World · South & Central Asia · 5 hrs ago
Devotee dies while climbing Deviramma Betta in Karnataka
A 35-year-old devotee died while climbing Deviramma Betta near Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka on Sunday morning.
Lakshman, who lived in Dakshina Kannada district and worked for a private company in Bengaluru, collapsed on the path up the hill.
He had travelled overnight and was visiting a relative before deciding to make the climb early in the morning.
The hilltop Deviramma temple is open during its annual festival, which began on Saturday and has drawn thousands of devotees from across Karnataka.
The festival has been extended to two days this year, and night-time climbs are prohibited for safety.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel carried Lakshman’s body down the hill, and it was taken to the district government hospital in Chikkamagaluru.
District officials and police have put security and safety measures in place for the festival.
A 35-year-old devotee died after collapsing while climbing Deviramma Betta in Karnataka on Sunday morning.
The man, identified as Lakshman, was climbing from the Mallenahalli side to visit the hilltop temple.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel carried his body down the hill.
He had travelled overnight and decided to climb early in the morning after visiting a relative in Huvinahalli.
The temple is open to the public only during its annual festival, which began on November 7.
- Who
- Lakshman, 35, of Kanyadi in Dakshina Kannada district.
- What
- He collapsed and died while climbing Deviramma Betta to visit its hilltop temple.
- When
- Sunday morning, November 8, 2026.
- Where
- Deviramma Betta, near Mallenahalli in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka.
- Why
- He was climbing to visit the hilltop temple. The cause of his collapse was not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The annual festival at the Deviramma temple began.
Lakshman collapsed and died while climbing the hill from the Mallenahalli side.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel carried his body down the hill, and it was taken to the district government hospital in Chikkamagaluru.
- Deceased
- Lakshman, 35
- Home district
- Dakshina Kannada
- Incident site
- Deviramma Betta, near Mallenahalli, Chikkamagaluru district
- Incident date
- November 8, 2026
- Festival began
- November 7, 2026