A charming town is in the Yaduguri Hills where time seems to
have stood still for centuries. There is a beautiful temple dedicated to
Thirunarayana on the lower hill and one dedicated to Yoganarasimha swami on the
upper hill. The Thirunarayana temple has an enchanting shrine dedicated to
Ramanuja and several fine images of the alwars. The deity in the
Yoganarasimha temple wears a magnificent gold crown. The private library of the
Swamigal (head) of Melkote, is now part of the Academy for Sanskrit Research,
which has several unpublished works in Sanskrit, Tamil, philosophy, logic,
rhetoric, math, astronomy etc. the popular
Vairamudi festival (crowning the ruling Vaishnava deity with a diamond
studded crown) in April attracts many devotees from various parts od south India. Melkote is traditional weaving center.
It also has a wolf reserve and sanctuary close by.
Nagamangala
This is well known for its many temples, the most important
being that of Saumya Kesava which was built in the Hoysala style of
architecture. Metal industry is a flourishing industry here and the several of
the beautiful idols in its temples are said to have been cast here.
Nagarhole Wildlife Sanctuary
Picturesquely situated on the Kabini River, it is a
rewarding Stopover for the wildlife enthusiast. Wildlife includes tiger,
elephant, leopard and several species of monkey and deer.