Channarayana Durga is a small village near Madhugiri in Tumkur district which is around 100 Kms from Bangalore. Being one among the Nine Durgas on top of Channarayana Durga hill is the center of attraction. There are few temples and old structures inside the fort. Though most of the place is in ruins without any care, still some places seems to be intact and still looks good.
History says that Maratha rulers once occupied this fort. In later years the fort changed hands a few times between the Marathas and the Mysore Wodeyars. During the third Mysore war British army surrounded Channarayana Durga fort and later abandoned. The fort is deteriorating slowly due to damage caused by treasure hunters.
Stone buildings inside the fort are increasingly becoming targets of vandalism.
There is a small beautiful pond full of water at a little distance from the entrance and a temple. It is surprising to see so much water on top of a rocky hill.
The climb is very interesting to the fort there are no signboards and very few tourists visiting. It takes about an hour time to reach the entrance of the fort.
How to get there
Take Bangalore - Pune Highway cross Dobaspet and take a deviation towards Kortagere. Channarayana Durga is 10+Kms from Koratagere on the way to Madhugiri from Tumkur.
Plenty of buses operate between Tumkur and Koratagere, Madhugiri. But the number of buses going to Channarayana Durga village is very limited.
Nearest place for food : Koratagere.
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