MERCARA

also called Madhu-keri town, southern Karnataka (formerly Mysore) state, southern India, in the Western Ghats, at an elevation of 3,800 feet (1,160 m), on the national highway from Mysore city to Mangalore. In 1681 Mudda Raja selected the central but inaccessible site for the capital of the independent Hindu dynasty of Coorg. A fort built in 1812 by Linge Raja and the hilltop Onkeshwara Temple overlook the quiet town. Raja's Seat, a picturesque little garden, commands a panoramic view. A government and a law college are affiliated with the University of Mysore. Pop. (1981) 24,724.