Madikeri

India

Also known as: Mercara

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Also called:: Mercara

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Madikeri, 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.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Kenneth Pletcher.