Melkote, a religious and a pilgrim centre for Hindus, is located in Mandya district of Karnataka state in India. This place is very well known for various famous temples and a festival called Vairamudi takes place here when devotees come from all parts of India. Daily cultural activities like devotional songs, classical dances take place in the Chaluvanarayana swamy temple premesis. This place is also a well known location to film makers for shooting as the surrounding contains lot of scenic areas.
How to reach
This place is located inerior to the Bangalore - Mysore main road in the right side while going towards Mysore. There are so many ways to reach this place. Visitors coming from Bangalore have to take right diversion Just after Mandya town. From Mandya, Melukote is nearly 40 Kms. People travelling from Mysore have to come towards Srirangapatna (15 Kms from Mysore). Just after Srirangapatna, take left diversion to proceed towards Pandavapura. From Pandavapura, Melukote is 34 Kms.
At Pandavapura railway station, visitors have two choices to reach Melukote. They can proceed taking right turn to reach Pandavapura town and again take left diversion to reach Melukote via T.S.Chatra, Mahadeshwara pura, Bellale and Jakkanahalli. From Jakkanahalli Melukote is only 5 Kms. Total distance from Pandavapura to Melukote via this route is 22Kms.
From Pandavapura railway station people shall have one more route to reach Melukote. They can proceed straight after Pandavapura railway station and reach a place called Chinakuruli. From Chinakuruli Melukote is 18Kms. People travelling from North part of Karnataka shall have to come to the main city called Krishnaraj pet (K.R.Pet). K.R.Pet also belongs to Mandya district. Visitors can proceed to Melukote directly from K.R.Pet. Melukote is 27 Kms from K.R.Pet. People travelling from Tumkur district can reach the place called Nagamangala. From Nagamangala Melukote is nearly 27 Kms.
Places to visit in Melukote
The entire Melukote is occupied with so many visiting places including temples and ponds. Sri Yoganarasimha Swamy temple islocated at the top of the hill. People can climb the steps from the ground level or they can take their vehicles (only light motor vehicles) almost nearer to the temple. But still some more steps are to be climbed to reach the temple. The pooja timings at Yoganarasimha temple are, 9.00 to 10.00am (Nithyakatle). Abhisheka will be done from 10.00 to 11.00am and darshan will be from 11.00am to 1.00pm. Evening darshan is from 5.30pm to 8.00pm. During Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, the darshan will be from 11.00am to 2.00pm and 5.00pm to 8.00pm. Photography is strictly prohibited inside the temple but people can carry their cameras along with them.
Sri Cheluvanarayana swamy temple is located at the centre of Melukote. Before visiting Sri Cheluvanarayana Swamy temple, people can visit the Pancha Kalyani pond. The pond is very big with mantaps, Bhuvaneshwari mantap is located here. The puja timings for Cheluvanarayana Swamy temple are, 8.30am to 12.30pm, 4.00pm to 6.00pm and 7.00pm to 8.30pm. During Saturdays and Sundays, the morning puja timings will be from 8.30am to 1.30pm. Inside the Cheluvanarayana swamy temple the pillars are carved beautifully. Photography is strictly prohibited inside the temple. There is no place to keep the items so people can carry the cameras along with them. Behind this temple, the sisters ponds (elder and younger sisters, Akka-Tangi kola) are located. Proceeding further there is Roya Gopuram which is a scenic place and people can see the aerial view of the surroundings. Sisters pond and other parts also look very beautiful. Other important places are Sri Yadugiri Ammanavara Sannidhi and Dhanushkoti
Very good Vegetarian food is available everywhere here. Parking facilities is available nearby in almost all the visiting places for Light motor vehicles. The main transportation to Melukote is by bus from Mandya, K.R.Pet, Nagamangala and Pandavapura (or Srirangapatna). The nearest railway station is the district head quarters, Mandya.
Visit the Mandya home page to get the details of other visiting places in Mandya district.
Superb, I could able to recollect 100% of my memories
lakshmi b
11-04-2010
nice place melukote yoganarasimha swami was our hom god so many times we visited to melukote very nice place & there are 300 step....
Rajani
16-09-2010
Good information, let me see how well I would be able to manage after reading this site.
mohinigowda
02-07-2011
i want temple pooja details conducted what is called as seva of god and goddess. types of them with fair, days or special day etc with detial........
rohinimedappa
24-08-2011
The recent short trip to Melukote was excellent... lord has chosen such an wonderful place for meditation (Yoganarsimha)....Kalyani...Akka Thangi Kola...the water...fish...Dhanuskoti... which is just a km from the temple is such a scerane... and climbing the steps (400)...wonderful experience.
R. Ramanujan
30-10-2011
One of the fabulous Vishnu Kshetras. Visited the temples many times. However, it will be useful if an update is made with the tepehone and e.mail contacts of the Devasthanam Office of Sri. Cheluva Narayanaswamy temple. It will be very useful to make enquiries on the Acharya's utsavam and timings.
Brindha J
27-03-2012
When is Vayamuda Darshan for God Narasimha Swamy
Brindha J
27-03-2012
When is Narasimha Swamy God Function ( Big One which comes once in a year please inform the date & important Day)
Arun kumar
10-05-2012
Very Nice place yoganarasimha swami idol is mind blowing but facilities are pathetic.
Ganesh Shetty
23-06-2012
Nice to visit this place
Raviprasad P Rao
09-07-2012
If I am coming from Mysore, how do I reach Melukote. Should I go to KR Pet first and catch a bus to Melukote
Gangadhara
10-08-2012
its very good place to visit and can recah easily by bus form bangalore or by their own vehicle
yogesh C N
05-04-2013
very very nice place.............
Harishkumar P R
18-05-2013
just i love my cheluvanarayana,He is my home GOD....
Vijayaraghavan
15-10-2013
Can somebody suggest place to stay near Mandya railway station for a day before proceeding to visit Melkote Temple?
sowmyashree S M
21-04-2014
super place...am very happy to visit this place....
sowmyashree S M
21-04-2014
super place...am very happy to visit this place....
venugopala. G
31-07-2014
sri cheluvanarayana and yoganarashima swamy is my home god . melkotae is good place to see.
prem sai
22-06-2015
Iam glad to share my thoughts about this divine sacred place . We visited this place a couple of days back, Cheluvanarayana perumal's idol was one of most attractive idol i seen. and Murti (Utsava murti) was worshipped by lord Sri Rama. and Yoga Narasimha Sanithi was beautiful temple which was enshrined by prahaladha, the ponds and nature of town was spectacular,, we are delighted by vist ,,,
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