Shivagange or Dakshina Kashi Near Tumkur

Trip details
Distance From Bangalore	51 Kms from Bangalore and 31 kms from Tumkur
Type	Trekking - on a rocky hill, Temples
Height	Approx 1.4 km high
Difficulty level	Hard
Kids?	Yes, Kids 5+ years can climb. (My kids did their trek here).
Hours needed	5 hours. 2.5 to 3 hours to climb, 2 hours to come down
Best time to visit	Avoid rainy season, otherwise anytime is fine.
Local guides	Not available
Stay options	Bangalore or Tumkur
Food	Not available here, only Kamat or other motels in Bangalore-Tumkur highway
Nearby places	Devarayanadurga, Madhugiri Fort
Other tips	·        Monkeys are there to snatch food from you, be careful. ·        There are local sellers selling cucumber and water bottles on the way up. You can have your snacks here and it is safe from monkeys. ·        Carry water and snacks, but eat near the local seller’s shops to avoid monkeys.

Shivagange is a mountain peak near Tumkur. This is also called Dakshina Kashi. If you could not goto Kashi, they say you can visit this place. This is a very good trekking place. Many pilgrims do visit everyday. To start with, I am adding two photos one from the below showing the peak and the other is from the peak showing the ground.

Be ready to be amazed. I am sure you will now plan your trip. !!!

View of the Shivagange Hill and the temple staring point, do you see the peak? We are heading towards that...... to my right is the pond. 

Do you see the pond? I have taken the first picture from right side road of the pond you see below. 

How amazing and thrilling........ Yes..... lets get started. !!!

Refer to Wiki for more details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivagange

About the trekking and some tips

It is bit hard trekking due to the height, but it is very much possible for all. Take enough breaks in between and carry water bottles, fruit juice and some snacks. You can also buy these on the way up. In many places while you walk up, you see small shops selling all these. 

Monkeys are around, so eat near the local shops which is very safe. Carry your stuff only in closed shoulder bag and nothing in hand. If you hold any in hand, monkeys are attracted and they come to you and take it. 

You can wear shoes, but when you enter into the temples or theertha (natural spring) remove the shoe. But my kind advice is to try without shoe. As there are places where it is very steep and very small steps where you will hardly find place to step with your big shoes. But depends on your comfort levels. May be based on your comfort levels either you wear or remove it and keep it in shoulder bag on the move. 

My kids also came along to the peak. But be extra careful and better dont take them to the Nandi statue that is in top of this mountain. We have seen many kids trekking so easily. Also while coming down, always be with your kids and hold them. Be very slow while coming down and don't be in hurry.

Also start early in morning, so that you can come back by early noon. It took around 2.5 to 3 hours for us to reach the peak, including breaks and visits to all the temples and theertha in between. And close to 2 hours to come down. Totally it takes about 5 hours and you can make this as a one day trip. Better dont plan anything else as you will be very tired with this itself. 

Food 

Kamat restuarant on Bangalore-Tumkur is the only option. You get tasty Maddur Vada, Thali or meals with rice, sambar, rasam, kosambari....etc with buttermilk. 

Stay options

Bangalore is the only option. Though tumkur has some places, not so great. 

About Shivagange 

There are multiple places where you will see theertha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theertham) or natural spring. Visit them and touch the water, that is so chill. 

This hill looks like a Shiva Lingam ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingam ) from the distance. And on top of this hill there is a shrine of Lord Gangadeshwara. Also you see the shrine of Lord Veerabadreshwara. Looks like this name shivagange came because of this. 

Now let me take you to trek with these photos with comments...

Looks like one can go inside.... do you see the hole in the middle of that wall ?

Just started to climb and seeing back.... pond is seen and temple tower is visible

Basavanna or Nandi or Bull

Temple tower

Pond in the entrance, before you enter the temple

This is from the entrace, can you see the peak where you need to go ? 

Some information board in the entrance, zoom to see the timings

Nandi is seen from the other side

Beautiful mantapa

Just right after you cross the temple tower

Some old Kannada inscription is seen... zoom to read it

Beautiful Nandi welcomes you...

Another Nandi welcomes you 

From little above that Nandi, you can see it in this photo....

Yes, you need to reach the top......

Steps are not so smooth, bit rough.... but interesting if you aim at reaching the top....

Valakkal Theertha Entrance 

Cave like structure inside the Theertha 

A beautiful mantap to take rest in between....

Do you see the small tower...... 

Wov .... beautiful tree welcoming you to take a break ..... 

Another Theertha

Do you see the small tower ? very difficult to climb this.....  dont try.... 

Take a break ......

Yes, I see Shiva Parvathi .... 

Shiva and Parvathi

After crossing Shiva Parvathi ..... bit tough narrow path starts.... 

Dont worry, you can make it..... you get very interesting views from here.... 

Here comes the view..... plus breeze

Yes, almost there .... only a little pending.....

Is it so.... did I reach the top..... little more.... !! 

Wov...........

Take rest ....... wherever you can ..... 

Another theertha......

Almost there..... 

Yes, I see that Nandi .... 

But let me see how much I climbed.... oops.... wov ...so high !!! 

Dont take kids above as the steps are far apart.....

Wov... I am so scared of the view from such a height...... 

You are on the edge and only the steel bars help you to hold tight... hold onto Basavanna (Nandi) as well

Do you see the temples on the opposite side ? 

Amazing view ..... close to 1.3 kms high

Yes, monkeys are there elsewhere. But see the old kannada inscription

Took photo from another angle to read it proper... .

From the temple which is opposite to Basavanna (Nandi)

Close view of the Nandi

Another view..... 

Veerabadreshwara temple

Full grown tree on the rock.... 

Temple vimana (Gopura)

Lord Gangadeshwara temple

This is a huge rock and has two oil lamp towers.....

Like a ship... see the oil lamp tower...

Another view of Nandi from the huge rock where oil lamp tower is present. See that rock where Nandi is there standing on the slope..... 

There is a big split in between the huge rock.....

View of the rocks .......

Another view of the rocks and the ground....

They light up the lamp using oil.....

Yes, this tower stands on its own and i dont see any support ? .... 

Another view of Nandi 

Huge rock split 

This is amazing..... how on earth they tied those two bells there ? Do you see? How courageous he could be... !!!

Do you see those two bells ?