humming of bees. Breathe in fresh, clean air. Take a stroll through the sylvan surroundings. And let the cool breeze blow your cares away.

Did you know that, wild elephants in a certain place get so annoyed with white milestones that they literally deracinate them and fling them around like a Frisbee? Well if you didn't know this, let me tell that this happens in B.R. Hills. It is for this reason that here the milestones are painted in yellow and green. Camp under a canopy of stars that shine brighter here. This is one place where you can shrug off your worries, fill your lungs with pure fresh mountain air and rejuvenate your soul. You are irresistibly drawn to the enchanting forest. This is home to many species of wild animals like Gaurs, Chitals, Sambhars, Bears, Elephants, Panthers and Tigers. Marvel at the splendor of nature. Get richer with the little nuggets that naturalists are always passing on. Climb over 150 steps or drive amidst spectacular settings to get to the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple.

Channapatna:
channapatna mysoreSituated about 59 km from Bangalore on the way to Mysore or 79 km from Mysore by road, is Channapatna. It is noted for lacquerwares and toys. The Government Spun Silk Mill and the Central Silk Research Institute are located here. About 5 km before reaching Channapatna on the Mysore-Bangalore road is Malur. Here, there is the temple dedicated to Sri Apprameyaswamy .

Shravanabelagola:
shravanabelagola mysoreShravanabelagola is a historic town in Hassan District in the state of Karnataka. The town is an important Jain pilgrim center. Shravanabelagola is 157 km away from Bangalore and 52 km from Hassan town.

Gopalaswamy Betta:
gopalaswamy betta mysore80 km from Mysore. This hill is traditionally called as Kamaladri. Situated in one of the chains of western ghats, it is a fine hill resort. The height is 4, 769 feet. On the top of the hill is Sri Gopalaswamy temple.The Himavad Gopalaswamy Hills, near Gundlupet in Chamarajanagara district of Karnataka and is part of the Bandipur National Park. Himavad means the abode of fogs and the hill is truely covered by fog all year round lending it a mysterious character. The Himavad Gopalaswamy hill is made all the more beautiful with 77 teertha or auspicious springs.The Gopalaswamy Temple is presided by Lord Krishna in a dancing pose, playing his flute under a tree. His consorts Satyabama and Rukmini grace his either side and panel below depicts his cows and friends.

Mahadeshwara Hills:
Malai Mahadeshwara Hills is a temple town situated in the eastern part of Kollegal taluk, Chamarajanagar district. The Lord Sri Mahadeshwara is the incarnation of Lord Shiva. It is a very famous Shaiva pilgrim centre. It draws lakhs of pilgrims from the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu. The Lord Sri Mahadeshwara's miracles are beautifully sung by village folk in the janapada style. According to tradition there are seven hills identified in the puranas as Anumale, Jenumale, Kanumale, Pachchemale, Pavalamale, Ponnachimale and Kongumale. All these hills form M.M. hills

This famous pilgrim centre, situated in picturesque surroundings, is about 133 km west of Mysore. There is a good motorable road from Kollegal to the top of the hill. The temple dedicated to Sri Mahadeswara attracts a large number of devotees from all parts of the country throughout the year, particularly during festivals like Mahasivaratri, Ugadi, Dasara, Deepavali and Mahalaya Amavasaya. There are bus services from Mysore.

Melukote:
melukote mysoreMelukote is one of the sacred places, about 64 km from Mysore. Srivyshnava preceptor Sri Ramanuja lived and taught here for nearly 14 years in the 12th century. The temple of Sri Tirunarayana also called Sri Krishna and Cheluvapulle is located at the lower hill. The Vairamudi festival takes place in March-April every year attracting a large number of devotees. A temple dedicated to Sri Yoga Narasimhaswamy is on the upper hill. There is regular bus service from Mysore City.

mercara (madikeri) mysoreHeadquarters of Coorg District, situated 120 km from Mysore on the Mysore-Mangalore highway. This is a tourist spot of great fascination because of the rich scenes of enchanting loveliness with flowering hills, dense ever-green forests, coffee plantations, c, orange groves, pepper and cardamom plantations, and extensive paddy fields. The climate is salubrious. The Omkareshwara temple here is a curious and skilful blend of Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture. Talakaveri, the birth place of the river Kaveri is nearby.

Tirumakudlu Narsipur:
This is at the sangam (confluence) of the Cauvery and Kapila rivers. Two bridges span the rivers here. There is an ancient temple dedicated to Gunjam Lakshminarasimha. Nearby is an old peepal tree called Brahmaswatha.

Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy temple:
sri lakshmi venkataramana swamy mysoreThis massive Temple is built at K.R.S Road, about 3Kms from Central Railway Station, the main portion along with the Idols were shifted from Pandavapuram Taluk, Mandya District. This is called as second Thirupathi and Lakhs of people visit during Shravana Month and the grand Brahmothsava will be celeberated during Dasara. The daily Utsavam, kalyanothsava and Phisiantrophic Service to the Society are the speciality of the Temple. The tourist community is welcome to have the pleasant darshan of the lord and get blessed during their stay at Mysore.Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary Up.ranganathittu bird sanctuary mysoreThis place is about 13 KMs towards North-East to the city of mysore.

This bird sanctuary is located on the backwaters of river Kaveri. Nature has made small islands here to facilitate the birds to stay and breed here. Birds from far off places like Siberia, North America migrate here every year to breed new ones and fly back to their own place. The Department of Forests has made arrangements of boating inorder to watch the birds. Every year during May and September you can see large variety of birds here. There is separate entry fees for entry into the bird sanctuary and for boating.

GRS Fantasy Park:
grs fantasy park mysoreAn amusement cum water park located in Mysore on KRS Road is becoming a must see tourist hot spot create on an area of 30 acres of landscaped garden, the park offers a variety of amusement and water based games like : Lazy River, Wave Pool, Gaint Pendulum Slide, Aqua Dance Floor, Red India Fall ( A Themed man made water fall ), Aqua Bowl, Lauding Pool, Kiddies Pool, Multipurpose Play System Atlantis, Multi-Lane Racing Slides, Thunder Cruise, Wavy & Crazy Cruise. The ideal place to plunge in to cool options of endless fun and excitement. GRS fantasy Park opens up an enormous landscaped thematically. Explore an exciting range of visual and sensory Delights along with tickling your taste buds at the various food venues. Swing in to a mood of spirited Stimulation. Treat yourself to water sports that rejuvenate and refresh. Add a dash of sporting fun for that extra sparkle in summer. At GRS fantasy Park you have the means to indulge to the max with exciting options of water rides, games and many more fun zones.

Balamuri and Edamuri:
CFTRIBalmuri and Edmuri- On the way to K.R.S. from Mysore, 3 Km away from the main road, there are two beautiful small waterfalls, which is the hot spot for students and nature lovers. You also come across an ancient Ganesh temple in the vicinity. Catch the K.R.S. bus and you have to get down before 8 Km from K.R.S. and walk about 3 Km to reach the spot. You can also hire a taxi or an auto.

Blue lagoons:
blue lagoons mysoreBlue lagoons: Two Km from K.R.S. there is a beautiful island created by the backwaters of K.R.S.Dam. You can reach the spot cutting through the shallow waters. It is a beautiful picnic spot and atmosphere is mind relaxing. Risk involves while reaching the island due to swirling of water and necessary precaution to be taken. You can hire an auto from K.R.S. to reach this spot. Don't miss this spot.

Lingabudi Lake:
lingabudi lake mysoreLingabudi Lake, which is situated in Sriramapura, also accommodates varieties of migratory birds. There is also a beautiful park by the side of the lake. The whole place is full of green and it is another favorite place of nature lovers. It is about 8 Km from the city. Frequent buses are available from city bus stand.

Kukkarahalli Lake:
kukkarahalli lake mysoreIn the heart of Manasa Gangothri campus, situated a beautiful lake, which is frequently visited by bird watchers, water sport lovers and nature lovers. Varieties of migratory birds visit the lake during winter and to watch those birds is feast to the eyes. The lake is very near to the railway station and bus stand.

Nimishamba Temple:
Nimishambha temple is on the banks of the Cauvery river, located about 2 km from Srirangapattana on the road leading to Sangam in the south Indian state of Karnataka. Sri Nimishamba is considered as the incarnation of wife of Lord Shiva. This place Ganjam is considered as a holy place. Shrichakra is carved on a stone in front of Sri Nimishamba and pooja is performed. There is a belief that Sri Nimishamba is going to remove all the problems and troubles of her devotees within a minute. That is why she is called Nimishamba. Nimisha means a minute. Muktaraja was blessed with the boon that Sri Nimishamba will come to his aid in his fight against the demons in a minute. That is why there is a deity Lord Shiva by the name of Moukthikeshwara. This temple was installed at the time of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar about 300 to 400 years ago.

Gumbaz:
gumbaz mysoreHousing the mortal remains of Tippu Sultan, his father Hyder Ali and his mother, the Gumbaz has splendid ebony doors inlaid with ivory. Tipu's favourite Tiger stripes cover the walls. An imposing structure where the mortal remains of Hyder Ali, his wife and Tipu Sultan were confined.

Daria Daulat Bagh:
daria daulat bagh mysoreBuilt in 1784, this Summer Palace was one of Tippu's favourite retreats. Made of teak, this Indo- Saracenic structure has ornate and beautiful frescoes. The summer Palace of Tipu Sultan, built fully by wood is today a museum devoted to Tipu Sultan

Kabini:
kabini river lodge mysoreNestled amidst the Karapur Forest lies a pristine piece of land that abounds with nature. Beckoning you to explore it for a wild and exciting holiday.
Playful Tigers, a scenic delight was once the hunting lodge of the erstwhile Mysore Maharajahs. The steep valleys with rich forests, spectacular pools and rapids provide an ideal opportunity to revive your adventurous spirits.

A view from the Kabini River Lodge proves to be absolutely breathtaking. Patches of bright blue pools hidden between the trees, the sun peeping through the thick forest and animals roaming free. Breathe in the refreshing air, whistle with the wind and carry home timeless memories. Elephants playing catch, Leopards on the prowl, Antelopes jumping across the bushes, Or maybe even a tigress with her cubs. These are indeed pictures that you'll treasure for a lifetime. And no one can offer it better than Kabini.

Bandipur National Park:
There are three cottage resorts at the boundary of the park. One is inside the park and is run by the Forest Department, another is a Karnataka Tourism Department hotel at the boundary of the park, and the third is privately managed. It is advisable to make weekend reservations beforehand. Gundelpet is about 20 km from the park and has more hotels and inns.

Nearest Petrol Pump:

Aishwarya Petrol Pump:Mysore,Karnataka,India

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

The Green Hotel:Rd Mysuru, Mysore,Karnataka,India,ph:0821 2512536

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Biligiri Hills Hills Nearest Attraction