One
of the well-known fort hills of the State is Madhugiri in Tumkur district,
which has the distinction of being the second biggest monolith in the whole of
Asia .
A fort was built around 1678 during the reign of Raja Hera Gowda. According to historical records, this was further fortified by Hyder Ali, taken over in succession by Marathas and again by Tipu before becoming a part of the erstwhile Mysore empire. Though the historical significance has faded with time, it is today a fascinating tourist spot enticing trekkers and climbers.
To climb the hill that climbs up a height of 3930 feet, walk through the entrance from the east between the buildings housing government offices and a series of well laid wide steps leading to the top. Several circular bastions on the way, provide place for rest, apart from a great view of the town below.
The most thrilling part of the climb is a steep section just below the top where small ledges have been carved to serve as footholds. With the wind trying to below you off, you feel greatly relieved to overcome this stretch.
On the summit is a temple of Gopalakrishna which is ruined but the circular
granaries which were used to store ragi, oil and ghee are intact. It is well
worth spending some time at the top looking at the smaller hills around and
fields in the villages below.We left early morning at 6.30 and reached Madhugiri via dobaspet and Koratagere by 10.30 AM due to bad road condition.It took almost an hour and a half to climb the hill due to the extreme hot weather and get back.We left Madhugiri by 12.30 PM.
A fort was built around 1678 during the reign of Raja Hera Gowda. According to historical records, this was further fortified by Hyder Ali, taken over in succession by Marathas and again by Tipu before becoming a part of the erstwhile Mysore empire. Though the historical significance has faded with time, it is today a fascinating tourist spot enticing trekkers and climbers.
To climb the hill that climbs up a height of 3930 feet, walk through the entrance from the east between the buildings housing government offices and a series of well laid wide steps leading to the top. Several circular bastions on the way, provide place for rest, apart from a great view of the town below.
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| Water tank |
The most thrilling part of the climb is a steep section just below the top where small ledges have been carved to serve as footholds. With the wind trying to below you off, you feel greatly relieved to overcome this stretch.
 |
| Steep climb |
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| Towards peak |
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| Fort behind me |
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Location
State: Karnataka
Exact Location: Madhugiri
is a town located in Tumkur district.
Nearest Town: Tumkur
(40+ km)
Distance from Bangalore: 80+ km
How to Reach
Bangalore
- Tumkur - Madhugiri
From Tumkur, there are two ways to reach Madhugiri.
From Tumkur, there are two ways to reach Madhugiri.
First route: Once
you leave Tumkur, there is a deviation that takes you via Siddara Betta and
Chennarayana Durga to Madhugiri. Second route: The other deviation takes you
directly to Madhugiri via dobaspet and Koratagere. Tumkur is
well-connected to Bangalore via train and bus services. Both government and
private buses ply between Tumkur and Madhugiri.
