The Manjarabad Fort is an ancient as well as a unique fort which is located in the Hassan District of Karnataka. This fort is situated at an altitude of approximately 3240 feet. It was built by Tipu Sultan. When Tipu Sultan built this fort it is believed that he inspected the place and found it covered in fog and thus he named the fort as Manjarabad Fort. The term Manjara means fog or mist.The fort displays the beauty of Islamic architecture. It was built using granite blocks and it was surrounded by a deep moat. This fort has an interesting octagonal design with eight walls. Another noteworthy thing about this fort is that it has just one level whereas the other forts have multiple levels. If one looks at this fort from above it appears to have a beautiful star shaped appearance. The purpose behind building the fort was to store ammunition and also protect the army of Tipu Sultan from the British. When one goes inside the fort they get to see a cross shaped tank which was made for the purpose of collecting water so that the drinking water needs of the guards who lived there were met. There is also a deep well here and next to this two cellars were built where gunpowder was stored. One also finds cannon mounts and musket holes at fixed intervals here. An exciting thing that one can find here is a secret tunnel that will take one directly to Srirangapatna Fort. Currently the Archaeology Department maintains the Manjarabad Fort.
TRANSPORTATION AND BEST TIME TO VISIT THE PLACE
The closest railway station to Manjarabad Fort is Sakleshpur Railway station . From there one can take either a bus or a taxi to reach the fort. There are many KSRTC buses that will take one to the fort. If not bus one can also take a taxi to reach the fort. It is also possible to drive to the fort in one's own private vehicle. The Mangalore Airport is the closest to the fort. From there one can take either a bus or a taxi to reach the fort. The best time to visit this fort is from the months of June to February.
ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD
There are many places to stay around the fort. The prices too are affordable. Some of the names of the places are Mugilu Homestay, Hashtag Sakleshpur, CAPITAL O75153 Janaki Stay, Hotel Durga International, Cloud Alley Homestay, etc. There are also many places where one can eat food at. Some of the names of the restaurants are Hotel Samrat Grand, Simply Malnad, Hotel Yadgar, Hotel Picnic, Hotel Kaimara, etc
PLACES TO VISIT
The Bisle View Point is located near the Bisle Ghat. From this point one gets to see an amazing view of the Western Ghats particularly three mountain ranges which are the Yenikallu Betta, Doddabetta and Pushpagiri, Kumaraparvatha. One has to trek in order to reach this point. On the way trekking one comes across various waterfalls and streams. There is also a possibility of spotting animals like peacocks, monkeys, elephants,etc thus truly making it an interesting trek.
Ombattu Gudda is another interesting place to visit. It actually means Nine Hills. The trek to the top of this place is a nice experience. There is greenery all around and one also gets to see various streams during the trek. The trek starts from Kabinhold Reserve Forest and one gets to see many animals and birds too. The best time to come here is during sunrise or sunset as the view is beautiful.
The Hemavathi Dam is located in Gorur which is in Hassan District of Karnataka. This dam is also called Gorur Dam. It was built across the River Hemavathi in the year 1979. The purpose behind building this dam was to provide water and also help in irrigation to the villages nearby. There is a garden which is opposite the dam and people use that garden as a picnic spot to enjoy watching the water gushing down from the dam. If one goes here early in the morning they get to see many beautiful varieties of birds here.
The Yoga Narasimha temple at Melkote is another famous tourist attraction. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity Narsimha. There is an idol of Narsimha here where he is seated with the Yogapatta. This temple was built during the reign of the Hoysala Empire. It is believed that Tipu Sultan donated a huge drum to this temple. There is also another belief which states that during the reign of the Wodeyar Kings of Mysore, King Krishnaraja Wodeyar III donated a golden crown to the temple deity. The Narasimha Jayanti Festival is celebrated here every year by keeping special pujas.
The Srirangapatna Fort is a perfect example of Indo- Islamic architecture. This fort is also known as Tipu Fort. This fort was built in the year 1454 and it eventually came under the control of Tipu Sultan. There is a Persian inscription at the gateway of the fort that mentions the date when the fort was constructed. This fort has four gates which are named as Delhi,Bangalore, Mysore and Water and Elephant gates. Here one even finds a Rocket court from where Tipu Sultan's army used to launch missiles. One can also see the Lal Mahal which was the residence of Tipu Sultan.
Jennukal Gudda is another tourist attraction. It is a mountain peak that is located in the Hassan District of Karnataka. This mountain peak is the second highest peak in the state. Jenukal Gudda is also known as Honey stone mountain or Hodachalli. One has to trek in order to reach the mountain top. This place is surrounded by coffee plantations and also lots of greenery. One also gets to see the Arabian Sea from the mountain top. Various other peaks like Kumaraparvatha, Ettina Bhuja, etc can be seen from here too. One should avoid trekking here during the monsoon season as it becomes very difficult to trek.
Thus,the Manjarabad Fort is truly a unique and interesting place to visit.
