Sprawling over an area of 5,143 sq km, Krishnagiri is a district located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city of Krishnagiri is the district headquarters of this destination.
The district is surrounded by Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts to the east and Karnataka to the west, while Andhra Pradesh lies to the north and Dharmapuri to the south. It has derived its name from two words, Krishna, which means black and giri, which refers to hill, hence the destination refers to Black Hill.
Owing to the presence of several archaeological sites, it is believed that Krishnagiri is one of the oldest inhabited places in the country. These archaeological sites date back to different ages, which include Neolithic, Monolithic and Paleolithic ages. In addition, the place also houses several caves and rock paintings that provide evidence of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Moreover, some of the evidences also support inhabitation during the Iron Age.
As time passed, several dynasties ruled Krishnagiri, which include the Cholas, Pandyas, Nulambas and Bijapur empires. The fort along with the temples located within the destination exhibit the architectural brilliance of different dynasties that ruled the destination.
One of the most prominent attractions of the region is the Krishnagiri Dam. Thenpennai River is another major attraction of the destination, which is located at a distance of around 7 km from Krishnagiri town. This place is known for its deer forest and inbuilt zoo. Shree Parshwa Padmavathi Shaktipeet Tirth Dham and Arumigu Maragathamigai Chandra Choodeshwara Temple are among the other main attractions of the place.
The destination neither has its own airport nor its train station. The nearest international airport is Bengaluru International Airport, in the neighbouring state of Karnataka.
Tourists can also reach Krishnagiri by trains, which are served by Hosur Railway Station. Apart from flights and trains, both government and private operated buses are available. The best time to explore Krishnagiri is during the winter season, which extends from the month of December to the month of February.
Tourist places in Krishnagiri
Krishnagiri, the land of black granite hillocks, is a popular tourist destination in the State of Tamil Nadu. Krishnagiri has a lot of attractions ranging from scenic spots and historic monuments to temples and dams.
Krishnagiri Reservoir Project and Kelavarapalli Reservoir Project, built across River Thenpennai and River Ponniar respectively, are the prime attractions at Krishnagiri, which also serve as the popular picnic spots of this region.
Krishnagiri also has a ancient hill fort of Rayakottah, which was in use till 1861. Mallachandram, an archaeological site, is famous for its megalithic dolmens. Government Museum and Rajaji memorial are the other attractions at Krishnagiri.
Krishnagiri has religious destinations such as Arulmigu Maragathamigai Chandra Choodeshwara temple, Shree Parshwa Padmavathi Shaktipeet Tirtha Dham and Hanumanthathirtham.
Thali is a popular summer retreat in Krishnagiri District, which is commonly referred to as "Little London". Venugopala Swami temple, located in Thali, is famous for the annual Car Festival.