Chamundeshwari Temple in Mysore, Karnataka
One of our favorite weekend getaways is Mysore. The city has still maintained its charm and boasts of various sight seeing places well maintained. We toured the city unplanned and enjoy the surprises it has. In this post I have the ever popular Chamundeshwari Temple in Mysore.
The temple is on Chamundi Hill, one of the sacred hills of India. Little on the outskirts, this hill is 3kms from Mysore. A temple dedicated to Goddess Chamundeswari is located at the top of this sacred hill, hence the name.
You can access the temple via the 13km long motor able road or those interested in spiritual cleansing can take the 1000 steps up the hill. These steps were carved out of granite rock by Dodda Devaraja Wodeyar, the ruler of Mysore from 1659 to 1673.
We were told that there is a separate set of equestrian steps carved in the rocks especially for the Kings using horses. I could not trace out those steps though.
Chamundeshwari Temple in Mysore
The temple dates back to the 11th century, and is a fine quadrangular structure of Dravidian style of architecture. Unfortunately for us, the day we visited the temple, it was all cloudy, the pictures of the temple as you can see are not so clear.
The seven storeys tall, 40m high gopuram, with intricate carvings looked marvelous in spite of the clouds hovering around it. Chamundeshwari idol is made of solid gold, but no photography allowed inside. The doors are made of silver and so are the idols of other Gods inside.
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- Chamundeshwari Temple Mysore HMT Clock on the Facade
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- Devi’s (Goddess’s) feet inside Chamundeshwari Temple
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- Lord Ganesha on Facade.
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- View of Mysore City from Chamundi Hills
Outside the scene is like any mini market, the usual hustle and bustle of sales boys selling postcards, souvenirs. The lady was selling flower baskets for puja, and also took up the responsibility of safe keeping of foot wears.
Shakti Peeth in Karnataka
Chamundeswari Temple is also reputed to be a Shakti Peeth. There are 52 Shakti Peeths where parts of Sati, consort of Shiva fell. Sati Devi had killed herself because her father, Daksha, had insulted her husband, Bhagwan Shiva. Upset by her death, Shiva refused to part with her dead body. God Vishnu then used his Sudarshan Chakra to cut off the dead body while Shiva danced in a trance. It is believed both ears of Sati Devi fell here in this hill top.
Other Shakti Peethas I have been to – Biraja Temple in Jajpur, Kankalitala in West Bengal, Tarapith Temple, Mahishmardini Temple Bakreshwar, Danteshwari Temple,
Chamundi Hills
The hill got its name from Goddess Chamundi, an incarnation Goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva. A tyrant demon Mahisasur was killed by the Goddess to protect the area; the temple is built dedicated to Her. A 16 foot high statue of the demon is also put up there on the hill top.
The region Mysore of yesteryear gets its name from the demon Mahisasura and has been ruled by great dynasties. Today the name is confined to just that city, the Mysore state has been renamed as Karnataka and the state capital shifted to Bangalore.
Mahisasur in Chamundi Hills Mysore
Open Timings of Chamundeshwari Temple
Abhisheka Timings (Special Prayers): 6 am to 7.30 am and 6 pm to 7.30 pm
Friday: 5 am to 6.30 am
Darshan & Pooja Timings (Open and Prayers): 7.30 am to 2 pm, 3.30 pm to 6 pm, 7.30 pm to 9 pm
How to reach Chamundeshwari Temple
The Chamundeshwari Temple is located on Chamundi Hills in Mysore. Mysore is 215km from Kempegowda International airport of Bangalore and 279km from Mangalore airport. There are lot of public state transports and private cabs that will drop you at the top of the hill.
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(This post was first published on Aug 25, 2008.)
Nice and informative. Thks
What a magnificent temple! I wish I could visit there myself.
this was a wonderful post. i think the mist wrapping the temple adds to the mystery and creates a mood.
wow reading this post is like taking a holiday with u as a guide. thanks!
This is just so fascinating, again.
Wow what an amazing place!
That’s where we went for our honeymoon :-))) Mysore and
remembering going up Chamundeswari hills.. We loved it.
Learnt more about it in your descriptive blog.
Awaiting the Nandi bull blog soon
-Deepavali release?
Mysore famous for Sandalwood too.
India is one place I would love to visit someday. And Mysore would be on top of my list now that I’m so into my yoga practice. Great shots!! So colorful 🙂
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Pics are too good. Less crowd too.Last time i had been there, i could not enter the temple as we were getting late for Dasara and the tample was jamm packed with tourists.
Had been there long back. Remember a tea vendor who used to be more informed and communicative than the actual guide hanging around there!
Those are terrific photos. I love the amazing details on the structures. Your photos are so rich of colors. Thanks for sharing this interesting culture.
Thanks Marcia, ECL, RAJI, MILETTE, Carver, Lakshmi and Mysorean.
Mysorean, I will be posting on Nandi Bull soon. :)It deserves a post dedicated for it alone.
Any description of Chamundi Hills is not complete without the magnificient bull, Nandi, sitting 3/4 ways up the Hills on the steps on the way to the Temple. The beauty of the Hills is lost if one takes the road to the Hills. Climbing the steps has always been the ideal way of savouring the beauty of the Hills, and at the end of the journey one is rewarded with the blessing of the Goddess. Standing near the Nandi and looking at the expanse of Mysore, identifying the landmarks like Mysore Palace, Mysore Railway Station, Lalithamahal etc.. had been the favourable past time of many Mysoreans including mine.
Goddess Chamundeshwari for Mysore Maharajas was what Lord Ananthapadmanabha was to Maharajas of Travancore (their familiy deity). It was not coincidence that after exquisite compositions on Chamundeshwari, the late Muthiah Bhagavathar went to Swathi Tirunal College of Music to continue his creative work there.
Unfortunately, I hear from my friends who are residents in the Hills for generations, that the Temple is not managed well and the last late Maharaja’s son
is requesting the government to transfer the manangement responsibility to him. Hope the government agree to this request to preserve the beauty and history of Chamundi Hills.
I would even suggest transferring the management of the Temple to NRN who in his younger and college days was so much devoted to the Hills and the Goddess.
Bonjour !
Tu as vraiment des photos “étranges”…
Sommes-nous dans un temple ?
love mysore..i feel so much at home there ..
Those are beautiful shots. Very interesting post and I’d love to see that sometime.
Very nice. Been there nearly 20 years ago on a guided tour, where the guide knew even less than we did!
So thanks for the info about the idols!
i love the architectures.
my ws entry is here. hope you can take a peek. thanks.
The temple is beautiful and magnificent! I love visiting such places to know another race’s culture.
that was so colorful and pretty thank you for sharing that lovely site so many of us could see no other way. and wow what an elephant shot below