Male Mahadeshwara Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Mysuru Airport is about 130 km away and Bengaluru International Airport about 210 km away.

• By train

  Mysuru Railway Station is the nearest major railhead for the hill.

• By road

  MM Hills is easily reached by road from Kollegal and Mysuru, and KSRTC buses and private taxis run to the summit. From Kollegal it is 75 km and from Chamarajanagar 110 km.

Why devotees come here

Male Mahadeshwara Temple stands on MM Hills in Hanur taluk, Chamarajanagar district, southern Karnataka. It is dedicated to Male Mahadeshwara, regarded as an incarnation of Shiva, and sits about 900 metres up in dense forest.

Legend names Junje Gowda, a local Kuruba landlord, as the builder of the temple. The shrine is tied to the saint Male Mahadeshwara Swamy, who is believed to have lived in the 15th century. Legend says he rode a tiger called Huli Vahana and worked wonders around the hill.

The temple has a gopuram, a tower built in the Dravidian style that reflects its South Indian heritage. Every year, the Maha Shivaratri festival and the Rathotsava car festival draw lakhs of devotees, which makes it one of the largest religious gatherings in the region.

A sacred stream called Antharagange on the hill is believed to be where Mahadeshwara Swamy was born. The small Bale Maramma Temple lies on the path to the main temple. Part of the hill is a wildlife sanctuary.

Festivals

• Every yearMaha Shivaratri

  Lakhs of devotees come for this festival, one of the largest gatherings in the region.

• Every yearRathotsava

  The car festival draws lakhs of devotees, as Maha Shivaratri does.

Tips for your visit

• Private vehicles are usually allowed up to the summit, but speed limits are strictly enforced in the wildlife zone.
• Avoid unnecessary noise and littering, since part of the hill is a wildlife sanctuary.

Questions people ask