Trip to Melukote Temples, Rayagopura

Back from KRS backwaters we were at Mysore at about 3 pm that day. We had our lunch at the popular Dasaprakash hotel in Mysore. We also noticed that it is popular among foreign tourists too as we found many foreigners at the tables there. Lunch we must say was good.

Temple pond in Melukote

Melukote : Our next stop was Melukote about 50 kms from Mysore. It took us about an hour or so to reach Melukote. The temple town which is a center for Srivaishnava sect is famous for 2 temples - Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple at the hilltop and Cheluvanarayana Swamy temple. When you enter Melukote first thing you will notice is the large temple pond or pushkarini or kalyani. Numerous Kannada films were shot in this location. Remember the Nadheem Dheem Thana song from Gaalipata?

Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple, Melukote

Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple : After parking our four wheeler near the pond, we went uphill to see the Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple. Narasimha is one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu. From the hilltop you get a beautiful bird's view of the Melukote town. People were waiting for the doors of the temple to be open for the evening pooja. We waited too, though rest three in our group were reluctant to wait. The temple premises is full of notorious monkeys. So, beware of them! Meanwhile, I purchased a CD of Kannada folk songs inside the temple premises. But later I realized that it was almost double the prize as shopkeeper had pasted a different price sticker. I was surprised that in a religious place like Melukote, people do such fraud!

Raya Gopura, Melukote

Raya Gopura : As we did not have much time in the day and it was getting dark, we could not visit the Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple (but got a glimpse of it on our way) and went straightly to Raya Gopura which is famous with the film folks. If you remember the barso re song from Hindi movie - Guru, it was shot here. It is an incomplete temple structure with four rising pillars. 

House of Pu Ti Narasimhachar

House of Pu Ti Narasimhachar : In Melukote, you will also find the house of great Kannada poet - Pu Ti Narasimhachar. It was beyond the visiting hours of the house. So, we missed chance visit the memories of Pu Ti Na.

Suset at Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple, Melukote

Rayagopura, Melukote

Raya Gopura, Melukote