MUTTATTI

This place is situated 45 kms southeast from the taluk centre Malavalli, on the left bank of the river Cauvery and located inside the reserved forest belt of Basavanabetta, famous as a beautiful forest area of the district. The place has Puranic traditions of the Ramayana episodes and is said to have been a lodging place for Shree Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Hanumantha when they were returning to Ayodhya. The folk legend goes like this: Sita was taking a bath in the river Kaveri. Accidentally her nose ornament slipped into the water. By her request, Hanumantha grew his tail and dipped it into the river water, churned it, then lifted the ornament and gave it back to Sita. Then the place got the name ‘Muttatti’. Sita graced Hanumantha with the name Muttettiraya and bestowed him the top position, as the presiding deity of the place.