B R Hills Sanctuary

A unique blend of hill resort and wildlife sanctuary, the hills take their name from the ancient Ranganatha Swamy Temple. Find inner peace at the foot of the great champak tree (Dodda Sampige), believed to be more than 2,000 years old and worshipped by the Soligas, the tribals of that area .Don't miss the coffee estates, the tribal hamlets and the Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra which displays preserved tribal information and the biodiversity of the region.

This Vishnu temple of Puranic fame is situated amid thick forests on top of the Biligiri Ranga Hills at an altitude of 1566metres. Known as Swetachalam, the hill and the various Theerthams are held as sacred as those of Tirumala. Sage Vasista and his wife had worshipped Lord Vishnu for being blessed with a progeny.They got Shakti as their son, followed by Prasara, Vyasa and Suga as the illustrious lineage. Sri Rama and sage Parasurama are said to have worshipped Sri Ranganatha. The presiding deity, installed by Vasishta, is worshipped as Srinivasa, Venkateswara and Ranganatha and His consort as Alrmelmanga, Lakshmi and Ranganayaki. There is a seperate shrine for Lord Gangadhareshwara. The sculptures of Saraswathi, Krishna and Anjaneya on the pillars are noteworthy.