Photograph of the Temple of Chamoondee or Kali at Chittuldroog. Its architecture is unusual for southern India and is formed by numerous detached parts and pavilions. The most remarkable features of the temple are the monolithic obelisks which reach twenty or thirty feet in height. They are made of granite and on festival days are used to support lamps. Another unique feature is the stone gallows, from which devotees were swung, suspended by hooks through their back muscles during certain celebrations.

Chittuldroog, a town and district of Karnataka, takes its name from the rock-strewn hill of Chittuldroog in the Vedavati river valley. It is known locally as Kallina Kote or Palace of Stones, after its rocky terrain and a massive fort built by the Nayakas (Nayaka Paleyegars). The powerful goddess Chamoondee or Kali, the slayer of the demon Mahishasura, is a form of Devi or the mother goddess.