Shiva is one of the most enigmatic deities of the Hindu pantheon, and Lord Shiva temples have a unique aura of mysticism and intrigue. Here are some of the ancient Shiva temples in Bangalore that you must visit. Shiva is one of the Gods of the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara. He represents the concept of destruction, while Lord Brahma is associated with creation, and Lord Vishnu with preservation. Lord Shiva is the father of Ganesha and Subrahmanya, and the husband of Parvati.

Lord Shiva is a popular deity who is believed to be easy to please and is known as a “granter of boons”. The popularity of Lord Shiva can be gauged by the number of Shiva temples, both old and new, that one finds across India and even in countries like Nepal and Cambodia. The city of Bangalore has its share of some of the most fascinating and ancient Shiva temples. In this blog post, we take a look at some of the ancient Shiva temples in Bangalore.

Ancient Shiva Temples In Bangalore |

Popular Shiva Temples In Bangalore 

The city of Bangalore has a history and heritage that even predates its founding by Kempe Gowda. One of the oldest Shiva temples in Bangalore which is located in the area that is known as Begur today dates back to the 9th century. There are many old Shiva temples in Bangalore, that have stood the test of time and stand as shining beacons of spirituality amidst the glass buildings that are a symbol of the growing metropolis.

Ancient Shiva Temples In Bangalore | Lord Shiva Temples  

These 6 ancient Shiva temples in Bangalore, stand with their timeless magic and are active temples, where worship is performed.

• Pancha LingaNageshvara Temple Begur
• Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple
• Kadu Malleshwara Temple
• Halasuru Someshwara Temple
• Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple
• Shree Jalakanteshwara Temple

1. Pancha Linga Nageshwara Temple

The Nageshwara Shiva temple is not a very famous Shiva temple in Bangalore. However, it is very ancient and one of the oldest temples in the city. It is dated back to the 9th century and has inscriptions that have the earliest known evidence of the city of Bangalore.

The Pancha Linga Nageshvara temple complex actually consists of many temples, Nageshvara temple and Nageshvaraswami temple, are the oldest of the temples and were built during the time of the Western Ganga dynasty towards the end of the 9th century. Other temples within the complex are believed to have been built later.

The Nageshwara temple has a Shiva Linga in the Garbagriha. The temple is embellished with sculptures and ornate pillars. The Nageshvaraswami temple also belongs to the same period. The Nageshwara temple of Begur has a lot of historical importance and has important inscriptions and Hero Stones, that shed valuable insight into the history of the region. Begur, which is today within Bangalore, was once a town that was known as Veppur and an important centre of the West Ganga dynasty.

The temple is referred to as Panchalingeshwara, as it has 5 Shiv Lingas, in the temple complex.

ADDRESS: BBMP Office, Begur Rd, opposite to Begur, Begur, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560068.

Distance From M.G.Road: 12 kilometres.

2. Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple

The Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple is one of the most iconic and famous Shiva temples in Bangalore. It attracts hordes of visitors, especially on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. On this day people crowd the temple to watch a unique phenomenon. The rays of the Sun travel through the arc formed by the horns of the Nandi (Bull) and fall on the Shiva Linga inside the sanctum sanctorum.

The Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple is also called Cave temple, as the Garbagriha or sanctum that houses the deity is located below ground level in a cave. A monolithic Shiva Ling is the presiding deity. The temple is surrounded by many mysteries, myths and legends.

The temple in its current form is believed to have been restored by the founder of Bangalore, Kempegowda in the 16th century. However, it is also believed that the origins of the temple date back to the Vedic times and it was established by the sages Gautama and Bharadwaja.

The Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple is also a marvel of engineering and architecture. Of special interest and intrigue are two granite pillars that have stone discs that are believed to represent the Sun and the Moon. Among the many myths that surround the temple is one that says that there is a secret tunnel beneath the temple that leads all the way to Kashi.

ADDRESS: 5th Main Rd, Gavipuram Extention, Kempegowda Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560019.

Distance From M.G.Road: 8 kilometres.

3. Kadu Malleshwara Temple

The Kadu Malleshwara temple is a Lord Shiva Temple, located in the busy Malleshwaram locality. The temple dates back to the 17th century. It is interesting to note that the temple was built by Vyankoji Bhonsle also known as Ekoji I Bhonsle, who happened to be a half-brother of the famous Maratha King, Chhatrapati Shivaji.

The temple draws its name from the locality in which it is located. The area was full of dense jungles and hence the prefix, Kadu, which means jungle in Kannada. In this Shiva temple of Bangalore, the deity is worshipped as Mallikarjuna.

ADDRESS: 2nd Temple Street, Vyalikaval, Kodandarampura, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560003.

Distance From M.G.Road: 7 kilometres.

4. Halasuru Someshwara Temple

The Someshwara temple is another historic and one of the most ancient Shiva temples in Bangalore. Its origins are traced to the period of the Chola dynasty. The temple in its present form is believed to have been built by Bangalore’s founder, Kempe Gowda. There are many legends about the construction of the temple.

According to one, Kempegowda had wandered far from his Capital which was located in Yelahanka and was resting under a tree. He had a dream in which the local deity known as Someshwara appeared and instructed him to build a temple for him, using buried treasure. Kempegowda did as he was bid, and the Halasuru Someshwara Temple was built.

The Halasuru refers to the area Halasuru or Ulsoor in which the temple is located. The temple design and architecture is similar to the Vijayanagar style of temple architecture but on a smaller scale. The temple is embellished with Yali pillars, similar to the ones you find in the Vijaya Vittala temple in Hampi.

There is an open hall that has 48 ornate pillars carved with different Hindu deities and celestial beings. The temple is also ornamented with beautiful sculptures, like one that depicts Ravana lifting Mount Kailash, Mahishasuramardini, the wedding of Parvati and Shiva, among others.

ADDRESS: Someshwara Temple Rd, Someshwarpura, Halasuru, Karnataka 560008.

Distance From M.G.Road: 2.3 kilometres.

5. Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple | Shiva Temple Bangalore

The Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy temple is another ancient Shiva temple in Bangalore that is lesser-known. It stands in a quiet bylane, near the Bull Temple Road in Basavanagudi, South Bangalore. It is very close to the famous temples of Dodda Ganesha, and the Bull Temple.

This Shiva temple in Bangalore was built towards the end of the 17th century in the year 1689, by Chikkadevaraya. The condition of the temple deteriorated and it was in a ruined state after the British invaded Bangalore, towards the end of the 18th century. It was at the beginning of the 20th century, that Sri Bellave Venkatanarayanappa who was a lecturer in Central college, found the remains of the temple and a Shiva Linga when he was in the process of building his house in the Basavanagudi area of Bangalore.

The temple was restored and swung into operation in 1903, and since then has been a peaceful place where people go to worship and spend some peaceful moments.

The Mallikarjuna temple also houses idols of Ganesha and Parvati as well as the Navagrahas. It is an oasis of peace, that lies in the centre of a bustling locality.

ADDRESS: Mallikarjuna Temple Street, Basavanagudi, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560004.

Distance From M.G.Road: 7.5 kilometres.

You may be interested in these famous Shiva temples from India and Nepal:
Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Somnath Temple in Gujarat.
Patal Bhuvaneshwar Temple in Uttarakhand.
Bhojpur Shiva Temple In Madhya Pradesh.
Nageshwara Jyotirlinga Temple in Dwarka.

6. Shree Jalakanteshwara Temple

The Shree Jalakanteshwara temple, also known as Kote Jalakanteshwara temple, is another ancient Shiva temple in Bangalore. It is located near the busy and crowded Kalasipalya area of Bangalore. The temple to Shiva is believed to have been originally constructed during the rule of the Cholas. It was later renovated during the time of Kempegowda, in the 15th century.

This ancient Shiva temple is made up of not one, but three sanctums, that are dedicated to Shiva in the forms of Jalakantheshwara and Kailashnatha, as well as Parvati.

ADDRESS: Jalakandeshwarar Temple Rd, B Street, Fort, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560002.

Distance From M.G.Road: 5.2 kilometres.

We hope that these ancient Shiva temples in Bangalore, which represent the rich heritage and legacy of the city have stirred your interest. These Shiva temples of Bangalore are great places to visit, not only for those, spiritually inclined, but for those interested in history, heritage, and architecture.

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