Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage | City

Situated on the banks of the River Vaigai, Madurai is the third-largest city in Tamilnadu and one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in India. The city is situated about 209 km from Coimbatore and 464 km from Chennai.

Also referred to as Athens of the East, Madhurai is the oldest continually inhabited city in the Indian peninsula, with a history dating back to the Sangam period of the pre-Christian era. Madurai was the seat of power of the Pandyan Empire. Often considered the cultural capital of Tamilnadu, Madurai is one of the top places to visit in tamilnadu. The city is very well known for Madurai Meenakshi Temple, among the most visited temple in South India tour packages.

Meenakshi Temple, also known as Madurai Meenakshi, is the biggest landmark of Madurai and is one of the largest temples in India. The temple has stunning architecture and a significant testimony for Vishwakarma Brahmins for their master architecture in sculpting this temple. Along with Meenakshi Temple, Thirumalai Nayak Mahal & Koodal Alagar Temple are other important places to visit as part of Madurai tour packages.

Distance from Bangalore: 437 Kms

Pilgrimage | Beach

Udupi is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Karnataka, and among the top places to visit near Mangalore. Located between the verdant mountains of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, Udupi is the land of breathtaking beauty. It is about 59 km from Mangalore, and 403 km from the city of Bangalore.

Udupi is famous for Sri Krishna Temple which attracts pilgrims from all over India. This temple has a fascinating idol of Lord Krishna that is richly adorned with jewels. Apart from the temple, Malpe Beach, Kaup Beach & St Mary's Island are the top places to visit as part of Udupi holiday packages.

Udupi can also be visited along with Murudeshwar packages. It is also the source of renowned Udupi cuisine, which is served all over India in the efficiently-run Udupi restaurants, famous for dosas, idlis and other snacks. The tradition of this cuisine started in the great kitchens of the Krishna Temple which serve meals in the form of prasad to the thousands of devotees who come to pray at the holy shrine.

Explore our Udupi Travel Guide for complete details on the holy shrine.

Distance from Bangalore: 388 Kms

Pilgrimage | Beach

Murudeshwar is one of the most famous places to visit in Karnataka and among the popular places of pilgrimage in Karnataka. It is about 162 km from Mangalore & 497 km from Bangalore.

Murudeshwar is the abode of Lord Shiva. The temple town is famous for the world's second tallest Shiva statue (123 ft) & tallest temple tower (249 feet). The sea on three sides surrounds the Murudeshwar Temple towering on the small hill called Kanduka Giri. This is a great place to watch the sunset. Murdeshwar Beach, Kollur Temple are popular sites to visit as part of Murudeshwar holiday packages. Gokarna, Karwar, Kollur, Udupi, Jog Falls, Sirsi & Sringeri are the nearby attractions.

Maha Shivaratri during February is the important festival celebrated here with much devotion and religious rituals. The best time to visit Murudeshwar is from November to February. Murudeshwar can also be visited along with Gokarna packages.

Explore our Murudeshwar Travel Guide for complete details on the beautiful and sacred placce.

Distance from Bangalore: 487 Kms

Pilgrimage | Beach

Gokarna is one of the famous places of pilgrimage in Karnataka, and among the top places to visit as part of Karnataka tour packages. It is about 514 km from Bangalore.

Sri Mahabaleshwar Temple which houses the Atmalinga is one of the must-visit places as part of Gokarna holiday packages. Gokarna is considered to be the Mukti Stala, where Hindus perform funeral rites. Gokarna is also home to some of the best beaches in Karnataka including Om Beach, Kudle Beach, Gokarna Beach.

Among the beaches in Gokarna, the Om Beach is extremely popular among surfers. The beach gets its name due to the natural formation of the holy Om symbol. Explore our Gokarna Travel Guide for complete details on Gokarna. Gokarna can also be visited along with Dandeli tour packages.

Distance from Bangalore: 490 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

Chidambaram is a pilgrimage town in Tamil Nadu. Well known for Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram temple is one of the most celebrated shrines in South India and also one of the famous Tamilnadu places to visit. It is about 66 km from Pondicherry, and 217 km from Chennai.

Also known as Thillai, the town is known for the Thillai Nataraja Temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built during the 11th century, Chidambaram Nataraja Temple has a great religious as well as historic and cultural significance. This is one of the Panchabhoota Stalas signifying the five elements of wind (Kalahasti), water (Tiruvanaikka), fire (Tiruvannamalai), earth (Kanchipuram) and space (Chidambaram). Thillai Kaali Amman Temple, Pichavaram, Sattanathar Temple, Bhuvanagiri, Parangipettai, Annamalai University, Kollidam (river) and Poompuhar are the other prominent places to visit as part of Chidambaram tour packages.

Brahmotsavam, Ani Thirumanjanam, Thai Poosam and Arudra Dharshan are some of the Nataraja Temple festivals that attract large crowds from far and nearby places. Natyanjali Dance Festival is a major festival held in February. Many eminent dancers give their performances during this festival.

Distance from Bangalore: 390 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

Kanchipuram or Kanchi is one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in Tamilnadu. It is situated at a distance of 75 km from Chennai. It is one of the most popular places to visit near Chennai.

Located on the bank of the Palar River, Kanchipuram is one of the oldest cities in India and was served as the capital of the Pallava Dynasty. Kanchi is known for its temples and silk sarees which are woven manually. Kamakshi Amman Temple is the landmark of Kanchipuram, and among the most popular places to visit in Kanchipuram. Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kailasanathar Temple, Karchapeshwarar Temple, Sri Ekambarnathar Temple are the other prominent temples to visit as part of Kanchipuram tour packages. The temples of Kanchipuram are known for their grandeur and great architecture.

Kanchipuram is a traditional center of silk weaving and handloom industries for producing Kanchipuram Sarees. In 2005, 'Kanchipuram Silk Sarees' received the Geographical Indication tag, the first product in India to carry this label.

Distance from Bangalore: 275 Kms

Pilgrimage | City

At a distance of 71 km from Chittoor, 413 km from Vijayawada, 556 km from Hyderabad, 763 km from Vizag, 134 km from Chennai and 259 km from Bangalore, Tirupati is a pilgrimage city in the extreme southeast of Andhra Pradesh in Chittoor district. It is often referred as a synonym to Tirumala (called as Tirumala Tirupati), which is a sacred temple town famous for Sri Venkateswara Temple also known as Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple. Tirupati along with Chandragiri is an ideal Chennai getaways for a two day trip and also one of the top Andhra Pradesh tourist places.

Tirupati is one of the most ancient and sacred pilgrimage sites in India. Tirumala, the home of Lord Venkateswara is at a distance of 22 km from Tirupati. However, Tirupati is the town and transport hub to Tirumala at the bottom of the hill. The initial temple at Tirumala was built by the Tamil king Thondaimaan. The Pallavas of Kanchipuram (9th century), Cholas of Tanjore (10th century), Pandyas of Mathura and Vijayanagara Kings (14th & 15th centuries) regularly visited the temple and contributed largely to the temple. Especially, Sri Krishna Devaraya of Vijayanagara Empire contributed a lot to the temple. Now the temple is under the maintenance of TTD.

Spread over an area of 450 sq. km, Tirupati offers a magnificent ...

Distance from Bangalore: 253 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

Srirangapatna or Srirangapattana is a historical town in the Mandya district of Karnataka. About 18 km from Mysore, and 124 km from Bangalore, it is among the popular tourist places in Karnataka owing to its cultural, religious, and historic importance.

Srirangapatna is one of the top places to visit near Bangalore. The entire town is surrounded by the river Kaveri to form a river island. Srirangapatna is among the must include place in your Mysore tour packages. Ranganathaswamy Temple, Daria Daulat (Palace of Tipu Sultan) and Gumbaz (Mausoleum of Tipu Sultan) & Sangama are the must include places in Srirangapatna Tour Packages.

Laksha Deepotsava, Ratha Sapthami, and Brahmotsavam are the famous festivals celebrated with much fanfare at Srirangapatna.

Distance from Bangalore: 124 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

Thrissur, also known as Trichur, is one of the famous places of pilgrimage in Kerala, and among the must include places in Kerala tour packages. Situated about 81 km from Kochi, and 279 km from Trivandrum, this is one of the ideal weekend getaways from Kochi & Coimbatore.

Thrissur is also known as the Cultural Capital of Kerala because of its cultural, spiritual, and religious leanings throughout history. Vadakkumnathan temple, Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple and Paramekkavu temple, and Guruvayur Temple, Our Lady of Lourdes Syro-Malabar Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral, Thrissur Zoo, Shakthan Thampuran Palace, and Kerala Kalamandalam are the most popular tourist places in Thrissur.

Thrissur hosts the world-famous Thrissur Pooram, the most colorful and spectacular temple festival of Kerala. UNESCO has awarded Thrissur Pooram as the most spectacular festival event on the planet. It is one of the best experience things to do in Kerala as part of Thrissur packages. Thrissur is also the hometown of the great Hindu Saint, Adi Shankara.

Distance from Bangalore: 438 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

Thanjavur, also known as Tanjore, is one of the popular places of href='/tamilnadu/heritage' target='_blank'>heritage in Tamilnadu as it has a rich historical heritage and is a prism of ancient as well as the modern south Indian civilizations. It is situated about 170 km from Madurai, and 326 km from Chennai. Situated on the banks of River Cauvery, it is one of the top places to visit as part of Madurai tour packages.

The city was once the stronghold of the historic Cholas. Since then, Thanjavur has been one of the chief political, cultural and religious centers of South India. Thanjavur is famous for the Brihadeeswarar Temple built by Rajaraja Chola in the year 1010 AD. Also known as the Big Temple, Brihadeeswarar Temple is one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and among the most important heritage sites in India. The temple is considered to be one of the best specimens of South Indian temple architecture and among the must-visit places as part of Thanjavur tour packages.

Apart from Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur and the surrounding areas have several important tourist attractions like Thanjavur Palace, Kumbakonam, Darasuram, Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Thiruvaiyaru, Thirubuvanam, etc.

Distance from Bangalore: 396 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

Sringeri is a renowned pilgrimage center located in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. About 88 km from Chikmagalur, and 318 km from Bangalore, it is one of the important places of pilgrimage in South India, and among the must include places in Karnataka tour packages.

Sringeri is well known for Sharada Peetham, among the must-visit places as part of the Sringeri holiday packages. Sringeri Sharada Peetham is the first and foremost of the 4 Peethams established by the renowned 8th-century saint Sri Adi Shankaracharya.Vidyashankara Temple, Chennakeshava Temple, Sharadamba Temple, and Sri Parswanath Jain Tirthankara Temple are the other prominent Sringeri places to visit.

Adi Shankara Temple, Kere Anjaneya temple, Malayala Brahma Temple, Mallikarjuna Temple, Torana Ganapati Temple, Kigga, Sirimane Falls, Agumbe, Kudremukh are other attractions here. Sringeri can be visited along with Udupi Tour Packages.

Distance from Bangalore: 324 Kms

Pilgrimage

Kumbakonam is an ancient temple town located amidst the two rivers Cauvery and Arasalar in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. About 235 km from Madurai, and 282 km from Chennai, it is one of the famous places of pilgrimage in Tamilnadu, and among the popular places to visit near Chennai.

Kumbakonam is known for its temples and mutts (monasteries). There are around 188 Hindu temples within the municipal limits of Kumbakonam. Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Nageswaraswamy temple and Kasi Viswanathar temple are the prominent temples to visit as part of Kumbakonam tour packages. Sarangapani temple is the largest Vaishnava shrine present in Kumbakonam. Patteeswaram, the Oppiliappan Kovil, the Swamimalai Murugan temple and the Airavateeswarar Temple are the other temples located in the vicinity of Kumbakonam.

The town is well - known for its prestigious educational institutions and carved Panchaloha idols, silk products, brass, and metal wares. The important festival of Kumbakonam is the Mahamaham festival. It takes place once in 12 years during the Tamil Month of Masi (February/March) and lakhs of pilgrims visit Kumbakonam and takes a holy bath in the sacred Mahamaham Tank.

Distance from Bangalore: 412 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 74 km from Kurnool, 148 km from Nandyal, 49 km from Adoni, 43 km from Raichur, 253 km from Hyderabad, 301 km from Hubli, 402 km from Bangalore and 416 km from Vijayawada, Mantralayam, also known as Manchale or Mantralaya is situated in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. This is the place where the Vaishnava saint Sri Guru Raghavendra took Jeeva Samadhi (tomb) and is also one of the popular Places to visit in Andhra. Mantralayam is situated near the border of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh along the banks of River Tungabhadra, a chief tributary of River Krishna.

Mantralayam is associated with the famous saint Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy, renowned Hindu saint and philosopher. Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy, lived between 1595 and 1671 was an influential saint in Hinduism. Followers of the saint consider him to be an incarnation of Bhakta Prahallada, who was saved by Vishnu in the avatar of Narasimha. Sri Raghavendra Swamy is said to have performed many miracles during his lifetime and has a large following even today. Mantralayam is a small and peaceful town situated on the banks of the River Tungabhadra and gets thousands of devotees from all over the country. He also served as the head of Sri Mutt of Kumbakonam from 1621 to 1671.

Mantralayam is also popular for Manchalamma Temple located near the Samadhi Temple, inside the Mantralayam ...

Distance from Bangalore: 408 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

Shravanabelagola is one of the most popular Jain places of pilgrimage in Karnataka. About 83 km from Mysore, and 140 km from Bangalore, it is one of the popular places to visit near Bangalore.

Shravanabelagola is famous for the Bahubali Statue, among the must include places in Shravanabelagola tour packages. With a height of 58 feet carved out of a single block of granite, the statue is supposed to be the tallest monolithic stone statue in the world. Gomateswara temple, Odegal Basadi, Tyagada Kamba, Siddhara Basadi, Chennanna Basadi, Akhanda Bagilu, Chamundaraya Basadi, Chandragupta Basadi, Chandraprabha Basadi, Kattale Basadi, and Parshwanatha Basadi are importantplaces to visit in Shravanabelagola.

Once in 12 years, Shravanabelagola celebrates the Mahamastakabhisheka festival which attracts thousands of devotees and tourists from all over India. Shravanabelagola can also be visited along with Mysore tour packages.

Distance from Bangalore: 138 Kms

Pilgrimage | Adventure / Trekking

At a distance of 66 km from Nandyal, 137 km from Kurnool, 114 km from Kadapa, 348 km from Vijayawada, 350 km from Hyderabad and 407 km from Bangalore, Ahobilam or Ahobalam is an important pilgrimage center located in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. Ahobilam is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Andhra Pradesh and also one of the best Places to visit in Andhra Pradesh.

Ahobilam is the holy abode of Lord Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu in man-lion form. According to legend, this is the place where Lord Narasimha killed Hiranyakasipu and saved Prahalada. Though the initial temples were built by Chalukyas in 8th century, most of the current structures were rebuilt by Vijayanagara kings around 15th century.

Situated amidst dense Nallamala Forest, Ahobilam is one of the 108 Divya Desams. This place is also called as Nava Narasimha Kshetra since Lord Narasimha is worshipped in 9 different forms and separate temples exist for all the forms within a radius of 5 km from the main temple. Jwala Narasimha, Ahobila Narasimha, Malola Narasimha, Kroda Narasimha, Kaaranja Narasimha, Bhargava Narasimha, Yaogananda Narasimha, Chathravata Narasimha and Paavana Narasimha are the nine forms of Lord Narasimha in Ahobilam. Few of these temples have easy access, but most of them have to be reached by difficult treks through thick forest and rocky paths.

The town is divided ...

Distance from Bangalore: 339 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 37 km from Tirupati, 113 km from Chennai, 291 km from Bangalore, 375 km from Vijayawada and 552 km from Hyderabad, Srikalahasti, popularly known as Kalahasti is one of the ancient and most important Shiva Kshetras situated in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Srikalahasti is famous for Srikalahasteeswara Temple (referred as Srikalahasti Temple) built in 10th century. The entire temple was carved out of the side of a huge stone hill. Srikalahasti is among ideal weekend getaways from Chennai city for a two day trip and also one of the top places to experience AP Tourism.

Srikalahasti got its name from three words - 'Sri' meaning a spider, 'Kala' meaning a serpent and Hasti meaning an elephant, as these three creatures are believed to have worshipped Lord Shiva at this place and attained salvation. It is located on the banks of the River Swarnamukhi, which is a tributary to River Pennar, one of the major rivers in South India. The ancient Shiva temple of Srikalahasti finds reference in the three ancient epics the Skanda Purana, Shiva Purana and the Linga Purana. According to Skanda Purana Arjuna came to this place to worship Kalahasteeswara (Lord Shiva) and met Rishi Bharadwaja on the peak of a hill.

The temple of Kalahasteeswara is one of the most impressive Siva temples in India. This ...

Distance from Bangalore: 290 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 55 km from Nandyal, 80 km from Kurnool, 308 km from Hyderabad, 359 km from Vijayawada & 11 km from Banaganapalle, Yaganti in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh is famous for Sri Yagantiswamy Temple (also called Uma Maheshwara Temple) dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Yaganti is one of the most famous Shiva Temple is Andhra Pradesh and also one of the popular places to experince AP Tourism. The temple dates back to 5th and 6th centuries with contributions from Pallavas, Cholas, Chalukyas and Vijayanagara rulers. The temple received significant contribution from Vijayanagara Kings Harihara & Bukka Rayalu, who finished the construction of several structures in and around the temple.

The Uma Maheshwara Temple at Yaganti houses the idol of Shiva & Parvathi (Ardhanareeswara) carved out of a single stone. This is probably the only place where Lord Shiva is worshipped in an idol form instead of Shiva Linga. It is believed that Sage Agastya performed penance for Lord Shiva at this place and requested Shiva to appear in Ardhanareeswara form which is worshipped here. Another unique feature of the temple is Nandi statue which has been growing in the size.

Yaganti is located in Yerramala hills that offer immense natural beauty and unique setting to the locality. There are a several natural caves in the hills around the temple which were home for several saints throughout the ages, ...

Distance from Bangalore: 334 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 125 km from Anantapur, 124 km from Bangalore City Junction, 225 km from Tirupati, 478 km from Hyderabad & 569 km from Vijayawada, Lepakshi is a small village which lies 14 km east of Hindupur in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is the one of the important heritage sites in Andhra Pradesh highlighting the legacy of Vijayanagara Dynasty. It is one of the famous Tourist places in Andhra Pradesh and also one of the popular one day trip from Bangalore.

Lepakshi was founded in the 16th century during the reign of the Vijayanagara king, Aliiya Rama Raya. Virupanna, the royal treasurer was accused of drawing funds without the king's permission from the state treasury to build the Veerabhadra temple at Lepakshi. However, he blinded himself to avoid the king's punishment. Even today one can see two dark stains upon the wall near the Kalyana Mandapa, which are said to be the marks made by his eyes. Hence the village is called 'Lepa-akshi', means a village of the blinded eye.

Lepakshi is the centre of some of the finest temple architecture and paintings. Lepakshi consists of three important shrines dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Veerabhadra, of which Veerabhadra temple is the most important place to visit in Lepakshi (this ...

Distance from Bangalore: 124 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 19 km from Nandyal, 93 km from Kurnool, 135 km from Kadapa, 306 km from Hyderabad, 316 km from Vijayawada and 360 km from Bangalore, Mahanandi is a holy Shivaite pilgrimage center located in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh. This is also one of the famous Andhra Pradesh places to visit.

Located to the east of Nallamala Hills, Mahanandi is a picturesque village surrounded by thick forest. Within 15 km radius from Mahanandi, there are nine Nandis (Bulls) known as Nava Nandis. Mahanandi is famous for the Mahanandiswara Temple and foremost shrines of Nava Nandis. The nine Nandi temples are Mahanandi, Shivanandi, Vinayakanandi, Somanandi, Prathamanandi, Garudanandi, Suryanandi, Krishnanandi and Naganandi.

The 7th century Mahanandiswara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is very famous and sacred place. Though the initial structure was built by Chalukyas in 7th century, several additions were done in 10th and 15th centuries. The gopuram over central sanctum is built in Badami Chalukyan style of architecture and other structures in the temple are in Vijayanagara style. According to the legend, the local kings known as Nandas ruled here in the 10th century AD and they built a number of temples and worshipped their ancestral deity the Nandi, hence the name Mahanandi.

The remarkable feature here is the crystal clear water in Pushkarini which flows throughout the year. ...

Distance from Bangalore: 412 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 71 km from Tirupati, 13 km from Chittoor, 175 km from Chennai, 181 km from Bangalore, 50 km from Vellore, 59 km from Sripuram, 420 km from Coimbatore and 575 km from Hyderabad, Kanipakam is a village and pilgrimage center located in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Famous for the Varasiddhi Vinayaka Temple (Kanipakam Temple), Kanipakam is one of the top Andhra Pradesh places to visit. This is one of the ideal weekend getaways near Bangalore & Chennai for a day trip and a major pilgrimage site in Andhra Pradesh.

This village lies close to Karnataka & Tamil Nadu border on the banks of Bahuda River. The temple was constructed in the 11th century by Chola king Kulothunga Chola I and was expanded further in 1336 by Vijayanagara Kings. Kanipakam temple is a rare temple with a self-manifestation (swayambhu) idol of Lord Ganesha.

The striking feature of the idol is that it is still growing in size. According to a legend, there were three handicapped brothers, Dumb, Deaf and Blind. They were farmers and used to draw water for farming from a well nearby. One day the well got dried and they could no longer continue cultivation. One of them got into the well and started digging it up. He was shocked to see blood coming out of the well. Within in a few seconds the entire water turned red. All the three became normal getting rid ...

Distance from Bangalore: 181 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 218 kms from Hyderabad, 22 Kms from Kurnool, 126 Kms from Mahbubnagar & 200 kms from Srisailam, Alampur is a historical place located in Mahbubnagar district of Telangana. Alampur is famous for Jogulamba Temple (a Shakti Peetha), Navabrahma temples and Sangameswara Temple built in 7th century. Alampur is considered as the western gateway to the famous pilgrimage town Srisailam. The temple consists of several inscriptions dated between 7th and 16th centuries. Alampur is one of the famous places to visit near Hyderabad.

Situated on the banks of River Tungabhadra close to the place where the mighty rivers of Krishna and Tungabhadra merge, Alampur has rich historical and pilgrimage importance. Several dynasties ruled this place including Satavahanas, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Bahamani sultans, Vijayanagara kings and finally falling under Hyderabad. Alampur is one of the top attractions you must include in Hyderabad tour packages.

As per history of this place, Lord Brahma, after losing his powers due to a curse of a saint, performed penance for Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Shiva appeared in nine different forms, thus nine different temples to celebrate each form. The shivalinga in the main temple ...

Distance from Bangalore: 386 Kms

Pilgrimage | Adventure / Trekking

About Baba Budangiri


At a distance of 29 km from Kemmanagundi & 36 km from Chikmagalur, Baba Budangiri is a mountain in the Baba Budan range of Chikmagalur. At an altitude of 1895 meters, Baba Budangiri is the second-highest peak in Karnataka, and among the must-include places in your Chikmagalur Tour Packages. The main peaks in the Baba Budan range are the Mulliyangiri and Baba Budangiri which are collectively known as the Chandra Drona Mountain Range as they naturally form the shape of a crescent moon. This is one of the popular Chickmagalur tourist places.

History of Baba Budangiri


Also known as Dattagiri, the mountain is named after the Muslim saint, Baba Budan who is worshiped by both Hindus and Muslims. Baba Budan was a 17th-century Sufi saint who came to India from Saudi to spread the message of Islam and peace. According to legend, he introduced coffee to India by bringing beans from the port of Mocha, Yemen in 1670 AD. This place is also important for Hindus as Dattatreya Peetha. A cave here is believed to have been the residence of Sri Dattatreya Swamy. An annual Jatra or Urs, which is held for three days after the Holi Festival according to the Hindu calendar, is attended by both Hindus and Muslims.

Baba Budangiri Trek


Baba Budangiri is one of the top places for trekking in Karnataka and among the best places to ...

Distance from Bangalore: 270 Kms

Pilgrimage | Nature & Scenic

About Talakaveri


At a distance of 9 km from Bhagamandala & 44 km from Madikeri, Talacauvery is the origin of the Cauvery River in Karnataka. It is situated on the slopes of the Brahmagiri mountain ranges near Bhagamandala at an altitude of 1276 m. It is one of the best places to visit in Coorg and is among prime place to visit on a Coorg trip.

At Talacauvery, there is a square tank called Cauvery Kundike or Brahma Kundike, which is considered to be the birth place of River Cauvery. Here, River Cauvery emerges as a perennial spring and disappears underground. River Cauvery again emerges at Nagathirtha near Bhagamandala and joins with Kannike and Sujyoti at Triveni Sangam. Bhagamandala is the meeting of three rivers and is also referred to as Triveni Sangam.

History of Talakaveri


According to legend, Cauvery was held captive by sage Agasthya in a Kamandala, a pot carrying sacred water. Lord Ganesha in the form of a crow made the Kamandala to topple at this hill when Sage Agasthya was meditating. There is a shrine dedicated to Kaveri Amman near the kundike and a big tank in front of it where devotees baths before offering prayers. The temple was renovated by the state government in 2007.

Talacauvery also consists of shrines dedicated to Lord Agastheeshwara and ...

Distance from Bangalore: 308 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 60 km from Murudeshwar, 73 km from Udupi, 90 km from Jog Falls and 133 km from Mangalore, Sri Mookambika Devi Temple is a Hindu temple situated at Kollur in Udupi district of Karnataka. The temple is located in the valley of Kodachadri Mountain Peak on the banks of Souparnika River. Kollur is regarded as one of the Seven Mukti Stalas created by Parashurama and the other places are Udupi, Subrahmanya, Kumbasi, Kodeshwara, Sankaranarayana and Gokarna. It is a famous site of pilgrimage in Karnataka and one of the top places to visit near Murudeshwar.

This temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvathi. According to Legend, Goddess Parvathi killed a demon called Kamsasuran who lived here and attempted to become powerful through his penance. Devi along with the help of Veerabadra, Ganesha and Shiva initially made him dumb and he came to be called Mookasuran (Mooka means dumb). Later the goddess killed him with her Chakra and called as Mookambika thereafter. The place where Devi killed Mookasura is known as Marana Katte.

The Panchaloha (five metals) image of the Goddess Mookambika is stated to have been consecrated by Adi Shankaracharya during his visit to this place. Devi Mookambika has three eyes and four arms, with chakra and conch in her hands sitting in the padmahasana ...

Distance from Bangalore: 383 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 100 km from Mangalore, Kukke Subrahmanya Temple is a sacred Hindu temple located at Kukke near Mangalore. It is one of the most famous temples in Karnataka and among the must-visit places as part of Mangalore holiday packages.

Dedicated to Lord Murugan, Kukke Subrahmanya Temple is one of the important temples of Lord Subrahmanya (Lord Murugan), and among the famous pilgrimage places to visit near Mangalore. This temple is famous for Sarpa Dosha. Lord Subrahmanya is worshipped as the protector of all serpents. The epics mention that the divine serpent Vasuki and other serpents found refugee under Lord Subrahmanya when attacked by Garuda.

Pilgrims visiting the temple have to cross the Kumaradhara River and take a holy dip in it before entering the temple. According to Mythology, Lord Kumaraswamy killed the demon rulers Taraka, Shoorapadmasura in a war; and washed his Shakti Ayudha in this river (hence the river is named Kumaradhara). This is also one of the famous places of trekking in Karnataka.

Sarpa Samskara/Sarpa Dosha is one of the poojas performed at this temple by devotees to get rid of the sarpa dosha. Kukke Subramanya can be reached by road from Mangalore and Bangalore.

Timings: 6:30 AM - 1:30 PM & 3:30 PM - 8 PM

Distance from Bangalore: 279 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 70 km from Mangalore, Dharmasthala is a sacred town in Karnataka. Situated on the banks of the Nethravathi River, it is one of the famous places of pilgrimage in Karnataka, and among the popular places to visit as part of Mangalore Packages.

The main attraction of Dharmasthala is the famous Manjunatha Temple. This place is also known as Sri Kshetra, and is one of the top places to visit near Mangalore. Dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Manjunatha or Lokeshwara, this temple dates back to 16th Century. It is said that the Shiva Linga worshipped at this temple was procured from Kadri Temple in Mangalore. This place was known as Kuduma and was later renamed Dharmasthala in the 16th century by Vadiraja Swami of Udupi.

The shrines of four Dharma Daivas (Kalarahu, Kalarkaayi, Kanyakumari, and Kumaraswamy) are built well before Manjunatha Temple in Dharmasthala. Lakshadeepotsava celebrated in Kartheekamasa (Nov/Dec) is the main attraction of the temple.

This temple is involved in several social activities, especially, educational institutes for the poor.

Timings: 6:30 AM - 2:30 PM & 5 PM - 8:30 PM

Distance from Bangalore: 292 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 2 km from Magadi Bus station and 44.5 km from Bangalore City Junction, The Ranganatha Swamy Temple located in Magadi is an ancient temple and a protected monument. This is one of the popular pilgrimage sites to visit around Bangalore.

The Ranganathaswamy temple is situated on a hill called Tirumale. There is a vast Prakara with a gateway having tall Rajagopura. The sanctum of the Ranganatha temple was first consecrated in early 12th century by the Chola ruler and the temple has undergone renovations and expansion since. The beautiful gopuras were built by Vijayanagara emperor Krishnadevaraya in the 16th century and later renovated by King Jayachamaraja Wodeyar of Mysore. There are structures inside the sanctum which were also built by the Cholas and later renovated.

The temple dedicated to Lord Ranganatha is actually a standing image of Narayana about 3 ft tall in Vijayanagara style with Shankha, Chakra, Gada and Abhaya attributes in four hands. The main deity is traditionally believed to be installed by Mandavya Rishi. Gopura of the temple is in Dravidian style. There are beautiful pillars inside the temple. Usually the idol of Lord Ranganatha would be in reclining position. But here it is in standing posture. Originally it is said to be the idol of Lord Venkateshwara. During the period of Tippu Sultan, many Hindu temples were destroyed. To save this temple, they called Venkateshwara as Ranganatha, as Tippu Sultan was faithful to his god Ranganatha ...

Distance from Bangalore: 44 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 42 km from Hassan, 44 km from Halebidu, 71 km from Chikmagalur, the Ishvara Temple, also known as Chandramouleshwara Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in Arasikere town of the Hassan district in Karnataka state, India. It is one of the stunning Hoysala temples in Karnataka, and among the top places to visit near Hassan.

Dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva, the Chandramouleshwara Temple at Arasikere was built in the 12th century by the Hoysalas. Though modest in size and figure sculpture, the temple is considered the most complex one in architecture among surviving Hoysala monuments because of its ground plan - a 16-pointed star-shaped mantapa (hall), along with an asymmetrical star-shaped shrine, whose star points are of three different types.

Like all Hoysala constructions, this east-facing temple was built with soapstone and is an ekakuta shrine (single shrine or cella) with two mandapas, one open and one closed. The sanctum (garbhagriha) enshrines a Shivalinga. The ceiling in the closed mantapa is divided into nine compartments or 'bays' by the four lathe-turned pillars. Unlike other temples, to have a darshan of Lord Shiva inside the garbhagriha, there is no direct straight access, since this particular mantapa is star-shaped. Instead, there are two lateral entrances at north and south of the mantapa.

The temple has a shikhara or tower with a decorated water pot like sculpture called kalasha on the top. The vestibule, which connects ...

Distance from Bangalore: 169 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 10 km from Hassan Railway Station, Bucheshvara Temple (also spelt Bucheshwara or Bucesvara temple) is an ancient Hindu temple located at Korvangla village in the Hassan district of Karnataka. It is one of the stunning Hoysala temples in Karnataka, and among the top tourist places in Hassan.

The Buchesvara Temple is a simple yet elegant specimen of the 12th century of Hoysala architecture. The temple was built in 1173 AD by a rich officer called Buchiraja to celebrate the coronation of Hoysala King Veera Ballala II. The Bucesvara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

This is a dwikuta temple with two shrines facing each other. These shrines are connected by a closed mantapa, and an open mantapa. The western shrine facing east containing an image of Surya, the sun god, and the eastern shrine contains a Shivlinga. The entrance is very small and guarded by elephants. There are beautifully carved dwarapalaka statues on either side. This entrance leads to a Mukha mandapa which is supported by 32 pillars. The ceiling is partitioned into 13 parts and each is carved beautifully with lotus flowers. The navaranga is square and stands on four central lathe-turned round pillars. The ceiling of the navaranga has 9 ankanas decorated with different types of moldings. The open sabha mandapa is star-shaped, standing on four central lathe-turned round pillars.

The sanctum sanctorum has a huge Shivalinga made of black stone. As usual, there is a Nandi statue in ...

Distance from Bangalore: 180 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 53 km from Shravanabelagola, 90 km from Hassan, and 94 km from Bangalore, Yediyuru Siddhalingeshwara Temple is a pilgrimage center situated in Yedeyuru Village in Karnataka. It is one of the famous temples in Karnataka and among the top places to visit in Shravanabelagola.

Situated on Bangalore-Hassan-Mangalore road, Sri Siddalingeshwara Swami Temple is one of the most important pilgrimage centers of the state as it is the tomb i.e., Nirvikalpa Shivayoga Samadhi of Tontada Siddhalinga a great Vireshaiva teacher and author who flourished at the end of the 15th century. He traveled far and wide preaching Sharana faith which is predominantly praying with ISHTA LINGA (Atma linga) as envisaged by Basavanna, Allamaprabhu, and a vast group of learned men and women from all walks of life. He performed 12 years of penance at a garden belongs to Vokkaligara Nambiyana (Thota) and hence came to be known as Thontada Siddalingeshwara Swamy.

The Siddlingeshwara temple faces north and is a fairly large Dravidian structure. An inscription near the entrance says about the spiritual greatness of the teacher while scenes from the life of Sidhalingha are depicted on the Gopura. There is a small shrine for Veerabhadra Swamy in the basement. Sri Siddhalingeshwara Swamy is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva. He is known to perform miracles on a large number of people belonging to different caste and creed. Many sick and suffering people are believed to be cured ...

Distance from Bangalore: 94 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 7 km from Horanadu, 21 km from Kudremukh, 53 km from Sringeri, 86 km from Chikmagalur, and 93 km from Sakleshpura, Kalasa is a small town located in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka. Surrounded by the scenic Western Ghats, it is one of the popular pilgrimage towns in Karanataka, and among the must include places in Sringeri Tour Packages.

Located on the banks of the Bhadra River, Kalasa is home to the Kalaseshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to the legend, during the wedding of Shiva and Parvathi in the Himalayas the attendance of the entire pantheon of deities caused a change in the earth's rotation. Lord Shiva requested the great sage Agasthya to travel south and balance the shift of the earth, promising him that he would be able to witness the wedding from where he resides. Kalasa is believed to be the spot where Sage Agasthya resided during the wedding of Shiva and Parvathi. The marriage is celebrated by devotees to this date.

The Kalaseshwara Temple is located on a hillock, and its main features include a soapstone shrine was built in the Hoysala sculpture style. Meals are provided to pilgrims daily at the temple. Girija Kalyanam is one of the biggest festivals celebrated with great pomp and fervor at Kalasa. It begins on the new moon and continues to the full moon. The procession idol of the Kalaseshwara temple is taken out during the Car Festival or Rathotsava. Shivratri is another important festival of Kalasa.

Kalasa ...

Distance from Bangalore: 300 Kms

Pilgrimage | Adventure / Trekking

At a distance of 100 km from Bangalore, Siddara Betta is a mountain and pilgrimage place situated near Koratagere in the Tumkur district of Karnataka. It is one of the top places for trekking near Bangalore, and among the popular religious places in the Tumkur region.

Located at an elevation of 1700 feet, Siddara Betta is a tourist place surrounded by rocky hills, temples, and caves. The hill is frequently visited by trekkers, adventures as well as pilgrims who climb the mountain to visit the shrine of Lord Siddalingeshwara which is placed inside the caves. Siddara Betta means 'Hill of Saints' in the local Kannada language owing to the many Hindu saints who perform penance and meditation within the caves here in the olden days. Besides, this place is also very popular for medicinal plants.

The hill is very much loved by trekking enthusiasts and professional climbers due to the amazing panoramic views of the surrounding villages and the serene environment atop. The 4 km trekking path is moderate in terms of the level of difficulty. The trek pathway starts with a flight of staircase and later progress to a more rugged stairway carved onto the hill with a steeper gradient. It takes 45 minutes to reach the natural cave temple of the Lord Siddeshwara Swami from the base of the hill. After that, the trekking trail traces through some huge boulders and caves.

From here, one has to take ...

Distance from Bangalore: 100 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 50 km from Mysore and 133 km from Bangalore, Melkote / Melukote is a historical town located in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district, Karnataka. Also known as Thirunarayanapuram, it is one of the popular pilgrimage places in Karnataka and also one of the best places to visit as part of Mysore Tour.

Melkote can also be included in your Mysore holiday packages. The town is built on rocky hills known as Yadavagiri or Yadugiri overlooking the Cauvery valley. The town derives its name from two words, Melu means top and Kote means fort. According to the history, the great Vaishnava saint Sri Ramanujacharya lived here for about 14 years in 12th century AD and thus it became a prominent center of the Srivaishnava sect of Brahmins.

There are two popular temples reside in this town, one is Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple and the other one is Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple. These temples existed even before Sri Ramanujacharya came to this place. The main temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu known as Thirunarayana or Cheluvaraya installed by Lord Krishna. The utsavamurthy or procession idol of the deity is referred as Cheluvapille Raya whose original name appears to have been Ramapriya. This utsavamurthy was lost when the Moghuls invaded the place and it was recovered by Ramanujacharya from Bibi Nachiyaar the daughter of Mohammed Shah.

The temple has been under the patronage of the Mysore royal family and is ...

Distance from Bangalore: 146 Kms

Hill Station | Wildlife | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 85 km from Mysore, 40 km from Chamarajanagar and 170 km from Bangalore, the Biligiri Ranga Hills popularly known as the BR Hills is a lofty hill range in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It is considered to be the wildlife corridor that connects Eastern Ghats to Western Ghats. This is one of the popular tourist places to visit near Mysore and is one of the top attractions you must include in Mysore packages.

BR Hills is famous for BRT Wildlife Sanctuary (Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary). The sanctuary is situated at an altitude of 5091 feet and is spread across an area of 540 km. It was declared a tiger reserve in 2010 by the Karnataka State Government. The highest peak within the sanctuary is the Kattari Betta. The wildlife sanctuary is inhabited by a number of animals including elephants, sloth bears, bison, deer, porcupines and a number of other wild animals. It is said that the sanctuary has more than 250 species of birds like the Paradise Flycatcher, Racquet Trailed Drongo and the Crested Hawk Eagle, etc.

Another attraction of the BR Hills is the 500 years old famous Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple which is situated on the highest peak of the hill range, on the white cliff (biligiri) which gives the hill its name. The local form of the deity is called Ranganath, another form of Lord Vishnu and is depicted in a unique standing position. ...

Distance from Bangalore: 185 Kms

Adventure / Trekking | Hill Station | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 135 km from Mysore, 89 km from Hogenakkal, 72 km from Kollegal & 209 km from Bangalore, Male Mahadeshwara Betta, also known as MM Hills is a sacred place situated in the eastern parts of Kollegal taluk in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It is situated at an altitude of 3000 feet. This is one of the top attractions you must include in Mysore packages.

Male Mahadeshwara Hills is surrounded by dense forest and is famous for Malai Mahadeshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Mahadeshwara. The ancient and sacred temple of Sri Male Mahadeshwara is a very popular Shaiva pilgrim center and one of the most powerful Shiva temples in the region. The temple is surrounded by 77 hills of the Eastern Ghats. The temple draws large number of pilgrims from the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The Mahadeshwara Temple was built by Junje Gowda Rich Kuruba Gowda Landlord. The Lord Sri Mahadeshwara is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Shiva. Historical evidences suggest that the Saint Mahadeshwara came here in 15th century to perform penance and it is believed that he is still performing penance in the temple's garbha gudi in the form of a linga. The linga, worshipped now in the garbha gudi, is a self-manifested one. Sri Male Mahadeshwara Swamy was moving on a tiger known as Puli Vahana (Tiger as a vehicle) and performed a number of miracles around the Betta ...

Distance from Bangalore: 217 Kms

Pilgrimage | Adventure / Trekking

At a distance of 15 km from Ramanagara, and 61 km from Bangalore, Revana Siddeshwara Betta or SRS Hills is a sacred hill located at SRS Betta village in the Ramanagara district of Karnataka. It is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Ramanagara, and among the best trekking places near Bangalore.

Situated at an altitude of 3,066 feet, Sri Revanna Siddeshwara Betta is famed for its arduous rock climbing spots and the Shiva temple. There are 3 temples on the hill, Renukamba temple at the base, Bemeshwari Temple at midway, and Reveanasiddeswara temple at the top. This elegant cave temple of Lord Siddeshwara is snuggled on the notch of a monolithic stone hill and is surrounded by the trails of natural wonders. Sri Revana Siddeshwara Swamy is considered as a reincarnation of the great Jagadguru Shri Renukacharya, who was one of the five acharyas who came to Kali Yuga to teach and preach Virasaivism.

One needs to climb around 300 steps to reach the top from the base of the hill. The climbing was not difficult since steps were craved and covered with a sheet on the top with also grills around. It will take 30-40 minutes to reach the hilltop. From the top, one can get the panoramic view of surrounding villages, a beautiful lake, and farms. Whether you are looking for solace or wish to add a rock climbing experience to your trip, then this is the best pick.

Timings: 8.30 AM to 5 PM

Entry: Free

Distance from Bangalore: 61 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 35 km from Aihole, Kudalasangama is a pilgrimage site in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. At the confluence of Krishna and Malaprabha Rivers, it is one of the popular places to visit in Aihole. It can also be visted along with Badami Tour Packages

Kudalasangama is famous for 850 years old Sangameswara temple, known as Kudala Sangameswara dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built-in 12th century, the temple is situated on the banks of the Krishna River and it was renovated several times. The temple is constructed in Dravidian style with a large temple tower at the entrance, followed by the main temple with a porch, navaranga and sanctum. The door frame of the garbhagriha is richly carved with floral designs and animal figures. It is one of the must include places in Aihole tour packages.

In front of the temple, amid the river, is a small stone mandapa with a Shivalinga in it, and lofty cement concrete dry well has been built around it to protect it from submersion. The sikhara of the temple is a typical South Indian-style structure. The temple has inscriptions dating back to 1160 AD and 1213 AD.

This place is also associated with famous saint Vishwaguru Basavanna, a great devotee of Lord Shiva and the founder of the powerful Lingayat faith. His samadhi is at Kudalasangama. ...

Distance from Bangalore: 444 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 100 kms from Bangalore, 35 kms from Kolar and 14 kms from Bangarapet, Sri Kotilingeshwara Temple is a wonderful temple situated at Kammasandra village between Bangarapet and Bethamangala. This is one of the popular pilgrimage sites to visit as part of Bangalore tour and also one of the ideal one day trip near Bangalore.

Kotilingeshwara, meaning 10 million lingas, is one of the famous pilgrimage sites around Bangalore with great religious significance. This temple is famous for huge 108 feet Shivalinga, which is one of the largest in the world and 35 feet tall Nandi in front of it. There are lakhs of shivalingas all over the temple. The temple was built in 1980 over an area of 13 acres.

There are several other shrines inside the temple complex and they are usually visited while moving towards the main shivalinga. Apart from the main shrine of Lord Kotilingeshwara, the other shrines include Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Maheshwara temples, Venkataramani Swamy Temple, Goddess Annapoorneshwari Temple, Lord Panduranga Swamy Temple, Lord Panchamukha Ganapathy temple, Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Sita Temple, Lord Anjaneya Temple, Goddess Kanyaka Parameshwari Temple and Goddess Karumaari Amma Temple.

The temple attracks large crowd during weekends. It is advised to reach the temple early in the morning (preferably, 8 AM) to avoid ...

Distance from Bangalore: 100 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 80 kms from Bangalore, Kolar is a small town which was once famous for gold mines. Kolar has several tourist attractions like Someshwara Temple & Kolaramma Temple. Anthargange is about 4 kms from Kolar. Kolar is one of the popular tourist places to visit around Bangalore.

Someshwara Temple is a beautiful temple built in 14th century during Vijayanagara rule. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Someshwara Temple is famous for large temple tower built on a stone carved mahadwara. The temple has nice carvings on the pillars and large mahamandapa. There is also a stepped temple tank adjacent to the temple. The temple is located near Fort Area in Kolar.

Kolaramma Temple, situated at a distance of 100 meters from Someshwara Temple is another interesting place to visit in Kolar with lot of history. It is believed that the temple was constructed in 5th century during Ganga dynasty. The temple has several carvings from Chola rule (11th century). This is a protected monument and being maintained by ASI. Timings: 5.30 AM - 1.30 PM & 5 PM - 8 PM.

Distance from Bangalore: 80 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 58 km from Bangalore City Junction, Ghati Subramanya is a popular pilgrim center located near Doddaballapur. This is one of the popular sites pilgrimage near Bangalore and among the well known Bangalore places of interest.

The Ghati Subramanya temple is dedicated to Lord Subramanya and Lord Lakshmi Narasimha. Lord Subramanya is elder son of Shiva and Parvati. Subramanya is considered as lord of Snakes. It is believed that the idol of Shri Subramanya is self originated. The uniqueness of the temple is Sri Subramanya is facing east and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha is facing west in a single idol. The devotees can view Laxmi Narasimha through a strategically placed mirror.

According to legend, Ghati is the place where Lord Subramanya performed penance in the guise of a serpent inside the caves in the mountain ranges of this area before going to kill the demon Tharakasura. Ghati is also the place where Lord Subramanya invoked protection from Lord Lakshmi Narasimha for the serpentine clan from Garuda's scare.

Ghati Subramanya has a recorded history of more than 600 years. It is an ancient temple built in Dravidian tradition. The temple is particularly special for those who seek the Lord to bless them with a child. It is also an important centre in South India for snake worship. An interesting ritual here is of installing idols of snakes. One can see thousands of these near ...

Distance from Bangalore: 58 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 27 km from Thrissur & 81 km from Kochi, Guruvayoor is a temple town well-known for the most famous Sri Krishna Temple. This is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites near Kochi, and among the must-visit places during Thrissur tour.

Guruvayur Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Lord Guruvayurappan, a four-armed form of the Lord Vishnu who is worshipped in the form of his avatar Krishna. According to the legends, the idol worshipped here is more than 5000 years old. But there are no historical records to establish it. Often referred to as Bhuloka Vaikunta, it is one of the most important places of worship for Hindus in Kerala and among the most prominent religious place to visit Thrissur.

The earliest temple records date back to the 17th century. In 1716, the Dutch raided Guruvayur, looted treasures, and set fire to the Western Gopuram, which was rebuilt in 1747. In 1766, Hyder Ali of Mysore captured Kozhikkode (Calicut) and then Guruvayur. He demanded 10,000 fanams in ransom to spare the temple. The ransom was paid but due to insecurity pilgrims receded. Later, in 1789 AD, Tippu destroyed the smaller shrines and set fire to the Temple, but it was saved due to timely rain. Tippu lost to the Travancore and the English in 1792. The idol, which had ...

Distance from Bangalore: 401 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 2.5 km from Srirangam Temple and 11 km from Trichy Railway Junction, Sri Thiruvanaikoil or Thiruvanaikaval, is famous for Jambukeswarar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was built by Kochengon, one of the Early Cholas around 1800 years ago on Srirangam Island.

Thiruvanaikoil Temple is one of the five major Shiva Temples known as Panchabhoota Sthala representing element of water. The sanctum has Shiva Lingam in the form of Appu lingam (water lingam). The sanctum of Lord Jambukeshwara has an underground water stream and one can see water coming out of that stream all the time. The presiding goddess is Devi Akilandeswari Amman.

According to legend, Parvathi performed penance in the form of Akilandeswari in the Jambu forest. She made the lingam out of the water of river Kaveri, installed it under the Venn Naaval tree evolved out of Saint Jambu and commenced her worship. Lord Siva at last gave darshan to Devi Akhilandeswari and taught her Siva Gnana.

According to Sthala Purana, there were two Siva Ganas by name Malyavan and Pushpadanta. They always quarrel with each other and fight for one thing or other. On top of all in one fight Malyavan cursed Pushpadanta to become an elephant and the latter cursed the former to become a spider. Both the elephant and the spider came to Jambukeshwaram and continued their Shiva worship. The elephant collected water from river Cauvery and conducted Abhishekam to the lingam under the Jambu tree daily. ...

Distance from Bangalore: 356 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 17 km from Vellore, Ratnagiri Balamurugan Temple is an ancient temple located on top of a hillock in Ratnagiri on Vellore - Chennai National Highway. It is one of the important places of pilgrimage in Tamilnadu, and among the must-visit places as part of Vellore tour.

The Ratnagiri Temple is dedicated to Lord Murugan. This temple was built in the 14th century by Arunagiri Nathar. It was renovated in the year 1980 by Bala Muruganadimai Swamy. The temple boasts a huge tower at the entrance. One of the special features of this temple is that the poojas are conducted in Tamil instead of common Sanskrit. The 14th Century poet Arunagirinathar has sung about this temple as Murugan, the God of Devas resides in Ratnagiri.

According to the locals, the divine power in the temple manifests its blessings in three forms. First is in the form of the Lord Murugan idol installed inside the sanctum, the second is in the form of Balamurugan and the third is in the form of a devotee. The idol of the main deity Bala Murugan was installed in a chariot that is made of granite. The garbhagriha is made of granite and is modeled according to the Chola architecture. The wall surrounding the shrine has small idols of Ganesha, Dakshinamurthy, Murugan, Brahma, Durga, and Chandikeswarar. There are 2 temples for Lord Vinayaka, one on top of the hill and another at the bottom ...

Distance from Bangalore: 221 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 23 km from Karaikal, 23 km from Mayiladuthurai, 44 km from Chidambaram and 57 km from Kumbakonam, Thirukkadaiyur is a popular temple town located on the east coast of Tamil Nadu in the Nagapattinam district. The Amritaghateswarar - Abirami Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva is the most famous temple in Thirukkadaiyur.

The presiding deity of this temple is Sri Amirthalingeswara and his consort is Sri Abirami. Thirukkadaiyur is one of the 8 Veera Sthalas, where Yama was clashed with Lord Shiva. It is believed that this is the place where Lord Shiva protected Markandeya, son of Mrikandu, from Yama. The scar caused by the Yama's rope is visible on the Linga during abisheka times.

The temple was built by Chola kings in 11th century in the traditional Chola architectural style. Spread over 11 acres, the temple has great architecture and has five enclosures, huge towers and spacious mandapas. Based on the inscriptions seen here, the main shrine (sanctum) was in existence before early 11th century. The brick walls of the temple were replaced with stonewalls and the front mandapa was constructed during the period of Kulottunga Chola I. According to legend, when devas and asuras churned milk ocean to get Amritham, they forgot to worship Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha hurt and stole the pot of Amritham and kept at Thirukkadaiyur. While there, Ganesha created a Shiva Lingam and poured some of the Amritham over it. ...

Distance from Bangalore: 434 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 12 km from Thanjavur and 35 km from Kumbakonam, Thirukandiyur is a temple town situated in Tamilnadu. The major attraction of Thirukandiyur is the Temple of Hara Sapavimochana Kandeswarar. The temple of Thirukandiyur is considered one of the 108 Divyadesams and is also known as Pancha Kamala Kshetram. As per history, the temple was built by Emperor Mahabali and is located between Kudamurutti and Vennar Rivers.

According to a legend, Brahma became very arrogant and feet superior to Shiva. Brahma once visited Kailas to meet Shiva. Parvathi, the wife of Shiva got confused and performed pooja to Brahma instead of Shiva. Lord Shiva plucked off one head of Brahma to avoid the confusion between the two. This resulted in Shiva incurring a Brahmahathya dosha. The skull of Brahma stuck to the hands of Shiva which he could not separate despite all efforts. All the food offered to him was consumed by the skull and it was never filled. Holding the skull, Lord Shiva came down to earth for Bikshatana with his skull bowl. It is believed that Lord Shiva prayed to Goddess Kamalavalli and Lord Vishnu at Thirukandiyur and attained salvation from Lord Kamala Nathan in this temple. Finally, the head fell down at this place and disappeared. At last with the help of Lord Vishnu, Shiva got salvation from the curse; hence this place is called Hara Sapavimochana Temple.

This temple is an excellent specimen of Dravidian style ...

Distance from Bangalore: 435 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 1 km from Samayapuram Bus Stand, 11 km from Srirangam, 19 km from Trichy, 66 km from Thanjavur & 317 km from Chennai, Sri Mariamman Temple situated at Samayapuram on NH-45 is one of the popular temples in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Sri Mariyamman Temple is dedicated to Samayapurathal or Mariamman, an incarnation of Goddess Shakti. The main deity in the sanctum is made of sand and clay and hence there are no abhishekams conducted to the main deity, but instead the abishekam is done to the small stone statue in front of it.

According to legend, the present deity was at the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam, and one of chief priests of the temple believed that the idol caused him illness and hence asked it to be removed from the temple. It is a common belief that such local deities have immense powers and they must always be satisfied by proper offerings and sacrifices.

According to history, King Vijayaraya Chakaravarthi built the present day temple in 17th century. The Goddess Mariamman has enormous powers over curing illnesses and hence, it is a ritual to buy small metallic replicas made with silver or steel of various body parts that need to be cured, and these are deposited in the donation box. Devotees also offer mavilakku, a sweet dish made of jaggery, rice flour and ghee. Persons affected by Chickenpox and Smallpox come to this place, stay here and pray the Goddess for speedy recovery. Abisheka Theertham is sprinkled on them after Pooja.

Car ...

Distance from Bangalore: 342 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 37 km from Kumbakonam, 37 km from Karaikal and 42 km from Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai is a town and headquarters of the Mayiladuthurai Taluk in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu. Mayiladuthurai is known for the Mayuranatha Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is one among the six temples which are compared as equivalent to the temple in Varanasi. The other 5 Shivasthalams are Tiruvenkaadu, Chaayaavanam, Tiruvaiyaru, Tiruvanchiam and Tiruvidaimarudur.

This temple was reconstructed with stone in 10th century during the period of Sembiyan Mahadevi. However, the renovations from the 19th century have destroyed some of the older structures and the inscriptions. Some of the stone sculptures of Vinayakar, Natarajar, Dakshimamurthy, Lingodbhavar, Brahma, Ganga Visarjanamurthi, Durga and Bhikshatanar from the period of Sembiyan Mahadevi have been well preserved.

The main diety is in the form of lingam called Mayuranathar and his consort Abhayambika appears as a peacock worshipping the Lord here. According to legend, Daksha, father of goddess Parvathi, conducted a Yagna but intentionally didn't invite Lord Shiva to humiliate him. Lord Shiva did not want Parvathi also to attend the Yagna. But Goddess Parvathi attended the function and was humiliated by Daksha. Lord Shiva in Veerabadra form and destroyed the Yagna. As Parvathi ignored Lord's advice, she was cursed to become a peacock. She came ...

Distance from Bangalore: 430 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 10 km from Vellore, 70 km from Kanchipuram, 120 km from Tirupati, 146 km from Chennai, and 212 km from Bangalore, Sripuram Golden Temple is a sacred Hindu temple situated in Tirumalaikodi at Southern Vellore, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the popular pilgrimage sites near Bangalore, and among the must visit places during Vellore trip.

Sripuram Golden Temple is dedicated to the goddess Mahalakshmi. Constructed in the year 2007, The temple is built in 100 acres area of land and constructed by Vellore-based Sri Narayani Peetham, headed by spiritual leader Sri Sakthi Amma. The Vimana and Ardha Mandapa have been coated with gold both in the interior and exterior. Sripuram is the biggest structure made out of gold as one and a half tonnes of gold has been used for the construction of the temple with a cost of 600 crores. This is one of the prominent Vellore places to visit.

The temple is built in Dravidian style with wonderful artwork. Sripuram design represents a star-shaped path (Sri chakra) running a length of over 1.8 km. The temple is positioned in the middle of a wonderfully maintained lush green landscape. One has to walk along the star path to reach the temple in the middle.

One needs to walk about 1 km to reach the central gopuram from the main temple ...

Distance from Bangalore: 212 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 1.5 km Kadiri Railway Station, 100 km from Anantapur, 113 km from Kadapa, 458 km from Hyderabad, 476 km from Vijayawada, and 174 km from Bangalore, Sri Kadiri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple is located in Kadiri town in Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh. The temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, a Man-lion form and is one of the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Lord Narasimha in this temple is swayambhu emerging from the roots of Khadri tree (Indian mulberry). The specialty of this temple is that after the daily Abhishekam is performed, the idol of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha oozes sweat continuously even after repeatedly wiping off sweat by the temple priests.

The construction of this temple is said to have been commenced during the Western Chalukya rule but it was completed during the time of Vijayanagara rulers. The inscriptions in the temple relate mostly to the Vijayanagar period. One of them states that the temple was built by a Nayaka during the reign of Bukka I in 1332 AD. The raja gopuram was built by Harihararaya. The popular king of Vijayanagara Sri Krishna Devaraya and Maharashtra King Shivaji visited this famous temple and constructed sub temples and Mahishasuramardini Temple respectively.

The temple is enclosed in large walled compound with 4 entrances having a gopura over each entrance. On the eastern entrance one can see the idol of Anjaneya. Garbgriha is decorated beautifully with four lions in corner. There is an idol of Prahalada ...

Distance from Bangalore: 174 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 2 km from Thiruvarur Junction, 40 km from Kumbakonam, 39 km from Karaikal and 62 km from Thanjavur, Thiruvarur is a famous temple town known for Sri Thyagaraja Temple is a Hindu temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is the fore most form of the Saptha Vidanga Sthalams.

Thyagaraja Swamy temple was first constructed by Aditya Chola I in 9th century. The temple was upgraded and rebuilt with stone by Rajendra Chola I in 11th century. The later expansions are attributed to Vijayanagar rulers. This temple is one of the biggest in the country and has the biggest temple chariot in Tamil Nadu.

Sri Vanmikanathar (Lord Shiva) is the presiding deity of the temple. According to the legend, Vishnu worshipped Shiva in the form of Somaskanda, associated with Ajapa dance. Shiva is said to have appeared in an anthill to Vishnu. So, no abishekam is performed for Vanmikanathar. Daily poojas are offered to a small idol referred to as Marakatha lingam and his consort Parvati is depicted as Kamalambal.

The image of Tyagarajar is the foremost of seven forms, which lord Indra had asked Muchukunda Cholan to pick up the original image of Somaskanda worshipped by Lord Vishnu. Muchukunda Cholan had picked the right one which is the present idol at Thiruvarur. Indra was pleased and rewarded all the 7 idols to Muchukundan, which he placed in 7 different temples in his territory which are Thiruvarur, Thirunallar, Thirukkuvalai, ...

Distance from Bangalore: 428 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 17 km from Mayiladuthurai, 27 km from Chidambaram, 45 kms from Karaikal, 54 km from Kumbakonam and 94 km from Thanjavur, Vaitheeswaran Koil is town in Nagapattinam district which is famous for the Vaidyanatha Swamy Temple. The temple is also known as Pullirukkuvelur.

Vaidyanatha Swamy and Thaiyalnayaki are the presiding deities of this temple. The Selva Muthukumara Swamy shrine here is also considered to be of important. There are Shiva lingas said to have been worshipped by Rama, Jatayu, Skanda, Surya and Angaraka. It is believed that Rama and his brother Lakshmana cremated the vulture king Jatayu who was killed by Ravana when he tried to prevent the abduction of Sita at this place. There is a pond at this temple called Jatayu kundam.

It is one of the Navagraha temples associated with the planet Mars (Angaraka). According to legend, Planet Mars was once afflicted with leprosy and was cured by Vaidyanatha Swamy and from then on it is treated as Angaraka sthalam.

The temple has a five-tiered gopura and large enclosures. Lord Vaitheeswaran is worshipped as Shiva linga in the inner sanctum. The first enclosure around the sanctum has the image of Subramanya, worshipped here as Muthukumara Swamy. The other metal images in the sanctum are of Nataraja, Somaskanda, Angaraka and stone sculptures of Durga, Dakshinamoorthy, Surya and Jatayu. The shrine of Thaiyalnayaki who stands with the medicinal oil ...

Distance from Bangalore: 394 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 1 km from Velankanni Railway Station, 31 km from Karaikal, 93 km from Thanjavur, 11 km from Nagapattinam, 161 km from Pondicherry, and 313 km from Chennai, the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health is located in Velankanni town of Tamil Nadu. Situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal, this is one of the most popular Christian pilgrimage in South India, and among the famous places to visit as part of Thanjavur trip.

The Roman Catholic Latin Rite Basilica of Velankannin is devoted to Our Lady of Good Health. The Shrine of Our Lady of Velankanni is one of the most frequented religious sites in Tamilnadu. It can be traced back to the mid-16th century and is attributed to three miracles at different sites around where the Basilica currently stands. The appearance of Mary and Christ Child to a shepherd boy, the curing of a buttermilk vendor, and the rescue of Portuguese sailors from a violent sea storm are the miracles associated with this shrine.

The shrine was started as a small structure in the mid-sixteenth century. The chapel was built by Portuguese sailors and became a parish church in 1771. Later in 1962 it was granted a special status of a Minor Basilica and merged with the Major Basilica of Mary in Rome on 3 November 1962 by Pope John XXIII.

Representing a Gothic style of architecture, the ...

Distance from Bangalore: 490 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 14 km from Karaikal, 85 Kms from Thanjavur, 9 Kms from Nagapattinam & 291 Kms from Chennai, Nagore is famous for a Muslim dargah dedicated to the 16th century saint Meeran Sahib.

The Nagore Dargah shrines are situated at three locations, Nagore, Vanjur and Silladi. The main campus is at Nagore, spread over an area of about five acres, which is enclosed by compound wall, with four impressive entrances, one each on the north, south, east and west. In front of the western gate, just outside the compound, is a large tower, 131 feet tall, called 'Periya Minara'. Nagore Dargah literature discloses that Tanjore King Pratap Singh built -Periya Minara- around 1760 AD, about 200 years after the death of Meeran Sahib. He is said to have built it in appreciation of having received the grace of Meeran Sahib.

Although this is a Muslim religious place, the dargah's rituals and architecture are influenced by Hinduism. Kandhuri festival during October and November is very popular.

Distance from Bangalore: 426 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 41 kms from Kodaikanal, 108 Kms from Coimbatore & 487 Kms from Chennai, Palani is one of the padi veedu for Lord Muruga and is an important pilgrim centre for Hindus. Palani is one of the popular pilgrimage sites in Tamilnadu and another popular attraction not to miss in a Kodaikanal tour package.

Puranas have a story that Lord Muruga disappointed for Gnanapazham came here to stay alone. Lord Shiva & Goddess Uma Devi convinced him by saying that he itself is the fruit of knowledge (Gnanapazham) and called him as Pazham Nee. Thus the town got its name 'Pazhani'.

The temple of Pazhaniandavar is situated in the Palani Hills at the height of about 1400 feet from the sea level. From the temple prakaram one can see the Idumban Hill, the Kodaikanal Hills, the rivers flowing around Palani, the greenfields and even the Kurinjiandavar temple in Kodaikanal hills on a clear day.

Distance from Bangalore: 405 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 13 km from Arakkonam, 44 km from Kanchipuram, 86 km from Chennai and 65 km from Tirupati, Thiruthani is a holy town located in Tiruvallur District of Tamil Nadu and is famous for the Murugan Temple. This temple is one among the six Padai Veedus (Battle Grounds) of Lord Murugan, other five are Palani, Swamimalai, Tirupparangunram, Pazhamudircholai and Thiruchendur. This place represents the site where Subramanya stayed after destroying the demon Surapadman.

Tiruttani is also said to be the place where the Lord Subramanya married Valli - one of his two consorts. This temple has been mentioned in the Sangam period work Tirumurugaatruppadai composed by Nakkeerar. According to legend, Devayani, daughter of Indra married Lord Murugan and was presented Indra's elephant Airavatam as part of his dowry offering. Upon Airavatam's departure Indra found his wealth waning. Lord Subramanya is said to have offered to return the white elephant, however Indra refused to accept a gift that he had made and instead requested that the elephant face his direction, hence the image of the elephant in this temple also faces the east.

The hill temple is reachable by a motorable road and is also accessed through a plight of 365 steps. The temple has 4 enclosures and a series of temple towers. There is a shrine to Aapat Sahaaya Vinayakar who helped the Murugan in winning Valli's hand in marriage. The processional image of Murugan is housed in a Rudraksha tower. The large ornament ...

Distance from Bangalore: 246 Kms

Pilgrimage

At a distance of 6 km from Karaikal Railway Station, 96 km from Thanjavur and 135 km Pondicherry, Sri Saneeswarar Temple, also known as Dharbaranyeswara Swamy Temple is one of the most popular Shani Temples in India and is located in Thirunallar near Karaikal. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Dharbaranyeswara Temple houses a rare Marakata Linga.

According to history, the great King Nala was relieved from the trouble of Lord Saneeswaran after worshipping the Lord consecrated in this temple. It is believed that by bathing in Nala theertham here will wash off all kinds of misfortunes and miseries caused by one's past karmas. Whenever (planet) Saturn transits from one zodiac sign to another once in every 2.5 years, millions throng this shrine to offer prayers. Believed to have been built in the 7th century, the temple also has small shrines dedicated to other gods including Lord Ganesha.

Marakata Linga (Emerald Linga) is located inside Dharbaranyeswara Temple in an iron safe placed on the left side of Thyagaraja. According to legend, a Chola King named Muchukunta Chola helped Indra. For his devotional help, Indra presented the Marakata Linga along with six idols. The king installed the idols and Marakata Linga at different places in his kingdom that is called as Saptha Vidanga.

Thirunallar is the second of the seven Saptha Vidanga Sthalas. The Marakata (Emerald) Linga is known as Nagavidanga. This linga is unique and ...

Distance from Bangalore: 436 Kms

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 83 km from Vellore, 120 km from Kanchipuram, 195 km from Chennai, and 204 km from Bangalore, the Arunachaleswara Temple is a sacred Hindu shrine situated at Thiruvannamalai near Kanchi in Tamilnadu. It is one of the greatest Shaiva places of pilgrimage in South India and among the most popular temples to visit near Bangalore & Chennai.

Also known as Annamalaiyar Temple, Arunachala Temple is a breathtaking temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple was constructed by Vijayanagara kings between 16th and the 17th centuries. It is significant to the Hindu sect of Saivism as it is one of the pancha bhoota sthalams, which are dedicated to the manifestation of five natural elements. Legend has it that the Lord has manifested himself as an element of fire or Agni in this temple. The temple is believed to be the eighth-largest Hindu temple in the world, and among the must include places in Kanchi tour packages.

Spread over 25 acres, Arunachaleswarar Temple is an imposing structure built in the traditional Dravidian style of architecture. It boasts four gateway towers known as gopurams, each of which is encompassed with mandapams, shrines, and enclosures, decorated with finely carved sculptures and pillars. The eastern tower with 11 storeys, stands at a height of 66 m and is one ...

Distance from Bangalore: 204 Kms

No Destinations found for the selected filters

Top 6 Karnataka Packages