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SIGHTSEEING HIGHLIGHTS
For the gold diggers, a visit to the Kolar Gold Fields is imperative. And if you cannot get enough of a
single precious metal, then a visit to Chintamani - a busting industrial town specializing in Gold,
Silver and precious stones should satiate you. Nandi Hills, the summer retreat of Tipu Sultan, was popular with
the British and is a favourite weekend spot for Bangaloreans. And for the
religiously inclined, the Kolaramma & Someshwara temples in Kolar Town
are exquisite, while Virupakshi, Chikka Tirupati, Kurudumale and Mulbagal
also have some famous temples.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Rock Climbing
Kolar
is a favourite haunt of rock climbers. Antara Gange, around 4 km from
the Bus stand, is full of hillocks with numerous climbing opportunities.
Festivals
One should not miss the gala
mood of the Karaga festival, which throws a flood of light on the Thigala
clan's Draupadi worship ritual, which the Karaga is all about. It is celebrated
over 13 days in the summer months, usually starting on the first Friday after
the Ugadi New Year day.
Other festivals too, like Theppothsava
and Dyavara, where thousands come to witness, celebrate & rejoice, are
events which bring in a flock of tourists. Tourism Info:
Department of Tourism
Tourist officer, Doom Light
circle,
Kolar-563101
Tel: 08152 - 227914
Identified as the land
of Gold, Kolar is the
Eastern gateway to Karnataka, and also an intersection to the states of Tamil
Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Famous for the Kolar Gold Fields, which till recently,
was India's major gold mining site besides having the world's 2nd
deepest mine, it is also home to legends from the Ramayana it is said that
Valmiki lived here, that Sri Ram had stayed here while on his way back to
Ayodhya after his conquest of Lanka and many such other stories abound.
Historically, the place has a rich heritage, being highly coveted as a hub of
various dynasties like the Gangas, Cholas, Hoysalas, Vijaynagar Empire &
others.
The main Kolar city itself is a mere 70 Km from Bangalore while the gold fields are a further
40 Km. It is situated
on the Bangalore-Chennai National
Highway, on the southern plains region of Karnataka.
The Ammerallikere, a tank, forms its eastern boundary. On the north is the
Kodikannur tank, the main source of water supply to the city.
Apart from the gold fields, Kolar is also an ideal destination for the
devotees since quite a few temples have been constructed here as well as in the
adjacent regions. In places like Kurudumale and Mulbagal exquisite temples to
Someshwara have been built. Most of these temples were built during the Vijayanagar
Empire bearing its style and tradition. In addition to all these, Kolar
district is popularized as the land of Silk, Milk and Gold, given its
propensity to the dependent agriculture and sericulture industries that thrive
here.
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