Raja’s seat, Coorg is one of the must visit places while engaging in sightseeing in Madikeri, Coorg. It served as a place for recreation for the erstwhile kings of Coorg and hence got its name, the Raja’s seat. Set within a splendid garden on an elevated platform overlooking the deep valleys, one can behold glorious views of sunrise and sunset for which Raja’s seat is widely known. Here is all that you need to know about Raja’s seat, Coorg.
Quick facts
Raja’s seat timings: 5:30 AM to 8 PM
Musical Fountain timings: 7:00 PM onwards on weekdays; 6:45 AM to 7:20 PM on weekends
Toy train: Rs 20/-
Entry Fee: Rs.5/-
Parking: Available at a nominal charge.
What is the speciality of Raja’s Seat Madikeri?
Raja’s seat is a small pavilion made of brick and mortar with surrounding four pillars, bridged by arches in the middle of a garden. The structure called the Gandhi Mantap, built on a high level ground, offers some stunning views of the valleys below and the hills beyond.
- The beautiful garden with flowering plants,
- A musical fountain from which colourful waters dance to tunes,
- The viewpoint which offers breathtaking views of the sunrise and sunset,
- The toy train etc add to the speciality of Raja’s seat in Madikeri, Coorg.
The toy train in Raja’s seat is an added attraction not only for the kids, but amuses the adults as well. It goes around the park offering good views of the rolling mountains and Raja’s seat from a distance.
Sunset at Raja’s Seat, Coorg
The kings of Kodagu spent quality time with their queens in this lovely ambiance, and are sure to have created some beautiful memories. Since Raja’s seat faced the west, it served as a suitable place to behold the glorious sunset. The coveted capture of the sunset is now available to tourists as well, which was once enjoyed by the royal clan.
The Gandhi Mantap
Raja’s seat, in the middle of the garden, is called Gandhi Mantap. This structure was built in order to commemorate the visit of Mahatma Gandhi to Coorg in 1934 where he addressed the natives of Kodagu. The Sarvodhaya Diwas or the Martyr’s Day, the day when Gandhiji was assassinated, is observed every year on 30th January. On this day, people walk in a procession and carry an urn containing the ashes of Gandhiji to the Raja’s seat. They then recite verses from the Bhagavad Gita, Koran and the Bible. They sing bhajans, offer flowers and observe a few minutes of silence in order to pay their respects.
Best time to visit Raja’s seat, Madikeri
The best time to visit Raja’s Seat, Coorg is during the early morning and evening hours to view the sunrise and the sunset. The early morning hours offer a splendid view of the sun rising from behind the mist laden mountains beyond. The golden rays of the setting sun offer a wonderful sight in the evenings.
How to reach Raja’s seat?
Raja’s seat is in Madikeri and is accessible from different parts of the Madikeri town. Since it is just 1km from the Madikeri bus stand, tourists can hire a cab or an auto to access this place.
Madikeri is well-connected by road network as it is situated near the Karnataka State Highway 88 that connects Mysore to Mangalore. There are several public buses that ply from Madikeri to a number of places in Karnataka and Kerala. Frequent KSRTC buses connect Madikeri to Bangalore, Mysore, Virajpet, etc. The town can also be reached by private vehicles and hired cabs.
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