Madikeri

Madikeri (Kannada: ಮಡಿಕೇರಿ) is a town in Karnataka state, India. Also known as Mercara, it is the headquarters of Kodagu district.

Places of Visit in Madikeri

Abey Falls or Abbi Falls: Abbey Falls also called as Abbi Falls is located 1 km from the town of Madikeri. The waterfall is located between coffee plantations with coffee bushes and spice estates with dense bushes and green trees where the Kaveri river cascades down a rockface.

The falls appear suddenly, the water cascading over rocks into calm pools. The roar of the falls can be heard from the road. The water flow is very high during the monsoon season and during the dry seasons the flow is considerably less. A hanging bridge has now been built across the gorge here offering a good view of the falls.

The best time to visit is early winter when the monsoons bring plenty of water. The falls can be reached by a narrow road from Madikeri. Cars can reach the entrance of these falls from where a downhill walk of 500 metres on slightly paved steps takes one to the waterfalls.

Raja's Seat: Raja's Seat is a small pavilion with a garden surrounding it; offering a view of the green valley below. According to legend, the kings of Coorg spent their evenings here. The spectacular sunset and the far stretching blue mountains will take ones breath away.

Madikeri Fort: Madikeri fort was first built by Mudduraja in the last quarter of the 17th century. He also built a palace inside the fort. It was eventually rebuilt in granite by Tipu Sultan who named the site as Jaffarabad. In 1790, Doddavira Rajendra took control of the fort.

The palace was renovated by Lingarajendra Wodeyar II in 1812-1814. One can find two life size masonry elephants in the north-east corner at the entrance and a church in the south-east corner.

Omkareshwara temple: Omkareshwara temple was built by Lingarajendra in 1820. It is located just 1 km away from the heart of the Madikeri. The temple has both Islamic and Gothic style of architecture. There is a tank in front of the temple. There is a footpath leading to a small “Mantap”.

It is said Lingarajendra killed an honest and pious Brahmin to fulfill his political ambitions. That Brahmin became a “Brahmarakshasa” and started troubling the king. The king got rid of the so called “Brahmarakshasa” only when he brought a “Shivalinga” from Kashi and installed it after building a temple. The shivalinga was named as “Omkareshwara” and regular rituals were performed. The bars of the windows of the temple were made of “Panchaloha” and an alphabet “lim” has been placed in between the bars.

Gaddige - Raja's Tomb: (Rajas' tombs): Gaddige or the tombs of Virarajendra and Lingarajendra at Madikeri is one of the important monuments of Coorg. It is located in the north of Mahadevpet in Madikeri city. The royal tombs on a hillock to the north of Madikeri provide a spectacular view of the town. Lingarajendra's tomb was built in 1820.

Gaddige Tombs: There are also the tombs of a Raja's priest and that of two army commanders. A commemorative plaque, eulogizing the bravery of General Biddanda Bopu who fought Tipu Sultan has been recorded by Dodda Veerarajendra in an inscription. The tombs are in the style of Muhammadan edifices with domes in the center and turrets at the angles

Facts
Place :Kodagu (Coorg) District in Karnataka
Altitude: 1700 m above sea level
Temperature: Summer: Max 28°C, Min 22°C; Winte : Max 24°C, Min 15°C
Significance: Famous for its Madikeri fort and Abbey Falls
Best Season: October - April

How to Reach Madikeri

Air: Madikeri has no airport of its own. The nearest airport is Mangalore terminal (Mangalore - 136 kms) and Karipur (Kozhikode180 kms).

Rail: The nearest railway station to Madikeri is Mysore which has good rail connectivity and nearest railhead is Managalore which is connected to all cities in India. Others are Hassan or Cannanore and Tellicherry in Kerala.

Road: Regular bus transport is available with Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore through state highways. Distance to Madikeri from Bangalore (262 kms ), Bhagamandala(39 km), Calicut(180 kms), Mangalore(136 km), Mysore(120 km) etc.