Melukote
A Vaishnava hill town above the Kaveri valley
A Melukote tour combines the Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple, a hilltop Yoga Narasimha shrine, a stepped pond and the 13-day Vairamudi festival in Mandya.
Overview
Melukote, also spelt Melkote, is a hill town in Mandya district, Karnataka, built among rocky heights known as Yadugiri that rise to about 1,030 metres above the Kaveri valley. It lies about 50 km from Mysuru and suits visitors who want a quiet Vaishnava temple town with Sanskrit learning and short climbs. November to March is the recommended time.
The town's main shrine is the Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple, dedicated to a form of Vishnu also called Tirunarayana. Its square plan and carved pillars date from the Hoysala period, and the temple is tied to the saint Ramanujacharya, who made Melukote a centre of Sri Vaishnava practice in the 12th century after living here for more than a decade. High above, on the rocks, stands the Yoga Narasimha temple, which tradition credits to Prahlada. Below, a large stepped pond, the kalyani, is ringed with pillared mantapas near the main temple.
Three crowns belong to the processional image: the Rajamudi, the Krishnarajamudi and the Vairamudi, a diamond-set crown. They stay in government custody and are brought to the temple once a year, for the Vairamudi festival. The festival is a Brahmotsava of 13 days. Its high point is a night-long procession on the Pushya nakshatra, when the deity wears the Vairamudi. The 2025 festival ran from 2 to 14 April, and in 2026 the crown ceremony fell on 28 March, so plan for late March to mid April and expect a very large crowd.
Scholarship is part of the town's character. An academy of Sanskrit research holds around 11,000 manuscripts and 35,000 books, and the Sri Veda Vedantha Bodhini Sanskrit College dates from 1854. Melukote also has a name for handloom weaving and for puliyogare, the tamarind rice served in temples. Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, created in 1974 around the hills, protects wolves, leopards and about 200 bird species, though access to it falls under forest department rules.
For planning, Mysuru is the usual base, about 50 km away, and Bengaluru is some 133 km off. Mandya town is about 36 km to the south-east.
Known for
A Vishnu temple of the Hoysala period linked with Ramanujacharya
Happening soon
Updated Oct 7, 2026Coming up, dates to be confirmed
Vairamudi Brahmotsava
festivalA 13-day festival at the Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple, whose centrepiece is a night-long procession of the deity wearing the diamond Vairamudi crown.
Usually late March to mid April, following the lunar calendar. The 2025 festival ran from 2 to 14 April, and the main crown ceremony in 2026 was on 28 March. No 2027 dates found.
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesQuick facts
Karnataka Tourism rates November to March as the best weather for a visit; no temperature range was found for the town.
Mysuru Airport (Mandakalli), (distance to be supplied); Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, is the main alternative (distance to be supplied)
Mandya, about 36 km away (station and road distance to be confirmed)
Melukote is about 50 km from Mysuru, about 133 km from Bengaluru and about 36 km from Mandya. Drive times (to be supplied). KSRTC buses were arranged for pilgrims during the 2026 Vairamudi.
Plan well ahead for Vairamudi, because the 2026 report expected more than 2 lakh devotees and a heavy police presence
Start the day at the Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple and leave the hilltop Yoga Narasimha temple for when the day is cooler
Ask the forest department before any visit to Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, since access rules vary and none were found
Location
Plan a trip to Melukote
Tell us your dates and we will shape the route.