Chandravalli Archaeological Site, Chitradurga - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 4 km from Chitradurga Railway Station, Chandravalli is an archaeological site located in the city of Chitradurga. It is one of the best places to visit as part of Chitradurga heritage packages.

Chandravalli is located immediately to the west of the fortified hill of Chitradurga. The initial excavations at this site were conducted in 1909 by R. Narasimhachar, who served as the Director of the Department of Archaeology and Museums of the Mysore state. Subsequent excavations were undertaken by H. M. Krishna in 1928-29 and later by Mortimer Wheeler under the auspices of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1947.

At the Chandravalli archaeological site, researchers uncovered painted pottery and coins dating back to the pre-historic and Shatavahana periods, indicating that human habitation existed in this area during the Iron Age. Inscriptions discovered in the adjacent hillocks are attributed to the Chalukya and Hoysala periods, including one from King Mayurasharma, the founder of the first Kadamba dynasty.

The excavations at Chandravalli have unearthed earthenware pots, painted bowls, and coins from various Indian dynasties such as Vijayanagar, Shatavahana, and Hoysala, as well as denarii from Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar and a coin from the Chinese Han dynasty Emperor Wu Ti, dating to the 2nd Century BC. Additional artifacts include Neolithic tools, a cist containing a skeleton, pots with animal bones and teeth, and a Roman bulla. One of the cists appeared to hold the legs of a sarcophagus.

The surrounding hills are dotted with prehistoric caves and temples. The Chandravalli cave temple, also referred to as the Ankali Mutt, was named after the saints from Ankalagi who visited for meditation. This cave, which is semilunar in shape, is situated between two large monolithic rocks and features several chambers, including a puja area with a shivlinga, a drawing room, a bedroom, and a water outlet linked to an internal tank.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free