Temples In Bangalore

Bangalore, popularly known as the pub capital of India, is one city that houses some of the most magnificent temples of southern India. This contradiction of sorts is what makes Bangalore one of its kinds of city with the broadest perception about values. Bangalore, with its green environment and highly accessible places, is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world. Even though the temples cannot be praised as the highest achievement of human consciousness, they offer a platform for people to erase their negative feelings and let them be one with their highest positive vibrations. Bangalore has a good number of temples, built almost millennia back, which not only holds attraction among the spiritualists but also for the antiquarians and archaeologists. The perfect blend of Dravidian art and Hindu mythological concepts make these temples a rare experience. Navigate through this article to know more on the temples in Bangalore and explore its spiritual legacy.

Bangalore Temples

Bull Temple
Nandi temple, also popular as the ‘Bull temple’, is one of the oldest temples in Bangalore. The main attraction of this temple is the giant bull, which is about 4.6 meters tall and is carved out a single rock. Nandi Bull is revered in Hindu mythology as the vehicle of Lord Shiva. This great temple, built by Kempegowda in the traditional Dravidian style, houses the statue of Nandi together with Surya (Sun God) and Chandra (Moon God) on their chariots drawn by horses, which is an artistic interpretation of mythology. In Kannanda language, Bull is called as Bsasava and the place in which the temple is situated is called Basavanagudi.

ISKCON Temple
The biggest temple of Bangalore, the ISKON temple is situated on the Hare Krishna Hill in Chord Road. Build with a construction cost of whopping 10 million dollars, this huge cultural complex stands as a true architectural and spiritual delight. This temple has the world’s tallest gold plated Dwarjastambha (56 ft high) and highest gold plated Kalash Shikara (28 ft high). The magnificent gates, lush green gardens, granite podiums, and magnificent sculpture of deities make this temple truly stand out in its magnificence and splendor.

Dharmaraja Temple
This temple, situated at Ulsoor, is dedicated to Lord Shiva, but it also worships Lord Krishna and Dharmaraj Yudhistir. The five Rathas at the temple, which is one of the biggest attractions here, are dedicated to Dharmaraja, Bhima, Arjuna, Draupadi and Sahadeva. This temple is famously associated with the color Karaga festival of Bangalore. The icon of Karaga, a symbol of Draupadi, is kept in the Dharmaraja Temple. This temple is open for people belong to any religious background.

Shri Bhoganandishwara Temple
One of the oldest temples in Bangalore, the Bhoganandishwara temple is situated at the foot of the Nandi Hills. Constructed in around 806 AD by Rathnavalli of Bana Dynasty, this Dravidian style temple is famous for its ancient architecture. Lord Bhoganandishwara, Arunachaleswara and Umamaheswara are worshipped in this great temple. This temple also has a Kalyana Mandapa, which serves as one of the biggest attractions of this temple.

Someshwara Temple
One of the well-known temples in Bangalore, the Someshwara temple, built during the reign of the Chola dynasty, is feted for its splendid architecture and stands as a authentication of the architectural expertise of the Chola dynasty. The Rajagopuram (tower) and a Dhwajastambha (massive pillar) reveals the artisanship of the bygone age. Apart from Lord Shiva, this temple houses the deities of Kamakshamma, Arunachaleswara, Bhimeswara, Nanjundeswara and Panchalingeswara.

Dodda Ganesha Temple
Situated in Basavanagudi, this famous Lord Ganesha temple exemplifies stone craftsmanship. Built by Dempegowda I, this temple houses the massive monolithic idol of Shakthi Ganapathi, wgich is 18 feet high and 16 feet wide. The major attraction os this temple is the butter-coated idol of Ganapati which is broken once in every four year and is distributed among the devotees.

Kempfort Shiva Temple
This outstanding Shiva Temple is situated on the old airport road, inside the old Kempfort campus. This campus, which has one of Bangalore’s most famous shopping complex, houses a magnificent 65ft high statue of Lord Shiva, nestled in a serene environment. This temple also houses a miniature exhibition of different Shiva pilgrimages across India.