Makalidurga is a hill fort situated near the village of the same name. It is 60 km north of Bangalore and 10 km after

Doddaballapura Doddaballapura is a city and the district headquarters of Bangalore Rural district in the state of Karnataka, India. ''Dodda'' means "big" in the native language Kannada. It is an industrial city which houses several national companies, and lies ...

on the way to

Gauribidanur Gauribidanur is a taluk situated in Chikkaballapur district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Geography Gauribidanur is at . It has an average elevation of 694 metres (2276 feet). Demographics India census A census (from Lati ...

. The fort at the summit has an old temple of

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

with Nandi and in legend

Markandeya Markandeya () is a rishi (sage) featured in Hindu literature. He is the son of the sage Mrikanda and his wife, Manasvini. The Markandeya Purana (one of the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas in Hinduism), attributed to the sage, comprises a dialogue ...

Rishi performed penance here. Makalidurga Fort stands at the top of a huge granite hillock, huddled up amidst the chains of hills, formed like a valley close to

Ghati Subramanya Ghati Subramanya (Kannada: ಘಾಟಿ ಸುಬ್ರಮಣ್ಯ) is a Hindu temple, situated in the village of Sri Subamanya Ghati near Tubagere, Doddaballapura, Karnataka, India. It is 60 km from the city of Bangalore and is a popula ...

, a well-known pilgrimage center. It has a fort on top, at a height of 1,117 m. It has become a popular trekking destination for adventurers, both day and night.

Trekking

The Makalidurga trek is the nearest railway trek to Bangalore. It begins with a 2-km walk on the railway track from the station of Makalidurga. One can also ride bikes to the beginning of the trekking trail as well. A lot of refreshments is advised to be carried in case one wants to trek this hillock. Makalidurga trek is of a medium/difficult level. The total trek route is 4 km in length, which should take approximately 3 hours to complete. There is a parking space created for vehicles in the base of the hill. One has to just cross the railway track and turn left. There is a small temple and some houses at the base of the trek. It is where the trek starts. The trek is managed by

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

Tourism department and one needs to make a prior booking on their official website myecotrip.com, which charges a sum of ₹250 Indian rupees per adult. Karnataka Tourism provides a guide and local support for the charge. There is a public notice by Karnataka Forest Department as follows: "Makali hills comes under Makali Reserve Forest. This place is under the supervision of Doddaballapur forest department. Illegal trekking is prohibited, which is an offence under Section 24(C)II of Karnataka Forest Act-1963. Strictly illegal trekking is restricted. But on the public and trekkers demand, department provided the facility for trekking through online booking in websit
www.myecotrip.com
Night trekking not allowed. Morning 0600am to 0500pm only." Also, after a few meters, one can find an open ground with a view of the mountain. Turning right, would lead one to the trek path with markings all around. There are fort ruins and a temple at the top.

Gallery

File:Makalidurga Railway Track.jpg, Makalidurga Railway Track File:View from Trail.jpg, View from Trail File:Makalidurga Hill.jpg, Makalidurga Hill File:Trek route.jpg, Trek Route

References

Forts in Karnataka Buildings and structures in Bangalore Rural district Tourist attractions in Bangalore Rural district {{fort-stub