Muddenahalli, birthplace of M. Visvesvarayya

Every Indian has heard of M. Visvesvarayya! He was one of the renowned engineers of India and when I read about Muddenahalli, his birthplace, I instantly planned a trip to go see his family home. Being an engineer myself, it was surely the least I could do to learn about the celebrated Indian engineer.

PIN for later reference

This article may contain affiliate links. For full information, please see our affiliate disclaimer here.

Where is Muddenahalli?

Muddenahalli is a village in Chikkaballapura district of Karnataka state in India. It is the birthplace of India’s most famous and accomplished engineer M. Visvesvarayya.

Who was M. Visvesvarayya?

Born on 15th September 1860, M. Visvesvarayya, officially known as Sri Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya, was an Indian civil engineer, statesman and the 19th Diwan of Mysore. Over his career, he received many notable awards such as Bharat Ratna and was knighted as King Commander of the British Indian Empire.

Did you know that 15th September is celebrated as Engineer’s Day in India, Sri Lanka and Tanzania to honour M. Visvesvarayya?

His works as the Chief Engineer include the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) dam of Mysore and Laxmi Talav dam of Maharashtra Ratnagiri and Kolhapur.

Things to see in and around Muddenahalli

M. Visvesvarayya family home and museum

There is a museum dedicated to M. Visvesvarayya that exhibits his personal belongings, awards and titles. The museum also has mini model of Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) Dam of Mysore.

• Entrance fee: FREE.
• Timings: Sunday closed. Monday to Saturday 11 AM to 5 PM.

Memorial for M. Visvesvarayya

Right next to the family home and museum, there is a road that goes to the memorial and park dedicated to M. Visvesvarayya. The memorial is treated as a sacred place by the locals.

• Entrance fee: FREE.
• Timings: Everyday.

Kandavara lake

One of the most beautiful lakes in Chikkaballapura district is the Kandavara lake. Bustling with flora and fauna, this place is surely a must visit if you love bird watching. There is also a pathway along the lake where one can stroll and enjoy the spectacular views of the lake and the surrounding hills.

• Entrance fee: FREE.
• Timings: There are no timings as such but I would not suggest visiting the lake after sunset and before sunrise if you are traveling alone as the place is quite isolated.

Note: Certain sections of the roads are not in good condition and can be difficult driving on a 2 wheel drive.

Shree Bhoga Nandishwara temple

Built in the 9th century by the Nolamba Pallavas, the Shree Bhoga Nandishwara temple is the oldest surviving temple of Nolambavadi style of Dravidian architecture. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The complex is notable for inscriptions and the huge kalyani.

• Entrance fee: INR 5 per person.
• Timings: Everyday 7:30 AM to 2 PM, and 4:30 PM to 7 PM.

Nandi Hill

Muddenahalli makes a quick stopover when visiting Nandi Hill. Nandi Hill, also known as Nandidurga, is a hill just outskirts of Bangalore and is a favourite getaway over the weekend among Bangaloreans. At an elevation of around 1478 metres, Nandi Hill is a perfect place to see the clouds below the peak of the hill.

• Entrance fee: INR 5 per person.
• Timings: Everyday 6 AM and 10 PM.

Skandagiri Hill

One of the five hills of Chikkaballapura district, Skandagiri hills is the most popular hills to see the sunrise. It is also known as Kalavara Durga and is usually crowded with trekking enthusiasts over the weekend.

• Entrance fee: INR 250 per person.
• Timings: Everyday 6:30 AM to 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

Kaurava Kunda

Not so famous and touristy as the Nandi or Skandagiri Hills, Kaurava Kunda are the twin hills derived from Mahabharata. The hill is also one of the beautiful places where one can experience the clouds beneath the peak.

• Entrance fee: FREE.
• Timings: There is no time as such but note that this hill is not monitored and it can get very isolated quickly. I do not suggest visiting this hill if you are traveling alone.

How to get to Muddenahalli?

Driving

Muddenahalli is around 59 kilometres from Bangalore city and it only takes about one hour 10 minutes to reach by road. The route is towards the airport and has toll roads.

Note: Certain sections of the roads are in bad condition and is not ideal for small cars. It is either to best park on the main road and walk to the places or to take a SUV/ big cars.

Public transportation

The best way to reach Muddenahalli via public transportation is by taking a bus or train from Bangalore city (Majestic bus stop) to Chikkaballapura. For train tickets, refer IRCTC website. From Chikkaballapura, there are two ways to reach Muddenahalli:

• It is best to take an auto rickshaw to Muddenahalli as Muddenahalli is just 7 kilometres from Chikkaballapura.
• One can also take a local bus to Thirnahalli and then walk to Muddenahalli. The distance between Thirnahalli and Muddenahalli is just 2 kilometres.

Safety for solo female travelers

I do not suggest visiting any of these places alone, except Shree Bhoga Nandishwara temple and M. Visvesvarayya museum and memorial. The places and the hills can get very isolated quickly and sometimes the locals do cause a bit of trouble. It is best to go with trekking agencies for hiking the hills or at least have one more company while visiting these places.

Closing Notes

I loved visiting Muddenahalli and learning about M. Visvesvarayya. The village is absolutely beautiful and one of those raw places that is not been crowded by tourists. I also loved interacting with locals and seeing the village scenes.

Have you visited Muddenahalli? Let me know in the comments below.

PIN for later reference