History & Mythology

Located on top of Karighatta hill (black hill in Kannada), this temple is built to worship Srinivasa, a form of Lord Vishnu. The temple is famous for being associated with two legends of Hindu mythology. One legend says that the temple was built when Sage Kutsamuni performed his penance so as to pray to Lord Srinivasa to bring back to life four maidens (devotees of Lord Srinivasa) who were killed by an elephant called Kari.
Another legend is related to the Hindu epic Ramayana where it is said that Sugreeva (the monkey king) brought this hill (then called Nilachala) from Thirumala for helping to make a bridge to Lanka in order to bring back Sita. However, at the request of local devotees of Lord Vishnu, he left the hill here and then onwards it came to be known as Karighatta.
Architecture of Karighatta Temple

The temple is well-known for its grand entrance which greets the devotees with big wooden doors giving way to the quadrangular shaped shrine. Inside the shrine, there is a 6 ft tall idol made of black stone which is accompanied by an idol of Yoga Srinivasa on the left and Bhoga Srinivasa on the right. A Kalayana Mandapa in the temple is also there. Perched atop the hill which is accessible after climbing a series of 450 steps, the temple also offers panoramic views of the cities of Mysore and Srirangapatna.
Temple Festivals & Timings

Festival: The temple celebrates the annual car festival which is celebrated in the month of February and March. This is a great time to witness the temple in all its glory.
Timings: The temple is open from 10.00 A.M to 2.00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, Sunday and Public holidays, the temple timings are from 10.00 AM to 7.00 PM.
Major Attractions near Karighatta

Gumbaz e Shahi: This mausoleum houses the graves of Tipu Sultan and his father Hyder Ali. Surrounded by landscaped gardens, it is an important historical landmark and well known for its Bijapur style of construction.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary: One of the largest bird sanctuaries in Karnataka, this place is just a haven for all nature lovers and bird watchers. When you are here, you can spot many bird species like shag, white ibis, Little Egret, little cormorant, open-billed stork, Spoon bills, painted stork, White Ibis, river tern, Darter, Peafowl, Pond Heron, Wild Duck, large cormorant etc.
Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace and Museum: With an exquisite museum and a number of artefacts that date back to the time of Tipu Sultan, this historical gem is a must-visit when you are around Karighatta. It was famous as once being the summer palace of Tipu Sultan and built in Indo-Islamic architecture in 1791.
Mysore Palace: Also called Amba Vilas Palace, this famous palace in Mysore is also the royal residence of Wodeyar dynasty. It is well-known for its architectural grandeur with many outstanding elements attracting tourists from all over.
Places to Stay near Karighatta
Royal Orchid Metropole Mysore
Grand Mercure Mysore
Hotel Loksagar
Mayura River View, Srirangapatna
Yoga Dhaama Retreat
Other Essential Information

Distance:
From Mysore: it is located 23 Kms away from Mysore and takes approximately 40 mins to cover the distance.
From Bangalore: it is located 125 Kms away from Mysore and takes approximately 3 hours to cover the distance.
How To Reach:
From Mysore: If you are coming from Mysore, you can take a cab or bus to Mandya. From Mandya, you can easily hire an auto or rickshaw to reach Karighatta.
From Bangalore: If you are coming from Mysore, you can take a train, cab or bus to Mandya. From Mandya, you can easily hire an auto or rickshaw to reach Karighatta.