Gaddige Raja's Tomb

The Gaddige, or Raja’s Tomb, is a group of domed mausoleums on a rise above Madikeri holding the remains of the Kodagu kings Doddavira Rajendra and Lingarajendra II and the royal priest. Built in the early 19th century, their Indo-Saracenic domes and minaret-like corner turrets show strong Islamic influence.

Gaddige Raja's Tomb, Madikeri
Practical guide

Plan Gaddige Raja's Tomb

Who's going?Tailor Gaddige Raja's Tomb to your trip
Typeheritage
Nearest baseMadikeri
DistrictKodagu
Best timeOctober to March
Time needed30 to 45 minutes
EntryFree
Places to visit7Listed businesses32

The tombs sit in a small garden with wide views over the hills, an easy and atmospheric stop a short drive from the town centre.

What to expect

Highlights

  • The Indo-Saracenic domes and turrets of the royal tombs.
  • Hilltop garden views over Madikeri.
  • A quiet, photogenic heritage stop.
Getting there

How to visit

  • About 2 km from central Madikeri; reached by auto or a short drive, then a brief walk up.
  • Wear comfortable shoes for the short climb from the road.

Distance by road

  • Mysuru120 km
  • Bengaluru260 km
  • Mangaluru135 km
  • Kannur115 km
  • Ooty210 km

Road km to Kodagu; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.

Timing

Best time

October to March; clear mornings for the views.

Weather in Gaddige Raja's TombSeasonal guide

Live forecast loads in your browser.

Today at Gaddige Raja's Tomb
Sunrise6:17 am
Sunset6:08 pm
Golden hour best light5:08 pm–6:08 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:08 pm–6:33 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 261°
Moon tonight🌒 Waxing crescent · 30%

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

  • Free entry; a heritage site — keep the grounds clean and quiet.
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop

Stays, food & things to do near Gaddige Raja's Tomb

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1 thing to do near Gaddige Raja's Tomb

Ayurveda
Ayurjeevan Ayurveda Hospital

An ayurvedic hospital on Kohinoor Road behind the State Bank, offering treatments and massage. Useful to know about after a Kodagu trek, and a working clinic rather than a spa attached to a resort.

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Top experiences around Madikeri

6 more places around Madikeri. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.

heritageMadikeri Fort

2.8 km · 4 min drive

A hilltop fort in the heart of Madikeri, first built in the 17th century by the Haleri rajas and rebuilt in stone by Tipu Sultan and the British, now enclosing government offices, a small museum, a church and views over the town.

viewpointRaja's Seat

3.4 km · 6 min drive

A garden viewpoint where the Kodagu kings are said to have watched the sunset over layered Western Ghats valleys — Madikeri’s classic sunrise-and-sunset spot, with a musical fountain and a toy train.

waterfallAbbey Falls

5.9 km · 8 min drive

A powerful waterfall about 8 km from Madikeri, set among coffee and spice estates and viewed from a hanging footbridge; fullest and most dramatic during and just after the monsoon.

templeOmkareshwara Temple

2.7 km · 4 min drive

An 1820 Shiva temple in Madikeri built by Lingarajendra II in an unusual blend of Kerala, Gothic and Islamic styles, with a domed roof, minaret-like towers and a central tank.

M
Mandalpatti
Place
viewpointMandalpatti

18.8 km · 29 min drive

A grassland hilltop viewpoint within the Pushpagiri range, reached by a rough jeep track from near Madikeri, famous for sunrise and sunset over layers of misty Western Ghats hills; often wrapped in cloud in the monsoon.

trekKotebetta

30.8 km · 35 min drive

The third-highest peak in Kodagu at about 1,620 m, north-east of Madikeri, with a Shiva shrine near the top; a grassland-and-shola trek quieter than Tadiandamol, rewarding clear-day walkers with wide Western Ghats views.

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Before you go

Gaddige Raja's Tomb — at a glance

TimingsDaylight hours
Best timeOctober to March; clear mornings

Entry: Free

Getting here

How to reach Gaddige Raja's Tomb

~2 km from central Madikeri, short climb from the road

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.

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 Gaddige Raja's Tomb

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 Gaddige Raja's Tomb
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).

Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.

Nearby

What’s near Gaddige Raja's Tomb

templeOmkareshwara Temple

An 1820 Shiva temple in Madikeri built by Lingarajendra II in an unusual blend of Kerala, Gothic and Islamic styles, with a domed roof, minaret-like towers and a central tank.

2.7 km · 4 min drive
heritageMadikeri Fort

A hilltop fort in the heart of Madikeri, first built in the 17th century by the Haleri rajas and rebuilt in stone by Tipu Sultan and the British, now enclosing government offices, a small museum, a church and views over the town.

2.8 km · 4 min drive
viewpointRaja's Seat

A garden viewpoint where the Kodagu kings are said to have watched the sunset over layered Western Ghats valleys — Madikeri’s classic sunrise-and-sunset spot, with a musical fountain and a toy train.

3.4 km · 6 min drive
waterfallAbbey Falls

A powerful waterfall about 8 km from Madikeri, set among coffee and spice estates and viewed from a hanging footbridge; fullest and most dramatic during and just after the monsoon.

5.9 km · 8 min drive
M
Mandalpatti
Place
viewpointMandalpatti

A grassland hilltop viewpoint within the Pushpagiri range, reached by a rough jeep track from near Madikeri, famous for sunrise and sunset over layers of misty Western Ghats hills; often wrapped in cloud in the monsoon.

18.8 km · 29 min drive
heritageNalknad Palace

A 1792 palace of the Kodagu (Haleri) kings tucked among coffee estates at the foot of Tadiandamol near Kakkabe, its wooden halls painted with faded murals; it was the last refuge of the Kodagu royals before the British annexation.

30.3 km · 31 min drive
trekKotebetta

The third-highest peak in Kodagu at about 1,620 m, north-east of Madikeri, with a Shiva shrine near the top; a grassland-and-shola trek quieter than Tadiandamol, rewarding clear-day walkers with wide Western Ghats views.

30.8 km · 35 min drive
P
Padi Igguthappa Temple
Place
templePadi Igguthappa Temple

The most important temple of the Kodava people, near Kakkabe, dedicated to Igguthappa (a form of Subramanya/Kartikeya); a Kerala-influenced shrine that is the focus of the community’s Kailpodh and other festivals.

30.8 km · 31 min drive
damHarangi Dam

A dam across the Harangi, a Kaveri tributary, near Hudgur about 10 km from Kushalnagar, with a garden and boating; the reservoir and its spillway are busiest and most scenic when the gates open after heavy rain.

31.9 km · 30 min drive
heritageNisargadhama

A 64-acre river island of bamboo, sandalwood and teak on the Kaveri near Kushalnagar, reached by a hanging bridge, with a deer park, boating, a treehouse and easy forest walks.

35.9 km · 31 min drive
templeNamdroling Monastery

The Golden Temple at Bylakuppe near Kushalnagar, the largest teaching centre of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism in the world, with gilded 12–18 m Buddha statues, vivid murals and hundreds of resident monks.

36.1 km · 31 min drive
templeBhagamandala

The Triveni Sangama where the Kaveri, Kannike and mythical Sujyoti rivers meet, with the Kerala-style Bhagandeshwara temple complex; a pilgrimage stop on the way to Talakaveri.

36.8 km · 37 min drive

All 7 places to visit in Madikeri →

Walking and driving times are real routed distances, except the few marked “straight line”, which are direct-line estimates and will read short.Routing: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

On the map

Where Gaddige Raja's Tomb is

Good to know

Gaddige Raja's Tomb — frequently asked

When is the best time to visit Gaddige Raja's Tomb?

October to March; clear mornings for the views.

What are the entry fee and timings at Gaddige Raja's Tomb?

Entry: Free. Timings: Daylight hours.

How do I reach Gaddige Raja's Tomb?

About 2 km from central Madikeri; reached by auto or a short drive, then a brief walk up. Wear comfortable shoes for the short climb from the road.

How much time do I need for Gaddige Raja's Tomb?

30 to 45 minutes.

What else is near Gaddige Raja's Tomb?

Nearby you can pair Omkareshwara Temple (2.7 km), Madikeri Fort (2.8 km), Raja's Seat (3.4 km), Abbey Falls (5.9 km).

Read before you go

Gaddige Raja's Tomb guides, stories & itineraries

We have not published a story about Gaddige Raja's Tomb itself yet. These cover Madikeri and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.

Around Madikeri

These guides explore Madikeri and the surrounding area. Choose a visit that fits your interests, allowing separately for travel between stops.

Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries

Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.

See all 13 Kodagu guides & stories →

Image credits

Photographs: Haneeshkm, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), Craftofolio.media (CC BY-SA 4.0), Nidhilall (CC BY-SA 4.0), Pranav Ashok (CC BY-SA 3.0). Wikimedia Commons.