Biligiriranga Hills

Biligiriranga Hills, commonly called BR Hills, is a hill range and wildlife sanctuary in Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka, at the confluence of the Eastern and Western Ghats. It is known for the hilltop Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, dense forests, and rich biodiversity including elephants and tigers. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1974 and a tiger reserve in 2011, it offers temple visits, wildlife safaris, trekking and scenic viewpoints.

Visitors can expect forested hills rising to about 1,800 metres, with the hilltop Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple featuring Dravidian architecture, panoramic viewpoints over surrounding plains and forests, and the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve. The area includes dense deciduous and evergreen forest, safari tracks, Soliga tribal settlements, and a quiet hill environment with basic visitor facilities and limited commercial development.

The Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple is a historic hilltop temple dedicated to Lord Ranganatha. The surrounding forests were declared Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary in 1974 and notified as a Tiger Reserve in 2011 under Project Tiger, recognizing its ecological importance at the junction of Eastern and Western Ghats.

The Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple is culturally significant for devotees of Lord Vishnu and is closely associated with the Soliga tribal community who inhabit the hills. The temple's annual car festival (Rathotsava) in April draws pilgrims, and the Dodda Sampige tree is revered in local tradition.