What to expect
Highlights
- The Madappa (Mahadeshwara) hilltop temple.
- The forested seven-hills ghat drive.
- The living folk-epic pilgrimage tradition.
Male Mahadeshwara Hills
The Male Mahadeshwara Hills (MM Hills) are a range of seven forested hills in Hanur taluk crowned by the Male Mahadeshwara (Madappa) temple.
Practical guide
Plan Male Mahadeshwara Hills
Who's going?Tailor Male Mahadeshwara Hills to your trip
Before you go to Male Mahadeshwara Hills
Check entry arrangements. Ask temple staff about visitor entry, dress requirements and access to the inner shrine before you travel, especially if you are visiting as a non-Hindu.
Dress respectfully and follow the institution’s admission and photography rules.
Typetemple
Nearest baseMM Hills
DistrictChamarajanagar
Best timeOctober to February
Time neededA full day from Chamarajanagar or Mysuru
EntryFree
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
Sunrise6:11 am
Sunset6:01 pm
Golden hour best light5:01 pm–6:01 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:01 pm–6:26 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 260°
Moon tonight🌓 First quarter · 56%
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
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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
If you are travelling by bus or ferry, check the return service with the operator before setting out. Leave time to reach the stop or jetty after your visit.
- 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
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
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
waterfallBharachukki Falls
The eastern of the two great cascades of the Shivanasamudra falls, where the Kaveri fans out over a wide rock face on the Kollegal (Chamarajanagar) side of the river; fullest and most thunderous in and just after the monsoon, with coracle rides at the base when the flow allows.
20.0 km · ~33 min by cab · straight line
templeBiligiri Rangaswamy Temple, BR Hills
The hilltop temple of Lord Ranganatha (Biligiri Ranga) that gives the Biligiriranga (BR) Hills their name, set amid the forests of the BRT Tiger Reserve where the Eastern and Western Ghats meet — a Soliga-tribal pilgrimage centre and a base for wildlife safaris.
23.9 km · ~40 min by cab · straight line
templeChamarajeshwara Temple
Chamarajeshwara Temple is the living Shiva temple at the centre of Chamarajanagar, where a Mysuru royal dedication, a sculptured entrance tower and an annual chariot festival give the district headquarters a story of its own.
45.9 km · ~76 min by cab · straight lineV
Veerabhadreshwara Temple, Chamarajanagar
Place
templeVeerabhadreshwara Temple, Chamarajanagar
OpenStreetMap identifies this local Veerabhadreshwara shrine in Kannada near the town centre. It is a smaller worship stop with no verified tourist timetable; follow local instructions at the entrance.
46.1 km · ~77 min by cab · straight lineK
Kolada Ganapathi Temple
Place
templeKolada Ganapathi Temple
A separately mapped Ganapathi shrine near Doddarasina Kola in Chamarajanagar. Keep the worship entrance clear, remove footwear where directed and confirm access before entering.
46.3 km · ~77 min by cab · straight lineA
Anjaneya Swami Temple, Chamarajanagar
Place
templeAnjaneya Swami Temple, Chamarajanagar
The Anjaneya Swami shrine near Doddarasina Kola is a distinct local temple, not Chamarajeshwara under another name. Visit respectfully during confirmed worship access and ask before photographs.
46.3 km · ~77 min by cab · straight lineOn 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), Veerabhadreshwara Temple, Chamarajanagar (46.1 km).
Read before you go
Male Mahadeshwara Hills guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Male Mahadeshwara Hills itself yet. These cover MM Hills and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
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.