In this article we share our visit experience of "RayaGopura" ( meaning the Royal Tower or Gateway ) at Melukote , a town in Mandya district which attracts with its serene beauty and historic spots - 150 kms from Bangalore.
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| Melukote RayaGopura Front View |
RayaGopura is basically a ruin of the tower which construction was not completed and thus remained as a specimen for visitors to get an internal view of the tower. Some people refer this also as Gopala RayaGopura. The main attraction is the carvings on the four pillars & inner walls. Different avatars of Lord Vishnu are carved beautifully. All structures are made from stones which had made it long lasting for many years.
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| On top of RayaGopura YogaNarasimha Temple view |
There are two entrances to visit here , one the road from CheluvaNarayana Swamy temple which is less than 500 mts from the temple and the other next to the Sanskrit Academy after passing through Akka Tangi ponds. The Academy has very good cottage guest houses for tourists. One gets a good view of Melukote surroundings from top of Rayagopura. There is also a small park in front of this spot.
Nowadays this spot is used for film & songs shootings also. Many films including Tamil superstar Rajnikanth films were shot here. Street Hawkers selling Bhel / churumuri , spicy Butter milk , Mangoes and Jack fruits are the source of snacks around this spot.
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| Scripture Carvings of forms of Vishnu |
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| Scripture carvings |
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| Scripture carvings on the pillars & slide walls |
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| Stairs inside the Gopura to climb on Top |
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| Small Hanuman temple on the stairs to Rayagopura |
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| Melukote RayaGopura Side view |
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| Awesome View from Sanskrit Academy next to RayaGopura | |
A very nice spot to visit with friends group and Family on a weekend for relaxing with a long drive. You may plan to visit here after checking out the Melukote temples, Ponds and then to DhanushKoti , another awesome hill spot. Check out our touring spots guide for more details on other spots.
Do visit this spot and share your experiences.
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