Madikeri

Kodagu, Karnataka, India: Omkareshwara Temple

Madikeri, also called Mercara, town, southern Karnataka state, southern India. It lies in the Western Ghats, at an elevation of 3,800 feet (1,160 metres), on the national highway from Mysuru (Mysore; northwest) to Mangaluru (Mangalore; east).

In 1681 Mudda Raja selected the central but not easily accessible site for the capital of the independent Hindu dynasty of Coorg (Kodagu). A fort, built in 1812 by Linge Raja, and the hilltop Omkeshwara Temple overlook the quiet town. Raja’s Seat, a picturesque little garden, commands a panoramic view. A government and a law college are affiliated with the University of Mysore in Mysuru. Pop. (2001) 32,496; (2011) 33,381.