What to expect
Highlights
- The Madappa (Mahadeshwara) hilltop temple.
- The forested seven-hills ghat drive.
- The living folk-epic pilgrimage tradition.
Male Mahadeshwara Hills
A range of seven hills in Hanur taluk crowned by the Male Mahadeshwara (Madappa) temple, one of the most visited Shaiva pilgrimage centres in Karnataka, reached by a ghat road and famed in the sung folk epics of the region. This temple guide is organized from MM Hills in Chamarajanagar district, with practical planning for routes, timing, nearby stays, food, operators and direct local inventory. Use it to compare what to see, how long to spend, when to go and which pilgrim stays, respectful local guides, food stops, shops, transport and verified visitor support should be verified around Male Mahadeshwara Hills.
Practical guide
Plan Male Mahadeshwara Hills
Who's going?Tailor Male Mahadeshwara Hills to your trip
Before you go to Male Mahadeshwara Hills
Entry rules not verified for this temple. Some Hindu temples admit only Hindus, and most enforce a dress code at the door. We have not verified the rule for this particular temple, so please check before you travel — especially if you are not Hindu or are visiting from outside India.
We report each site's own published rules neutrally, and only where we can source them.
Typetemple
Nearest baseMM Hills
DistrictChamarajanagar
Best timeOctober to February
Time neededA full day from Chamarajanagar or Mysuru
EntryFree
The Male Mahadeshwara Hills (MM Hills) are a range of seven forested hills in Hanur taluk crowned by the Male Mahadeshwara (Madappa) temple.
It is one of the most visited Shaiva pilgrimage centres in Karnataka, reached by a winding ghat road and celebrated in the sung folk epics of the region.
Getting there
How to visit
- About 130 km from Chamarajanagar via Kollegal and Hanur; reached by KSRTC bus or taxi up the ghat road.
- Dress modestly and remove footwear; expect big crowds on weekends and festival days.
Distance by road
- Mysuru60 km
- Bengaluru180 km
- Ooty130 km
- Mandya90 km
- Kozhikode200 km
Road km to Chamarajanagar; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to February; weekdays are far less crowded.
Weather in Male Mahadeshwara HillsSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Male Mahadeshwara Hills
Sunrise6:10 am
Sunset6:30 pm
Golden hour best light5:30 pm–6:30 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:30 pm–6:55 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 278°
Moon tonight🌗 Last quarter · 55%
South-west monsoon. June to September is the south-west monsoon in Karnataka. Expect heavy showers, mostly in bursts rather than all day — carry rain cover, allow extra time for getting around, and note that ferries and open-air sites are the first things affected.
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Visitor notes
- A busy pilgrimage temple with a long ghat approach — start early, and drive the hairpins carefully.
Photos
Male Mahadeshwara Hills in pictures
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Male Mahadeshwara Hills
Verified hotels, homestays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and rentals around Male Mahadeshwara Hills — commission-free, with direct contact. Filter by what you need.
Verified inventory is being added here.
Verified places are being added. The category filters will fill in as approved stays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and nature listings go live.
List your placeRoampedia is commission-free — own or know a stay, eatery, guide or shop near Male Mahadeshwara Hills? List it and it appears here once verified.
Add a nearby businessBefore you go
Male Mahadeshwara Hills — at a glance
TimingsTemple hours; long queues on festival days
Best timeOctober to February; weekdays less crowded
Entry: Free (special darshan/pujas charged)
Getting here
How to reach Male Mahadeshwara Hills
~130 km from Chamarajanagar via Kollegal and Hanur; KSRTC bus or taxi up the ghat
Getting back
Work out your return before you settle in for the sunset. Public transport here thins out sharply in the evening, and Male Mahadeshwara Hills is easier to reach than to leave. We do not publish departure times: there is no official live feed we are permitted to republish, and a wrong time here would strand you. Check the operator directly on the day.
- KSRTC — the Karnataka state bus operator; route and schedule enquiries. Online booking.
- Indian Railways — live running and seat availability for the nearest railhead, named under “Getting here” above.
Ask at the bus stand for the time of the last service back, not the next one. If you miss it, an auto or app cab is the fallback — agree the fare before you get in.
Getting around Male Mahadeshwara Hills
We have not assessed physical access at this place yet. Across India, step-free routes, handrails and accessible toilets are the exception rather than the rule, and pavements are often interrupted — if step-free access matters to you, contact the site or a local operator before committing to the trip.
If you need help at Male Mahadeshwara Hills
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Male Mahadeshwara Hills
On the map
Where Male Mahadeshwara Hills is
Good to know
Male Mahadeshwara Hills — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Male Mahadeshwara Hills?
October to February; weekdays are far less crowded.
What are the entry fee and timings at Male Mahadeshwara Hills?
Entry: Free (special darshan/pujas charged). Timings: Temple hours; long queues on festival days.
How do I reach Male Mahadeshwara Hills?
About 130 km from Chamarajanagar via Kollegal and Hanur; reached by KSRTC bus or taxi up the ghat road. Dress modestly and remove footwear; expect big crowds on weekends and festival days.
How much time do I need for Male Mahadeshwara Hills?
A full day from Chamarajanagar or Mysuru.
What else is near Male Mahadeshwara Hills?
Nearby you can pair Bharachukki Falls (20.0 km), Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple, BR Hills (23.9 km), Chamarajeshwara Temple (45.9 km).
Image credits
Photographs: Naveen R Gowda, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), User:Omshivaprakash (CC BY-SA 4.0), Prof tpms (CC BY-SA 4.0), Lodo from Moscow, Russia (CC BY-SA 2.0). Wikimedia Commons.