Tumkur

Location: Tumkur district is located on the eastern side of Karnataka. It shares boundary with Ananthapura District of Andhra Pradesh on southeast, Chitradurga, Hassan and Chikkamagalur on west and northeast, Mandya district on south.

Distance: 70 km from Bangalore

Journey time: 1 and half hour

Route: Bangalore – Dobbespet – Tumkur

How to reach there: You can reach by KSRTC buses from Bangalore, train or your own vehicle.

Where to stay:

1. Hotel Sri Nanjundeswara
B.H. Road, Tumkur – 572 101
(half km from Tumkur railway station and bus stand),

2. Dwaraka Hotel
MG road, Tumkur

3. Woodlands Hotel

Where to eat: You can eat at the above hotels, local eateries or highway dhabas.

language spoken: Kannada. English and Hindi is understood.

Tumkur is one of the district of the Indian state of Karnataka. Recently, the name has been rechristened to Tumakuru but still popularly known as Tumkur.

What to see:

1. Siddaganga Mutt (temple): Sri Siddaganga Mutt is a famous spirutual center in South India. It does a lot of social work like providing free education etc. It was founded by Sree Gosala Siddeshwara Swamiji in 15th century A.D. The Mutt established Sree Siddaganga Education Society in 1962 & runs more than 130 educational institutions. Located 63 Km from Bangalore around a beautiful landscape. The mutt is surrounded by many hills like Ramagiri(or Ramalinga) Hills, Siddaganga Hills etc. One can find caves in these hills containing Shiva lingas.

Website: http://www.siddagangamutt.org/

Bird’s eye view of Siddaganga Mutt

2. Namadha Chilume: Namadha Chilume is a small streak of water flowing out of a rock. Legend has that during the exile of Ram and Sita, Sita was thristy. So to quench her thrist, Ram shot a arrow on a rock from which water came out. No one knows the source of the water till date. It is located in dense forest. Apart from this one can enjoy the green forest, deer safari and stay at the traveller’s banglow available there. It is located around 8 km from Tumkur. That is it comes before Tumkur on the way from Bangalore.

3. Devarayana Durga: Devarayana Durga is a small hill station near Tumkur located amidst dense forest. The rocky stone boulder filled hills rising more than 3000 ft are dotted with several temples. This includes the famous Yoganarasimha and Bhoganarasimha temple. This hills has two source of water call Mangali and Jaya which join together at the foothill at Irukasandra to form the Jayamangali river. These hills are also said to be the source of river Shimsa. One can stay at the traveler’s banglow available there.

It is around 65 km from Bangalore and 25 km from Dobbespet.

Route: Bangalore – Dobbespet – take right for Devarayana Durga – take left for Shivagange betta

Bangalore – Kyatsandra – Railway crossing – Siddaganga Mutt – Namada Chilume – Hanuman Temple – Devarayanadurga (this route is shorter)

4. Goravanahalli MahaLakshmi Temple: Goravanahalli MahaLakshmi Temple is located in Goravanahalli, Koratagere taluk of Tumkur district near to Devarayanadurga. It is one of the most famous temple in Karnataka.

5. Kaidhala Chenna keshava temple: This temple is located on South Kunigal road around 6 km from Tumkur.

6. Kote Anjeneya Swami Statue: It is a huge Hanuman statue built near the Panchamukha and Anjaneya temple.

7. Ammani Kere: It is a huge lake and popular picnic spot.

Around Tumkur:

Madhugiri: Madhugiri is a monolith hill and is one of the highest in Tumkur. Around Mudhugiri there are many hills – Chennarayana Durga, Devarayana Durga, Siddara Betta to name a few. It is located around 40 km from Tumkur. You can see a fort on top of the hill. Around 20 km from here is the maidanahalli blackbuck sanctuary. There is no loding facility there, so if you would like to stay there you need to take permission from the forest authority.

Route:

1. Tumkur – deviation – Siddara Betta and Chennarayana Durga en route Madhugiri.

2. Tumkur – other deviation will take you directly to Madhugiri via Koratagere.

2. Shivagange: Shivagange is popular religious place and it derives its name from the spring which is considered as Ganga. It is around a 2 km trek to the top of the hill. On top you will find a few temples and a Nandi staute. It located around 8 km from Dobbaspet and 50 km from Bangalore.

3. Siddalingeshwara Temple

4. Chennabasaweshwara Temple Gubbi: Chennabasaweshwara Temple is located at a small village called Gibbi and nearby is the Gubbi Kere (lake).

5. Marconahalli: Has a Reservoir built across Shimsha river. Boating is available here.

6. Sinhadham: This is a Lion Safari Park located on Shimoga-Sagar Road.