Sri Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi hills is about 13 kms from Mysuru.
Chamundi is the fierce form of ‘Shakti’. She is the slayer of demons, Chanda and Munda and also Mahishasura, the buffalo-headed monster. She is the patron deity of the Mysuru Maharajas and the presiding deity of Mysuru.
The crowning glory of Mysuru, Sri Chamundeshwari temple is an enchanting place surrounded by natural beauty. While going up the hills, a bird’s eye view of Mysuru can be seen and several prominent places be spotted. It offers a spectacular scene when the Palace and its surroundings are illuminated during the Dasara and other occasions.
The original shrine is built in the 12th century by the Hoysalas while its tower was built by the Vijayanagara Empire in the 17th century. In 1659, a staircase of one thousand steps was built leading up to the 3000-foot summit of the hill. At the temple are several images of Nandi (the bull mount of Shiva). There is a huge granite Nandi on the 700th step on the hill in front of a small Shiva temple a short distance away. This Nandi is over 15 feet high, and 24 feet long and around its neck are exquisite bells.
