Bilikal Rangaswamy Betta

The rock which houses the Ranganatha Swamy temple

Bilikal Ranganatha Swamy Betta is a hill near Kanakapura town in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located 70 km south of Bangalore city. Atop the hill is a temple dedicated to Lord Ranganatha Swamy. The temple and an adjacent quarters is housed underneath a huge granite rock. The hill is also known by the name Billikal Betta due to the whitish rocks near the summit that is visible from a long distance.^[1] The peak is at a height of 3780 feet (1152 m).

Biodiversity

Bilikal Rangaswamy Betta belongs to the Forest Reserve and is filled with shrub forest. Elephants and other medium-sized wild-life animals can be spotted in these forest.The vegetation of the hill is typical of high hills. The vegetation is quite thick especially in post monsoon season. The adjoining forests are known to harbor elephants and other wildlife endemic to the area. The view from the top is incredible as one can see the hillocks from the surrounding Kanakapura. There is an annual festival held once a year on Jan 14th on the top of this place to herald the glory of the Gods of the temples situated at these place.
The hill summit can be reached by trekking or via an alternate track accessible from Kanakapura.^[2]

Permissions for Hiking

As of August 2015, it has been reported that hiking up to the top has been stopped by the Forest Department, and interested parties need to seek permission from the forest office in Bannerghatta.

References

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Coordinates: 12°33′14″N 77°30′43″E / 12.554°N 77.512°E / 12.554; 77.512