Overview
Shivagange is located at just ~60 KM from Bangalore and ~20 KM from Tumkur. With an altitude of 2640.3 feet, the summit has the Lord Shiva temple. It is also called as Dakshina Kashi (A Kashi of South). The hill has many temples named from Shiva Temple, A Nandi Statue, Honnamadevi Temple and also Olkal theerthi. The few temples are located inside the cave whereas few are on hill top.
The Shivagange is located at 4559 Feet above the sea level, its outline appears from the east as a bull, from the west as a Ganesha, from the north as a serpent, and from the south as a linga. The number of steps leading to the top is said to equal the number of yojanas to Benares (Varanasi).Hence this is called Dakshina Kashi. An ascent to the top is considered as a pilgrimage to the holy city. It is belived that during the reign of Hoysala kings, the queen Shanthala, wife of Vishnuvardhana, who committed suicide from this hill as she did not give birth to a son.
The area is a popular site for rock climbing in the Karnataka state. The entire trail to the peak is well marked and the presence of human-made steps (often carved into the rocky landscape, but sometimes made from rocks) makes the trail suitable for beginners. There are frequent rest opportunities with stalls serving food and drinks. The trekking path to reach summit from foothills is of 6 km (3.7 mi) in a predefined path. The trail becomes steep and narrow near the summit of the mountain – safety rails are provided in such areas.[5] Monkeys are the main fauna inhabiting the hill.
