The Rangoli Dasa

Jagannatha Dasa of Manvi (1727-1809) was not only a great scholar but he was also a well-known Rangoli artiste.

The Dasa would spend time by drawing various Rangoli designs even as he sang the glory of  Hari.

He would draw different deities in Rangoli and they became so popular that people started calling him as Rangoli Dasa.

The Rangoli that the Dasa drew were so life like and so beautiful that people felt highly devotional on seeing them.

One day, Jagannatha Dasa happened to visit the house of Dewan Purnaiah in Srirangapatna. Tipu Sultan was the ruler of Mysore Kingdom and Srirangapatna was his capital.

Dewan Purnaiah and Jagannatha Dasa were great friends. When Jagannatha Dasa stayed in the Dewan’s house for some time, he began drawing Rangoli.

The rangoli drawings were highly appreciated by every one. When Purnaiah came back home from office, he was delighted to see the beautiful Rangoli. He was all the more happy when he noticed that the Rangoli was that of Ranganathaswamy, the presiding deity of Srirangapatna.

Both Hyder Ali and his son Tipu had great faith in Ranganatha and they did not harm the Ranganantha Temple. In fact, both donated liberally to the temple.

Dewan Purnaiah too was a devotee of  Ranganatha. He was a Madhwa Brahmin from a village near Coimbatore. When Purnaiah saw the Rangoli drawing of Ranganatha, his joy knew no bounds.

Purnaiah prostated before the Rangoli. But when he looked at it closely, he found that the God did not wear any crown.

Purnaiah then pointed out to Jagannatha Dasa that the drawing did not have the crown of Ranganatha. He said the Rangoli would have been complete had the crown been drawn.

Jagannatha Dasa replied that he had not draw the crown as Ranganatha had not worn it. This reply so astonished Dewan Purnaiah that he sent his servant to the temple to ascertain whether or not Ranganatha was wearing a crown.

The servant went to the temple and had a darshana of Ranganatha. He then came back to Dewan Purnaiah’s house came and told him that the priests had not yet kept the throne on the head of Ranganatha.      

Dewan Purnaiah was filled with admiration and respect to Jagannatha Dasa. He then acknowledged the holiness of the Dasa.

From then on, he became an ardent devotee of  Jagannatha Dasa.

Another Haridasa, who was well-known for Rangoli, was Helevankatte Giriyamma.

This Haridasi would draw Rangoli depicting the life and times of Krishna, particularly his sport with the Gopis, at the Ranga Mantapa in Helavankatte and then sing songs. People of the village liked her songs and Rangoli too.

Rangoli is known by different names in different states. If it is rangavalli in Karnataka, Kollam in Kerala, muggu in Andhra Pradesh, purna in Uttar Pradesh, mandana in Rajasthan, aripan in Bihar, alpana in Bengal and Maharashtra, alikhthap in Kumaon and saathiya in Gujarat.

It is not just the names but the designs too vary  from State to State. In Maharashtra, rangoli are drawn on the doors of homes to ward off evil forces attempting to the house. In Kerala, during Onam, flowers are elaborately set out and designed for each of the ten days of the celebration. In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the rangoli is drawn upon the ground or floor daily.

The designs of the Rangoli are geometric and symmetrical shapes but the materials used are either rice flour or slurry.

Chitralakshana, the earliest Indian treatise on painting, gives us an interesting legend about the origin of Rangoli. It says when the son of a King’s high priest died, the king was distressed. Lord Brahma asked the king to paint a likeness of the boy on the wall so that he  could breathe life into him again. That painting is believed to be the first Rangoli.
Another legend has it that God extracted the juice of a mango and painted a figure of a woman with it. Whatever its story of origin, the rangoli is mentioned in the Epics. Rangoli is a Sanskrit word, meaning creative expression of art by means of colors.

This ancient art form is drawn at the entrance of a house to usher in peace and prosperity. These drawings can either be simple or highly intricate. Apart from making the surroundings aesthetic and auspicious, they are believed to usher in peace and prosperity.

By the way, Suyatheendra Theertham senior pontiff of  Mantralaya Matha or Sri Raghavendra Swamy Matha (he was earlier known as (Susheelendracharya) is an excellent exponent of Rangoli art. 

There is a beautiful story about Rangoli and Purandara Dasa.

One day, Purandara Dasa came home and when he stepped on the threshold of his house, he was astonished to see a beautiful rangoli. He called his wife, Saraswathi, and complimented her on drawing such a beautiful design.

Saraswathi told her husband that it was nothing new but the rangolis are drawn every day and each of them are beautiful. She then stunned Purandara Dasa when she said that the Rangoli was not drawn by her but they were beautifully set when she opened the front door every morning to wash the courtyard and draw rangoli.

Purandara Dasa then decided to find out the mystery of the rangoli. He sat up the whole night and early in the morning he found a group of women washing the courtyard and drawing the rangoli.

Purandara called out and asked the women who they were and why they were drawing rangoli in front of his house. One of the women replied and said she was River Ganga. Introducing the others, she said they are  Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Cavery. 

She said all of them were river goddesses and they had come to paint rangoli so as to serve pious people like you. The women bowed to Purandara Dasa and vanished.

Even Emperor Krishna Deva Raya had noticed the beautiful rangoli in front of the house of Purandara Dasa. When he asked Vyasa Raja about it, the Rajaguru told him that they had been drawn by the seven river goddesses. This story may look imaginary but look at the moral of it. A drawing in front of the house not only pleases human beings but gods and Gandharvas too. What was the outcome of the beautiful rangoli in front of the house of Purandara Dasa. The Dasa went ahead and composed a beautiful song on Rangoli and he first sang it before his Guru, Vyasaraja.

The third Ranga

The third Ranga is in Srirangam and it is called Antya Ranga. The road diastance from Srirangapatna via Shivanasamudra to Srirangam is about 360 kilometers and the travelling time is around seven hours.

If you leave Srirangapatna around 7-30 a.m., you will be able to pray at Shivanasamudra and touch Srirangam by 5-30 p.m.

Some of the routes to take are Srirangapatna-Shivanasamudra- Kollegal - Chamrajnagar - Hanur - Dimbam - Banneri - Sathymangalam - Athani - Anthiyur - Bhavani - Tiruchengode - Nammakal and Trichy.

Other routes are Shivanasamudra-Kollegal-Hanur-MM Hills-Kolathur-Mettur-Mecheri-Omalur-Salem-Namakkal-Srirangam. The distance on this route would be 323 Kms.
Another route is Shivanasamudra-Kollegal-Hanur-Muthuchettiyur-Bargur-Bhavani-Namakkal-Srirangam and this is 292 Kms long.

If you are not comfortable with the Sathy-Bhavani road, go from Sathy to Annur and join NH 47 at Avinashi and travel via Erode to Tiruchengode and Namkkal. Do not take the Namakkal-Musiri route but opt for Thuraiyur instead.

Besides, the Hanur-Kolathur-Mettur route is a jungle road with forest check posts. This was once the haunt of the dreaed forest brigand Veerappan.

Once in Srirangam, halt either there or at Trichy. There are scores of temples in both the places. Some of the other places are as follows:

Gunaseelam

This is a famous temple town with Lord Venkateshwara believed to have powers to cure mentally ill and physically challenged people.

This is a famous Vaishnavite centre and it is situated on the Trichy-Salem Road. It is 18 kms from Trichy.

 

Thiruvellarai

This is another Vaishnava centre and one among the 108 Divya desams of Vaishnavites. It is situated on the Trichy- Thuraiyur road. It is 15 kms from Trichy.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and he is called Pundarikasha Perumal.

Uthmar koil

Here, we can find the Holy Trinity of Vishnu, Brahma and Maheshwara. Devotees believe that any of their wish will be fulfilled if they pray sincerely to the pious trinity. 

The temple is north of Trichy Fort Railway station and it is located on the Salem- Trichy road. This is also one of the 108 Vaishnavite sthalams.

Samayapuram

This is a Shaivite centre and it is 16 kms from Trichy. It is an important Sakthi centre and it is located on the Trichy-Chennai highway.

The main temple is dedicated to Mariamman. This temple is about 10 kms from Trichy.

Makalikudi

This is just a kilometre south east of  Samayapuram. The temple here is called Ujjaini Kali Amma Temple.

According to legend, Emperor Vikramadhitya of Ujjaini, took bath here and worshipped the Kali idol. The Kali is a small brass deity  with eight hands.

The Shakthi Theertha here is said to have curative powers.

Kodumbalur

This is also called as Moovar Kovil and it is located 42 kms from Trichy. It is on the Trichy-Madurai National Highway.

There are two temples here built during the Irukkuvelar dynasty when they ruled these areas. The temples were constructed by Boodhi Vikramakesari in the 10th century A.D. The sculptures of Kalarimurthi, Gajasamharamurthi, Ardhanariswara and Gangadaramurthi are masterpieces of art.

Another temple nearby is that of  Muchukumdeswarar but tsi is dated to the period of the Early Cholas.

Puliancholai

This is a beautiful picnic spot. It is located 70 kms from Trichy and it is located at the foothills of Kolli Hill ranges. The Agaya Gangai falls on top of the Koli Hills is believed to have medicinal value. The trek to reach Agaya Gangai Falls (Hill top) takes close to five hours. The falls are located on age-old rock structures, dolmens and the Pithukkuli caves.

Tiruvanikaval

This is a Shaivite temple and it is located 6 kms from Trichy. Shiva here is named as Jambukeshwara and the Goddess as Akilandeswari. This is among the jyotirlinga stalams (temples) of India.

Shiva here is in the form of water called Appulingam (water). The linga is partly submerged in water which keeps on coming up from a spring.

Viralimalai

This is a small town located at about 30 km from Trichy. It is famous for the Murugan temple and a Peacock park.

The wild peacocks roam around the Murugan temple. The Peacock is said to be the Vahana or vehicle of Murugan.

Sittannavasal

This is a small village 30 kms from Trichy.

There are remains of  Jain cave temples dating back to 2nd century B.C. The fresco paintings here remind us of the paintings of  Ajanta near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Many of the paintings belong to 9th century Pandyan period.

There are also inscriptions dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries. Fresco painting from the 7th century can be seen on the ceiling of the Dhamandapam. There are many pre-historic burial sites around Sittannavasal and several relics such as burial urns, cists have been unearthed from here and at Kurangupatarai.

Thirukokarnam

This has a Government Museum located at Pudukkottai. This is 40 kms from Trichy. The museum has rare collections and artifacts on covering geology, zoology, art and painting, anthropology, epigraphy and historical records.

The museum is open on all days except Mondays.

Kudumiyanmalai

This is 25 kms from Trichy. This has a temple dedicated to Shiva. The deity here is called Kuduminatha or Shikhagirinatha as alock of hair or Kudumi was noticed on the idol.

The sanctum was built by the Cholas in 9th century.

Tirumayam

This is 79 kms from Trichy.

It is located near Pudukkottai. There are rock cut cave temples and an old fort. The cave temples are dedicated to Siva and he is called  Sathyagireeswarar: and Vishnu (Sathyamoorthy) and they were built by Mahendra Verma  and Narasimha Varma, both Pallava Emperors.

On top of the hills is an old fort Oomaiyan Kottai.

It was in this fort that the British imprisoned rebels captured by them. The fort was built in 1687 by King Sethupathi of  Ramanathapuram. The Siva temple has some inscriptions related to  music. There are two shrines in the Vishnu temple. The first is where Vishnu is seen reclining. This is the largest reclining statue of its kind in the country. On the walls behind the idol are beautiful carvings depicting Vishnu and the serpent Adisesha chasing away rakshasas by spewing fire and poison

Panchamalai

This is a beautiful hill range  80 km away from Trichy. The best route is through Thuraiyur. It is a picnic spot to enjoy nature. Pachai in Tamil means green and the area is covered in green. The tribals here have their own unique culture.

The altitude of the hills is from 500 metres to 1000 meters. This hills have a number of scenic spots like Thenparanadu, kombainadu , Athi Nadu and Vannadu. This is good for trekking, Nature walk and observing wildlife.

Vayaloor

This is just 12 kms from Trichy. It has a Subramaniya Temple. It is called Arulmigu Subramaniyaswamy Temple and it is located at Kumara Vayaloor near Kuzhumani.

It is well connected by road from Trichy.

Srinivasanallur

This is famous for the Koranganatha Temple, which is situated on the banks of Cauvery. It is 50 kms from Trichy. It is located on the Tiruchy - Salem highway. This is not a living temple and it has some of the finest Chola sculptures.

Tirupattur

This is the location of the famed  Brahmapureeswara temple and it is 30 kms from Trichy.

It is located on the Trichy-Chennai route at Siruganur village. The main deity here is Swayambu Linga and it is worshipped as Brahmapureeswara.

Devotees believe that it is only at this place that one’s fate can be changed. There is a Samadhi of Sage Patanjali opposite the idol of Brahma.

Poovalur

The temple here is of Shiva. It is here that Rathi Devi got back Manmatha, the God of Love, by praying to Shiva.

Shiva had burnt Manmatha to ashes after he tried to divert his attention by aiming arrows of love at him. A grief struck Rathi Devi prays to Shiva to restore her husband back to life. Shiva here is also called as Jnanapureswara as the Sapta Rishis worshipped him here for obtaining knowledge.

The temple is called Thirumoola nadha Shiva temple. It is located 20 kms from Trichy and 3 kms north of Lalgudi. It is located on the Trichy-Ariyalur road.

Lalgudi

In earlier days, Lalgudi was called Thiruthavathuri. It is 20 kms from Trichy and it is on the banks of Coleroon.

Lalgudi is well known for the temple of  Saptharisheeswara or the seven saints or rishis- Atri, Brigu, Pulsitha, Vasishta, Gautha, Angeerasa and Marichi. These rishis prayed to Saptharisheeswara here to rid them of the curse of Lord Murugan.

Thirupalaithurai

This temple town is just 12 kms from Trichy. It is also called as Panayapuram.

This is famous as one of the 275 sacred Shiva temples.The temple is called  Thirumoolanadhar Thevar.

The linga is a self manifested one. The Sun God and Sage Markandya worshipped Shiva here.

Pettaivaithalai

This is located 23 kms from Trichy and it is on the road to Karur.

There is a Shiva temple here and the deity is called Madhyarjuneswara. This is an ancient temple and a large number of women come here to get rid of  their problems.

Apart from these places, there are plenty of temples in and around Lalgudi such as the Asta Bhuja Durga, Alandurai and Nambi temples at Anbil; the Samavedeeswara temple at Thirumangalam

(2 kms from Anbil);  the Ambravaneswara Temple at Thirumandhurai (5 kms from Anbil); the Adi Lakshmi Temple at Natham (12 kms from Anbil).

We have alist of more than two hundred temples and a hundred towns and villages in and around Trichy-Srirangam area. But to detail all that information here would be impossible. I hope the information provided here is sufficient. By the way, in case you stay for more days, head for Thanjavur and Kumbakonam from Trichy. Thajnavur is famous for the Big temple and Kumbakonam has hundreds of temples. The most important temples here are the Sarangapani and Chakrapani temples and the Kumbeshwara. Of course, there is the Vijendra Theertha Matah where Raghavendra Swamy lived for several years and preached. The Brindavana of Vijendra Thertha, the Parama Guru of Raghavendra Swamy, is here.
You can also take a trip to the Navagraha temples in and around Kumbakonam.       

The first of the three Rangas

The post on the three Rangas in the three islands of Srirangapatna, Shivanasamudra and Srirangam which houses the Ranganatha statues has received several queries on places in and around each of the three places.

Several people have asked us about tourist and pilgrim places around each of these three Kshetras or pilgrim places.   

According to belief, if you visit all the three Rangas in a day, you will get a lot of Punya. All the three places are Vaishnava centres and all of them have temples dedicated to Narayana or Ranganatha in a sleeping posture.

All the three temples are located across the Cauvery and they follow and conduct almost the same rituals. You have to start the tour from Srirangapatna by taking a dip in the Cauvery and then head to the other two Rangas. 

While Srirangapatna is known as the Adi Ranga, Shivanasamudra is termed as Madhya Ranga and Srirangam as Antya Ranga. While the first two Rangas are in Karnataka, the third is in Tamil Nadu.

So let me start with places of interest in and around Srirangapatna. All these places can be covered in two days and they are easily accessible by road.

Srirangapatna is an island fortress and it is 110 kilometres from Bangalore, It is easily accessible by both road and rail from Bangalore, Mysore is the nearest City with excellent road and rail communication and it is 19 kms from Srirangapatna.

Srirangapatna is a religious and historic town. This is the place where Tipu Sultan died battling the British on May 4, 1799. Apart from the Ranganatha Swamy Temple, check out the Narasimha Temple nearby.

The place where Tipu died is identified by a small stone slab. It s here that Tipu died fighting. Nearby is the Bailay dungeon where British prisoners of war were held. A little away is an obelisk. The Jama Masji is one of the most elegant structures of the town and it has a sun dial on which Tipu depended for knowing the time.

A little distance away from the main gate of the temple is the recently excavated tunnel leading to the palace of Tipu which is another ruin opposite the Ranganatha Temple. Local lore has it that one of the balconies of the Lal Mahal or palace of Tipu was so built that Tipu could get a glimpse of Ranganatha every day after he got up.

(An interesting aside here is that Tipu never slept in a bed. He slept in a closed room which oversaw the inner courtyard of the palace. The room was sparsely furnished and it had a beautiful hammock on which Tipu slept. The hammock was dismantled after the British ravaged the palace in 1799 and taken away).

A little away from Srirangapatna is Daria Daulat, the palace. It has some excellent paintings and artifacts. It is surrounded by a beautiful garden. Down the road is the Gumbaz is where Tipu is buried along with his father Hyder Ali and his mother.

English and contemporary accounts recount that when the cortege containing the body of Tipu was being escorted to the Gumbaz by British soldiers, heavy rains lashed Srirangapatna. To this day, rain falls on the day Tipu was buried.

A little away from the Gumbaz is Sangam where three rivers meet-Cauvery, Kabini and Hemavathi. This is an excellent boating and picnic spot. This is just three kms from Srirangapatna.

Another place worth a visit is the Nimishamba Temple in Ganjam. This houses the idol of Parvati and since she is supposed to grant a boon within a minute of asking, the place came to be known as Nimishamba. Nimisha in Kannada means a minute. This is 2 kms from Srirangapatna.

Gosai Ghat is another picnic spot. Several Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films have been shot. The Cauvery is at its best here. Enjoy a coracle ride.

Just two kilometres from Gosai Ghat is another scenic spot called Paschima Vahini. There are several heritage buildings and bathing ghats of the Wodayar Emperors here. The heritage buildings and the bathing ghats are in a dilapidated condition.  This ghat is visible from the Bangalore-Mysore highway.

If you still have time, check out the French cemetery in Srirangapatna, Inman’s Prison which was discovered almost a century after Tipu died, Wellesley bridge and several ancient temples.

Ranganathittu

This is one of the best known bird sanctuaries in India. Though it is small, you can spot several species of  birds. The sanctuary adjoins Srirangapatna.

Karighatta

This is a hill on which a temple of Srinivada is situated. It is just a a few kilometres away from Srirangapatna and it is off the Bangalore-Mysore road. Karighatta means Black Hill in Kannada. The srinivasa is called Karigirivasa or Bairagi Venkataramana. The epithet ‘Bairagi’ for this idol is derived from the fact that when alankara  or flower decoration is done to the deity, it resembles a Bairagi or mendicant.

A small river, Lokapavani, a tributary of  Cauvery, flows by the hill. The head to Mysore, the royal city of the Wodeyars.

Mysore

Mysore is 136 kms from Bangalore and 19 kms from Srirangapatna. This is the city of palaces and home to Chamundi, the Goddess, who slew the demon Mahishasura.

The Chamundi temple is located atop the Chamundi Hills which you can either climb or motor up. The Godly museum, the statue of Mahishasura (this is the exact place where he was slain by Chamundi), the Dodda Basava or Nandi, the Rajendra Vilas palace and a few other temples are worth a visit.

A little away from the Chamundi temple is Devi Kola or a tank from which water is drawn to perform abhisheka to Chamunid. Enjoy an unrestricted view of Mysore and its surroundings from the hill. There are a number of buses from Mysore bus stand to the hill. The temple opens from 7 a.m., to 2 p.m., and again from 3-30 p.m., to 9 p.m.

The Jayachamrajendra Zoologial Garden is one of the oldest and the best zoos in India. It has a variety of wildlife. The museum inside is worth a visit. The zoo also houses an Anaconda in a special enclosure. The zoo is opne from 8-30 a.m., and Tuesday is a holiday.

The Regional Museum of Natural History and Melody World wax museum are near to each other. The wax museum is a new addition and it is at the beginning of the Siddarthanagar locality.

The main palace or the Mysore palace is the star attraction of Mysore and it is one of the largest residential palaces in the world. The palace is illuminated in the evenings. This is regarded as among the top five best palaces in the world. There are twelve temples within the fort. Each portion of the magnificent palace has its own tale to narrate.

The palace is a masterpiece of several styles. It was commissioned in 1897 and completed in 1914 and it then cost a little more than Rs. 40 lakhs. It was designed by Sir Henry Irwin, who also designed the Viceregal lodge in Shimla. After the Taj Mahal in Agra, this palace draws the largest number of visitors.

The palace is open to the public from 10 a.m., till 5-30 p.m. The illumination on all Sundays and public holidays is from 7 p.m., to 8 p.m.      

Near to the main palace is the Jaganmohan palace which houses many artifacts. The best among them are the painting of the lady with the lamp and the French musical clock.

This palace was completed in 1861 and it was used by the royal family after the main palace accidentally burnt down during a wedding in 1897. It has one of the largest collection of artifacts in south India. It has several paintings by Raja Ravi Verma, Roerichs and Tagore. The palace is open from 8-30 a.m., to 6 p.m.

The Lalitha Mahal hotel at the foothills of the Chamundi is a five star hotel. Check out the architecturally pleasing building and if you can afford to splurge, have a bite. It is definitely going to burn a hole in your pocket.   

The Manasa Gangotri is the campus housing Mysore University. The Crawford Hall is worth a visit as is the folklore museum. Adjacent to the University is the Kukkaranahalli lake.

The sandal factory and Cauvery emporium are other major attractions. The KRS dam is accessible from Mysore, Mandya or even Srirangapatna. The musical fountain show is in the evenings. The Fountain timings are 7 P.M., to 7.55 P.M., on weekdays and  7 P.M to 8.55 P.M., on holidays.
During winter, the fountain timings are from 6.30 P.M., to 7.25 P.M., on weekdays and from 6.30 P.M. to 8.25 P.M., on holidays The dam is built across the Cauvery and it is a marvel of engineering. The credit for the dam goes to Sir M. Visveshvaraiah.

The Brindavan Gardens of the KRS has been a popular shoot for hundreds of Indian films. It was among the first landscaped gardens of a dam.

Mysore has several temples and other places of interest. The Oriental Reseach Library is one for students and scholars and it was here that the Arthashastra of Kautilya or Chanakya was discovered.

The Railway museum, St. Philomena’s Church, Karanji lake, Ligambudi lake, the Ganapathi Sachidananda Ashrama are other places worth a visit.

Balamuri

Near Mysore is Balamuri where the Cauvery takes a reverse. Upstream is Yadamuri. Both are easily accessible. Balamuri is located midway between Mysore and KRS Dam. The nearest town is Belagola.

Mahadevapura

This is another little known bird sanctuary near Mysore. It is one of the most scenic places around and what makes it attractive is that it is not as well-known as other places.

Sagarkatte

This is a tiny hamlet across the Cauvery 25 kms from Mysore. There is an old Vyasaraja Matha here. The backwaters of the KRS form a beautiful water body. Take a train ride to this place from Mysore and enjoy its beauty. 

Nanjangud

This old temple town is just a few miles (23 kms) from Mysore and it is approachable either by road or rail. The Mysore airport is midway between Mysore and Nanjangud.

The Nanjundeshwara Temple here dedicated to Shiva is one of the biggest in south India. The town is on the banks of Kapila. The deity is also called Srikanteshwara.

Nearby is the temple of Raghavendra Swamy. It is only here that we can see an idol of Raghavendra Swamy. The idol was recovered by a washerman from the Cauvery in Srirangapatna. It is also known for a variety of bananas and tooth powder. It is also home to Ayurvedic products.

A little away from the old Nanjungud railway station is Asia’s oldest railway bridge. This is a heritage structure.

Chamarajanagar

Continue on the Nanjangud road and touch Chamarajanagar which is 38 kms away. This district headquarters is accessible by both road and rail. This is the southern end of Karnataka. This town is famous for the temple of Chamarajeshwara. It is surrounded by several hills stations of which ths most famous is BR Hills. 

 Kanakagiri

Kanakagiri is an important Jain centre. It is the only siddakshetra in South India and the only one for Jainism for performing Kalasarpadosha Parihara pooja. This is 18 kms from Chamarajanagar.

The temple of Parsavanath, one of the Theerthankaras, is atop a hill. The idol is five feet in height and black in colour. Maleyur, three kms away from here, is known for its thick forest cover and its sandalwood.

Melkote

A little more than 34 kms away is one of the finest Vaishanava shrines in India and this is the well-know temple town of  Melkote. It was home to the saint-philosopher, Ramanujacharya, for several years. The Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple and the Yoga Narasimha temples are stunning. The Yoga Narasimha temple is accessible after a steep climb that can leave you exhausted. There is a small cave beneath the Yoga Narasimha temple where Prahalada meditated.

The Mahadwara which is a structure of two massive pillars meant to be the main entrance to the temple town is another monument. This monument has figured in several films.

The Puliyogre handed out at the temple as Prasad is the best of its kind. Taste it and you will feel like having another helping.

Pandavapura

It was known as French rocks during the reign of Hyder Ali and Tipu as the French had based their troops here. The Kunit Betta or hill is the place where Kunti, the mother of Pandavas, stayed during the Vanavasa. The Pandavas ended their exile here and, hence, the name Pandavapura. This is just 10 kms from Srirangapatna and 25 kms from Mysore.

Tonnur

It has two magnificent temple and one of them, the Nambi Narayana, was consecrated by Ramanajucharya. This is a beautiful temple and it is one of the most sacred shrines for Vaishnavas.

It is near Pandavanapur and Melkote.

Tonnur is flanked by the beautiful Tonnur lake which came to be called as Moti Talab by Tipu Sultan.

It was the second capital of the Hoysalas after Dwarasamudra (Halebidu) but none of the Hoysala structures remain. The palace of the Hoysala Emperor, Vishnuvardhana, was built just behind the Nambi Narayana temple but no trace of it remains today.      

All the places mentioned above can be covered in two days if you have the time. They are all nearby and it would be advisible if you hire a driver who can also act as a guide. For example, you can take in Sangama, Gosai Ghat, Daria Daulat, Gumbaz, Nimishamba all in a stretch.

In Mysore, take in Chamundi Hills, Zoological Gardens, Wax museum, Main palace, Jaganmohan palace and KRS Dam in a day. Similarly, Melkote, Tonnur, Pandavapura can be completed in a stretch.

There are plenty of eateries and hotels in Mysore and eating out would not be major problem. Mysore is one of the cities in India that has hotels and eateries to suit you taste and budget. This is the City that gave Mysore Pak and Bisibele bath to its Wodeyar Emperors first. Both the dishes are a rage today among the populace.

Mysore, a few decades ago, was home to the Ideal Jawa motorbike factory which manufactured the legendary Jawa, Yezdi and Roadking bikes. The factory has shut down. It is also the place where the State Government opened its tyremaking unit called Vikrant. This factory too has been privatized.

Mysore is home to one of the most beautiful buildings that is the headquarters of the Infosys Knowledge centre.    

Mysore is easily accessible from all parts of India. There are plenty of trains from Bangalore, Chennai and Hubli-Arsikere. 

This concludes the first part of the Ranga tour. The next part will carry details on road trip from Srirangapatna to Shivanasamudra and the places worth seeing.Till then, happy reading. 

BR Hills-The Ranganatha who wanders in the forest

He is one of the most well-recognised Gods in India. He is revered equally by the Vaishnavas and Srivaishnavas. But here, he is also the patron deity of the tribals and the God here is in hunting gear.

The deity is also presented a pair is slippers so that he can go around the area as has been his usual routine for centuries. The slippers are replaced once in two years and  it is a wonder that the slippers look worn out and much walked.

The slippers are replaces by the tribals who are commanded to do so by the deity in their dreams.  Though the slippers may appear to be outsized, the tribals insists that they fit the wandering deity’s feet to the “T”.

The size of the slippers. One foot and nine inches and it is handcrafted out of leather. The deity is in a standing position and he is surrounded by deity of Ranganayaki, his consort.

The temple is located more than 5,000 feet above sea level and it is in the midst of thick forests that are home to elephants, tigers, wolves, bear, wild dogs or Dholes and other wildlife.

The elephants that roam about here frequently get irritated by white coloured milestones and signs. They pull these ,milestones in a rage and throw them away, forcing the PWD and the local authorities to paint them a garish yellow and green. The elephants seems not to mind this weird combination.

Till a few years ago, there were also sign boards warning tourists about the forest bandit Veerappan. Yes, the forests were once home to this notorious poacher and forest bandit who was shot dead in an encounter on October 18, 2004.

Though Veerappan is dead and gone, the forests around the temple are still dangerous. Elephants are temperamental and when they charge, you can literally fell the earth trembling.

Coming back to the temple, you can either climb 50 steps to reach it or take a winding road to the top. Both are spectacular and offer a breathtaking view of the surrounding forests.    

The hills are white in colour and in Kannada they are called white mountain or Biligiri Ranga Hills (BR Hills). The name Ranga stands for the Ranganatha shrine atop the BR Hills.

The annual car festival is held during the Hindu month of Vaishakha,April- May

Walk behind the temple to see the vast extent of the forests below. Sometimes you will hear the roar of a tiger from below.

A few decades ago, BR Hills was an isolated spot with very few tourists and pilgrims venturing into the forests. Today, good roads, connectivity, resorts and hotels have sprung up at BR Hills and it has become one of the most popular destinations in the State.

The temple, which stands at the highest point of the BR Hills ranges, is surrounded by the Biligriri Ranga wildlife sanctuary and its stretches to a long distance from BR Hills to MMS hills, which once was the undisputed territory of Veerappan.

Today, the forests are the habitat of  several animals, birds and reptiles. The forest ranges stretches from north to south for about 16 km. The shoal rainforest is a treat to visit.

The Soliga tribesmen inhabit the areas surrounding the temple. They are the oldest inhabitants of the forests.

Apart from the temple and the reserve forest, enjoy the Dodda Sampige Mara or Champak tree. This is a 2,000 year old giant tree that still flowers in season.

The tree is worshipped as Shiva by the Soliga tribals. They believe it is also the abode of Lord Rangaswamy. They say that other deities also reside here and some of them are represented by over 101 stone lingas.

The BRT Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over 525 sq km of undulating hills. It is open throughout the year, but the best time to sight wildlife is between June and October.

Apart from wild dog or Dhole, sloth bear, wild boar, bison, leopard, elephant and tiger can be spotted. The hills are host to  270 species of birds, of which 210 are migrant species, including the exotic Paradise Flycatcher, Racket-tailed Drongo and the Crested Hawk Eagle.

Jungle Lodges and Resorts have a resort here. For trips within the park one can either trek on foot or opt for jeep safaris or elephant rides. If you are staying at the Jungle Lodges resort, everything is taken care of. If you are not, take permission from the Forest Department at Chamarajnagar.

The Cauvery here is ideal for angling, fishing, coracle boat rides and river rafting. If you enjoy trekking, there is no better place tan BR Hills. Apart from BR Hills, other trekking trails include Malligabare Betta, Hiddinabetta, Doddabetta and Mulkibetta. The Soliga and Jenu Kuruba tribesmen are good guides.

You can visit the Soliga settlement close to the K. Gudi camp of Jungle Lodges and its manager can arrange a visit through Dr Sudarshan, the social worker, who is doing yeomen work.

Jungle Lodges arrange trekking, rover rafting, jungle safaris, nature walks, elephant rides and coracle trips.

BR Hills is 235 km South from Bangalore and 86 kms from Mysore. The road from Bangalore is via National Highway No 209 through Kanakapura, Kollegal and Chamarajnagar. The journey from Bangalore will take a little over five hours. The nearest railway station is Mysore Junction. The nearest busstop is Kyathadevara Gudi (K.Gudi).

If you are in Bangalore, contact Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd:
II Floor, Shrungar Shopping Centre, M.G.Road, Bangalore, 560 001. Tel: 92-80-5597021, 5597024, 5597025, Fax: 91-080-5586163.

The Srirangapatna that I know

I was born n Mysore and did part of my schooling in the CFRTI school. As a Mysorean, I grew up on the heroic tales of Tipu, the magnificent Dasara procession and the Wodeyars.

Srirangapatna, to me was just a train stop away.

I must have visited Srirangapatna more than a hundred times and each time the small little island on the Cauvery has given me a surprise. I would like to share some of the most memorable moments of the place and also the historical spots in and around the fort town.

Srirangapatna is 26 kms from its district headquarters of Mandya and 14 kms from Mysore. It is surrounded on all sides by Cauvery.

Srirangapatna was also known as Srirangapura, Thiruvaranga Narayana Chaturvedi Mangala, Gautama Kshetra and Ubhaya Kaveri Madhyavarti.

Avinasheshwara, a Sanskrit poet, refers to the town as Karivaradarajapura and the British records call it as Seringapatam.

This Jaladurga or island fort was initially built by Thimanna Hebbar, a Palegar chief of Nagamangala in 1454 A.D.

Raja Wodeyar (1610A.D.) and Kanteerava Narasaraja Wodeyar (1654 A.D.) built the eastern second round fort wall.  Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar arranged for the cannons to be kept on the bastions near the inner fort, outer fort and the Jeebi entrance doors.

Some of the monuments of Srirangapatna are:

Jamia Masjid

Tipu constructed the masjid to the right of  the Ganjam Gate in 1782 A.D. It is built on the base of a Hanumantha temple and this fact is recorded by the Department of the Archaeology in its report of 1935.

The Masjid’s Mehrab is artistic and towards the top, it turns westwards. After crossing the pond and climbing the steps, one finds the decorated artistic wall of the spacious upper storied hall.  It contains selected verses of Quran as well as 99 names of Allah written in beautiful calligraphy.

Nearby is the water gate and a plaque indicating the place where the body of Tipu was found on May 4, 1799.

Gangadhareshwara Temple

Next to this is the Gangadhareshwara temple facing east, a Hoysala structure with many additions during Vijayanagar- Mysore regime. The Dalvays- ministers of the Wodeyars- also contributed to the temple. The main garbhagriha houses a Shivalinga referred to as Gangadhareshwara. Just behind this temple is the Prasanna Parvathi temple.

There are five inscriptions regarding this temple. Three of them refer to land grants and the other two refer to the services by Kalale Nanjarajaiah who established the Panchaloha Dakshina Murthy sculpture in the temple as well as a certain Shivarama Pandita who consecrated the deity of Tandaveshwara.

The temple has beautiful sculptures of Shanmukha, Saptamatrika, Narayana, Mahishamardini, Surya, Aditya Bhairava,

Veerabhadra, Panchamukhi Gayathri and other idols.

In the small shrines of this temple complex are Shivalingas like Omkareshwara, Avamukteshwara, Samvartakeshwara as well as idols of  15 devotees among the 63 Shiva devotees of Tamil nadu.

A record dated 1610 A.D. from Kilagere (Chamarajanagar

taluk) refers to a Veerashaiva Matha that existed in this temple.
Lal Mahal

The site to the right and in front of the Gangadhareshwara temple is the location of  Lal Mahal, the palace of Hyder and Tipu of which only the basement remains.

Once a grand palace that flourished with decorations during the Tipu’s regime, it later became a godown for sandalwood collection for some time.

Ranganatha temple

This is the most imposing structure of Srirangapatna. A legend says that this place was named Gautama Kshetra because saint Gautama and his wife Ahalya who came from the north, settled here in an hermit (ashram) and worshipped Ranganatha which was situated in a Tulasi garden.

The Ranganatha temple faces east and it is built in Dravidian style. It is one of the biggest temples in the State. It houses a crowned and richly ornamented Ranganatha sculpture in sleeping posture on a big serpent (Adishesha), resting his head on his right hand, and turning to his right flanks.

A local legend states that the world will come to an end when the deity wakes up and stars to measure with the help of  “seer” being used as his pillow.

The deity is about ten feet in its length, placed across in the north and south directions in the garbhagriha is a beautiful single stone sculpture.

At the feet of the deity are sculptures of Cauvery and the saint Gautama in worshipping postures. The doorframe of the garbhagriha is attractive with Gajalakshmi on its lintel, as well as doorkeepers on either side.

The six hexagonal ceilings has lotus decorations. The temple was expanded during the reign of the Nagamangala chief Samanta Thimmanna Dandanayaka (1458 A.D.) and then it became more popular.

A record dated 1528 A.D., from Srirangapatna refers for the first time the addition of the Ranganayaki temple in the complex during

the Vijayanagar regime. It is believed that Alamelamma wife of Thirumalaraya, the representative of the Vijayanagar regime used to lend her ornaments for decorations to the goddess  every Tuesdays and Fridays.

It is also believed that the present nose ring now on the deity belongs to Alamelamma.

On the outer Prakara of the temple are separate temples housing beautiful sculptures of Garuda, Suryanarayana, Lakshminarasimha, Kodandarama, Gajendra Varaprasada, Prasanna Venkataramana, Hanumantha and others.

Hydernama refers to the repairs undertaken by Hyder Ali in 1774 A.D. when a portion of the temple caught fire. The repaired portion was the Patalankana of the temple.

Hanging bridge

In 1808 A.D., Col. D. Haviland, a French Engineer who specilised in Arch structure, constructed a 112-feet long hanging arch bridge made out of bricks and stucco.

It is said that the bridge was actually swinging up and down for about one and half inch like a spring. Nevertheless, it collapsed in 1939 A.D.

Now, only some remnants of the bridge remains are seen. This structure, which is in ruins, is close to the Ranganatha temple

Wellesley Bridge

Welleslley Bridge, also known as Kirangur bridge, was built across the north Cauvery by Diwan Purnaiah during 1807 and named after the then Governor General  Lord Welleslley.

There is the ruined structure of the Palace that was a residence for the representatives of the Vijayanagar regime and the Mysore kings in front of the Ranganatha temple. It is known that during Tipu’s reign, the family of Mysore kings had their refuge in this palace.

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple

A little away from the palace, is a spacious Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy temple. Its outer Prakara is lost.

This temple built during the reign of Kanteerava Narasaraja Wodeyar has sculptures of Narasimha sitting in the posture of embracing Lakshmi, on an elevated pedestal as well as Ambegalu Krishna.

In a garbhagriha to the left of the rangamantapa of the shrine, is a three and a half feet high sculpture of Kanteerava Narasaraja Wodeyar with a record on its base.

The Lakshminarasimha sculpture was brought from Thiruchinapalli by the Narasaraja Wodeyar.

During the reign of the king Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar, the

temple was expanded. Tipu destroyed the shikhara and the mukhamantapa of this temple. He had converted this as a mint. After the death of Tipu, it was Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar who renovated this temple.

Krishnaraja Mandira

A little distance away, at the place of birth of Krishnaraja Wodeyar, a building called Krishnaraja Mandira was constructed. Now it houses the State Archaeological Museum.

Pete Rama Temple

The barber community administers the Pete Rama temple located in the market street near the Fort. A record dated 1537 A.D. refers to the exemption of some taxes given to the barbers of Srirangapatna area by Mahamandaleshwara Rama Rajayya Maha Arasu.

Recently an idol of Tyagaraja, the musical giant was established. Sacred mud from the Tyagaraja tomb at Thiruvayyar

was brought to this place while establishing this tomb.

Every year a music festival is held worshipping Tyagaraja and Purandaradasa, with pomp and gaiety.

The Jyotirmayi temple in the same road is also a spacious temple. Three records dated between 1852 and 1864 A.D. refer to the grants given to the Kalamma temple.

Adinath Temple

The Adinatha temple, a temple dedicated to the first Jain

Theerthankara Vrishabhanatha has been completely renovated. Sculptures of Dharanedra Yaksha and Padmavathi Yakshi the main deities of the Ganga period in the garbhagriha are noteworthy.

A record dated 1666 A.D. on the left wall of the mukhamantapa of the Basadi refers to the grant given to the treasury of Adishesha at Srirangapatna by a certain Payanna and Rajayya, the disciples of

Charukeerti Panditacharya.

Flag mast

The National flag is being hoisted during the Independence Day celebrations on the flag bastion located at the southeast corner of the fort.

This place supposed to be the place of sky-high flag hoist

during the Vijayanagar, Mysore, Tipu and British regimes.

Nearby is a ruined Gun Powder Chamber of Tipu’s regime. In addition, there are Ankalamma, Lakshminarayana, Santana Gopalakrishna, Nagareshwara, Janardhana, Anjaneya and other old temples as well as temples of Ayyappa, Subramanya, and

Shatakoti Rama Mandira.

The place also has Uttaradi Matha, Raghavendra Matha, Yathiraja Matha and a sacred temple of  Madhwaswamy near the water gate.

Daria Daulat

Outside the fortified area to the east, on the road to Sangam, lies the attractive garden and the summer palace of Tipu, called Daria Daulat (a sea of wealth).

This was also Tipu’s  rest house and an amusement centre.

Reese, a foreign traveler, has stated that there is no other place like this in India except for the Palace at Esphan in its decorations of color paintings spread throughout the walls.

The palace is in Indo Sarcenic style. Originally, the east and west walls of the building had scenes of the battle of Kanchipura (1780 A.D.), pictures of Hyder-Tipu, different Palegar Chiefs and Kings in varieties of  colours. However, Tipu defaced these paintings before the invasion of Srirangapatna by the British in 1799 A.D.

After the fall of Srirangapatna, this palace became the residence of Col.Wellessly and the wall paintings in color were repainted and reconstructed. Lord Dalhousie in 1855 A.D., once again ordered the paintings to be redone with the help of local artists. Even though these color paintings are repainted twice, the original forms have been retained.

The paintings are important as they give us minute details of the soldiers and their dresses belonging to British, French, Maratha, Nizam and local Palegar chiefs.

Tipu built this palace in 1784 A.D., on the model of a palace built by the Moghul Governor Dilawar Khan at Sira in Tumkur district.

Tipu used to call upon the Ambassadors at this palace and then  return back to the residential place inside the fort. It is said that initially there was a Mahanavami Mantapa in the place and the Mysore kings were celebrating Dasara festival from it. Afterwards in 1711 A.D., Hyder had converted the place as an army camp.

Shahar Ganjam

Situated to the left of the Summer palace this was the market place. Tipu established this city as a residence for the family of artistes he brought from Sira for manufacturing paper and silver-wired headgears.

A record refers to a jam-packed Sira Bazar and after the attack of the Plague in 1799 A.D. , it was neglected.

Church

Near the Daria Daulat is the Church of Abbe Dube. The church is named after the French priest who constructed the structure. A record dated 1880 A.D on the bell tower of the church refers to it.

The Church is a simple structure in Indo French style. Inside the Church, articles such as French water pot, artistic cross, the

sculpture of the Christ as well as the picture of a priest, his clothing, his chairtable and others are still preserved.

The tower bell made out of brass weighs 200 kilograms.

Nimishamba Temple

The Nimishamba-Mukteshwara temple on the northern banks of  Cauvery  is near Ganjam. It has a Puranic legend attached to its structure.

The legend says that the goddess Adishakti, at the request of saint Mukthamuni, bore different forms in a fraction of a minute or Nimisha to kill demon Janumandala who had the power to bore different forms in a minute. Hence, the name Nimishamba

Boating facilities are available here.

A large number of devotees visit this place during Tuesdays and Fridays.

Gosai Ghat

This Ghat is about one km away on the southern bank of  Cauvery. It is to the right of the road to Gumbaz. Between the two Ghats, the smaller ghat has a small temple and a bathing ghat.

The bigger ghat is called Gosai ghat. It has a temple complex on the banks of the river dedicated to deities such as Ishwara, Hanumantha, and Kashi Vishwanatha.

The spacious Kashi Vishwanatha temple is the main shrine and the flow of Cauvery in front of the temple should be seen to be believed.

Bailey tomb

A record of 1816 A.D.,  at the memorial tomb of Col. Baily states that it was constructed by his half brother. Col. John Beli.

By the side of this, is the site of the Lalbagh Palace.

Hyder started construction of the [palace which was completed by Tipu. The structure had two floors, whose rooms and the corridors were attractive.

During the invasion of  Srirangapattana in 1792 A.D., Lord Cornwallis stayed in this palace. The dead bodies of British soldiers were also cremated here.

The palace was repaired in 1799 A.D., and Col. Barry Best bena staying here. Afterwards the structure was neglected and it became dilapidated.

The structure was in a ruined state during the visit of Rev Hoole in 1822 A.D. itself. British records say the building was destroyed and the teak wood furnishings reused to build a new structure of the Saint Stephen Church as well as restructuring the Trinity Church at Ooty.

Gumbaz

On the right side of the road to Sangam from Gosai Ghat are the tombs of Hyder, Tipu and their family members. This is the Gumbaz.

Tipu had built the Gumbaz in 1784 A.D., as a tomb for his

father Hyder. British records refer to Gumbaz as a garden full of fruit – flower-bearing plants brought from Kabul and Kandahar. Fruit plants like Mango, Apple, Orange, Lime, Seethaphala, Dalimbe, Rose apple and Hippu Nerale were planted in the garden.

Dalhousie installed the beautiful gates etched in ivory in 1855 A.D. The Gumbaz houses the tombs of Hyder at the centre, his wife Fakrunnisa Seydani Begum to the east, and the tomb of Tipu towards the west.

Their coffins are buried in the cellar. The tombs are covered with shawls of different colours and worshipped daily. Tipu’s eighth son Ghulam Mohammed has given gold lined clothing as an offering to be used on special occasions.

The special festival referred as Tipu Urs is held. Along with the tombs of Hyder Ali (1782 A.D.), and Tipu (1799 A.D.), there are tombs of other army chiefs like Benki Nawab (1799), Imam Saab, Syed Aameed as well as that of Kamaruddin (half brother of Tipu) and his wife (Tipu’s foster mother).

The tomb houses a good library. The structure is surrounded by a pillared corridor.

There is a Masjid adjacent to tomb’s platform. Among the seven Persian records in the Gumbaz, one on the western wall has eight verses in Persian and describes in glittering words, the tomb of Hyder built by Tipu.

The record dated 1799 A.D., on Tipu’s tomb describes profusely in seven Persian and two Arabic verses, the character of Tipu who fought and died while protecting Srirangapatna.

Sangam

Going towards the east from Gumbaz, one can see the beautiful confluence of the northern and southern branches of Cauvery as well as Lokapavani.

There is a PWD travelers Bungalow which originally belonged to Dewan Purnaiah. IT also housed Harris, a British Officer.

The nearby Scott Bungalow is a structure of the Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar regime and was the residence of Col. Scott, an Officer in the British Canon Regiment.

A record dated 1807 A.D. refers to the death of the Col., who became mentally ill, because of the death of his wife and daughter. There is an ancient Sriranganatha temple in the same area which requires publicity.

Pachima Vahini

This is a branch of the southern Cauvery, where the river flows a little bit to the west and then to the east forming a small island in the southwest corner of Srirangapatna. The name Paschima vahini applies to both the river as well as the place. It is a holy place. A bath during Sankranti here has become famous.

The King’s ghat, the bathing ghat, mantapas, aravattiges, temples and feeding houses established by the Mysore kings in this place provides centres for people to perform the yearly ceremonies, immersing the bones and ashes as well as the pindas of their deceased elders.

A ceremony here is believed to provide moksha to the deceased. Now a days even marriages are also held here. The ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed here.

The statue of Hanumantha here was installed by the Madhwa saint Vyasa Raja. The feeding houses of Wodeyar family, Nandi Basappa, Gadi Chaluvaraya Shetty, Chowdayya, Rangacharya of Andapura are in ruins.

The beautiful tomb of Kempananjammanni, the Queen of Khasa Chamaraja Wodeyar, is situated by the side of the Railway line.

Chandravana

This place is one km away from Paschima Vahini. A record here refers to the stone bund built across the river Cauvery during the reign of Hoysala Narasimha and other records refer to the beautiful Stucco sculptures of Narayana, Cheluvaraya and Keshava in the temple of Cheluvarayaswamy.

Between the two temples is the Chamarajeshwara temple built in 1898 A.D. It was built by Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar in the name of his father Chamaraja Wodeyar.

The Cheluvarayaswamy temple is also a structure of the

Mysore kings with beautiful stucco sculptures. The mantapa at a nearby place where the river Cauvery branches, is referred as Gautama Mantapa.

Gautama Kshetra

This is on the other side of the Cauvery and it is believed to be the residence of Gautama and his wife when they stayed here. Therefore, it is called Gautama Kshetra.

Gautama worshipped Ranganatha and Thirumalaraya.

To reach this place one has to cross the branches of Cauvery on old bridge, as well as through the road to Rampur. The bird sanctuary of Ranganatithu is very near to Paschima vahini.