Distance to base : Mysore 87 km/ 2 hours, Bangalore 81 km/ 2 hour
Trail : steep gradient and rocky surface
Trail distance : approx 5 km
Grade : Moderate
Trekking groups often mention KabbalaDurga as a hillock which can be attempted by both amateur and experienced. And that may be true if you're not afflicted by acrophobia : fear of heights. But if you ask my opinion~ scaling this mere 1000 metres barren hillock does take spiderman grit and some technique.
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| KabbalaDurga hillock seen from our minivan, Near Mysore Karnataka |
The initial trail is a normal steep with shrubs and greenery, that anyone can easily climb. I had no idea what was to come... And as we approached the hillock, the steep gradient suddenly changed from 40 to 60 deg. At portions where I swear it was even 80 there were barricades for support and slight niches to place your toes. I regretted undertaking this trek, and wondered why they didn't call it rock-climbing instead.
Tip : Wear shoes with good grip. Let your backpack be super light~ water, some eatables and basic stuff.
There was a Dutch couple who were pro climbers and trekkers and another Indian couple who were also in good shape.... Oh! how I envied their composure and sincere effort. The higher gradient was exhausting for everyone and the 11 am heat was also taking its toll. But reaching for even a sip of water was scary, I just didn't want to let go of my grip even though the palms of my hands were stinging with the hot rock surface.
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| Kaballadurga's steep gradient is daunting, Treks near Mysore |
My acrophobia got more and more acute as for a moment I glimpsed down and saw the sheer cliff. The sounds of my teeth chattering with fear was so loud, and I tried my best to hysterically laugh out the embarrassment. My knees were jittery and my throat parched...
So if you're wondering how I climbed KabbalaDurga; it was possible only due to my expert trek lead who encouraged and assisted me throughout the climb. He stood like a barricade himself where needed.
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| the sheer relief of reaching atop KaballaDurga hill, Near Mysore Karnataka |
The dark story of KabbalaDurga
KabbalaDurga has an infamous history. The Wodeyars of Mysore have a series of many successive rulers who were actually adopted sons, and not those from their own lineage. Read : The curse of Talakādu.
And so is the story of Prince Chamaraja VII of the Wodeyar dynasty who became the 17th ruler of the independent state of Mysore in 1732. He was actually the son of DevarajUrs of Ankanhalli but adopted by the widow of Dodda Krishnaraja Wodeyar I.
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Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja, (titular) Maharaja of Mysore Wadiyar 2015–present. Yaduveer is the adopted grandson of JayaChamaraja Wadiyar, the last Mysore ruler Image credit : Nagaraj Gargya wikipeia |
Around the 1700s, as the kingdom of Mysore declined, local noblemen and bureaucrats called as Dalavayi took over the administration, and the Wodeyar rulers thereafter remained only in name. These Dalvayai existed even during the Vijayanagara empire, before the Wodeyars took over Mysore. The Kalale brothers, Dalavayi Nanjarajaiah and Sarvadhikari Devarajaiah who served as Prime Minister had become influential and powerful. And although there is not much known as to what might be the reason, that Prince Chamaraja VII got into a dispute with the Dalvayais, and was thus made a political prisoner along with his wife at KabbalaDurga. He later died here in 1734.
Subsequently Hyder Ali also detained many prisoners here, like the Maratha Mura Rao Ghorpade.
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| We stayed awhile and enjoyed the view at KaballaDurga, near Mysore Karnataka |
There is a tiny shrine-like temple of Kabbalamma devi atop the hillock at KabbalaDurga. So do people and pujaris climb up?
Yes, indeed! Kabbalamma devi is a powerful shakti goddess, and popular with people from the nearby villages. The hill gets its name from this goddess.
The descent
Once at the top we enjoyed our snacks and drinks, I gave no thought about the descent. My trek lead explained that I needed climb down (like backwards) without looking down. I can only leave it your imagination how that went. After all, don't forget that In later years after Hyder Ali, during the British, many convicts were hurled down from these slopes to their death~ a sentence, mainly to fill dread into the local populace. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see devout locals ~ women in saris, young adventurous kids and a few older people climbing up cautiously. Many preferred to climb barefoot to get a better grip. It was unbelievable!
Thanks for reading.
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