Devarayanadurga is a hill station near Tumkur in Karnataka. Devarayanadurga is located at a distance of 65 km from Bangalore and 25 km from Dobbaspet. The hilltops are dotted with several temples including the Yoganarasimha and the Bhoganarasimha temples and an altitude of 3940 feet. It is also famous for Namada Chilume, a natural spring considered sacred and is also considered the origin of the Jayamangali Theertha river. Another famous temple in the area is the Mahalakshmi Temple at Goravanahalli.
Devarayanadurga is a fortified hill, about nine miles east of Tumkur town. It consists of three elevations and seven gates leading to the top. On the lowest elevation situated is the Lakshmi-Narasimha Swamy Temple. Near by is a spring know as Ane-done. On the slope of the hill is a pond said to the source of stream Mangali. Higher up is another small spring named Jaya-tirtha representing the source of another stream Jaya. Both the streams unite at Irukasandra at the foot of the hill and form the Jayamangali. The hills are also the source of the river Shimsha.
On the middle elevation are the Govt travellers Bungalow and few other places of rest. There are also two other springs known as Rama-tirtha and Dhanus-tirtha. There is a large cave nearby with figures of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana.
Devarayanadurga was originally known as Anebiddasari then as Jadakana Durga after a chief named Jadaka and finally as Devarayana Durga subsequent to its capture by Mysore king Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar.
Tradition relates that a robber chief named Andhaka or Lingaka had his stronghold here, and he was subdued by sumati, a prince, whose father, Hemachandra, was the king of Karnata and ruled from Yadupattana. On accomplishing the enterprise on which he had set forth, Sumathi is said to have established the city of Bhumandana near the present Nelamangala and taken up residence there for the protection of that part of his fathers kingdom.
Under the Hoysalas, there seems to have been, on the hill, a town called Anebiddasari or the precipice where the elephant fell. A rogue elephant, which the sthala purana describes as a Gandharva suddenly appeared before the town to the great consternation of the people and after doing considerable mischief, tried to walk up the steep rock on the west, when it slipped, fell back and was killed. The hill is accordingly called as Karigiri in the Puranas.
Under the Vijayanagara Kings, the use of the same name continued, and a large tank, named Bukkasamudra, was formed after throwing an embankment across the gorge from which the river Jayamangali has its source. Remains of the embankment and of the adjacent town can still be traced.
Devarayanadurga is 65 km from Bangalore, by road on Tumkur road. The nearest railway station is 25 km away in Dobbespet. Distance from Siddaganga Hale Mata to Devarayanadurga is 14.4 km and takes about 29 min 30 min in Normal Traffic.
There are 2 routes to this place.
- From Banglore, go till Dobbespet. Go under the flyover and take a right. (note: The left here leads to Shivagange betta and right leads to Devarayandurga.) This road is in quite bad shape and it is a longer approach to Devarayanadurga. On this route you get Devarayanadurga first, and then as you go towards Kyatsandra, you get another Hanuman and Shankara temple, a little further is Namada Chilume and then Siddaganga mutt (different from Siddagange betta) and a kilometer from there is Kyatsandra where you hit Banglore Tumkur road.
- The other route from banglore is from Kyatsandra. About 1Km after crossing second toll gate on Tumkur road take right at Kyatsandra. After crossing railway level cross you reach Siddaganga Mutt then Namada Chilume then Hanuman Temple and finally Devarayanadurga. The roads on this side are much better and this route is shorter.
Devarayanadurga Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple
The temple, built in the dravidian style of architecture, faces east and is said to have been constructed by Kanthirava Narasaraja I. From the inscriptions numbered Tumkur 41 and 42, we learn that the enclosure and tower were repaired in 1858 by the Mysore king Krishnaraja Wodeyar III.
The TVS Group, a south Indian automobile company, has helped a great deal in the improvement and maintenance of the temple environs.
BhogaNaraishma temple is at the base of the hill and Yoga Narasimha temple is on top of the hill.
Trekking at Devarayanadurga
Devarayanadurga is a fortified hill and located nine miles east of Tumkur town. Its in the midst of picturesque landscape and at an altitude of 3940 feet. There are three elevations and seven gates that lead a trekker to the summit. Lakshmi-Narasimha Swamy Temple is on the lowest elevation. There is a spring, Ane-done, nestled near the first elevation. There is a pond on the slope that is believed to be the source of Mangali. A little higher on the Trekking Trail, there is another small spring known as Jaya-tirtha.
Its said that stream Jaya originates from this spring. At the base of the hill at Irukasandra, both the streams come together to form the river Jayamangali. Shimsha River also originates from these hills.
Namada Chilume
Namada Chilume is situted 8 km from Tumkur. Namada Chilume is a natural spring oozing out from the surface of the rock. As shown in the picture, the water comes out from a small hole through out the year and never dries up. From Devarayanadurga, Namada Chilume is located at a distance of around 5 Kms. In Namada chilume, there is a Deer Sanctuary and is a lovely scenic place surrounded by hills and Greenery. There is a saying that Lord Rama wanted to apply Naama (On Fore head) and he could not find water. so he shot a arrow and water emerged from the rock. From then till date water comes from this rock and till now it has not dried up, is the saying.Hence this place was coined Naamada Chilume. There is also a deer park in the same campus. Just opposite to 'Namada Chilume' is a nursery of medicinal plants maintained by the forest department of Govt. of Karnataka.
The temple, built in the dravidian style of architecture, faces east and is said to have been constructed by Kanthirava Narasaraja I. From the inscriptions numbered Tumkur 41 and 42, we learn that the enclosure and tower were repaired in 1858 by the Mysore king Krishnaraja Wodeyar III.
The TVS Group, a south Indian automobile company, has helped a great deal in the improvement and maintenance of the temple environs.
BhogaNaraishma temple is at the base of the hill and Yoga Narasimha temple is on top of the hill.
Trekking at Devarayanadurga
Devarayanadurga is a fortified hill and located nine miles east of Tumkur town. Its in the midst of picturesque landscape and at an altitude of 3940 feet. There are three elevations and seven gates that lead a trekker to the summit. Lakshmi-Narasimha Swamy Temple is on the lowest elevation. There is a spring, Ane-done, nestled near the first elevation. There is a pond on the slope that is believed to be the source of Mangali. A little higher on the Trekking Trail, there is another small spring known as Jaya-tirtha.
Its said that stream Jaya originates from this spring. At the base of the hill at Irukasandra, both the streams come together to form the river Jayamangali. Shimsha River also originates from these hills.
Namada Chilume
Namada Chilume is situted 8 km from Tumkur. Namada Chilume is a natural spring oozing out from the surface of the rock. As shown in the picture, the water comes out from a small hole through out the year and never dries up. From Devarayanadurga, Namada Chilume is located at a distance of around 5 Kms. In Namada chilume, there is a Deer Sanctuary and is a lovely scenic place surrounded by hills and Greenery. There is a saying that Lord Rama wanted to apply Naama (On Fore head) and he could not find water. so he shot a arrow and water emerged from the rock. From then till date water comes from this rock and till now it has not dried up, is the saying.Hence this place was coined Naamada Chilume. There is also a deer park in the same campus. Just opposite to 'Namada Chilume' is a nursery of medicinal plants maintained by the forest department of Govt. of Karnataka.
