Located about 135 km to the southeast of Mysore, Male Mahadeshwara Hills is a verdant area of greenery in Chamarajanagar district near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. It is most famous for an ancient temple dedicated to Shiva surrounded by hills and valleys which have thick forests and wildlife. For long, this area was off limits since it was the stomping grounds of dreaded forest brigand Veerappan, but after his time, it has grown into its own as a nature and adventure lover’s paradise. From a vantage point, it is breathtaking to view the panoramic scenery. The hills average about 3000 feet in height and are surrounded by more than 70 peaks of the eastern ghats that are covered with forests ranging from evergreen to deciduous. There are also two rivers here, the Cauvery in Northeast and Palar in the South. Apart from sandalwood and bamboo, there are rare sightings of tigers, though it is more common to see elephants, spotted deer, gaur, sambar, many species of reptiles and birds.