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Melukote Wildlife Sanctuary

Melukote Wildlife Sanctuary

About:

Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Mandya District of Karnataka and is about 5 km from Melkote. Meant specifically for the protection of wolf, the sanctuary is divided into two blocks, namely, Mudibetta and Narayandurga. Deciduous scrub forest occupies the sanctuary. Other wildlife population includes leopard, jungle cat, Indian fox, black buck, spotted deer, wild pig, bonnet macaque, langur and pangolin.

Melukote in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district, Karnataka, is one of the sacred places in Karnataka. The place is also known as Thirunarayanapuram. It is built on rocky hills known as Yadavagiri or Yadugiri overlooking the Cauvery valley. It is about 51 km from Mysore and 133 km from Bangalore.

Melkote is also the location of the Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary. This Sanctuary was created on 17 June 1974 mainly to protect the wolf. Other mammals found in this sanctuary are jungle cat, leopard, bonnet macaque, langur and pangolin. It is also an ornithologist's paradise, with numerous species of birds indigenous to the area.and also if walk in the early morning you will see peacock.

Location info:

Address:Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Mandya District of Karnataka and is about 5 km from Melkote.
District:Mandya district
Nearest City:Melukote
Best time to visit: The best time to visit is between October and April.

Climate/Weather:

 

History:

Early in twelfth century, the great Srivaishnava saint Sri Ramanujacharya took up his residence and lived here for about 14 years (said so). It thus became a prominent centre of the Srivaishnava sect of Brahmins, who obtained from the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana, who had become a follower of the Acharya, an assignment of the fertile tracts of land in the neighbourhood, especially of the Ashta Gramas, on either bank of the Cauvery.[citation needed]

Interesting things to do:

 

Interesting things to Visit:

Yoganarasimha temple. Standing on the top of a hill, this is the most prominent and most visible structure of Melukote. The ancient temple dedicated to Vishnu is reached by a series of steps, and once you are there, it offers you 360 degree vista of the plains around it.

Kalyani. This is a large tank at the base of the temple and is surrounded by small temples. The shelter around it is adorned with series of pillars which makes it look interesting. The place has been used for shooting many Kannada movies.

Cheluvarayaswami Temple. This is the other major temple in the town which has a history of almost 1000 years, and the deity was worshipped by Ramanujacharya. Wikipedia says - "According to a legend, this metallic image[of the deity] was lost and was recovered by Sri Ramanujacharya...The temple is richly endowed having been under the special patronage of the Mysore Rajas, and has a most valuable collection of jewels.."

Raya Gopura. Past Cheluvarayaswami temple is an incomplete tower with four rising pillars called Raya Gopura. The pillars are thick and impressive and have carvings all around it. It is said to be built overnight, and with the huge pillars and stones used for construction, seems hard to believe.

Akka Thangi Kola. Just besides the Raya Gopura are ancient twin ponds called Akka Thangi Kola, built by two sisters. Next to these is an old Hanuman temple, which is now abandoned.

Thondanur Kere. 15km from Melukote is the large lake at Thondanur which is so huge that you will not be able to see its other end. The lake is one of the biggest in the region and is usually full with water, makes an excellent sight even in summers.

Mobile range info:

 

How to reach?

Nearest Railway Station:Pandavapura, Mandya. Alternatively, one can take any of the numerous trains that go from Bangalore to Mandya and then take a bus/taxi from Mandya to Melkote.
Nearest Airport:Bangalore
Road Transport:Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary is well connected by road.

From Bangalore : One can reach Melkote from Bangalore by car/taxi/bus by travelling on the Bangalore Mysore state highway and reaching the Mandya town. Just after Mandya, there is a right turn which goes to Melkote. There are some buses which go directly from Bangalore to Melkote.
From Mysore There are buses that go from Mysore to Melkote. Alternatively, one can catch a bus that goes from Mysore to Tumkur (and onwards) and get down at a place called Jakkanahalli Cross. Melkote is around 6 km from there. Bus start from Platform No.2 of Mysore Bus Stand. Charges Rs.32/per adult. From Jakkanahalli Cross lots of share auto's pay charge Rs.6/per person. Self Hire autos charge Rs.50 until Chelvanarayanan temple.
Route: Mysore -> Srirangapata (Take a left after crossing second Kaveri bridge) -> Pandavapura -> Jakkanahalli Cross -> Melkote

Nearest Visiting places:

The Hill-Top Temple of Narayana was made famous by Shri Ramanuja. The main deity is Cheluva Narayana a beautiful idol.

Nearest Petrol Pump:

Melkote

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

Either stay in Mandya, SriRangapatna or Mysore.

There is no accommodation available in Melukote. A few basic restaurants in the town serve simple vegetarian food. People of Melukote proudly proclaim of their specialty foods - Poliogre and Sakkare Pongal - both are a must try.

Things to carry:

 

Tips & Suggestions:

Distance from Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary:
Bangalore: 140 km
Mysore: 55 km
Mandya: 35 km

Help Line/Phone Number:

Police Station: Melkote
Nearest Hospital:Melkote
Society/Community Phone Number

Melukote Wildlife Sanctuary Nearest Attraction

Sivasamudram Island
About 65kms, East of Mysore, you will find the tiny island town of Shivasamudram in Mandya district. Here the River Cauvery meanders to fall into cascading Shivasamudram Falls. This sparking waterfalls flows through the abundant sylvan forest of Karnataka in Deccan Plateau, plunges 320 feet into gorge into a spate, breaking into a cloud of misty foam. The falls are 893 metres wide.....more
Srirangpatnam Island
Situated on the Cauvery River, the island-fortress of Srirangapattana is famous as the former capital of the great kings, Hyder Ali, and his son, Tipu Sultan, the 'Tiger of Mysore'. The ruins of the magnificent fortress that stands here is the main tourism attraction.....more
Adi Chunchanagiri Temples
....more
Karighatta Temples
Karighatta is a hill situated a few kilometres outside the 'island' town of Srirangapatna. It is situated off the Bangalore-Mysore road just before Srirangapatna. The name translates to "Black Hill" in Kannada. The hill has a Hindu temple devoted to a form of Hindu god Vishnu, called "Karigirivasa".....more
Melukote Temples
Melkote located near Mysore in Karnataka houses an ancient shrine to Vishnu, worshipped as TiruNarayana. This shrine is known for its long standing association with the spiritual leader Ramanujacharya. Melkote is also known as Yadavagiri, yatistalam, Vedadri and Narayanadri. ....more
Srirangapatna Temples
Srirangapatna also spelt as Srirangapattana, is city of historic, religious, and cultural hub situated in Mandhya district of Karnataka, just about 13kms from Mysore. A must see place on Bangalore- Mysore Highway. Here you will come across the entire town as an island enclosed by River Kaveri.....more
Srirangapatna Archeology
The river Kaveri surrounds Srirangapatnam , which is 16 km north of Mysore.it was the capital of Muslim Mysore kingdom, which was at loggerhead with the English and the Mysore king.....more
Bhimeshwari Sanctuary
The sparkling blue waters of Cauvery wind through rocks and ravines and fall off the Deccan Plateau to form the twin falls of Barachukki and Gaganachukki.About 35 kms downstream is yet another set of falls called Mekedatu (Goat's Leap).....more
Srirangapatna Historical
Srirangapatna also spelt as Srirangapattana, is city of historic, religious, and cultural hub situated in Mandhya district of Karnataka, just about 13kms from Mysore. A must see place on Bangalore- Mysore Highway. Here you will come across the entire town as an island enclosed by River Kaveri.....more
Hemagiri Falls
This place is located 8 Kms from KR pet enroute to Kikere town or Govindhalli. It is better to take the route back, in view of bad roads on the same stretch to reach Kikere town. The river is in full flow during monsoon and it is a treat to watch.....more
Shivasamudram Waterfalls
The Shivasamudram falls is a segmented waterfall since the river Cauvery branches into two separate falls - the western falls known as Gaganachukki and the eastern falls, Bharachukki. Shivasamudram falls is the second biggest waterfall in India and the sixteenth largest in the world.....more
Bheemeswari River
Listen to the sweet hum of the rippling river... Feel the chill of the water... and get to face her majestic beauty by riding down the river in a raft...The Cauvery is one of the most majestic and sacred rivers in the country. Flowing through the thick forests of Karnataka, this river is home to India's only protected fish species - The 'Mahaseer'.....more
Mahadevapura River
Mahadevapura is located in Mandya district of Karnataka in India. A great picnic spot which is quite far away from modern world. A famous spot for film makers shooting nature scapes -for this hamlet by the Cauvery, offers some of the prettiest frames for any cinematographer.....more
Mekedatu River
Mekedatu, in Kannada means Goat's leap, which is situated 98kms south of Bangalore. river Cauvery flows into a deep and narrow gorge, so narrow, that a goat could leap over it and that is how it got its name.....more
Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary
Located in Mandya District, Adichunchanagiri peacock sanctuary is covered with scrub forest and plantations. The altitude here varies from 770 - 1000 m. The sanctuary was established with the specific purpose of protecting the peacock.....more
Kokkare Belluru/Bellur Pelicanry
Kokkare Bellur (Village of Storks), a small village off the main highway between Bangalore and Mysore, is one of the few nesting sites in India of the spotbilled pelican. In addition, it is also home to hundreds of painted storks.....more
Krishna Raja Sagara Dam
Krishna Raja Sagara also popularly known as KRS is the name of both a lake and the dam that causes it.In 1924[1]. Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya served as the chief engineer. The dam is named for the then ruler of the Mysore Kingdom, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV.For information about the settlement near the dam and reservoir, see Krishnarajasagara.....more