Chamundi Hill to get new stone stairway

To connect Chamundeshwari Temple from Uthanahalli side 

Mysore/Mysuru: Very soon you can climb the iconic Chamundi Hill from Uthanahalli side where an old path existed during the reign of Wadiyars. The stone stairway is at present closed. Once the steps are ready, devotees who come from Bengaluru reach the Sri Chamundeshwari Temple atop the Hill from Uthanahalli side.

The Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Department (Muzrai Department) has chalked out the project of building a stone stairway on the eastern side of Chamundi Hill. The existing stairway has 1,008 steps and it starts from Suttur Mutt at the foot of the Hill. Once constructed, the new stone stairway will have 1,034 steps.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, N. Raghu, Assistant Engineer (AE), Public Works Department (PWD), said that the project is worth Rs. 99.5 lakh and the money will be released from the Temple funds and the works will be undertaken by the PWD. The proposal has been prepared and once approved, tender will be called for the works, he added. 

The works on stone stairway will be taken up in two phases — one from Uthanahalli Junction to the Chamundeshwari Temple (the steps will link Mahabaleshwara Temple near Nayakara Beedhi) atop the Hill and two from Uthanahalli to the foothill. The total length of the stairway will be 625 metres and will have a height of 155 metres. 

“We have sent the proposal to build uniform steps of six inch standard height. The existing stairway has the step height of 8 inch to 10 inches and sometimes it is difficult for the elderly persons to walk. The 6-inch high steps are easy to climb. This is why the number of steps has increased to 1,034,” he explained. 

The new stairway will have metal railings on both sides of the steps, stone benches and other facilities for the devotees. The stairway will be lit with electricity during nights. The steps will be 10-ft wide and will be uniform from top to bottom. The proposal for the new stairway was initially mooted by Shivanna, the former Dharmadarshi of Chamundi Temple.

Already a stone stairway exists and it was built during Wadiyars rule. But now the stairway is closed for the public and from the foot of the Hill till Uthanahalli, there is dense growth of bushes. “We will use locally available BS slabs and the stone will be dressed to make it look like traditional ones that have been used by the Wadiyars,” PWD AE Raghu said.

Wadiyars had constructed old stone stairway to help devotees reach Jwalamukhi Tripura Sundari Temple at Uthanahalli after visiting Chamundeshwari Temple. The new stone stairway will be a new route to walkers and they can climb the existing stairway, have darshan of Goddess Chamundeshwari, take the new stairway and reach Jwalamukhi Tripura Sundari Temple at Uthanahalli,  Raghu added.

Also, devotees who come from Bengaluru can stop at Uthanahalli on Outer Ring Road (ORR) and reach the Chamundi Temple through the new stairway.