Devarayanadurga – Popular tourist destination and place of religious significance!

Devarayanadurga, Tumkur, Karnataka

*Devarayanadurga is in Tumkur, Karnataka and is quite near to Bangalore. Considered to be a hill station, the scenic settings, great views from the top, mesmerising sunset and a pleasant drive makes it a great idea for a fun-filled one day trip with the family and friends.

*Devarayanadurga is also a very popular trekking destinations. The drive to the foothills of the mountain and a trek through the mountainous path to the path is quite exhausting but also is satisfactory.

*The Temple of Bhoga Narasimha is at the bottom of the foothills. The temple is a quint old place with a beautiful idol of the presiding deity. After the darshan of Bhoga Narasimha, visitors can either start their trek to the top of the hillock or choose to drive part-way up the hill. Reaching the top requires a short climb, which is not very exhausting but might be difficult for elders. The Yoga Narasimha temple is situated at the top of the hill and devotees to the temple throng here for his darshan.

*The route itself is through a forest area and sometimes luck favors the visitors with some wildlife sightings. Leopards are known to prowl this area of the forest, so if you are walking, ensure that it is in a group and not alone.

*Being a hilly area with dry vegetation, the weather tends to get quite hot and dry during summers and is best avoided. Carry plenty of water as the dry weather makes you thirsty quite quickly. The best time to visit is probably just after the rains or during winter.

*Other than the famous Yoga and Bhoga Narasimha, the surrounding area also has other attractions like the Mahalakshmi Temple and a natural spring called Namada Chilume. Legend has it that Lord Rama, not finding water around, shot an arrow at a rock and split it. Water started gushing out of the rock (natural spring) and has not stopped till date. The Namada Chilume attraction also has a deer park which is quite a popular attraction, especially with small kids. You can feed the Deer at this park with carrots and other vegetables.

*A good weekend outing with the family.