It is the main town of the Virajpet taluka, in the south of the district. The name is an abbreviation of Virarajendrapete after the former ruler of Kodagu, Virarajendra, and this latter form is still sometimes used. It is a small town of importance for the local coffee and spice crops. Virajpet is around 30 km away from Madikeri, the district headquarter and is about 250 km from Bangalore. The onl
y way to reach Virajpet is by road. Some of the tourist attractions in and around Virajpet are the Ayyappa temple halfway up and the Shiva temple at the top of the Malethirike hill, a semispherical hill at Kakotuparambu which is about 8 km from Virajpet, St. Anne's church, the clock tower (pictured), Tadiandamol (the highest mountain in Kodagu) and the Igguthappa (local deity) temple, both in Kakkabe about 15 km from Virajpet. About Virajpet Tourism Virajpet town is situated in the Kodagu District of Karnataka. It is considered as the main town of Virajpet Taluka. Located at a distance of 30 km from the district headquarters Madikeri, it shares its geographical borders with the major towns of the district – Ammathi, Gonikoppal and Ponnampet. Named after the former ruler of Kodagu, Virarajendra, Virajpet is an abbreviation for Virarajendrapete. The history of the destination is rich as it was ruled by various South Indian dynasties. The Gangas, the Kadambas, the Chalukyas, the Cholas, the Hoysalas, the Rastrakutas and the Vijaynagar Rayas also ruled the region. After the end of the ruling period, the region was segmented into three major towns namely, Madikeri, Virajpet and Somwarpet. Dodda Veerarajendra invited craftsmen and traders from neighbouring states to settle down in the town. Even to this day, some of the street names include Telugu Street, Bengali Street and Jain Street
The town, situated at the foot of a hill, is well connected by road with coastal Kerala towns like Kannur and Tellicherry. Virajpet was built in 1792 A.D. by the Kodagu Raja, Dodda Veerarajendra, on the site where he met the British Governor Robert Abercromby in 1791. The Governor requested the Kodagu Raja to provide passage for moving the British troops from Bombay via Tellicherry through Coorg, on their way to Srirangapatna to fight Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan. The town is famous for its huge plantations of local coffee and spice crops. Situated at a distance of 250 km from Bangalore city, Virajpet is the largest honey producer in Asia. Ayyappa Temple and Shiva Temple on the top of Malethirike Hill, a semi-spherical hill at Kakotuparambu, are the prominent attractions that attract thousands of devotees. Source : Wikipedia
By : Prashanth Luvlu , Virajpet
