My Journeys In India: Temples of Bangalore

Do you know there are multiple temples in Bangalore that are 1000 to 2000 years old? Do you know that there was once a tunnel of 47 Kms length from Kalabhairaveshwara cave in Anandhagiri to Nandi hills ? There is a cave temple which is 2000 years old. .... Read on for more details.....

Many of us in Bangalore may not really know there were lots of Chola Temples that are 1500+ years old, yes multiples of them with Tamil and Old Kannada inscriptions. I have highlighted the historical temples separately. Most of them were built during Chola period.

When I started to compile this list of all important and specialty temples in Bangalore, I was bit shocked to know, we lost many things due to urbanization. Those days any temple would have a big Temple Tank, big old sacred tree called "Sthala Virutcham", big temple tower and big compound wall. I don't see any of them here and I would think it may be due to urbanization.

Remember our ancestors told it right "If there are no temples, you should not be living in that area". That way I see every nook and corner has one or the other temples in Bangalore. I have listed only the main important, historical, special temples below.

Close to 65+ important temples listed below area wise with Google map links. Scroll down below the table to see photos and details. Also I have included few temple festival videos that I captured during our visits. Click the links to open google map of the temple.

Note: For all other temples nearby Bangalore, please visit my main Blog: "Weekend Breaks or Day trips from Bangalore"

Area/Locality	Temple Details with Google Map Link
Electronic City	1. [Jain Temple] Shree Parshwa Susheel Dham Swetamber Jain Temple 2. [Historical, 1200 Years old] Sri Panchalinga Nageswara swamy Temple, Begur 3. [Historical, 11th Century] Madduramma Temple, Huskur
HSR Layout	1. Jagannath Temple right next to Hanuman statue at Agara Circle 2. Rama and Radha Krishna Temple - Hanuman Statue at Agara Circle 3. [Historical, 1200 Years old] Sri Parvathi Sametha Someshwara Swamy Temple, Agara
Bannerghatta Road	1. [Historical, 2000 years old] Sri Ramalingeshwara Cave Temple near BGS School or Meenakshi Mall 2. Meenakshi Temple 3. Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple, Just down the Cave Temple road 4. Sri Satya Narayana Temple, Just down the Cave Temple road 5. [Historical, 2000 years old] Sri Champakadhama Swamy Temple and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Bannerghatta
JP Nagar	1. Ragigudda Sri Prasanna Anjaneyaswamy Temple, JP Nagar 2. Kalyana Venkateshwara Swamy Temple, JP Nagar 1st Phase.
Jayanagar	1. Sri Dharmanath Shwetambar Jain Temple, Jayanagar 4th Block 2. Ganesha Temple Jayanagar 4th Block
Banashankari	1. Sri Banashankari Amman Temple 2. Sri Kumaraswamy Temple, Banashankari 3. [Historical, 600 Years old] Gali Anjaneya Swamy Temple
KR Market	1. Sri Dharmaraya Swamy Temple - Well known for the Karaga festival in bangalore 2. [Historical, 16th Century] Ranganathaswamy Temple , Chikpet Rangaswamy temple street 3. [Historical, 800 years old] Sri Kalikambal Kamateswara Swamy Temple, Nagarathpet
Basavangudi	1. [Historical, Year 1537] Sri Dodda Ganapathi Temple, Right inside Big Bull Temple 2. [Historical, Year 1537] Big Bull Temple 3. Ramakrishna Math 4. [Historical, 16th Century] Sri Gavi Gangadhareshwara Swamy Temple, sun-rays fall onto shrine during Makara Shankaranthi day 5. Sringeri Shankara Math, Shankarapuram
Near Lalbaugh	1. Shani Mahatma Temple (Sajjan Rao Circle, Basavanagudi) 2. Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple (Sajjan Rao Circle, Basavanagudi) 3. [Historical, 17th Century] Kote Venkataramana Temple (Sajjan Rao Circle, Basavanagudi)
Rajarajeshwari Nagar	1. Shrunga Giri Sri Shanmukha Swamy Temple 2. Sri Raja Rajeshwari Temple 3. Shri Nimishamba Devi Temple 4. Omkar Hills
Rajaji Nagar, Magadi Road	1. ISKCON Main Temple 2. Mahalakshmi and Anjaneya Temple 3. Mari Tirupathi Sri Srinivasa Temple, close to Mahalakshmi Temple 4. Sri Angala Parameshwari Temple, Magadi Road 5. Sri Kailasa Vaikuntha Maha Kshetra, Rajaji Nagar
Malleswaram	1. [Historical, 17th Century] Sri Kaadu Mallikarjunaswamy Temple 2. [Historical, 400 years old] Sri Dakshinamukha Nandi Tirtha Kalyani Kshetra 3. Sri Gangamma Devi Temple 4. Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple 5. Sri Maramma Temple 6. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Ulsoor	1. [Historical, 1000 years old] Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple 2. [Historical, 1000 years old] Sri Someshwara Swamy Temple 3. Sri Dhandayudhapani Temple, Odukathur Mutt, Ulsoor 4. Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Ulsoor
Domlur and Old Airport road	1. Sree Surya Narayana Swamy Temple 2. Kempfort Shiva Temple or Big Shiva Statue 3. [Historical, 10th Century] Chokkanatha Swamy Temple
Madiwala, BTM Layout	1. [Historical, 12th Century] Someshwara Swamy Temple, Old Madiwala, Swayambu Lingam
Koramangala, Ejjipura	1. [Specialty - 350 ton Perumal Shrine] Kothandarama Swamy Temple, Ejjipura - 350 Ton Vishvaroopa statue of Vishnu is planned to be installed here
Majestic	Annamma Devi Temple
Banaswadi, Lingarajapuram	1. [Specialty - 750 ton Anjaneya/Hanuman Shrine] Kodandarama swamy Temple - 62 feet, 750 ton Hanuman statue is planned to be installed here.
Mysore Road, Kengeri satellite town	1. Panchamugi Ganesha Temple 2. Shiva Statue, Kengeri Satellite Town
Kanakapura Road	1. ISKCON Vaikuntha Hill 2. Trimurthy Temple Trimurti Adyatma Mandir, Near Art Of Living 3. [Historical, 1100 years old], Vasantha Vallbharaya Temple, Vasanthapura (Read more here)
Kadugodi, Whitefield, Marathahalli	1. [Historical 10th Century] Kashi Vishweshwar Temple 2. [Historical, 600 years old] Someshwara Swamy Temple, Marathahalli
Hebbal, Devanahalli	1. [Historical, 13th Century] Ananda Lingeshwara Temple, Located on a small hill called Ananda Giri. It seems there was a tunnel from here Ananda Giri to Nandi hills i.e. 47Kms and now due to urbanization this is no more. 2. [Historical, ASI monument, Old inscriptions found] Venugopala Swamy Temple, Devanahalli Fort, Devanahalli 3. [Historical, 1110 AD] Mukthi Natheswara Temple, Binnamangala - I could not locate. Readers can help!

Bull Temple, Nandi - Basavanagudi. Dodda Ganapathi is also in same place

Moving onto photos of few of the temples we visited. Will keep updating this blog as we visit other temples.

Temples Near Electronic City

Shree Parshwa Susheel Dham Swetamber Jain Temple

Beautiful temple built completely on white marble, nicely carved pillars sculptures. A must visit.

Completely built with white marble, very beautiful

Historical, 1200 Years old, Sri Panchalinga Nageswara swamy Temple, Begur

There are five (Pancha) Lingam in this temple and recently they have constructed four big towers on all sides. Very beautiful, spacious and big temple. I heard this is 2000 years old. See the info board below which has some details.

Info Board at Temple

HSR Layout

Rama and Radha Krishna Temple - Hanuman Statue at Agara Circle

This is one of the big Hanuman statues in Bangalore. Right next to this, there is a Jagannath temple as well.

Bannerghatta Road

Sri Ramalingeshwara Cave Temple near BGS School or Meenakshi Mall

This is assumed to be 2000 years old. Very calm and beautiful, spacious place. Just right next to BGS School and opposite to Meenakshi Mall.

Ramalingeshwara Cave Temple Bannerghatta Road Bangalore

Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple

Sri Champakadhama Swamy Temple and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Bannerghatta

This is on Bannerghatta village, after crossing the Bannerghatta Police station, for zoo people take left, but if you go straight you get this temple. Very old and assumed to be 1500 years old. Tamil and Old Kannada inscriptions can be seen. On top of the small hill backside, Lakshmi Narasimha shrine is there.

Sri Champakadhama Swamy Temple Bannerghatta Bangalore

Kodhanda Ramar Temple

Festival at Kodhanda Swamy Temple Off Bannerghatta Road, Near Cave temple

Rathothsava Festival at Mariamman Temple, Hulimavu Off Bannerghatta Road

Basavanagudi

Both Big Bull Temple and Dodda Ganapathy temple are in same place. Both are built around 1537 AD. The Nandi here is one of the largest with 15 feet high and 20 feet long. Even the Ganesha is so big and hence the name "Dodda" (means big). There is a Bugle rock which seems to be 3000 million years old.

Kadalekai Parische is one of the big festival here in Bull temple. Usually this is during Mid-November of the year (Krithika month of Karnataka calendar). And 1 Lakh lights are lit here in this temple which is amazing to see.

Gavi Gangadhareswara Temple is one example for Rock-cut architecture built at 16th century. During Makara Sankranti (Pongal), temple witnesses a unique phenomenon in the evening sunlight passes through an arc between the horns of Nandi and falls directly on the Linga inside the cave and illuminating the interior idol.

Banashankari

Banashankari Amman Temple

During Aadi (in Tamil) OR Aashada (in Kannada) this temple is thronged with devotees. Close to a lakh of devotees visit in a day, particularly on Fridays. This is a very famous temple in bangalore. Apart from Aadi, during Dasara (October) also this will be heavily crowded.

Sri Kumaraswamy Temple

Located on a small hill like any other Murugan temple, this is very beautiful location and very pleasant.

Jayanagar

Vinayaka Temple - 4th Block Jayanagar

Raja Rajeshwari Nagar

Shrunga Giri Sri Shanmukha Swamy Temple

On a small hill. Lord Murugan with Valli and Deivanai is seen here. If you happen to visit during the Kandha Shashti festival it is beautiful. This year 2019, it might be during Saturday, November 2nd 2019. The lighting in evening is good to see.

Watch the last year i.e. 2018 - Kandha Shashti festival video below.

Watch Kandha Shashti Festival - Soora Samharam by Lord Murugan

Sri Raja Rajeshwari Temple

One of the temple with big temple tower in Bangalore. Very calm and nice. When you visit here, you can also check Nimishamba Temple and Omkar hills which are very close by.

Shri Nimishamba Devi Temple

Omkar Hills

Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Temple and Matsya Narayana Temple. One of the highest points in Bangalore.
Under the big Pipal tree you can sit and meditate.

Rajaji Nagar

ISKCON Main Temple

If you happen to visit during 8PM evening, you get to see the Pallaki Utsav and the music which is wonderful. Lots of spiritual books available. This is on a small hill. There is also a temple tank. During the festival this is very heavily crowded.

Mahalakshmi and Anjaneya Temple

22 feet high and 16 feet width, this is another big Hanuman shrine in Bangalore. During the month of August, 500Kg of Butter is used to decorate Hanuman. Also Vadai Malai (Garland made of Vadai) is also given to Lord Hanuman by devotees. There is also a very big Maha Lakshmi shrine here. This area is called Mahalakshmi Layout based on this temple. This is direct opposite to ISKCON temple and one can see the temple tower from ISKCON hills.

Mahalakshmi and Anjaneya Temple, Bangalore

Mari Tirupathi Sri Srinivasa Temple, close to Mahalakshmi Temple

Mari Tirupathi Sri Srinivasa Temple Bangalore

Malleswaram

Sri Kaadu Mallikarjunaswamy Temple

Sri Kaadu Mallikarjunaswamy Temple Bangalore

Sri Dakshinamukha Nandi Tirtha Kalyani Kshetra

Sri Gangamma Devi Temple

Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple

Sri Maramma Temple

Ulsoor

Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple

This is again very old temple. During Kandha Shasti festival this will be very corwded. This temple has a temple tank. There is also a big Pipal tree and Ganesha near the temple tank. Again Rathothsava is famous here as well.

Very rare to see a temple with Temple Tank and this temple has it.

Sri Someshwara Swamy Temple

This is very old and famous temple. Rathothsava is famous as well. There is also Anjaneya swamy shrine here. There are many carved pillars which are attractive.