Bettadapura is a village near Piriyapatna in Karnataka, known for the Sidilu Mallikarjuna Temple located on top of a hill. Chaya and I recently trekked to this place.
Reaching Bettadapura
We started early from our home in Bengaluru, had breakfast in Mysuru, and continued towards Madikeri. After crossing Hunsur, we reached Piriyapatna and took the deviation towards Bettadapura.
We soon reached the temple complex on the outskirts of Bettadapura. It was a serene location, with several old structures dating back to the Vijayanagar period. There were quite a few vehicles parked here, which was a sign that we were not the only ones visiting the place.
The Trek
At the beginning of the trek, a board mentioned that there were 3,108 steps to the top.
The route was straightforward. There were steps almost all the way to the top, so there was no confusion about which way to go.
But the climb was not easy.
It was a continuous ascent with hardly any flat section to give us a break. The steps kept going up, one after another.
Thankfully, there are several mantapas along the way. These make for good places to stop, rest and catch our breath before continuing the climb.
We took about one and a half hours to reach the top, with several stops along the way.
One interesting detour was the remains of an old temple just before the final section of the climb. The temple is mostly in ruins now, but it was interesting to see these old structures along the trekking route.
From here, the climb continued, and the surroundings became greener as we went higher.
At the Top
As we reached the top, we caught up with a large group of trekkers from Mandya. They were already getting ready to head back.
What I liked about the group was how they enjoyed the place without creating a lot of noise or disturbance. They were lively, but at the same time, respectful of the surroundings.
At the top is the Sidilu Mallikarjuna Temple, which is still worshipped today. It is a fairly large temple, although several sections are now in ruins.
We spent quite some time exploring the temple and enjoying the peaceful surroundings.
The views from the top were another highlight. We could see the villages, agricultural fields and lakes spread out across the landscape.
While coming back down, we also visited a viewpoint with a stone pillar. We had skipped this spot while climbing up, so we decided to spend some time here before heading back.
And the views were amazing.
Summary
Bettadapura is a good option if you are looking for a short trek with a bit of history along the way. The continuous staircase climb makes it a good workout, while the old temple structures and views from the top make the effort worthwhile.
For an average person, it took us around one and a half hours to climb up and about an hour to come back down.
There are no shops along the trekking route, so carry enough water and some food with you.
There is also ample space to park vehicles at the base of the hill.
Overall, Bettadapura turned out to be a simple but interesting trek — a good combination of history, a little exercise and beautiful views.
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