About 28 km North of Chikmagalur town lies
Bababudangiri, the highest hill range in Karnataka. The hills
owe their name to a Muslim saint from Yemen, Baba Budan.
Legend has it that he reared the first coffee plants of India
from dry seeds he carried with him. The saint’s love for
coffee has not been in vain – today, coffee plantations spread
across the crescent hill range like they couldn’t belong
elsewhere. The loftiest point on these ranges is
Mullaiyanagiri, an excellent trekking destination.
Belavadi
Belavadi, 29 km South East of
Chikmagalur town, is a slice of India’s mythological history.
It is said that in another ‘yuga’, the Pandavas of the
Mahabharata stayed in the village. Here, they encountered the
vicious man-eater Bakasura, who was subsequently killed by the
mighty Bhima. The Veeranarayana temple here dated to be from
the early 11th century, with its square garbhagriha, sukanasi,
navaranga and mukhamantapa, is a fine specimen of Hoysala
architecture.
Bhadra Wildlife
Sanctuary
30 km from Chikmagalur and 265
km from Bangalore lies the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. Spread
across 492 sq km, the sanctuary is divided into two wings –
Muthodi wing and Lakkavalli wing. Take a jeep safari across
the thick forests for chance encounters with the denizens –
bison, elephants, sambar, spotted deer, wild boars, bears and
the elusive tiger.
Hebbe
Falls
The Hebbe waterfalls are located
about 8 km from Kemmanugundi hill station near Chikmagalur.
Amidst thick jungles, water rushes down a height of 168 metres
in two stages here – the larger one is called Dodda Hebbe
falls, and the other, Chikka Hebbe falls. The resulting stream
ultimately joins the Bhadra river.
Horanadu
A centre of Devi worship,
Horanadu is situated amidst a series of hillocks, a spot of
breathtaking natural beauty. The recently renovated
Annapurneshvari temple is the main attraction here. Pilgrims
visiting the temple are provided with free boarding and
lodging. Horanadu is 68 km northwest of Mudigere town.
