Top Tourist Attractions in Mandya
Mandya is a city in the Karnataka state. It is the administrative centre of the Mandya district and is 45 km from Mysore and 100 km from Bangalore. Sugar mills have a significant role in the economy. Sugarcane is a major crop, thus it’s also known as Sugar City. In the Srirangapatna taluk, the famed Krishna Raja Sagara dam is erected over the Cauvery River, and the world-famous ‘Brindavan garden’ is located near the dam. LANGUAGE: Kannada is the most widely spoken language in the area.
Best Fantastic Places to Visit in Mandya
- Melkote CheluvaNarayana Swamy Temple
- Brahmeshvara Temple, Kikkeri
- Satyagraha Soudha Shivpura
- Sri Lakshminarayana Temple
- Hosaholalu Temple
- Hemagiri
- Gumbaz
- Krishna Raja Sagara Dam and Brindavan Gardens
- Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
- Shivanasamudra
Melkote CheluvaNarayana Swamy Temple
Melkote, 36 kilometres north of Mandya, is a famous pilgrimage site famed for its Vairamudi festival in March and April. For this occasion, more than a lakh devotees gather. Melkote was once famous for its handlooms. A thousand years ago, the great saint Ramanujacharya traversed this area. Melkote’s Chaluvanarayan Swamy and Yaganarasimha Swamy temples have a combined history of almost 1000 years. The Academy of Sanskrit Research is also located in Melkote.
How to reach there: By road from Bangalore (135 K.M.s), Mysore (50 K.M.s) and Mandya (50 K.M.s)
Where to Stay at Melkote: The Forest Department and the Public Works Department have a guest house each. The Academy of Sanskrit Research has lovely cottages surrounded by lush green gardens.
Brahmeshvara Temple, Kikkeri
This temple, located around eight miles from K.R.Pet town and 10 miles from Sravanabelagola, is a superb example of Hoysala architecture. It was built in 1171 by a woman called Bammare Nayakiti during the reign of Hoysala King Narasimha I. This elaborate building has a few unique features. When viewed from the outside, the temple’s sides are convex and bulge out, causing the internal dimensions to expand beyond the base. The deep depression of the horizontal courses in the basement, as well as the knife-edge to which the cornices have been taken, are additional noteworthy features. It is a single-story temple with a tall and beautiful stone tower. In one of the navaranga’s recesses, there is a well-executed picture of Vishnu about four feet high. The madanike figures carved on the capitals of the navaranga’s pillars are exceptionally well-crafted and life-like.
Satyagraha Soudha Shivpura
This aesthetically unusual edifice is built on the Bangalore Mysore Highway, 80 kilometres from Bangalore and 25 kilometres from Mandya, to commemorate the liberation fight in Maddur in particular and the Mandya region in general.
Hosaholalu Temple Sri Lakshminarayana Temple
The Lakshminarayana temple is a magnificent example of thirteenth-century Hoysala architecture. The beautiful stone carvings portray scenes from the Mahabharata and other epics. The temple is a trikutachala, which means “three-celled temple.” The main cell is the only one with a sukhanasi and a tower.
Some of the carvings on the walls are about two and a half feet tall. They have good proportions and are skillfully executed. Panduranga, Dakshinamurti, and Mohini are especially notable personalities. The capitals of the navaranga pillars are adorned with groups of dancing females with accompaniments in spectacular positions. There are several fascinating sculptures in the friezes, scroll work, and railing panels as well. Around the month of April, an annual jatra named Rangada-habba is held here in honour of Anjaneya. In some ways, it is similar to the Holi celebration. The communities dress up in various disguises, shout God’s praises, and dance all night, squirting saffron water (vasanta) over one another at regular intervals. Hosahallu is a hamlet close to Krishnaraj Pete. Hosaholalu is accessible by road from Mandya (60 kilometres), Mysore (50 kilometres), and Bangalore (160 K.M.s).
Hemagiri
Hemagiri is located in K.R.Pet Taluk, about six miles from K.R.Pet Town, on the bank of the Hemavati River. The river’s left side is lined with magnificent and intriguing flora. Many people visit this location to rest and recover. The Hemagiri anicut is built at the foot of the hill over the Hemavati river here, from which channels are taken for irrigation reasons. During the vehicle festival of the neighbouring Venkataramanaswami Temple, a large cow market is conducted here.
Gumbaz
Tippu’s Fort at Srirangapatna houses the Juma mosque as well as the Ranganatha Swamy Temple. The Gumbaz, the tombs of Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan, are located outside the fort. Gumbaz is a remarkable example of Indo-Islamic architecture, with an enormous dome and doors inlaid with ivory made of ebony.
The Masjid-e-ala mosque, erected during Tipu’s reign (1784), was entirely covered with the “Baburi” design, which was afterwards bleached by the British. It features two towering elegant minarets as well as lovely carved flowering motifs on the top and pillars. There are finely sculpted bunches of grapes and various creepers in the centre of the mosque. In the courtyard, there is a stone solar clock.
Krishna Raja Sagara Dam and Brindavan Gardens
The KRS Dam and the picturesque terraced Brindavan Gardens are located 9 kilometres north-west of Mysore. In the nights, the whirling Musical Fountains dance to the rhythm of calm music, and colourful Lights convert this site into a magical kingdom, attracting hundreds of tourists.
Timings of Entry to Brindavan Gardens:
On weekdays, it closes at 9.00 p.m., while on weekends, it closes at 10:00 p.m. On weekdays, the illumination is between 7.00 and 8.00 p.m., while on Sundays, it is between 7.00 and 9.00 p.m.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
The Ranganatittu Bird Sanctuary, located 4 kilometres from Srirangapatna and 18 kilometres from Mysore, offers visitors to get up up and personal with unique and familiar species, as well as crocodiles that resemble mud banks. This is home to birds from as far away as Siberia. The River Kaveri flows amid stones and lagoons to form a series of islands covered in lush green flora, making it a perfect sanctuary for birds migrating from all over the world.
Shivanasamudra
The river Kaveri pours down in two gorgeous waterfalls at Shivasamudra, which is a sight to see. These falls, which drop 75 metres into a steep rocky valley, are at their finest during the monsoon season (July to November). In 1905, Asia’s first hydroelectric plant was established here. Power was evacuated from this power facility to the Kolar Gold Fields near Bangalore, where it was used to power the gold mining.
Best Time to Visit in Mandya
The winter months, which go from November to March, are ideal for visiting Mandya.
How to Reach Mandya
By Road
Bangalore and Mysore are both easily accessible from Mandya. It’s around 100 kilometres from Bangalore and 45 kilometres from Mysore. From these cities/towns, frequent government buses go to Mandya.
By Rail
Mandya is connected to Bangalore and Mysore via train.
By Air
Mandya does not have an airport, thus the nearest airport is Bangalore, from where one may fly to other major Indian and international destinations.