JOIN USKaiwara and Kailasagiri, located in Chintamani taluk of Kolar district, are about 65 km from Bangalore. Bheema Bakana betta is a hillock in the region where, if legend is to be believed, Bheema killed Bakasura. The town of Kaiwara was known as Ekachakrapura in ancient times.
Kaiwara Thathayya or Narayanappa (1730-1840 AD) a famous saint who lived here wrote ‘Amaranarayana Shathaka’ and ‘Kaalagnana’.
You can first reach Chintamani from Bangalore, which is about 65 kms. Kailasagiri is about seven kms from there. The place is known for a huge manmade cave temple.
There are idols of Ganapathi and Shiva installed inside the cave. The sheer magnitude of the cave and the efforts made to construct it are bound to take one by surprise.
At Kaiwara, the principal attraction is the Swami Narayana Ashram dedicated to saint Narayanappa.
It is a well-maintained ashram with lodging facilties for tourists. There is also a beautiful temple of Amaranarayana Swamy.
The idol was installed by the king Vishnuvardhana of Hoysala dynasty. There is also a small temple of Lord Rama in the forest known as Aranya Rama Temple.
The place has a natural cave in a hillock about two kms from the ashram.
Local legend has it that saint Narayanappa meditated and achieved sainthood inside this cave. There is also a magnificent meditation hall here.
A zoo has also been maintained by the forest department.