A devotee dies while climbing up Deviramma Betta in Chikkamagaluru

A devotee collapsed and died while climbing Deviramma Betta to visit the hilltop temple at Mallenahalli near Chikkamagaluru on Sunday (November 8, 2026) morning. The deceased has been identified as Lakshman, 35, of Kanyadi in Dakshina Kannada district.

He was climbing the hill from the Mallenahalli side when he collapsed. Fire and Emergency Services personnel, who were stationed along the trail to assist devotees, carried the body down the hill. It was later shifted to the district government hospital in Chikkamagaluru.

Lakshman, who worked for a private company in Bengaluru, came to visit a relative in Huvinahalli. He reportedly travelled overnight and decided to climb the hill early in the morning. The Deviramma temple atop the hill is open to the public only during the annual festival, which began on Saturday (November 7).

Thousands of devotees from across the State have visited the temple over the past two days. The festival has been extended to two days this year, and climbing the hill at night has been prohibited for safety reasons. The Chikkamagaluru district administration and the police have made security arrangements and put safety measures in place for the smooth conduct of the festival.