Being in Bangalore for a few years now, we have been yearning to visit Chikkamagaluru for a long time. Finally it happened on my last birthday when we decided to visit this little hill town as a last minute decision. A beautiful hill station in Karnataka, Chikkamagaluru is one of the best hill stations near Bangalore and famous for its finest quality coffee and is home to Karnataka’s highest peak. It has something for every traveller – the majestic mountains to conquer for the trekker, the hidden waterfalls for the adventure enthusiast and the lush green surroundings for the nature lover. And the best part is, you can easily visit it as a weekend trip from Bangalore.
We started by car from Bangalore early in the morning and it took us around 6 hours to reach Chikkamagaluru including a few stops in between. As we moved farther from Bangalore, the landscape dotted with mountains, corn fields, green pastures and windmills started accompanying us in our journey.
Things to do in Chikkamagaluru
Chennakeshava Temple
This temple at Belur is an architectural marvel boasting of amazingly beautiful sculptures and exquisite carvings. This is one of the remarkable monuments built in the early 12th century during the Hoyasala empire and is now a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu with a few other temples in the compound. Every nook and corner of this place amazed us with its intricate artwork and carvings and we wondered how adept the craftsmen must be to do this without the availability of any modern tools and technology. All in all, if you love architecture, art and history, then this is a place not to be missed. We recommend hiring a guide to know more about the story behind the carvings.
Sri Veeranarayana Temple
Located in Belavadi village of Chikkamagaluru district, Veeranarayana Swamy temple is around 1000 years old. It is now maintained by the Archaeological department of India. This is a place comparatively less popular than the Belur Halebeid temples. And that is what makes it a desirable place to spend time admiring the artwork and serenity.
The temple has 108 pillars some of which are glossy black whereas some have very intricate carvings. It houses idols of Sri Veeranarayana Swamy, Lord Narasimha and Lord Krishna that are carved out of black stones very beautifully. As per the priest, the Krishna idol in this temple has been found to be the most beautiful idols in all of India by a survey conducted by the Archeological department. And do you know an interesting fact? On every summer equinox, the 1st rays of the sun pass through the pillared corridors to brighten the idol of Sri Veeranarayana Swamy.
Mullayangiri Peak
No trip to Chikkamagaluru can be complete without a visit to Mullayangiri Peak, the highest peak of Karnataka. The views from the peak are astounding with deep green valleys and forests all around and even the small lakes and town visible at one side. You can either trek (more like a walk) to the place or go by the Govt approved jeeps to the base of the mountain and then take the stairs to reach the peak. You can take your own vehicle too. But as the road towards the end was not in good condition, we had to leave our vehicle at the designated parking place and walked the rest of the distance.
Jhari/Dabdabe Falls
Chikkamagaluru is home to many beautiful waterfalls both small and big and they look majestic if you visit during or after the monsoon season. We decided to visit Jhari falls which is one of the prettiest and is present inside a forest amidst lush vegetation.
On the way to Mullayangiri, there comes a crossroad where one route goes towards Mullayangiri and the other towards the fall. The place has a board in place clearly indicating both the routes. You need to park your vehicle on the main road and rent a jeep to reach the waterfall. The 3 kilometre ride in the jeep is no less than a roller coaster as the road is in terrible condition. But at the end of the arduous jeep ride which takes around 15-20 minutes, the sight of the majestic fall takes away all the pain. The water flow in the fall was pretty strong when we visited and the sight of water gushing with full vigour amidst the green surrounding was an amazing sight. Read More….
